The old story: "which lenses should I take with me on my upcoming trip?"

[ptpdprinter]

I am not really a happy snaps kind of photographer. I work on projects to create portfolios. If I were going someplace to photograph, I would take my camera bag with two bodies and all my lenses. I bought them to use them, so I would have them at hand should I need them. Cameras and lenses do not do you very much good sitting in the closet at home. If I were going on vacation with my wife to have fun, I wouldn't take a camera. My cellphone has a camera (which I wouldn't use) and postcards are free on the internet.

 

[raid]

All of our trips are family vacations with our two daughters. They became camera shy as they grew older, and I respect their wishes not to be photographed unless they ask for it. Italy has plenty of sunshine, and I could leave behind the CV 50/1 and use instead 28/2.8 Rokkor-M 35/1.4 Lux CZJ 50/1.5. Sonnar. There are many options to me as I have many excellent lenses to choose fron.

 

[raid]

I don't know -- the Hologon seems on the slow side to me. But you are familiar with it and its capabilities.

Hologon images can be unique. It could be a 16mm&50mm option. As long as one lens is fast enough, a slow wide angle lens is OK to me.

 

[raid]

Whatever lenses you normally use is what I would recommend. I would also take a backup camera. Personally, I've decided I can do anything I need to do with a 24mm (or 25mm or 28mm), 35mm and 50mm.

While I like the idea of one camera/one lens for everything, in practice I can't do very well.

I have the M9 that I usually take along on trips, and my thoughts are to travel lighter than usual and rely on the M10 and my iPhone XR.

 

[robert blu]

Raid, I know your photography style. I know it is a "family" trip. Holiday. You have already taken many great photos during your past holidays. You are not requested to bring back a reportage from your trip. You are free to shoot what you like as you like.

Keep it simple, you have now since a short time a very special lens: the CV 50mm/1
This is your lens for this trip. It will be very liberating, you and your family will enjoy the holiday and you'll be able to make stunning photos!

You always have your phone as back up!

 

[Dogman]

Okay, iPhone is backup. That makes sense when you look at it that way. I just have never considered my iPhone as a camera.😉

 

[raid]

Raid, I know your photography style. I know it is a "family" trip. Holiday. You have already taken many great photos during your past holidays. You are not requested to bring back a reportage from your trip. You are free to shoot what you like as you like.

Keep it simple, you have now since a short time a very special lens: the CV 50mm/1
This is your lens for this trip. It will be very liberating, you and your family will enjoy the holiday and you'll be able to make stunning photos!

You always have your phone as back up!

Thank you Robert. I will then take the M10 with the CV 50/1 and the iphone is a great second camera for AF wide angle shots with IS.
I am looking forward to finally traveling again after COVID-19 hit the world.

 

[raid]

Okay, iPhone is backup. That makes sense when you look at it that way. I just have never considered my iPhone as a camera.😉

I have been rather consistent in past 2-3 weeks trips to take around 800-1000 images per camera. Same applies to my phone.

 

[zeitoun]

I will second Robert Blu's advice and go a (big ?) step more in the direction of "simplicity".
I have used a Rollei 35S as a travel camera for several decades now, and I have rarely, if ever, felt I was missing much (photographically speaking). The ruggedness, simplicity, dependability and quality of the Rollei 35S make it, to my mind, the ideal travel camera. Nothing to worry about when you are toting it along...
Enjoy your trip.
Paul

 

[raid]

I will second Robert Blu's advice and go a (big ?) step more in the direction of "simplicity".
I have used a Rollei 35S as a travel camera for several decades now, and I have rarely, if ever, felt I was missing much (photographically speaking). The ruggedness, simplicity, dependability and quality of the Rollei 35S make it, to my mind, the ideal travel camera. Nothing to worry about when you are toting it along...
Enjoy your trip.
Paul

I don't have a Rollei 35S (I once had the simpler model XF?). I have a Minox GT and an Olympus XA.
While making better cameras for staying very light, I get more fun with the M10.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Raid, I remember your 16mm photos from your last trip to Italy. They were unique. I didn't vote, because i would choose otherwise. Like Brusby, I don't think a 50mm works well inside architectural spaces.....& the 16 is of course too slow hand held in cathedrals or museums. I'd take a 21 and a 35mm (cron or lux...)or a smaller 50. Of course i don't know what you'll choose to photograph or how. In answer to davide1000's comment about not taking anything you can't get lost or stolen.... why own great lenses & cameras if you're afraid to take them anywhere ? on a shelf they are merely beautiful artifacts.

