Leigh Youdale
Well-known
Matus,
I agree that taking an untried second hand camera on a major trip is unwise. Could lead to major disappointment.
Your wife's selection of lenses with her 35mm SLR sounds very suitable.
I don't think operating a 4x5 out of a campervan in NZ will be a very convenient process.
4x5 and 120 film isn't that readily available except from specialist suppliers in the major cities. You might need to bring your own. Also check if your preferred 35mm film is freely available. Kodak and Fuji probably are but maybe everywhere you'll go.
I'd suggest getting a second SLR body as back up - one that takes your wife's lenses, and the TLR. Any choice is going to involve compromise - what can and can't you live with in that regard?
When I go I leave my Nikon SLR kit at home (weight) and take my Bessa R3A with 25mm, 40mm and 75mm lenses plus a Leica IIIf with 50mm as back up. The 25 & 75 CV lenses will fit the Leica and I can have B&W in one and colour in the other.
Two Bessas might be better but I don't need another camera unless I start selling a bunch! My wife prefers a compact P&S with either APS colour film or digital as she's not an avid photographer and she can happily snap away at whatever interests her.
I agree that taking an untried second hand camera on a major trip is unwise. Could lead to major disappointment.
Your wife's selection of lenses with her 35mm SLR sounds very suitable.
I don't think operating a 4x5 out of a campervan in NZ will be a very convenient process.
4x5 and 120 film isn't that readily available except from specialist suppliers in the major cities. You might need to bring your own. Also check if your preferred 35mm film is freely available. Kodak and Fuji probably are but maybe everywhere you'll go.
I'd suggest getting a second SLR body as back up - one that takes your wife's lenses, and the TLR. Any choice is going to involve compromise - what can and can't you live with in that regard?
When I go I leave my Nikon SLR kit at home (weight) and take my Bessa R3A with 25mm, 40mm and 75mm lenses plus a Leica IIIf with 50mm as back up. The 25 & 75 CV lenses will fit the Leica and I can have B&W in one and colour in the other.
Two Bessas might be better but I don't need another camera unless I start selling a bunch! My wife prefers a compact P&S with either APS colour film or digital as she's not an avid photographer and she can happily snap away at whatever interests her.
Leigh Youdale
Well-known
Maybe "NOT" everywhere you'll go. (Sorry)
W
Way
Guest
If you are wanting MF, why limit yourself to 645 and get one of the 6x9 Fuji GSW690 or GW690 series? Prices seem to be dropping on them. They are fixed lens cameras, large but not heavy. But it is all manual exposure. Let your wife fiddle around with lenses while you just concentrate on capturing that beautiful scenery on a big negative!
Matus
Well-known
The choice of cameras was settled:
- Tachi 4x5 with 75/4.5 , 125/5.6 , and 240/9 (int the mail)
- Rolleiflex - after 50 rolls I know what and how with this gentleman.
- Olympus XA - just found a noice one - I hope I will manage to get it.
Choice of film is not yet fully settled. I want to keep it simple here, my current choice:
- 35mm: Ektar 100 and maybe Porta 800 for low light
- 6x6: Provia 100 and FujiPro160S
- 4x5 - the same as 6x6
I do not plan to take velvia - I did try a few roll. It can deliver wonderful color but one has to be very careful about the contrast. Also I will have only a small meter (Dixisix) and use my wifes' SLR for spot metering.
- chippi -
I guess it will take me some time to get the negs scanned worked out, but I will let you know. Maybe I will finely make a flickr gallery ...
- Ben -
that's how I finaly made my choice. I do know the razzle - it is really nice but I guess not my cup of tee.
- Leigh -
I take all the film I want to burn along - hopefully the NZ customs will not charge me for that. But It should not be THAT much of it. Here and there I want also look at the world without having ground glass or viewfinder in the way
Right, NOT everywhere
- Way -
I actually did consider a GW690 or similar as they are reputed for the optics and as you say purely mechanical and reliable. But they are also rather heavy, bulky and limited to one lens (the G690 is really getting of age nowadays). And 4x5 still allows me to play more with the focus plane. So for the MF at least for this trip the Rolleiflex will do. Let's see what comes out of it and I may do things differently next time.
- Tachi 4x5 with 75/4.5 , 125/5.6 , and 240/9 (int the mail)
- Rolleiflex - after 50 rolls I know what and how with this gentleman.
- Olympus XA - just found a noice one - I hope I will manage to get it.
Choice of film is not yet fully settled. I want to keep it simple here, my current choice:
- 35mm: Ektar 100 and maybe Porta 800 for low light
- 6x6: Provia 100 and FujiPro160S
- 4x5 - the same as 6x6
I do not plan to take velvia - I did try a few roll. It can deliver wonderful color but one has to be very careful about the contrast. Also I will have only a small meter (Dixisix) and use my wifes' SLR for spot metering.
- chippi -
I guess it will take me some time to get the negs scanned worked out, but I will let you know. Maybe I will finely make a flickr gallery ...
- Ben -
that's how I finaly made my choice. I do know the razzle - it is really nice but I guess not my cup of tee.
- Leigh -
I take all the film I want to burn along - hopefully the NZ customs will not charge me for that. But It should not be THAT much of it. Here and there I want also look at the world without having ground glass or viewfinder in the way
Right, NOT everywhere
- Way -
I actually did consider a GW690 or similar as they are reputed for the optics and as you say purely mechanical and reliable. But they are also rather heavy, bulky and limited to one lens (the G690 is really getting of age nowadays). And 4x5 still allows me to play more with the focus plane. So for the MF at least for this trip the Rolleiflex will do. Let's see what comes out of it and I may do things differently next time.
Debusti Paolo
Well-known
have a nice trip and remember to post pics when you come back!