longterm journey: latinamerica - equipment?
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Ruvy
Established
Interesting review. I admire the power, and dedication that comes through your report. Tempting as it may be, I can't imagine doing same - perhaps its because I always travel with wife or friend and lots of gear means a lot of time alone.
CK Dexter Haven
Well-known
I have traveled and photographed in Costa Rica, Panama, Brazil and Argentina over the past ten years, with a LOT of time in Brazil.
The first question i would ask concerns film versus digital. What do you hope to accomplish in this journey? If you merely need to compile a record of your travels, for personal use, or maybe to self-publish a blurb book or somesuch, i guess the film/digital debate is moot. Take whichever you think will most reliably deliver the results you need. But, factor in the need to carry lots of film and then to protect it during any air travel. With that, you'll need to be able to effectively communicate to security agents that you don't want your film X-rayed, and that is becoming increasingly more difficult. During my last trips, in August and November, agents kept repeating that "it's okay if your film is rated under ISO 1600." In Spanish or Portuguese, of course. But, i've never trusted that line, and my paranoia includes concern about the cumulative effects of x-rays. Almost no flights from the US are non-stop these days, so figuring two flights down and two back, and then maybe not using some of the film and taking those rolls again the next trip.... Whatever. I have always been successful with getting hand-inspection, but it is a pain in the ass.
But, i prefer film. The aesthetics of it, and also because i have a prejudice against digital images for the type of photography i most 'respect.' Essentially, i wouldn't want to buy a 'fine art' print that was shot on a digital camera, and so i don't want to create a fine art print shot on one. That's my bias. But, i still shoot digital. Just about to get a 5DII and i recently took an LX3 to Brazil. But, i use those cameras for specific purposes.
The Hexar AF is a very nice camera. I had one for a little while. But, i wouldn't want it to be my ONLY or primary camera. The lens is great, but it is an AF camera where you cannot verify that the AF is accurate because you don't see the focus in the lens. As well, the fast shutter speed is VERY limited for the environment in which you'll be traveling. If you don't mind having to stop down a lot in daylight, i guess it's fine. But, as you said you'll be shooting people, maybe you'll want to isolate the subject from background a little bit, and a 35mm lens at f11 because you're shooting in Brazil on the beach is not going to get you there. If you do decide on the Hexar AF, i'd also take a small, simple SLR, just in case.
The LX3 is a nice camera, but it has a lot of 'features.' If you're going to get one, get it early and get used to it. I got mine in early November, and i still don't know what's going on with it. I mean, i can use it, but i'm not really intimately familiar with it. In any case, i use it for casual things, and i would not want to use it as a primary camera.
Get some Pimsleur language CDs and learn Spanish first, and then some Portuguese. Almost no one you will encounter on a practical basis will speak English. I'm talking about cab drivers, waiters, clerks/cashiers, bus drivers, etc. Carrying a phrase book is going to be both cumbersome and annoying for locals. And, it marks you as a target very easily. Don't be THAT guy.
Brazil is dangerous. But, if you are a conscientious traveler, you shouldn't have any trouble. Know where you can go and where you can't, and what you can show and what you can't. Do NOT carry around any kind of bag that looks like a camera bag. Don't wear your camera on a strap around your neck or shoulder. If you do keep a strap on a camera for whatever purpose, consider wrapping some ratty duct tape around the ends, and/or putting a piece on your camera to make it look like a thrift store special (if your personal appearance doesn't make you physically 'imposing'). That doesn't mean you can't take a camera. Whenever i travel, i take 6 or more cameras, including Hasselblad, Leica, Canon, etc. But, i carry only one at a time, in the same type of bag i carry my beach towel in - not a camera bag. I pull it out to use it, and put it back, in a padded camera insert. On the occasion that i'm carrying a camera around and just walking around looking for a shot, i carry a small SLR or rangefinder (or Contax T3, Leica CM, or the LX3) in my hand, with strap wrapped around my wrist, and whenever i see 'street kids' aimlessly walking around, i shield it, and make eye contact to show that i know that they're there and also to show that i'm not intimidated by them. Maybe the last bit is silly or the wrong approach, but after 25 visits, and 2 months per year for ten years, you learn how YOU can best deal with people and situations. But, i'm 6'3", black, and probably look athletic, so any thieves might assume that i could chase them down. And, possibly (probably) being black gives a thief the impression that i wouldn't have anything of value anyway....
