photo gear for family vacation

[FrankS]

So, in a couple of days, I'll be travelling by car with my wife and kids, from Toronto to Vermillion Bay in northwestern Ontario. Thinking about camera gear to pack. There's not much room in the car so I'd like to fit all my gear in my Domke 803 satchel bag.

Landscape photography is obviously on the agenda, as well as some indoor people (relatives) photography. I'm primarily a B+W guy, but want to take colour slides for family sharing/remembering vacation pics. So here're my thoughts: Bronica RF645 (widish normal lens) with FP4+ for landscapes, Hexar RF with CV40 f1.4 Nokton with HP5+ for low light photography, and M6 with CV25, Summaron 35f3.5, one of my 50mm lenses, with 100speed colour slide film for vacation colour slides.

I enjoyed going through the process of selecting this gear. Some good stuff will have to stay home, like my Speed Graphic (definitely no time for LF with family in tow!), Bronica C, Hasselblad, Rolleiflex, Nikon SLR's, M2, M3, IIf, Minilux, GS645 folder, and GS645W.

On last summer's trip to the east coast, I took my M6, Rolleiflex, and Minilux.

The modern, contrrasty CV25 and vintage Summaron f3.5 will give much different looking results on slide film. I'm still not sure about which 50 to take. Got to think on it a bit more.

I like this aspect of photography too. 🙂

 

[ISO]

Myself, I would also add a lens longer than 50mm. 75mm, 90mm or 135mm for nice portraits or things that are far away. My personal setup would be a Contax G2, with Biogon 21 the 35-70 zoom (maybe also the 90mm) for slides. A Franka Solida III for 6x6 + some rolls Neopan 400 and for the pocket the Minilux with XP 2. ( I am still looking for this 21 Biogon in black).

Ouuups, there is no RF in the list. Ok, I throw the Oly 35 SP in there for the Sunday walk.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[fishtek]

Hi, Frank!

I've been wandering around doing some R&R lately, and fighting with the same issue. For the B/W, I've settled on the Bessa with a 21 and a 50. I also carry a DSLR with a 24-85 zoom. I found that I wasn't much limited by only having a minimal kit.

I'd love to get my hands on a 645/80 combo at some point... Not sure if I want to take on another system, though.

Have a great time.

Don

 

[mervynyan]

hassey on tripod, 2 backs, slide and b&w for landscape
leica w/ vc40, for family candid

 

[Nikon Bob]

Maybe a longer lens for moose/deer/black bear.

Bob

 

[FrankS]

ISO and Bob, I could throw in a 90 Elmar. Thanks

Don, I've got to have a MF for landscape. (See Leica vs. MF thread!)

merynyan, unfortunately I don't have a MF projector for those slides from the 2nd Hassy back!

 

[Thardy]

Tele-zoom lens with Nikon SLR? Looks like wide and normal covered pretty well. That is if you have room of course.