Southern Germany, the Alps, and Lakes in Northern Italy

mflannery said:
I did a similar trip 8 years ago with an M7, 35mm summi and a 90mm APO summi. I was all I needed. Digital was not as advanced in those days, so I stuck with film. You are a film guy, so stick with it, and a small digital if you want. Also you only want a small car when you get to Italy to go into the towns.
Have fun, Mike Flannery
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These are good tips, Mike. My only good digital camera is a LUMIX with fixed zoom or the EP-2. Using the EP-2 allows me to drop the 90/2.8 and keep it here. that would be a weight saver. The LUMIX has a built-in 36mm-433mm zoom with IS,and it is feather light. Maybe I should replace the EP-2 with the LUMIX. It gives smaller sized image files.

My wife insists on renting a small car so that we keep things light and driving is more manageable in narrow roads.
 
Hi Raid,
a friend of mine who goes to Valmadrera for windsurfing suggeted me this link where you can see from a web can the weather condition in real time. Enjoy it!
robert
PS: when you'll be in Europe can you visit RFF ? In case I need to communicate with you.
 
I will meet with some old and new friends in Germany who have internet access, so I will check my RFF messages and my email with their computers. I don'twant to carry with me a laptop computer, and I don't own an iPad.

I will get a phone once we arrive in Germany, Robert. I will take with me your phone number.
 
Here is what I settled on in the end.

Hexar RF
Leica M6
EP2

25/4+35/1.4+50/2+90/2.8

P1060081set-L.jpg
 
I have replaced the 90mm/2.8 Elmarit with a digital lens for the EP-2 so that it is easy to use by everyone.
 
Hi Rogier,
Yes, my wife may be different from other women's luggage needs. I always have "too many things" packed in trips...she tells me.
 
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It's a pity that you only travel in Southern Germany. Would have loved to invite you to our place to meet up again, Raid. Have a nice and safe trip!
 
Thank you, Kent. I was thinking of the Rhein Tal region, but my wife also wanted Northen Italy in this trip, so it was more practical to stay in the south.

I had a great time last time when you showed me and my friend around in Marburg!
 
After quite a few changes in what I will be taking with me on the trip in terms of camera equipment, I finally settled on a very practical set of cameras and lenses for a 12 day trip by car, with the family.

M6 + 35/1.4 Lux as the main lens. The lens is tiny.
Bessa T + CV 25/4. The lens is tiny.
For high resolution: Heliar 50/3.5. It is feather light.

EP-2 + zoom my digital snap shooter and "tele lens".

Film: mainly Kodak 100UC and Reala 100.

I may be meeting with three RFF members in three countries.
 
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raid said:
M6 + 35/1.4 Lux as the main lens. The lens is tiny.
Bessa T + CV 25/4. The lens is tiny.
For high resolution: Heliar 50/3.5. It is feather light.

EP-2 + zoom my digital snap shooter and "tele lens".

Film: mainly Kodak 100UC and Reala 100.
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Sounds good!

raid said:
I may be meeting with three RFF members in three countries.
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Sounds even better!


Yes, Raid, I often remember your short visit here. We still regularly go that café we had a coffee in. ;)
 
I used to be able to travel each summer to Germany, but since I got a family, things need more planning in many ways. The walking tour of Marburg was lots of fun. I try to meet up with RFF members whenever I travel. RFF members are nice people overall.
 
Raid - won't hit Salzburg until the 19th. Taking a train from Munich that day.

If any RFFer sees This and Raid, please pass it on.
Thanks
Kevin
 
No problem,Kevin.

We all had a wonderful trip in Europe, and we got home yesterday evening.
 
So, Raid, what were the highlights of your trip? How did your gear selection work out? Would you take the same kit again? Give us a report!:)
 
Hello Steve,

While your question is about gear, I think that the overall fun in the trip depends on several things.

My highlight has always been the driving portion of my trips. I love driving a car in other countries. Eating bread and pasteries in Germany and Austria is my second most favorite part of the trip. Lina and Dana quickly learned that "Itallian ice cream is the best" and that "fresh fruit juice is best in Germany" .... etc. Now they are back to Macaroni and Cheese and chicken strips.

I love experiencing other cultures. Taking photos is also enjoyable, but it is not the photo taking that I find the most interesting.

I was very happy with the M6 and the 35/1.4 Summilux for general photography since it allowed me lots of flexibility for using ISO 100 film throughout the trip. In dark churches, I used shutter speed 1/15, and I count on the negative film to be forgiving. The CV 25/4 is a gem for travel. Its slow speed is OK for street photography with ISO100 film. The 35/1.4 and 25/4 made a very good pair of lenses for the entire trip. Keep things simple, but have a back-up. I took along the EP-2, but I changed the camera bag one day before the trip, and I forgot in a side pocket the battery charger. I am glad that I still had my two film cameras (M6 and Bessa T) with me. I have no regrets about my choice of gear or film (Kodak 100UC). I did not use the XP2 since life was so colorful there.

I nearly took along a MF camera, but I left it home. I may (or may not) take a MF camera with me next time. Keep things simple and light.




I got in the end a Ford Mondeo with Turbo Diesel as a rental car. It had sensors for the front and for the back, which made parking more manageable in the narrow roads in northern Italy. Diesel costs around $7/gallon in Europe. Gas costs a little more than that. It took me a day to familiarize myself again with a stick shift car. Man, what a pleasure it was to drive on the Autobahn again and in the mountains of Italy.

The weather was great overall. We returned to a hot and steamy Pensacola! No sitting outside a coffeeshop for a Cappuccino is possible here, unless you enjoy sweating a lot. Europe is great for relaxing in the streets at some coffeeshop in the street somewhere.

The trip was great. Lina and Dana experienced briefly life in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy. They want to go back there "in two years." They are giving us a break, to save money for the trip!
 
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Sounds like a great trip, Raid. You and I took similar kits on our respective travels this summer, and my experience w/ the 35/25 combination was similar to yours too. I did use the 50 quite a bit for landscapes (mainly in Norway), but in more urban settings the 35 saw the most use.
 
I took one or two shots with the 50mm lens. That's it. A 50/1.4 plus the 25/4 might have worked also well, but I chose the Heliar 50/3.5.
 
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