Back to film / digital.... Whichever you decide, decide now. If you choose something you're not familiar with, get it now and work with it until you leave in March, so you can get to grips with it and feel confident and comfortable. And/or so that you can change your mind, sell the item(s) and fall back to plan B. A lot will depend on how much you can pack and carry. You seem to be more interested in a more 'reportage' way of seeing the world, so i don't recommend a big zoom lens. As you suggested, a prime or two and a small body are a great way of working. Considering where i've been, i'd suggest a 24 or 28mm + 50mm, or a 35 and maybe a small 85? A Contax Aria would be a great choice, if you go with film. If you choose a dSLR, the equivalent focal lengths. Did you say you're taking a laptop? Get a small card reader to plug in for quicker dumps, and burn DVDs. Review images on the laptop every night to make sure you're getting the results you want. Shoot RAW and have enough memory cards to deal with your shooting volume along with the dump/backup schedule you can practically maintain.
For such a long trip, i would suggest you choose one primary camera, and have a backup that uses the same lenses/technology, and THEN a supplementary camera like an LX3 or Hexar AF. Take ziplock bags to keep your stuff dry.
Regarding destinations: Brazil is amazing. Rio, in particular, but you're lucky if you can also travel to other cities. Buzios is supposed to be fantastic, for example. But, don't overestimate Buenos Aires. It's a 'nice city,' for certain. But, it's often referred to as the "Paris of South America." It's not. It's like Montreal is the Paris of North America. Just a silly cliche. Buenos Aires is not an exceptionally photogenic city. In fact, when i was there, i looked for postcards to send to family back home. Couldn't find a single postcard with an interesting image on it. There just isn't that much that is very interesting to shoot/look at there. My humble/limited opinion, of course. I'm not suggesting you avoid it. Just that you don't overcommit too much time to it.
If i can answer any specific questions, don't hesitate to send me an email.
The first question i would ask concerns film versus digital. What do you hope to accomplish in this journey? If you merely need to compile a record of your travels, for personal use, or maybe to self-publish a blurb book or somesuch, i guess the film/digital debate is moot. Take whichever you think will most reliably deliver the results you need. But, factor in the need to carry lots of film and then to protect it during any air travel. With that, you'll need to be able to effectively communicate to security agents that you don't want your film X-rayed, and that is becoming increasingly more difficult. During my last trips, in August and November, agents kept repeating that "it's okay if your film is rated under ISO 1600." In Spanish or Portuguese, of course. But, i've never trusted that line, and my paranoia includes concern about the cumulative effects of x-rays. Almost no flights from the US are non-stop these days, so figuring two flights down and two back, and then maybe not using some of the film and taking those rolls again the next trip.... Whatever. I have always been successful with getting hand-inspection, but it is a pain in the ass.
But, i prefer film. The aesthetics of it, and also because i have a prejudice against digital images for the type of photography i most 'respect.' Essentially, i wouldn't want to buy a 'fine art' print that was shot on a digital camera, and so i don't want to create a fine art print shot on one. That's my bias. But, i still shoot digital. Just about to get a 5DII and i recently took an LX3 to Brazil. But, i use those cameras for specific purposes.
The Hexar AF is a very nice camera. I had one for a little while. But, i wouldn't want it to be my ONLY or primary camera. The lens is great, but it is an AF camera where you cannot verify that the AF is accurate because you don't see the focus in the lens. As well, the fast shutter speed is VERY limited for the environment in which you'll be traveling. If you don't mind having to stop down a lot in daylight, i guess it's fine. But, as you said you'll be shooting people, maybe you'll want to isolate the subject from background a little bit, and a 35mm lens at f11 because you're shooting in Brazil on the beach is not going to get you there. If you do decide on the Hexar AF, i'd also take a small, simple SLR, just in case.
