The Traveller's Dilemma

The Traveller's Dilemma

  • I take my best gear. I want to make the best possible photographs, regardless of the hazzards.

    Votes: 172 62.8%

  • I leave my best gear at home. I want to know that it will be waiting for me when I get back.

    Votes: 24 8.8%

  • I only have the best. For me, there is no choice to be made.

    Votes: 44 16.1%

  • Nothing I own could ever be put in the same sentence with the word "best."

    Votes: 34 12.4%
  • Total voters
    274
I've been to places where the last thing I am worried about is my gear. When you look around and think, I may not make it home if I don't watch myself! Funny how value changes in those times. Your start thinking about how to use your expensive camera as a weapon and you say the hell with it if it saves your life! 🙂
 
as someone has previously said, insure yourself up to the eyeballs. I'm a student and I'm not sure if they operate in the usa but Endsleigh have been really good with my accident prone nature.

Also...I may be wrong in supposing this but you love a camera for the photos you get out of it, it's the product which makes you fall for the thing. So risk it.
 
My family had a habit of saving our "best" clothes for best. The result was we never wore them and eventually they would be thrown away because the were the wrong size or style. Enjoy your stuff while you have it. There is no point in getting something if you don't use it.
 
I carry the gear that I want on any trip and don't worry about it, although I am careful about personal safety issues.
 
Buy a popular daily newspaper for the place you're in, and carry it with you.

Nobody will ever believe that you're local; but on the other hand you're not a typical tourist either...
 
Line 4. Take what I have & be damn*d as I'll have to anyway :bang:

William
 
My travel kit is a Fuji GS645S with a mixture of 100 and 400ASA films, and two compacts. The compacts are usually loaded with fast film -- Delta 3200 or Neopan 1600 in black and white -- or 400ASA C-41 film. If one compact is loaded with black and white film, the other is loaded with colour.

Last time, it was a Mju II (stylus epic) and a little Minolta zoom compact. All three together fit in a small bag [they are smaller combined than a standard SLR with kit zoom]. The compacts can be carried in a pocket if I am not taking a bag or if am going out drinking.

I have all kinds of other gear I use at home, but if I am away somewhere it's usually the Fuji plus a compact camera, or a 35mm slr plus a compact camera. Small and versatile.
 
Also, I've never really worried about having a camera stolen. I generally have insurance, and I'm fairly streetwise and aware when I'm out and about.
 
ClaremontPhoto said:
Buy a popular daily newspaper for the place you're in, and carry it with you.

Nobody will ever believe that you're local; but on the other hand you're not a typical tourist either...
Click to expand...

I thought you're going to tell us to proceed and shoot through a hole on the newspaper... 😛
 
Now that the kids are old enough to know not to mess with my stuff (though the oldest wants what ever I am carrying even though he has a Bessa R), I carry the “good stuff”. If something happens to it, I can replace it, though it will be painful.

B2 (;->
 
Just figured out my stuff this morning. Domke F-2 bag and my two M7s. Would love to take my new Bessa R4A but I'm not taking three cameras and where I'm going I don't need super-wides. (But I'm taking it to Dublin later this year 🙂.)

Lenses are CV 15 (weighs nothing and you never know... 😉), M-Hexanon 28, Summilux 35, Summilux 50, Tele-Elmarit (thin) 90. I thought long and hard about taking my 24 but I'm not going to encounter situations where it's use would be optimal.

Now to fill out a customs form 4457.
 
Magus- thought you had me confused with my father! We fly from Boston to Oakland on the 27th, returning on the 5th of July.

Peter- I'm packing the F-2 bag as well, and I am leaning toward the 2 M7's as well- (inconspicuous won't find me regardless of what I pack Magus😀 ) and for sure will have the 50/2.0, and either the 28 or 25- probably the 28. A Contax T2 for quick snaps (I don't focus well while drinking😉 ) and then? The Rollei 80 will be here Wed, so I'll have time to play with it before I go and see if it does what I hope it will, now debating whether to bring the XPAN and 45! I do like to go by car, all these decisions are so much simpler!
 
IF i were going someplace, like a normal holiday...i'd take the zi kit, body and 4 lenses.

what could be a more perfect kit than a 25/35/fast 50 sonnar/ and a 90?
i could even throw in the r4m as backup if i were feeling insecure.

joe
 
When I want to travel light, it normally means one of the following three combinations.

The selection normally depends on where I'm going and what I want to photograph.

1) Film - M5 - 35 Lux ASPH, 50 Lux ASPH, 90 Elmarit
2) M8 - CV 15, 28 Cron ASPH, 50 Lux ASPH, 90 Elmarit
3) M8 - CV15, 35 Lux ASPH, 75 Cron APO

Plus the little DLux3 gets thrown in.

I don't ever remember taking all 6 lenses.

Personally, I don't have a cheap kit for travel and a better kit for local. I bought my gear to use, and will just be cautious with it whether at home or travelling. Attitude and awareness are big protectors. If you don't walk around unaware of your surroundings and also give the impression that you can take your of yourself, the proposed theif normally selects an easier target.

Best,

Ray
 
Hi Magus,

It was a true dilema, but only on the M8.

The film side was very easy. (My 35, 50, 90 won out. I never really liked the 90 focal length before, but have come to like it and "see" shots with it also.)

-------------

The M8 was harder with the 1.33 crop.

The CV15 is just small and handy. It seems to always get into the bag. It is also my only super-wide.

I have really fallen in love with the 28 Cron's signature. It's focal length of 37 works for me on the M8 well. However, I never did get used to 28 on film.

The 50 Lux is a favorite.

I really liked the 90 Elmarit when I compared it against a new 90 Cron. It is much lighter, smaller, easier to focus, and has a signature which I prefer.

Those three lenses make up a good focal length range for me as a 3 lens kit with the possible addition of the CV15.

--------------

On film, I love the 35 Lux ASPH. On the M8, the 46 focal length is too close to the 28/37 and the 50/66 for my use with them at the same time. I really only end up using the 35 Lux with the 75 being the next step. This works great for a two lens kit, and my feet make up the difference.

The 75 Cron is another lens that I love, but don't really use on film. My preference is to grab the 50 or 90. This is not really because of the focal length, but rather because of the proximity to the 50 frame lines in the view finder. On the M8, it becomes a 100 that is close to a film 90 and is a good combination with the 35/46 for a nice change in perspective.

Although this could change in the future, it is how I'm shooting now.

Good to see you also my friend.

Best,

Ray
 
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