Travel Gear (try to keep it simple)

pixelvandal said:
Currently in Mexico travelling from Mexico City to the east coast over 4 weeks. All I have taken is the Panasonic Gx8 and 14mm pancake. Does everything I need :)
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The GX8 is an excellent M 4/3 camera, so you should be doing fine with this small set-up.
 
:)

raid said:
Now that must have been a workout! Suddenly my initial goal of taking the M8 and M9 looks so small! Thank you for this visual confirmation that I am OK :)
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It was film. It can't handle bw and color in one camera simultaneously (easily) and bw conversions from color film ain't pretty.

Stay on focus of this thread.
Travel Gear (try to keep it simple)
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raid said:
An option is to take only the M9 and 2 lenses. Makes it all much lighter.
Yes, the batteries need attention each day.
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Yes, on my last and rare real vacation I took only M-E with tiny 28 f6 for daylight and tiny 40/2 for light light. I was not limited by it in Manhattan.
Actually if 28mm would be f2, I wouldn't bother with second lens. Or if I had 35 1.4.

:)
 
raid said:
Now that must have been a workout! Suddenly my initial goal of taking the M8 and M9 looks so small! Thank you for this visual confirmation that I am OK :)
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I have to come clean, the blue and black shoe is not mine.

The gf670w and the hassselblad fit in the bag. The 6x14 stays in my backpack, which is where all my clothes and stuff are, most of the time. I actually ended up breaking the camera and did not use it much.

The hasselblad and gf670w are what I mostly carry. I did a lot of hiking in the Tsingy with the Hasselblad in my hand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2cArAWZg0s
 
Best traveling setups have varied in actual content for me, but they all have had similar narrow range of options. Taking too many lenses means I leave them all "at home" when out on a day's adventure.

I can take a Pentax 6x7 and a 105mm and shoot that all day no problem, but if I bring 3 lenses then I end up not using any of it and if I do, the results are worse. Same for 35mm gear, but it's easier to bring 5 rolls of 35mm and throw in an optional lens so I am more apt to do that with 35mm RF kits than the 67 setup.

Not everyone has this problem.
 
I have the opposite problem, if I bring too many cameras or lenses, I tend to take the same photo with each camera or lens. I did a trip to asia in 2013 with a Bronica s2a and 2 lenses, a mamiya 7, and a nikon s3 with 2 lenses. The amount of photos I took again with each camera was a lot.

Now, I mostly travel with fixed lens cameras.
 
When I travel it's the Fuji x100t and a Nikon F3P with the AI-S 50 f/1.2, a tripod, Lee Seven5 filters, and enough B&W film for the duration. A small bag with the Fuji charger, extra SD card, and lens cleaning supplies.

Depending on the location I might forgo the tripod and filters (except PL). Also destination dependent is a Nikkor-H 2.8cm f/3.5 or a Nikkor-P 10.5cm f/2.5... and finally some spares for the F3, including battery, protect filter, lens cap, and -2 diopter.
 
This spring I took a Fujifilm XT1 and 23/2 for digital and Rolleicord III and Hasselblad 500c. I used the Hasselblad the whole time and never took the Rolleicord out. I used my iPhone 7 Plus alot for video and digital photos and rarely used the XT1.

About a month from now going to the coast and i'm taking only my Hasselblad 500c and new to me Fujifilm GSW680III. And of course the iPhone 7 Plus. Film will be XP2 and Velvia ( maybe Pro400H too ).
 
Having too many cameras with me would not work as I would use only one camera most of the time. Having my iphone with me is a good back-up if the Leica fails somehow. If the trip includes traveling by airplanes, then I prefer having a small camera outfit with me. If I travel by car, weight is not an issue.
Many years ago, I would use a Rolleiflex 2.8D and a Fuji 690BL plus a Canon T90 plus lenses. They would fill out a large size camera backpack. Then I would always have a heavy Gitzo tripod with me. I would have with me a set of 4 rectangular Singh Ray graduated ND filters and a spot meter and cable release and a compass. I was using insulated bags for the film rolls in the heat of the summer.

Those days are gone.
 