The LX3 is a nice camera, but it has a lot of 'features.' If you're going to get one, get it early and get used to it. I got mine in early November, and i still don't know what's going on with it. I mean, i can use it, but i'm not really intimately familiar with it. In any case, i use it for casual things, and i would not want to use it as a primary camera.
Get some Pimsleur language CDs and learn Spanish first, and then some Portuguese. Almost no one you will encounter on a practical basis will speak English. I'm talking about cab drivers, waiters, clerks/cashiers, bus drivers, etc. Carrying a phrase book is going to be both cumbersome and annoying for locals. And, it marks you as a target very easily. Don't be THAT guy.
Brazil is dangerous. But, if you are a conscientious traveler, you shouldn't have any trouble. Know where you can go and where you can't, and what you can show and what you can't. Do NOT carry around any kind of bag that looks like a camera bag. Don't wear your camera on a strap around your neck or shoulder. If you do keep a strap on a camera for whatever purpose, consider wrapping some ratty duct tape around the ends, and/or putting a piece on your camera to make it look like a thrift store special (if your personal appearance doesn't make you physically 'imposing'). That doesn't mean you can't take a camera. Whenever i travel, i take 6 or more cameras, including Hasselblad, Leica, Canon, etc. But, i carry only one at a time, in the same type of bag i carry my beach towel in - not a camera bag. I pull it out to use it, and put it back, in a padded camera insert. On the occasion that i'm carrying a camera around and just walking around looking for a shot, i carry a small SLR or rangefinder (or Contax T3, Leica CM, or the LX3) in my hand, with strap wrapped around my wrist, and whenever i see 'street kids' aimlessly walking around, i shield it, and make eye contact to show that i know that they're there and also to show that i'm not intimidated by them. Maybe the last bit is silly or the wrong approach, but after 25 visits, and 2 months per year for ten years, you learn how YOU can best deal with people and situations. But, i'm 6'3", black, and probably look athletic, so any thieves might assume that i could chase them down. And, possibly (probably) being black gives a thief the impression that i wouldn't have anything of value anyway....
Back to film / digital.... Whichever you decide, decide now. If you choose something you're not familiar with, get it now and work with it until you leave in March, so you can get to grips with it and feel confident and comfortable. And/or so that you can change your mind, sell the item(s) and fall back to plan B. A lot will depend on how much you can pack and carry. You seem to be more interested in a more 'reportage' way of seeing the world, so i don't recommend a big zoom lens. As you suggested, a prime or two and a small body are a great way of working. Considering where i've been, i'd suggest a 24 or 28mm + 50mm, or a 35 and maybe a small 85? A Contax Aria would be a great choice, if you go with film. If you choose a dSLR, the equivalent focal lengths. Did you say you're taking a laptop? Get a small card reader to plug in for quicker dumps, and burn DVDs. Review images on the laptop every night to make sure you're getting the results you want. Shoot RAW and have enough memory cards to deal with your shooting volume along with the dump/backup schedule you can practically maintain.
For such a long trip, i would suggest you choose one primary camera, and have a backup that uses the same lenses/technology, and THEN a supplementary camera like an LX3 or Hexar AF. Take ziplock bags to keep your stuff dry.
Regarding destinations: Brazil is amazing. Rio, in particular, but you're lucky if you can also travel to other cities. Buzios is supposed to be fantastic, for example. But, don't overestimate Buenos Aires. It's a 'nice city,' for certain. But, it's often referred to as the "Paris of South America." It's not. It's like Montreal is the Paris of North America. Just a silly cliche. Buenos Aires is not an exceptionally photogenic city. In fact, when i was there, i looked for postcards to send to family back home. Couldn't find a single postcard with an interesting image on it. There just isn't that much that is very interesting to shoot/look at there. My humble/limited opinion, of course. I'm not suggesting you avoid it. Just that you don't overcommit too much time to it.
