Travel-Associated G.A.S.

[bobby_novatron]

A related phenomenon ... GAS attack during a trip!

I was in Montreal in June, on a business trip (a trip that also included significant amounts of pleasure) and I happened upon an antique shop near my hotel ... the shop had numerous wonderful vintage cameras. 6x6 folders, Leica bodies, Japanese cameras, you name it. When I inquired about a wonderful M2 on display, the clerk told me "the guy who does the cameras isn't here today, he's sick until Thursday."

I was able to walk away empty handed -- and relieved! GAS attack averted. Credit card within normal operating temperatures. Whew!

 

[wgerrard]

I have lots of rationalizations for this, like I travel light and now I can pack a couple more shirts instead of all that film. Like I won't have to pay $4+ per roll for processing. Like I won't have to worry about dropping the M2's takeup spool down a storm sewer.

The toys should be here Friday, so I can check them out over the weekend.

 

[stewmander]

I always have GAS, that's why I'm on RFF 3-4 times a day. I also think of what great gear id like to by and justify it by saying I "need" it for my honeymoon trip sometime next year. Tho recent bills have prevented me from picking up a nice G1 with 45mm, I will eventually get something. I directory I coukd use my RB67, but it's just a little too big to travel with.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Bill,

I'd take a longer lens too, for landscapes: 90mm or even 135mm. Often you'll see a beautiful bit of a scene that you want to photograph. At least, I do.

Cheers,

R.

 

[robert blu]

@wgerrard: just bought the same camera for my wife. She used it last week end : good, light to have around and simple enough (for a digital camera...). It was a good choice.
robert

 

[StaaleS]

Dealing with two weeks-plus of film takes, well, too long. It isn't fun and I don't look forward to it.

Oh so true. Fortunately, I have found the solution to this: I bring my Nikon Coolscan V with me in my suitcase 🙂

 

[OlliL]

Going on holiday in France, I checked my gear, too.

Well yeah:

- Nothing for landscape work.

Solution: Bought a Horizon 202 (gives a LOT of landscape 😀 )

- Is it safe to carry the X100 all the time?

Solution: Bought a pimped out Sigma DP1 with finder, case......
(with the intention to sell it after the trip)



That's my usual routine to justify buying gear. 😀

 

[Roger Hicks]

Going on holiday in France, I checked my gear, too.

Well yeah:

- Nothing for landscape work.

Solution: Bought a Horizon 202 (gives a LOT of landscape 😀 )

- Is it safe to carry the X100 all the time?

Solution: Bought a pimped out Sigma DP1 with finder, case......
(with the intention to sell it after the trip)



That's my usual routine to justify buying gear. 😀

Dear Oliver,

What sort of 'safe'?

You're going to use an inferior camera, that you don't want to keep...?

Cheers,

R.

 

[OlliL]

Safe to take to the Beach 😉

I'll bring the X100, too!


Btw 18th time France and 13th Ile d'Oleran 😀

 

[shadowfox]

To put things in perspective,

In my collector/gearhead days:
Six cameras on one trip, result: a couple of keepers, that's it.

A few years later, two cameras, result: two photobooks (sold a few copies as well) 🙂

The point: Gears don't a photographically-rewarding vacation make.

 

[wgerrard]

To put things in perspective,

In my collector/gearhead days:
Six cameras on one trip, result: a couple of keepers, that's it.

A few years later, two cameras, result: two photobooks (sold a few copies as well) 🙂

The point: Gears don't a photographically-rewarding vacation make.

So right. I seem to have come round to enjoying film "in moderation", but not in heavy vacation doses. Just too much time on the back end, too much money and hassle. What I would have spent on film and commercial processing for this trip is a significant fraction of the cost of the hardware I just bought.

 

[Doug]

I bought a used Canon ELPH jr off eBay intending it as an always-carry vacation camera (Canon belt pouch). Nice tiny thing, with fixed-length 26mm f/2.8 for APS film. Annoyingly, the flash defaults to ON when the camera powers up.

