Long trip, what should I add to my leica M6 ?

I've been traveling with an M8 + cv 15, 35 lux, 90 elmarit. My wife has a Canon G9 for all the snap shots. When I'm traveling alone(and not changing hotels much) I also bring my EP1 with the kit lens and an M adaptor. It doubles the focal length of my M lenses and gives me some versatility when I don't want tho lug the M8. In August I'm going on a 3 week road trip in Europe and I'm only bringing my M8 and 35lux... my wife will get the photos of friends and parties and I'll be shooting a narrower scope. If I didn't have the M8 I would bring my M6 and a pile of tri x... come to think of it that might be pleasantly liberating.
 
The more equipment you carry, the more you'll think about the equipment and the less you'll think about photographs. You really do need backups, so I would vote for an M2, M3, or a Bessa, and a 50 or 90mm lens.

Listen to some great advice from Picasso: [FONT=&quot]“Forcing yourself to use restricted means is the sort of restraint that liberates invention. It obliges you to make a kind of progress that you can’t even imagine in advance.”[/FONT]
 
I travelled for 7 years with one body and one lens. When you get down to it that's all you need. Take a heap of film and just enjoy your travels taking photos on the way. I know it's sacrilege to say this here but the journey is more important than the images you bring back.
 
Your backup is waiting in a used camera store in Seoul, Peking, or Tokyo "if" you need one. It's not like you are going to the ends of the earth... these are major camera friendly cities. A second lens might make some sense and more than likely a 28mm or wider lens would be fun.

Shoot photos of people you meet (35mm is enough...), you can see landscape on the web anytime.

Casey
 
2nd body and a Tele. For your budget, best would be an M2, and because of the M2, a 90mm lens, not a 75.
 
shimokita said:
Your backup is waiting in a used camera store in Seoul, Peking, or Tokyo "if" you need one. It's not like you are going to the ends of the earth... these are major camera friendly cities. A second lens might make some sense and more than likely a 28mm or wider lens would be fun.

Shoot photos of people you meet (35mm is enough...), you can see landscape on the web anytime.

Casey
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Dear Casey,

Even assuming your camera doesn't pack up between "major camera friendly cities", do you want to waste precious time shopping? For what a second body weighs, and the space it takes up, it's cheap peace of mind.

As I said on another thread, in 40+ years (39 of them with Frances carrying her own cameras) I've had 3 cameras and 4 lenses fail. Once is enough.

And you can see people on television, too, so your last sentence is a bit of a non-argument. Why take any pictures at all?

Cheers,

R.
 
If you use the 35mm lens for 90% of your photos, and you have a little P&S digital....

I would use the extra cash on hand for nicer hotels, better meals, more film.
 
How about a light u4/3 camera like the Panasonic GF1? I'm sure you'll be able to find an extra M body in some of those locations if needed.
 
Whatever you do, do NOT get a second body. Worst travel advice I have ever heard and I can't believe I am hearing that kind of advice from this very well-informed forum. 1) you are using a Leica, which is very reliable. 2) you are in an area where, say, if something freakish happens to your M6, you can step outside and immediately find a new body somewhere close.
I don't want to start an argument, but it sounds like those who recommend a second body have never done any real traveling before (dont hate me please, haha).
 
filmfan said:
Whatever you do, do NOT get a second body. Worst travel advice I have ever heard and I can't believe I am hearing that kind of advice from this very well-informed forum. 1) you are using a Leica, which is very reliable. 2) you are in an area where, say, if something freakish happens to your M6, you can step outside and immediately find a new body somewhere close.
I don't want to start an argument, but it sounds like those who recommend a second body have never done any real traveling before (dont hate me please, haha).
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Well, no, of course he doesn't want to listen to pointless advice from people who have been travelling for longer than you have been alive; who have travelled on foot, by bicycle, motorcycle, Jeep, car, bus (including Indian buses), train and air; who have experience of Europe, North America, India and North Africa (that's only my experience - others will have travelled a good deal more widely); for whom travel has an important part of earning a living for several decades of their lives (again, longer than you've been alive, for many of us); or who have had cameras and lenses go bad on them.

You are entitled to your opinion, of course, even though I think it of very limited value; but to say that "those who recommend a second body have never done any real traveling before" is a straightforward insult. It is in the nature of old men to think that young men are fools, and vice versa; but young men tend to forget that old men were once young, and and that they can sometimes remember their own youthful foolishness.

Cheers,

R.
 
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In my experience its best to wait until you get there to make up your mind. After a few weeks of shooting you will probably be thinking, man I want to go wider, or mabey I need a second body, or a longer lens. So perhaps consider saving the money, and buying local when you arrive, because I think if you buy ahead of time, you might regret it when you get there.
 
As much as I like film, there's nothing like a digital camera in some situations.

For a month backpacking in NZ last year as well as my M6,18,28 and 50, I took a 28mm wide Ricoh GRD-II.
The Ricoh really came into it's own for stitched panoramas. It saw much more use than the 18mm.
It was also incredibly useful for record shots and copying local maps and timetables.