If i can answer any specific questions, don't hesitate to send me an email.
Last edited:
spysmart
Established
I had a co-worker who planned a round the world trip, then bought the ideal kit ( rucksack,clothes, camera etc.) but lost it all in his first week in Brazil. Try to look worldly and well travelled.
If you are backpacking, using hostels etc. , it's likely you will rarely ever have true security over your possessions, so the ability to carry the items of supreme value with you, even when you go for a shower, should be considered. I take a small canoe style dry bag that can hold every thing of value ( I even swam up a river in Kakadoo NT OZ with my Hasselblad in it ).
Next year I'm off cycling/backpacking this time around NZ ( admittedly a very safe country ) and have gone through the digital/film debate. I plan to either take a Olympus E420 with 11-22mm and 25f/2.8 or a M6 with 28 and 50mm lenses.
I'm leaning towards the M6 and mix of Ektar 100 and Fuji NPH/Pro400.
With digital I tend to machine gun photograph things, burning up many GB of flash, but the film camera leads me to a calmer more considered style.
With digital, on a longer trip, I would be worried about loosing the charger and would also want some form of independent backup - say a Ricoh GR1.
If I had to buy new kit for a risky trip, it would be a mechanical s/h M4-P or M6 (or new Bessa R4M RF) with VC 25mm and 50mm lenses.
If you are backpacking, using hostels etc. , it's likely you will rarely ever have true security over your possessions, so the ability to carry the items of supreme value with you, even when you go for a shower, should be considered. I take a small canoe style dry bag that can hold every thing of value ( I even swam up a river in Kakadoo NT OZ with my Hasselblad in it ).
Next year I'm off cycling/backpacking this time around NZ ( admittedly a very safe country ) and have gone through the digital/film debate. I plan to either take a Olympus E420 with 11-22mm and 25f/2.8 or a M6 with 28 and 50mm lenses.
I'm leaning towards the M6 and mix of Ektar 100 and Fuji NPH/Pro400.
With digital I tend to machine gun photograph things, burning up many GB of flash, but the film camera leads me to a calmer more considered style.
With digital, on a longer trip, I would be worried about loosing the charger and would also want some form of independent backup - say a Ricoh GR1.
If I had to buy new kit for a risky trip, it would be a mechanical s/h M4-P or M6 (or new Bessa R4M RF) with VC 25mm and 50mm lenses.
Last edited:
urban_alchemist
Well-known
Quick question:
Do you consider an MP or an XPan to be a 'conspicous' camera?
I ask because I'm heading off to Argentina to the glaciers of Patagonia, the rainforrests and Jesuit missions of Misiones and the Andean Villages of Jujuy... Planning to take those cameras... alot less dangerous than a dSLR, no?
Do you consider an MP or an XPan to be a 'conspicous' camera?
I ask because I'm heading off to Argentina to the glaciers of Patagonia, the rainforrests and Jesuit missions of Misiones and the Andean Villages of Jujuy... Planning to take those cameras... alot less dangerous than a dSLR, no?
jarski
Veteran
for main camera, Canon G10, iPod connector and 120G iPod for storage.
second, for occasional film shots, Barnack Leica II and either 35 or 50 collapsible lens (and good practice before, not during the trip 🙂 ).
that would be my setup, both are pocketable, and together go into small low profile bag. as others already suggested, basics least from Spanish, but also Portugese, or a travel companion who masters these. otherwise trip wont offer nearly as much as what could be out there + daily matters such as shopping and asking directions becomes harder.
edit: forgot to mention, some black tape to disguise any new electronic gizmos from greedy low income customs officers, as well as from thugs is probably worth of consideration.
second, for occasional film shots, Barnack Leica II and either 35 or 50 collapsible lens (and good practice before, not during the trip 🙂 ).
that would be my setup, both are pocketable, and together go into small low profile bag. as others already suggested, basics least from Spanish, but also Portugese, or a travel companion who masters these. otherwise trip wont offer nearly as much as what could be out there + daily matters such as shopping and asking directions becomes harder.
edit: forgot to mention, some black tape to disguise any new electronic gizmos from greedy low income customs officers, as well as from thugs is probably worth of consideration.