A few years back, we went on a driving trip along the south shore of Lake Superior. Instead of taking along the proverbial kitchen sink when it came to camera gear, this time, all I grabbed was my Canon EOS-M with the 22/2.0 lens. And that was it. Perfect choice. Small, light and easily carried. I was 100% happy with the pics I took. Plus my back appreciated it too.

Jim B.
 
Recently returned from a 3 week tour of parts of Australia and New Zealand. Took a Fujifilm X100T for color and an Olympus XA with film for BW. Took a Panasonic GM5 with a 12-32 zoom (tiny micro 4/3 camera/lens combo) as a back up and for rare times I needed a zoom. All fit easily in an ONA Bowery bag. Worked out very well.
 
In 1998 we were living in Grand Blanc and drove up to the UP during the fall. All I had was a Nikon FM and 50/1.4 AIS lens. I took a lot of photos that trip. These days I'd probably take the Hasselblad and the iPhone 7 plus and that's it.
 
remembering the "try to keep it simple" 1 body 2 lenses. Enjoy yourself & spend more time seeing things than changing lenses.... :)
 
I've come to realise that my most photographically happy trip was when I took one Leica CL with a 25mm lens and another with a 50mm lens, both with the same colour neg film, plus a Ricoh GR for night time.
The second most happy was when I took one CL with a 35mm lens and used my phone for digi-sharing.
The absolutely unhappiest trip, photographically, was when I took a new digital CL and two AF lenses. Just so uninvolving to use.
So now I think from now on it's going to be one or two film CLs and my phone.
 
My trip to Europe, happy with one small camera bag:

1. Leica M10, 35 Cron ASPH+ 50 Cron Ridgid
2. Ricoh GR II (28mm)

I just realized I shot more pictures with Ricoh than Leica..:D


~ron~
 
I think if I was traveling it would be an m6, my xpro2 for digital w Leica adaptor (sacrilege I know) and likely a fast 35mm mounted to the xpro, a 50 cron, and maybe my 28 elmarit in the bag. I ty to keep focal lengths within a small range when walking around. For some reason my brain gets used to a FOV and I work more fluidly between cameras that way. Plus, I always have an option to use any 3 on either camera and effectively have 5 different FOV with that setup. This all with film and extra batteries fits in the small domke bag as long as I have a camera across the shoulder
 
Raid, you’ve been on plenty of trips with cameras, why upset the apple cart? What has worked in the past will continue to work (with the right charger of course!).
The M9-SWC kit seemed like a winner to me.
 
It all depends on where you go and what you want to see and photograph. "Europe" is a bit elusive. Large cities ? Landscapes ? Countryside with rural life ? Cultural events ? Historic places ? South ? North ? Beaches and harbours ? Sunny weather expected all the time, or not quite ?

While on travel, why would you take something else than what you are used to ?

Life is short and it's when you travel that you'll take nice photos, in general (depends on how you travel and with whom, of course). Yet you don't take "different" photos when you travel. Hence no "different" gear to take with you.

Limit your gear size and weight but take the gear you like to use most, even when not on travel, and feel natural with. And adapt your behaviour to the places you go to. For instance, no photo bag in Barcelona.
wink.gif
 
Years ago when I realised that the M2 and f/2.8 Summaron and the Olympus XA were so similar in spec. I went out with both and took a set of touristy photo' s using them both with the same settings and came to the conclusion that the main difference was the weight and size.

This year I took out the M9 and 28mm CZ and the Panasonic LX5 and repeated the exercise. Although both were on at 3:2 ratio, 28mm (equivalent) and the CW metering I noticed a difference in them and so sometimes used the LX5 exposure for both and sometimes the M9's. Only once did they both agree but that's not unusual since I often use a different EV adjustment as standard on digital cameras.

You do, of course, get more pixels with the M9 and the LX5 is more saturated or the M9 needs more but I am a lot happier now about taking the LX5 with me and backing it up with my wife's smart phone...

Regards, David

PS The lack of pixels in the LX5 means I am limited to 3'.6" by 2'.4" prints but I don't see that as a problem...
 
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