It has been handy in airports, airplanes, shuttles etc when the main gear is less accessible. But while vacationing there's a tendency to take it for a walk and leave the prime rig behind.

 

[bastian a.]

My often used holiday equipment is
- two Leica M bodies
- 35/1,4 + 21/2,8 + 90/2,8.

Sometimes I only take one body and a 35mm or a 50mm lens with me.

Keep it simple, small and lightweight.

 

[lukaz85]

I know these pre-traval G.A.S. attacks too good 😉 However, at least for me, less is really more. I like to enjoy traveling, without getting equipment head-ache. While my Scotland trip, all I had was a Leica M6 and the M-Rokkor 40/2.


Isle of Arran - Goat Fell by spioriapriori, on Flickr


Lochranza by spioriapriori, on Flickr


cock of arran by spioriapriori, on Flickr


Ben Lomond by spioriapriori, on Flickr

 

[Lauffray]

Yes ! Before every trip I decide I need a new lens or a backup body, as if the M I own wasn't reliable enough 😛
I'm going to Europe soon, which is not exactly cheap, and in the back of my mind there's that nice user M6 I saw at my local dealer...hm... 🙂

 

[ped]

I just take the R-D1 and a single lens. I like all the pics to have the same focal length; it adds a 'documentary' feel to the trip.

 

[NLewis]

As I see it, the advantage of a digital for me on this kind of trip is not having to slog through examining and scanning hundreds of film frames. That's not a problem when it's a few rolls at a time. Dealing with two weeks-plus of film takes, well, too long. It isn't fun and I don't look forward to it.

Just send it to NCPS or Precision. A lot cheaper than a DSLR, and weighs less too.

 

[zauhar]

A related phenomenon ... GAS attack during a trip!

I was in Montreal in June, on a business trip (a trip that also included significant amounts of pleasure) and I happened upon an antique shop near my hotel ... the shop had numerous wonderful vintage cameras. 6x6 folders, Leica bodies, Japanese cameras, you name it. When I inquired about a wonderful M2 on display, the clerk told me "the guy who does the cameras isn't here today, he's sick until Thursday."

I was able to walk away empty handed -- and relieved! GAS attack averted. Credit card within normal operating temperatures. Whew!

WHERE WAS THAT SHOP? I may be going back to Montreal in the future!

Maybe I better not know.

Randy

 

[Vics]

As I see it, the advantage of a digital for me on this kind of trip is not having to slog through examining and scanning hundreds of film frames. That's not a problem when it's a few rolls at a time. Dealing with two weeks-plus of film takes, well, too long. It isn't fun and I don't look forward to it.

You have hit on the precise reason I'm not drawn to digital. I wouldn't want to do all that scanning, either, so I never gave up my wet darkroom. But even though I love the zen of the darkroom, I do try to economize my shooting so there are fewer rolls to develop and fewer contact sheets to make, not to mention the expense.
I do agree whole-heartedly with all here who say to take the gear you know best, and take the least you can. One camera, one lens, and one kind of film. The challenge is to do more with less. Last night I watched a flickr slideshow of the Hexar AF street photo group and was impressed with the level of creativity!

 

[wgerrard]

Just send it to NCPS or Precision. A lot cheaper than a DSLR, and weighs less too.

NCPS charges $11.95 per 35mm roll for their "enhanced" slides. So, say I shot 50 rolls. That's $600. If I get them processed locally, it's a bit more than $200. plus about two weeks of my time.

More sensibly, I could do local processing and send the selected negs to NCPS for scanning.

But, for me, for this kind of trip, and considering everything gets digitized anyway, shooting digital works.

Room in the suitcase taken by all that film really is an issue for me. I spent two weeks in the UK last fall with one carryon. Film, stuffed in ZipLoc bags, took up real space. You can't wear film.