Last edited:
takeda72
Established
I live in Argentina (but actually I am from Brasil).
I dont think it's dangerous to bring your MP. Buenos Aires is not a dangerous city if you know where to go. Boca and some streets in downtown are not places that I would go with my Leica on my neck, but I guess that I have my camera with me almost 5 days per week. And I never had a problem. Just don't show off, try to not walk alone at night on empty streets and you will be fine.
And Patagonia is even safer. There are a lot of tourists down there, but the cities are safe.
For all you guys that are coming to Argentina: when you are here, shoot me an e-mail if you want to drink a coffee or some "mate". 🙂
All the best.
yanidel
Well-known
Actually, I am headed to Argentina tonight for a month ... going to my girlfriend's family to eat many asados😉 than we will tour the country South. She is from Rosario so we probably won't go to Buenos Aires as I already visited. Can't wait to be in the sun, winter is just too long here !
I am taking my M8 and 3 lenses and have blacked out the M8 and leica signs. I have lived in Latin America so I know the basics of conduct ... as you said, a little common sense and there is no reason for things to turn sour !
Un saludo, que se va el avion en 4 horas y no me quiero perder el asado de Navidad !
jarski
Veteran
miss those parilla's of Buenos Aires so much ! as well as churrascaria's from Sao Paulo ! 🙁
ryan26
Established
I've traveled extensively (East Africa, North America, Europe, Asia) and have done about every combo... In East Africa I shot film, with Canon SLRs and big zoom lenses (16-35 and 70-200). In Nepal and then Southeast Asia, I carried two Canon digital SLRs, with those same large lenses, and a laptop. On my last trip across China, Tibet and India, I went small and carried an Xpan and a Nikon FM3A, with two small lenses each, covering me from 20mm to 90mm. Plus 100 rolls of black and white film.
This was by far the best way to go for me, as weight is crucial when carrying everything in a backpack, and traveling for a month or two or three at a time. It's a toss up whether you want to deal with the headache of X-Ray's, or digital memory, and to me, they are equivalent headaches. More so, it comes down to the aesthetic choice of film vs. digital image.
Mind you, I had to handle 14 X-Ray stations on my last trip, as they are everywhere in China, but my film didn't go through a single one. Be polite... even in Zurich and London where they are less than reasonable on such things. The one thing that I am starting to think about is that younger security guards might be less knowledgeable and obliging when it comes to old technology - and this is a real fear when you're carrying 20+ rolls of 3200 ISO film. But I'm going to keep working on my travel kit 'til it's perfect - by the next trip I should be down to an xpan w/ 45mm and 90mm, an M6 with a 28mm, and some sort of backup... m4-p, or the old fm3a w/35mm. If I were doing more stock/travel stuff, I'd go back to the Canon's though.
I'd totally use the Hexar if I were you... good camera, good size.
Best of luck
This was by far the best way to go for me, as weight is crucial when carrying everything in a backpack, and traveling for a month or two or three at a time. It's a toss up whether you want to deal with the headache of X-Ray's, or digital memory, and to me, they are equivalent headaches. More so, it comes down to the aesthetic choice of film vs. digital image.
Mind you, I had to handle 14 X-Ray stations on my last trip, as they are everywhere in China, but my film didn't go through a single one. Be polite... even in Zurich and London where they are less than reasonable on such things. The one thing that I am starting to think about is that younger security guards might be less knowledgeable and obliging when it comes to old technology - and this is a real fear when you're carrying 20+ rolls of 3200 ISO film. But I'm going to keep working on my travel kit 'til it's perfect - by the next trip I should be down to an xpan w/ 45mm and 90mm, an M6 with a 28mm, and some sort of backup... m4-p, or the old fm3a w/35mm. If I were doing more stock/travel stuff, I'd go back to the Canon's though.
I'd totally use the Hexar if I were you... good camera, good size.
Best of luck
Last edited:
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