Traveling light

When I went to Europe a few years back, I mainly used my iPhone for snapshots and a 10mp Canon S90 with a 28-105mm F2.0-4.9 optical-zoom lens. (the Canon is the size of a pack of cigarettes). I was happy with this combination.
 
Here's the conundrum - it's not just light, but traveling light. When I travel, I want the best image quality I can get because it's probably a once in a lifetime experience. So my go to camera for travel is my Leica M9, and will likely be my Panasonic S5 on future trips.

If it means using only one lens, it will likely be the Zeiss Distagon 35 ZM. I've never been so in love with a lens before, it's just stunning on the M9. 35mm is wide enough to capture context, but not so wide that the subject is lost in it. Under day to day circumstances I like Elmarit 28, but f2.8 won't give me the light condition versatility of f1.4, and I don't have the budget for a Summilux 28 at this time.

On the other hand, if it's just snapshots in a non-critical setting, I'm happy to use the Panasonic LX10 or even the Sony RX0. The RX0 especially goes in a pocket without any fuss, is shock and waterproof, and gives a wonderful feeling of security due to its robustness.
 
I also dislike zooms for general purpose use. (I do think they have their place, mostly on the telephoto side.) My last family vacation, I took just my Nikon FE and a 35mm f/2 AI-S lens. Didn't want for anything else (although by the end of the trip I did wish both the camera and lens were a bit lighter). Before that I often traveled with a Nikon D40 and 35mm f/1.8 AF-S DX lens.
 
Whatever works at the time.

I've traveled with something as light as a single Canon G-10 up to a Pentax 645 outfit with two bodies and four lenses. I really enjoyed carrying a pair of Leica M6 bodies with 35 and 50mm Summicrons along with a small bag with extra film and a 21mm. Over a period of time I've used either an Olympus, Canon or Nikon DSLR with zooms from 24/28mm to 85 up to 135mm equivalents. Today, not much travel is being undertaken. My miserable body cannot take much stress anymore so I'm more of a homebody.

However, if I were to embark on a trip with a range of photo opportunities, I'm pretty sure I would take a pair of Fuji X-Pro2 bodies with 18, 23 and 35 lenses--equivalent to 28, 35 and 50mm in 135 format. And I would take the lightest full frame DSLR I own, a Nikon D610 with 24-85/3.5-4.5 VR. It's not the lightest outfit for sure. And I wouldn't carry it all around with me on a daily basis when I'm at my destinations. But I feel comfortable I could cover every potentiality with this gear. You can only travel just so light.
 
Light to me is no camera bag. So one lens on a body. If I am trying for more flexibility, I attach a small pouch to a belt and carry either a second lens in that or a small digital second body such as the GRIII or NX Mini with the 9mm on it.

If I want lots of flexibility with super lightweight I can bring my Pentax Q kit. Showing M3 for size comparison.

51398051964_e662993fe2_b.jpg


That has an equivalent of a 40mm f1.9 prime, equivalent of a 23–70mm f2.8-4.5 zoom and a 70–209 mm f2.8 zoom. The M3 setup weighs 801 grams with the meter and Elmar on it. The entire Q setup is 549 grams.

Shawn
 
For a trip to Vienna and Prague a few years ago, my one-lens kit was a Hasselblad with the 120 Makro-Planar.

Tokyo more years ago, I took an OM-1n and 100mm/2.8.

My one-lens kit will almost always be in the range of 1.5-2x the "normal" focal length for the format. That's just the way I see things.
 
My one-lens travel kit is a Leica IIIc or IIIf with a 50/2.8 Elmar or 50/2 collapsible Summicron and two or three extra loaded FILCA cassettes.

For a two-lens kit I change the body to a IIIg and add a 90/4 Elmar to the above.

In either case it all fits nicely in a Domke F-5XA bag.
 
For me, traveling light is my iPhone 12 Pro, three lenses (two of which I like, the other distorts too much for what it does).

When I was shooting film it was an M4-P and an older 35/3.5 & 90/4 and a light meter. It allowed me to do just about everything I wanted. It all fit with room for film in an older Leica Hard Case (for the CL I think).