If in your shoes, for €1000 I would get a GRD-III and used 50mm M lens.

Donald.
 
anu L ogy said:
In my experience its best to wait until you get there to make up your mind. After a few weeks of shooting you will probably be thinking, man I want to go wider, or mabey I need a second body, or a longer lens. So perhaps consider saving the money, and buying local when you arrive, because I think if you buy ahead of time, you might regret it when you get there.
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Dear Jim,

Now THAT'S an intelligent piece of advice that this old man would never have thought of. I don't agree with you, but then, after 40+ years, I have a pretty good idea of what I want to shoot. Also, having had once to pick up a piece of kit on the road (a computer power supply for my laptop, in a major German city) I take a more jaundiced view of how easy it is to do this.

Cheers,

R.
 
Roger wrote: "Even assuming your camera doesn't pack up between "major camera friendly cities", do you want to waste precious time shopping? For what a second body weighs, and the space it takes up, it's cheap peace of mind."

Well actually I would prefer to explore and shop and get to know the local photographic community (e.g. in Seoul). In my opinion this is not a waste of time, but rather a good way to get in contact with the local community. Peace of mind is knowing that you can go out and have new and different experiences while growing as an individual (as I understood the OPs original post and purpose for travel.

Roger wrote: "And you can see people on television, too, so your last sentence is a bit of a non-argument. Why take any pictures at all?"

My comment was "Shoot photos of people you meet (35mm is enough...), you can see landscape on the web anytime." 40 years later a photo of a temple is nice, but a photo of some of the ** people you met ** during the trip is a memory worth recording.

Casey
 
I have traveled with backup bodies always... except the last time (only 10 days). I never needed any.

As Rover said, just think of using the extra funds to make your life more amenable.

The next time I travel, I **may** take a second body, but definitely will take less gear, as, like you, 99 % of my film photographs are done with a 35mm lens.

However, considering that the money is burning a hole in your pocket... I'd take a 90mm lens with, and that's about it.

Take care and take lots of photos too! :)
 
Next time I travel I'll be taking two M's, one with a 21mm and one with a 50mm for daytime shooting. at night i'll carry just one M camera and a 35mm summilux. my partner will carry and use my LX3 :)

another thing to consider, a 21mm or 15mm CV lens is much smaller than a 90 or 75mm lens.
 
shimokita said:
Roger wrote: "Even assuming your camera doesn't pack up between "major camera friendly cities", do you want to waste precious time shopping? For what a second body weighs, and the space it takes up, it's cheap peace of mind."

Well actually I would prefer to explore and shop and get to know the local photographic community (e.g. in Seoul). In my opinion this is not a waste of time, but rather a good way to get in contact with the local community. Peace of mind is knowing that you can go out and have new and different experiences while growing as an individual (as I understood the OPs original post and purpose for travel.

Roger wrote: "And you can see people on television, too, so your last sentence is a bit of a non-argument. Why take any pictures at all?"

My comment was "Shoot photos of people you meet (35mm is enough...), you can see landscape on the web anytime." 40 years later a photo of a temple is nice, but a photo of some of the ** people you met ** during the trip is a memory worth recording.

Casey
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Dear Casey,

If you reckon that "the local photographic community (e.g. in Seoul)" are the most interesting people you're likely to meet, fine.

As for temples, etc., I still can't see your argument. A lot depends on why you're shooting. First, 40 years is a long time. Even the landscapes will be subty different, and temples,. etc., may well look surprisingly different. Besides, I'm not shooting just for 40 years time: I'm shooting for now, to show others what it's like now, and this includes more than people I meet.

Cheers,

R.
 
I guess taking a second body comes down to one's personnality. Some will take a first care kit, water decontamination pills and two backup bodies just in case something happens.

Others just get on the plane with their camera and clean underwear.

There is no valid recommendation, it is down to each of us risk aversion.
 
Second body and longer or wider lens makes sense to me, you could pack one body with color and the other with b/w, or perhaps use two different speeds.. it adds flexibility and two leicas are still kind of manageable. If you really like your 35mm, I wouldn't get a 50.. I did and I sold it a few months later.

I would think about this though, if you're staying that long, how much film do you intend to shoot. Thinking about my one-week trip to NY, I shot about $175 worth of film (it was more of a dedicated photo trip though, so you may not burn through film at such rates). Keep some money on the side to spend on quality film :)
 
Hello,

Thanks to you all for the advices.

Many of you talked about films. Don't worry about it. My local dealer always makes me good deals when I buy a lot of films. Also, I have already taken that in consideration budget wise.

I have been thinking about this second body thing. Having a small digital camera, I think I can pass on a second body. If something happens, well, I can probably find a shop in seoul which repairs leicas. I will trust my M6 on this :)

So I think the best decision would be a 90mm or a 75mm ( I still have to try them ) plus, maybe, a wide angle lens: 15 or 21 + external finder. That way, I can probably be under my budget, and the spared money, either will be spent on beers, or on a speculative repairation.

Well, I still need to get over this mamiya 6 GAS tho.

I will keep you informed !

Thanks again,

Paul
 
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