Travel camera advice

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bjolester

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I am going to travel to the USA later this spring and am planning what camera(s) to bring along for the trip. On my last travels abroad I have brought along only a Pentax MX with a Voigtländer Ultron 40/2, and my iPhone 8 Plus. (I like to travel light). Film for quality shots and iPhone for snapshots. Although I enjoy shooting film, I find travelling with film to be a bit of a hassle (airport security/scanning). I own several Pentax DSLRs, but I find their size makes them unsuitable as travel cameras. If I had had the money, I would have loved to check out a mirrorless camera like the Fujifilm X-E3, which seems like a perfect combination of image quality and compactness. But for the time being I guess I will have to bring along what I already have. My travel camera options are:

- Pentax MX with the Voigtländer Ultron 40/2 (or 28mm + 50mm)
- Pentax Espio 24EW
- Sigma DP1s
- iPhone 8 Plus

I have also been looking at "vintage" second hand digital compact cameras like the Lumix GF1, LX3 or LX5, Fujifilm X10 and Olympus MFT 12mp cameras, which can be had for little money, but I am not sure how much of an improvement this would be.

Maybe I should just go for the Pentax MX + iPhone combination? What do you think?

I am grateful for any advice about travel cameras!
 
Film can be scanned without any issues. Just leave it in your carry on bag and forget about it. My film gets scanned 8-10 times on a trip and never has any problems. A Fuji GA645 is one of the best travel cameras. Amazing quality and light as a feather. Small too.
 
I never had problems with security and scanning in USA airports, Russian airports, Polish Airport and all other Europe airports.
But this scanning myth keeps on coming. Even customs and security knows it. In December I was at Boston. It was big note posted before xray machine - no problem for up to 400 ISO.
I knew person who traveled China and India with film recently and took many flight. No problem.
So no excuse for not taking film, sorry 🙂.
 
bj, If you shoot film....take the mx & the ultron or 28 & 50....& the iphone. As many have said, scanning film in security is no big inconvenience. I always travel with a film camera, or usually a medium format (Rolleiflex or Fuji 6x8) & a Leica. I couldn't imagine going without them....& digital just doesn't do it for me.
 
"I have also been looking at "vintage" second hand digital compact cameras like the Lumix GF1, LX3 or LX5, Fujifilm X10 and Olympus MFT 12mp cameras, which can be had for little money, but I am not sure how much of an improvement this would be."

Where I find having a reasonably modern digital camera to be a benefit is in relative low light ability - and when travelling this can be a big plus if you plan on being out at night or going into dark rooms, halls, cathedrals etc, etc. I will focus on this aspect in my comments.

The Sigma DP1s is not known for this ability of course and while an iphone is surprisingly good in some situations it will limit you - especially in the ability to make larger images.

I either have or have had in the past the Lumix and Olympus cameras you mention as potential "buys", and while they are not bad you would be better served by later camera bodies with better dynamic range in my view. At least this is my experience when travelling. Later cameras tend to also have image stabilization and also focus peaking making them better. None of the named ones do. And of course the LX 3 and LX5 are nice pocket cameras they will not give you much better low light capability than what you already have (if at all). In other words I would suggest a later M4/3 camera if your budget will stretch to it or perhaps a Sony NEX for their bigger sensor and better dynamic range (some do not have in body I.S. though). For example I own the Sony NEX F3 (a later upgrade of the Sony NEX 3) which is a lower specification camera body in build terms though not in image quality. It is dirt cheap to buy and when matched with, say, a Sigma 30mm f2.8 it gives terrific image quality in low light situations. I like primes for this because they are relatively faster than Sony's kit zooms. The Sony NEX 5 is a similar performer and also cheap due to its age - it is certainly a "vintage" lens in digital camera terms though once again it is a serious performer.


The following image was made with the Sony F3 camera in very low light in a pub at night (though in this case it was made using a Sony 50mm f1.8 OSS which is also a great performer). I was seriously impressed by the quality of the images that this modest camera produces in a very inexpensive package.


Guitar player by Life in Shadows, on Flickr
 
Like many before me said... film won't get fogged when scanned at airports in the security check. Now, if you pack it in your suitcase and this one gets scanned, then you'll be in trouble. Hence, take your Pentax with lens(es) and your iPhone, and shoot away.
 
peterm1 said:
"I have also been looking at "vintage" second hand digital compact cameras like the Lumix GF1, LX3 or LX5, Fujifilm X10 and Olympus MFT 12mp cameras, which can be had for little money, but I am not sure how much of an improvement this would be."

Where I find having a reasonably modern digital camera to be a benefit is in relative low light ability - and when travelling this can be a big plus if you plan on being out at night or going into dark rooms, halls, cathedrals etc, etc. I will focus on this aspect in my comments.

The Sigma DP1s is not known for this ability of course and while an iphone is surprisingly good in some situations it will limit you - especially in the ability to make larger images.