Once I moved to Bessa for fun stuff it was a Bessa L and a 25 Snap-Shot. While there were shots I missed (couldn't get close enough), I lived with it.

B2 (;->
 
I've always been partial to lightweight and small kit, which is why I never took to the Pentax KP DSLR I bought with great intentions a while back. I finally let that one go, as my digital ILC predilections went straight back to M4/3 with the cheap OMD EM5 mark II that I picked up recently. With the 20/1.7 it's such a pleasure to carry.

I normally pick either fixed-lens cameras, or closely match lens and body such that I don't get a wide variety of lenses for a single camera - it's just a personal quirk, but I'd rather have different cameras a lot of the time for the different focal lengths I need.

Usually I only bring a single camera, along with maybe my GR in my pocket. I did try wearing a bag with 2-3 cameras for a couple of trips but I kind of hated it. I'm a camera-in-the-hand kind of shooter, with little to no backup gear.
 
If I was a frequent traveller I could see going minimalistic, but I travel infrequently or make trips with a photography club so would *never* limit myself to one lens.

With my M262 digital rangefinder, 21, 35 and 75mm would be as small as I would ever go.

If it was my Nikon DSLR, 18 or 20mm prime, 35 and 85mm f1.4’s and 135mm f2 (all manual focus AIS Nikkors) is the bare minimum I’d take.
 
Travel everywhere with a Black Label Bag Evans Walker Bag Mark II

evans.big.jpg
A Leica M-A and a Cron 50/2 lay within as well as 2 or 3 rolls of Tri-X and an iPhone charge and cable, plus a few odds and ends. Nice and light.
 
kshapero said:
Travel everywhere with a Black Label Bag Evans Walker Bag Mark II

evans.big.jpg
A Leica M-A and a Cron 50/2 lay within as well as 2 or 3 rolls of Tri-X and an iPhone charge and cable, plus a few odds and ends. Nice and light.
Click to expand...


that looks like a very nice high quality bag.
 
Nice holster for the Q. Can I ask where you got it from please?


shawn said:
Light to me is no camera bag. So one lens on a body. If I am trying for more flexibility, I attach a small pouch to a belt and carry either a second lens in that or a small digital second body such as the GRIII or NX Mini with the 9mm on it.

If I want lots of flexibility with super lightweight I can bring my Pentax Q kit. Showing M3 for size comparison.

51398051964_e662993fe2_b.jpg


That has an equivalent of a 40mm f1.9 prime, equivalent of a 23–70mm f2.8-4.5 zoom and a 70–209 mm f2.8 zoom. The M3 setup weighs 801 grams with the meter and Elmar on it. The entire Q setup is 549 grams.

Shawn
Click to expand...
 
Pál_K said:
For me, I’ve been consistent in traveling with minimal equipment . Usually a 35mm SLR with 50mm lens, or a rangefinder with 35mm lens.

A few years ago I was traveling with a Zeiss Nettar 515/16 (a 6x6 folder) and either a Minox IIIB or Leica III with 50/3.5 Elmar.
Click to expand...


Minox IIIB — I’m not familiar with that one. Can you post a photo?

My last long trip I took a Plaubel 67 Wide, and a Leica IIIa with several LTM lenses — often had color in the Plaubel and B/W in the Leica. The fact the Plaubel collapses to be fairly flat makes it easy to carry in a reasonably small bag with the Leica gear.
 
Trask said:
Minox IIIB — I’m not familiar with that one. Can you post a photo?

My last long trip I took a Plaubel 67 Wide, and a Leica IIIa with several LTM lenses — often had color in the Plaubel and B/W in the Leica. The fact the Plaubel collapses to be fairly flat makes it easy to carry in a reasonably small bag with the Leica gear.
Click to expand...

Isn't the Plaubel Makina the ultimate travel gem that gives a big negative and occupies very little space? Love my 670!
 
It is a Pentax part. Pentax O-CC1513 I'm sure it is discontinued now but might be able to still find them. Was $35 OR $40 as I recall.

Shawn
 
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