 

[raid]

Raid, I remember your 16mm photos from your last trip to Italy. They were unique. I didn't vote, because i would choose otherwise. Like Brusby, I don't think a 50mm works well inside architectural spaces.....& the 16 is of course too slow hand held in cathedrals or museums. I'd take a 21 and a 35mm (cron or lux...)or a smaller 50. Of course i don't know what you'll choose to photograph or how. In answer to davide1000's comment about not taking anything you can't get lost or stolen.... why own great lenses & cameras if you're afraid to take them anywhere ? on a shelf they are merely beautiful artifacts.

Thank you for your feedback. There is a challenge when in Italy there usually is plenty of sunshine outdoors, and then I could use the Hologon for some very special images without distortion, and then the (many) churches or museums or other amazing buildings in which a fast lens is needed. I can make it a "Family & CV 50mm/1 trip" to explore this lens and to see what I manage to get on sensor, or it is a "Family & photography trip". Both are fun and both are possible to do. If I leave behind the CV 50/1 I will miss an opportunity to explore part of Italy with this unique lens. I enjoy using the Hologon with many people being close to the lens and outdoors. Rasha and I stay away from visiting any museums. We prefer seeing many people in the streets and at cafe's. Being from Iraq, we are not overwhelmed by any museums.
I agree with you that not using what we have bought as cameras/lenses is not the best thing to do.

 

[peterm1]

The 50/1 is heavy. If I add a short tele, the camera bag will be quite heavy. Possible solution: I could add the Canon 100/3.5, which is a tiny (very sharp) lens. If I drop the CV 50/1 from my list and I use instead a Zeiss Jena 1938 50/1.5 (say), my camera bag gets much lighter.

I think the Canon 100mm f3.5 would be my choice for a longer lens too. It's a "cracking" lens as I am sure you know.

 

[raid]

The Canon 100/3.5 would be a great second lens for a trip. It is tiny and is very sharp, as you have said.

 

[raid]

I removed from my camera bag the M9 with the pre-asph Lux. This left the M10 with the CV 50/1.
When I travel I hardly ever use a tele lens, so I changed my mind about taking along the Canon 100/3.5 even though it is very small.
I can see the usefulness of having with me the Hologon 16/8 for B&W street photography without distortion. A cool lens.
I then looked at many photos online about Italian towns. The small Rokkor-M 28/2.8 comes to mind then.
I have Option 3 in the end. CV 50mm/1 + Rokkor-M 28mm/2.8 + Hologon 16mm/8.

 

[boojum]

I was just thinking about my lenses over the uses and decided I would go with the Amotal 2", Canon and Jupiter 35mm and call it a day. I have not yet sorted out whether I like the J12 or the Canon better. When I do I can just carry one. The Canon is the smaller.

When I was a kid I was taught how to pack a knapsack: make three piles. One pile is the not necessary but fun. The second pile is the maybe needed. The third is the gotta have pile. Pack the third pile. This can apply to lenses.

 

[james.liam]

I have Option 3 in the end. CV 50mm/1 + Rokkor-M 28mm/2.8 + Hologon 16mm/8.

The Hologon on a digital color sensor is problematic. It has not earned the space in your bag unless there’ s a film body for it to mate with.

 

[raid]

I will not take two cameras on this trip. Maybe the Hologon will stay home. B&W images look OK with the M10. I will think more about it:

 

[boojum]

I will be making a long trip this summer. The A7M III with the Sony/Zeiss 55mm f/1.8 and the Sony 24 - 240 zoom go. If the Pixii arrives in the next month I would be tempted to take that, otherwise the M9 plus the Amotal, Canon 35 LTM and maybe the Canon 28mm LTM. I'll be driving so carrying the gear will not be a problem. A laptop for editing and uploading. And a tripod and a monopod. By air: Pixii plus the 28mm Canon and 50mm Amotal. Laptop always.

By air is backpacking style, by car is canoe style.

 

[raid]

For us it will be an airplane trip plus renting a car. Not much carrying around. I may end up taking only the 50mm lens. I don’t need many lenses on a family trip. It is not a dedicated photography trip. As long as I enjoy the trip, the photo equipment is unimportant to me.

The M10 works well with the Hologon.