Paris photos...too many options!

Travel light when it comes to cameras. You have to walk a lot in that city, it is a beautiful place. One film camera, one digital p&s. Helps to sharpen your vision: just my opinion. The more gear I have the more time I waste deciding which camera to walk with.
 
I am now in Cairo. I brought with me:
Minox GT (tiny and feather light)
LUMIX DMC-FZ5 (35mm-432mm) (less tiny but very light)
Rolleiflex TLR (not tiny and not light)

So far, I have used mostly the LUMIX, and for a good reason. I can zoom in with a 12X lens, and have built-in image stabilizing system. No need to carry film with me. The GT is loaded with C-41 B&W film. This makes for me a perfect pair of light cameras.

The TLR is "in reserve" until I see a good use for it.

Enjoy Paris.
 
So true, so true what patrick said. I mostly enjoy meeting people here and making friends.
 
Yup, just travel light and take the M6.. or travel lighter and go with the Contax.. both are fine cameras, just use what you feel most comfortable with and enjoy yourself :)
 
having the chance to visit 3 very big cities last year the best choice for a system was the Oly Pen E-p2 with 20mm pancake and the 14-42mm Oly and the electronic viewfinder.
Compare to my D300 and and the Bessa R4/21mm SC it was a really good choice.
Shooting colour in Palermo, Cracow and Istanbul with this tiny cam walking by and shooting was like dancing.....
people didn't got angry (D300 and 17-55 Nikkor), bathroom gyms (Acros/Diafine) didn't happen later and the results had been great (in my eyes).

The new X100 might be more capable but the UI is crap and I'm too old (63) to adapt beside the Nikon UI another Fuji UI when fast shooting of people is the main target......

For VERY unobtrusive shootings I have a Ricoh GRD.....:cool:

Have fun!

Paris with NikonF, 40 years ago....:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36573929@N00/171467079/in/set-72157594175716964/

Cracow with Pen, last year:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36573929@N00/5117755317/in/set-72157625122557105

Palermo with Pen, last year:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36573929@N00/5023551954/in/set-72157625031362422
 
As someone who lives here, the most important thing I would stress is: bring a wide lens! If you don't have the CV 21/4, you should be able to pick it up before your trip; if not, consider grabbing a used Super Angulon at the Paris Leica store. This city is very close in on itself, and even more so in the more touristy areas. I would take a 21, a 35, and possibly a 50 if you want a third lens. To me, the combination of a 21 and a 35 in this city feels about like a 35 and a 50 in San Francisco, to give you an idea.

The weather is nice, with lots of sun, and the streets are well lit at night. 100 speed film is perfect during the day, but if you don't mind stopping down, you'll be fine with slightly over exposing tri-x, especially if you have a yellow filter attached. An advantage of the tightly packed buildings is they reflect light at night, so you can hand-hold night shots at EI 400 or 800.
 
Thanks, everyone, for the good advice and insight.

I'm leaving in 48 hours, and after looking at Google images and Flickr, I'm convinced all I might be doing is duplicating what others have done.

So, in order to keep it simple, inexpensive, and light, the winner is...

Contax T3 and Tri-X, and just shoot what piques my interest as I walk the city, and I'll just develop two rolls a day until it's done. After all, how much will I shoot in 28 hours, right?

Looking at the T3 film I recently souped, I'm convinced I won't suffer from technical restrictions...only focal length restrictions (and again, I only have a 35 for my M6 anyway).

Ok...maybe I'll still throw some slide film in my pocket too...
 
David_Manning said:
.......................... and after looking at Google images and Flickr, I'm convinced all I might be doing is duplicating what others have done.............................
Click to expand...

It has all been done before. Everything, and I mean everything, has already been photographed. Probably by someone who is a much better photographer than you or I could ever hope to be. And then they published it. Just give it your interpretation and don't worry about what others have done.

.
 
I"ve been around the world 3 times in the past 3 months. If taking pictures isn't your primary reason for travel and I don't think it is, then here is my suggestion.

Travel as light as possible and simply take a digital PnS. On these trips I took my Sony W350. It's met nearly all my needs, is highly portable, I hardly know I have it along.

It's just so convenient.

Whatever you do, have fun, take a few pix and don't forget to share with your RFF friends.

Don
 

Attachments

  • 128 china town vendor.jpg
    128 china town vendor.jpg
    139.7 KB · Views: 0
  • tashkent.jpg
    tashkent.jpg
    70.7 KB · Views: 0
  • tomatos.jpg
    tomatos.jpg
    110.2 KB · Views: 0
Bob, you're right, of course, and I agree.

I meant exactly what you said...I can buy a postcard of a landmark. That photographer probably had more time and opportunity for that shot anyway.

I'll be shooting my own experiences and viewpoint...a much more personal level. If I want beautiful, tripod-mounted long night exposures of the city...well, I'll just buy a book.
 
Don, probably like you, I travel on airline trips (Int'l 767 to Paris Saturday). So I totally prescribe to the "travel light" mantra.

I do prefer a more suitable camera for my needs than a digital p&s...which is a big reason I invested in the T3. I have a full-frame 24-megapixel shooter in that thing.

Of course, the technical virtues will be argued forever...but I do like a small, compact shooter. This trip should prove (I hope) a good compact is sound reasoning for me :)
 
Paris? Just take the M6 and some B&W film. And walk the streets and alleys of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. The ultimate rangefinder experience, in my opinion. :)
 
Well,

Thank you everyone for your advice and experience.

I'm back and have scanned a few from the first two rolls. I ended up just taking the Contax T3, Tri-X, and ended up taking 100ISO chrome film too (only shot one roll of that).

I'm confident I did what was right for me. The T3 let me focus on the experience, not the camera equipment. And, it slipped into a pocket and disappeared on command!

Just a couple of captures:

5760257858_0edd887113_b.jpg


5760257094_2e626bedf0_b.jpg


5760257732_588531bf4c_b.jpg


5763506494_3e156f3e39_b.jpg
 
Thanks guys for the encouragement.

My stay was too short for visiting any exhibitions. I just basically stayed within walking distance of my hotel and photographed everything I "didn't" see on postcards (except the Eiffel Tower...I had to prove I was there to my family :).

I still have a couple rolls of Tri-X to soup. I'll share when I get them done.

Again, thanks to all the posters for the advice, and thanks for the encouragement.

----David.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom