So, How Do You Decide?

[kbb]

If it's a job, you choose the camera(s) and/or lens(es) based on what you think the job requires. That's work.
When walking around photographing for fun, I take the camera/lens that I want to play with that day.

 

[lynnb]

If it's a job, you choose the camera(s) and/or lens(es) based on what you think the job requires. That's work.
When walking around photographing for fun, I take the camera/lens that I want to play with that day.

I'm with Pluton, but substitute "project" for "job"; and when out and about I tend to take whatever camera currently has film in it (usually one compact camera and one other; lately, one Instax and one compact film camera). Everything's for pleasure.

 

[Out to Lunch]

So, How Do You Decide?

There is no reason whatsoever as to why I have too many cameras and lenses. Neither is there any logic or reason what camera I'd bring on a trip. It's not size or weight: instead, I'll take whatever camera and lens that has my fancy when packing. This said, on occasion, my wife has been able to talk some sense into me. Cheers, OtL

 

[Out to Lunch]

Now, looking at the NY Times (I know fake news!) the US has 12-13 cases per 100,000. Canada is about 5.5/100,000, Mexico is less then Canada and the Dominican Republic is 2.3/100,000. So it is 5 to 6 times safer to be in DomRep then the US. Am I missing something?

Possibly: if you'd happen to become infected, you'd be burdening an already overstretched local health care system; you may have problems with your health insurance coverage, and you will have problems getting back home. Cheers, OtL

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Possibly: if you'd happen to become infected, you'd be burdening an already overstretched local health care system; you may have problems with your health insurance coverage, and you will have problems getting back home. Cheers, OtL

Plus, we don't know how accurate are statistics from Dominican and Mexico. Its accuracy might be anywhere between Russians and North Korea.

 

[ktmrider]

Or how accurate the US government is. I have seen nothing in the last few years which promotes my belief in truth from the federal government. Remember the Pentagon Papers. How did the US get to be the world leader in this disease?

 

[dof]

The camera that comes along is the one that will best express what I hope or expect to find on a trip. There's always an aspect of crystal ball gazing to it, but there's never been a bad choice in bodies.

One hard lesson from a first visit to Barcelona: I wished I'd brought something wider than a 35mm lens. A 28 would have really suited that city.

Looking back, I've tended to bring digital bodies for most international travel. That is, over the past 12 years that I've owned any digital bodies. The plan has been to greet the unexpected with as much flexibility as is available.

And always bring a tripod.

 

[css9450]

I bring what I think is appropriate for what I am planning to shoot.

My D750 comes along if I am going to do night photography - I don't think I've ever shot it in normal daytime lighting. On the other hand, in bright sunshine I prefer my D80 and its CCD sensor, so I'll bring it instead.

If I am shooting film, I bring whatever camera I feel like shooting (and has film in it of course). I try not to have too many bodies loaded all at the same time.

Sometimes, I'll bring along three (or more!) bodies all with, say, a 35mm or a 50mm and I'll shoot the same picture with each. Different films, different lenses, different cameras.... Fun to compare afterward.

 

[farlymac]

The only time I ever did any type of tourist travel was when I was in the Navy. Of course, they chose the locations, and if I was lucky I'd have a camera stashed in the bunk.


Later on I didn't really have an accumulation of cameras, but then I didn't do much travel except for some in-state jaunts. My longest trips were always back home to Indiana from wherever I was living at the time. Sometimes I'd take photos along the way, depending on how good a start I got in the morning so my arrival time wouldn't be in the middle of the night.


I remember one time going home I took five different kits in three formats with me, and never got the time to use any of them. They always had more events planned for me than I could even imagine.


Since I went on disability it has been hard to even think of making a tourist trip, so I limited myself to wherever I could get to in time to do a little exploring, take some photos, and return by a decent hour. It's amazing how different this state is certain areas. It sort of reflects how it was populated in stages, such as my current home town of Roanoke not really in existence until after the Civil War.


So mostly I pick the camera, then plan the trip. Sometimes it's a matter of the next camera in the rotation, or some special photography calendar event like March Nikon Rangefinder Month here on RFF, or 120 day in January, or World Photography Day in August.



Then there are the rare occasions when I pick the destination first, then do a little research on the area so I can figure out what I might have interest in, and try to match a camera to the situation. Or maybe two cameras in different formats.


When you have a lot of cameras, it eventually comes to the point that certain ones will get all the use, while the rest just sit there hoping to see the light again. So what has really happened is I have developed a preference for certain camera kits, and don't have a need to keep a large rotation going, especially since with all the pandemic restrictions hampering things there just aren't as many opportunities anymore.


I'm still refining my go-to kits to my liking, so whatever is the latest to get a new body, lens, or accessory is most likely to get the next call to action.


Unless it is Red Oktober time. Then it's FSU all the way!


PF

 

[robert blu]

If it is a local walk or only a few days trip it is the M10 and one lens, which in these days is a 50, but a few months ago was the 28/5.6 Summaron.

It could happen to use the M/ instead oif the M10 if I'm in a film only mood, which does not happen very oft but it happens!

For a long trip, a more weeks trip it will be for sure the M10 and two lenses, one on the camera and one in a pocket, a bag or in the safe of the hotels. And I wouls probably add a polaroid just for fun.

But for the moment it is only daily walk 🙁

 

[Forest_rain]

I'm trying to focus less on gear, I've just been using my Praktica BMS. Nothing fancy, but I"m trying to focus on taking pictures rather than fixing broken stuff, or fiddling with gear too much, and more on composition and choosing subjects, rather than choosing the camera.

 

[nickthetasmaniac]

I've tried to get in the habit of only having film in one camera at a time (or... one 35mm and one MF anyway), so if I'm going out and about I take which ever one is loaded.

When I first started to accumulate multiple bodies I usually had everything loaded all the time. I found that I was flicking between bodies and never really getting to absorb the 'experience' of a particular set up. So now, I try to stick to one at a time and just slowly rotate through. Likewise with lenses.

I'm lucky in that I work ten day shifts in a World Heritage listed landscape. So every fortnight I can bring a different camera to work, shoot a roll, and not worry about the whole 'once in a lifetime' aspect 🙂

 

[jvo]

pare down to one camera - dilemma solved.

 

[ktmrider]

Can predict with certainty that is not going to happen!!!

 

[tranquilo67]

I use to choose the system first (let's say Leica M, Nikon F, Hasselblad, Contax etc.) mostly thinking on weight, size and time I'll have for taking a picture, and based on that a couple of compatible bodies and lenses, depending on what I expect to shoot.

My main usual general travel set is 28-50-90 (or 105). If needed I go longer than that but it's quite unusual (135 in rangefinders and 180+ in SLR's).

 

[Bike Tourist]

pare down to one camera - dilemma solved.

Me, too. Now, which lens?

 

[pvdhaar]

Depends on whether I'm with others or not. When with others, photography isn't my main focus; a compact digital camera to take snaps suffices. Otherwise it's most often either the D750 or the A7. If I go out specifically for photography's sake, I'll take the 6x6 SLR.

 

[robert blu]

Me, too. Now, which lens?

Life is full of dilemmas 😀

 

[zuikologist]

These numbers are tiny compared to Europe (pretty much anywhere in Europe).

Possibly: if you'd happen to become infected, you'd be burdening an already overstretched local health care system; you may have problems with your health insurance coverage, and you will have problems getting back home. Cheers, OtL

 

[Archiver]

So my question is how do you decide which to take with you for anything from a local walk to a trip around the world. I have seen myself pack and repack the camera bag half a dozen times before leaving for a trip. No matter what I take I find I am usually willing to live with my choice. On a walking trip across Northern England, I carried one camera with a fixed 28 FOV lens. A year later I took a digital Leica with 35/90 combo and was happy with that combination. I tend to carry digital for travel just because the results can be accessed so easily.

The answers are purpose and situation.

If it's for work, I choose the most appropriate gear for the job. This means the Panasonic G9 for video and portraits, 5D Mark II for marketing images, Canon 30D with Sigma 18-35 for a bit of action photography that will go online.

If it's for fun, I think about where I'll be shooting. Very casual shooting only requires a pocket camera, which is now the Sony RX0. More dedicated shooting or the potential or portraiture with family and friends means the M9 + 50 Cron, or m43 camera with 25/1.8 and 45/1.8. The greater need for discretion, the smaller the camera I choose.

Travel is a somewhat different story. Overseas travel is usually one of those once in a lifetime journeys, so I take gear with the best ratio of size, weight, quality and versatility. This means the M9 + 21, 35 and 50, and a m43 camera like the G9 with the Panasonic 12-35, Olympus 12 and 25.

If I'm pairing cameras during travel, one camera gets a wide and the other gets a normal lens, so M9 + 21 and G9 + 25mm (50mm equivalent) for example. Another possibility is the M9 + 50 Cron with the Sony RX0 mounted on the hot shoe. This gives the ability to get a decent quality wide angle shot very quickly without switching cameras.

Before any trip, I spend many enjoyable hours contemplating what gear I will bring, but often fall back to the well tested stalwarts when the time comes.