I either have or have had in the past the Lumix and Olympus cameras you mention as potential "buys", and while they are not bad you would be better served by later camera bodies with better dynamic range in my view. At least this is my experience when travelling. Later cameras tend to also have image stabilization and also focus peaking making them better. None of the named ones do. And of course the LX 3 and LX5 are nice pocket cameras they will not give you much better low light capability than what you already have (if at all). In other words I would suggest a later M4/3 camera if your budget will stretch to it or perhaps a Sony NEX for their bigger sensor and better dynamic range (some do not have in body I.S. though). For example I own the Sony NEX F3 (a later upgrade of the Sony NEX 3) which is a lower specification camera body in build terms though not in image quality. It is dirt cheap to buy and when matched with, say, a Sigma 30mm f2.8 it gives terrific image quality in low light situations. I like primes for this because they are relatively faster than Sony's kit zooms. The Sony NEX 5 is a similar performer and also cheap due to its age - it is certainly a "vintage" lens in digital camera terms though once again it is a serious performer.


The following image was made with the Sony F3 camera in very low light in a pub at night (though in this case it was made using a Sony 50mm f1.8 OSS which is also a great performer). I was seriously impressed by the quality of the images that this modest camera produces in a very inexpensive package.


Guitar player by Life in Shadows, on Flickr
Click to expand...

Wow... the detail is impressive... Really nice photograph!
 
Ted Striker said:
Film can be scanned without any issues. Just leave it in your carry on bag and forget about it. My film gets scanned 8-10 times on a trip and never has any problems. A Fuji GA645 is one of the best travel cameras. Amazing quality and light as a feather. Small too.
Click to expand...

But be certain that you do not put film in checked baggage.
 
Travel camera advice

I have both the iPhone 8 Plus and Panasonic LX7.
The LX7 Zeiss zoom lens has better contrast and the sensor produces more natural colors than the 8 plus. The LX7 can support screw-on filters and full manual exposure modes and more storage, more cheaply than the iPhone. It has a built in ND filter, hot shoe, flash (GN12?) and tripod mount if needed.
It also has better image quality than the iPhone when zooming for video. The only thing I do not like is that it doesn't display the 35mm equivalent focal length on the screen. Price on eBay is $150-200 USD depending on accessories.

The iPhone has better portability, connectivity and in-camera image editing if needed. The 2nd lens for portraits is satisfactory if the subject is within 2.5m.
The iPhone is better than the LX7 at auto adjustment to backlight.

In low light, wide open, both cameras are about the same image quality.

Try the 645Pro Mk III app if you think the iPhone is the digital camera you would like to bring. It has full manual controls, crop to equivalent 35/120 formats, DNG support and film simulation modes.
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/645-pro-mk-iii/id518235205?mt=8

You will probably bring your iPhone anyways, due to connectivity so my question is do you need two digital cameras?

Michael.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I'm a firm believer in "it's not rocket science". In other words, it's not that hard, you don't need to over analyse it. Any digital camera released in the last decade is sufficient, film won't be a problem at airports (just don't check it)
Take what you feel like using and carrying, which unless it's a specific holiday (safari etc) will likely be the exact stuff you use at home. You might have a million cameras, but on any given day most people take a small selection of equipment. Holiday's are just someone else home.
 
It's very difficult to argue against any film camera.
Have been traveling a lot and my camera being small has been important to me. Same time I love to play with manual lenses which makes it a bit more bulky, but my old, trusty Sony NEX5n is about as small and powerful it get's for that. There are newer models out but myself I love the EVF to be articulating and the NEX5n or 5T now should be cheap enough. Well, with the optional EVF less so.
Recently I got a used, tiny Sony RX100iii for 300.-, should be available even a bit cheaper than that. Amazingly powerful for such a small camera, IQ of course isn't up to level par with bigger sensor cameras but astonishing good nevertheless
 
Travel... travel is the reason photography has blossomed over the years. I remember the Kodak travel books; I should remember them because I bought them; pocket size for easy reference on the go.

In the 1950’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s… everyone who traveled carried a camera, instamatics, flash cubes, slide carousels packed with pictures of the hula show in Waikiki! Uncle Fred and Aunt Betty serving up pineapple cubes while wearing a moomoo and an aloha shirt in the dead of winter in St. Clair Shores Michigan all whilst the slide carousel clicked away projecting brilliant color images on a white sheet taped to the wall.

Anyway, nowadays when I travel the only camera I need is the Fujifilm X100F. Works in a drawer. Gets the job done to my complete satisfaction.

Mike
 
It's usually a simple type of decision;

1, Film or digital; saying film means colour neg or slides or B&W ditto?

and then

2, Travel light or take almost everything?

Oddly enough it doesn't seem easy at the time...

Regards, David
 
Yokosuka_Mike said:
Anyway, nowadays when I travel the only camera I need is the Fujifilm X100F. Works in a drawer. Gets the job done to my complete satisfaction.

Mike
Click to expand...


What does works in a drawer mean? Never heard that before.


I used to use an X100 too for travel for many years. Then I gave up on digital and went back to film. Havent shot my X100 in 4-5 years. I just dug it out of storage but can't find the battery charger. It's buried under years of stuff.
 
For "very little money" (though I haven't checked prices) I'll be an outlier and suggest an early super zoom with IS. I would suggest an old Panasonic Lumix FZ-X with "Leica" (branded, designed... who knows) f2.8 through the zoom range lens. I used a modded Lumix FZ-1 (making it an FZ-2 with manual control). I took some great pics with that 2 MP camera. The sensors are so small on that thing and ISO is limited but the small sensors = non-obnoxious lens size when zoomed out to 420. Early IS very effective. I'd pair that with the Espio 24EW for your film fix. Use your IPhone indoors, low light.
 
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