Travelling with the M6

[samm]

Hello everyone!

In may 06 I am leaving to go backpacking through Asia, Europe and then the USA and my M6 is coming with me.

I am having a hard time deciding how much film to take with me, what type and how much of a ratio of BW to colour. I am a generally a BW shooter but want to shoot colour too.

(I wish I could take two M6s with me, one bw and one colour but i will be a littleee weighed down 😀 )

I only really need to take enough film with me to asia as I can stock up again when I get to Europe.

If anybody who has travelled through Asia can give me any advice it would be greatly appreciated.

I also want to take another lens with me, either the 50mm or 150mm - not sure which, I definately want the 50mm but dont think I can really afford it though if you think I must have it, let me know.


thanks!!

 

[flipflop]

how much is this trip going to cost? I want to go!

 

[samm]

how much is this trip going to cost? I want to go!

too much!

Ive been saving for this for about 2 years, and will be working in England for awhile once I get to Europe.

 

[wlewisiii]

First, I'm not sure what your primary lens is. Second do you mean 135 rather than 150? Finally, what is your prefered type of shooting? Do you want to do a lot of available light in color? Or are you thinking your more typical "tourist" images for your color usage?

With those bits in hand I'd be much more able to offer advice based on my trips to SEA.

William

 

[samm]

First, I'm not sure what your primary lens is. Second do you mean 135 rather than 150? Finally, what is your prefered type of shooting? Do you want to do a lot of available light in color? Or are you thinking your more typical "tourist" images for your color usage?

With those bits in hand I'd be much more able to offer advice based on my trips to SEA.

William

thanks for replying, though Im talking about a Mamiya M6 not a leica, sorry.

So I do mean 150mm, and so that also means my primary lens is a 75mm.

I only ever use my mamiya 6 with available light. (i dont actually have a flash for it but probably get one before i leave anyway).

Yep with the touristy type images for the colour, I want to sell some of touristy type shots to a stock agency once I get to london.

my preferred shooting style is BW photojournalistic and also portraits.

 

[wlewisiii]

Ah, ok, makes sense. That M6 is one of those cameras I'd love to own. It should be nice for this trip.

Ok, I'd get the 3rd lens too then, if I could afford it. Personally, I'd scrimp alot to make sure I could afford it. Perhaps you could rent that lens somewhere? That wide angle view will come in very handy in the classic temples/bars/etc that make up the urban tourist destinations in Asia. Do get a flash - something with a bounce and swivel head plus one of those little elastic sort-of softboxes that slip over a flash head. They really work wonders for people shots in foul light.

Film is a harder question. I'd say, given what you've said, that 1/3 color to 2/3 black and white would be a good ratio. If you were doing 135, I'd say bring bulk rolls along... Color film is easy (rarely cheap, but easy) to find in SEA, at least. Traditional B&W was nearly impossible for me to find the last time I was there in 2002; however I didn't look that hard, either. Get as much of your prefered B&W as you can afford ahead of time and fill every nook and cranney of you pack with rolls. One tip - the average pill bottle (PM-10 & 3E are the markings on the bottom of mine) will hold a roll of 120 in it's foil wrap perfectly. This is even more important for exposed film - protection from water. Those little stickes like to come off at the worst times... Whenever I go anywhere with 120 film, all the rolls start and end in a pill bottle - the boxes are trashed before I leave.

For what you're describling for color, you probably want transparency. I don't know that as well as some around here. If you decide to go neg though, I'd suggest Fuji Reala CS. It's an exquisite film that splits the difference between the VC & NC camps.

Hope this helps.

William

 

[Finder]

I traveled about two month through Tibet with my Mamiya 6 and shot a hundred rolls of 120. Could have shot more, but that was all I could carry. Pity B&W does not come in 220. I had to ration my film based on a daily average.

I also have done a 1,200 kilmometer "walking" trail with a Mamiya 6 and Widelux - I did it twice. But at that time I was able to send film back as I shot it and well as pick it up at post offices - someone at home to post them is important. That time I had shot about 200 rolls of 220 on each trip.

I would only travel with one body. Two is really too heavy for the long haul. The 50mm is nice to have. The 150mm I use less, but I did take my Mamiya with all three lenses on a 20 day trek through the Japanese alps and the 150mm is very good for the mountains (about 100 rolls of 120 on that trip). I would also recommend the MF and 35mm adapter. If you shot all your 120 film, you can always use 35mm bought locally - medium-format film can be hard to find. And the 50mm is good with the adapter.

I have a cheap Sunpak pocket flash - $20. I carry it as a fill flash for bright outdoor light. I would recommend one. Very small and light and it runs on AA batteries.

Do you know you are going to sell the color images in London? If not, I would just carry the film you like to shot - but that is also a personal thing where I simply don't do good work with others (like ad and tourist companies) in mind. I can only focus on one job at a time.

You want to keep your weight down (your baggage weight, that is). You don't want to spend your trip feeling like a donkey and you are not going to take pictures if you are tired. Don't take anything you don't "need." Things that could be useful, leave at home.

 

[tomw]

Pity B&W does not come in 220

Actually, Tri-X (320TXP) does come in 220 (at least in the US). I keep hoping HP5+ will come back in that size, too, but I'm not confident it ever will.

http://tinyurl.com/junnh (B&H)

 

[nksyoon]

Which parts of Asia will you be travelling through? I have a source for cheap Fuji film in Malaysia - but you have to buy a minimum of 20 rolls of one film type, eg 20 rolls of Fuji Pro160S. They have both 120 and 135 film, AFAIK only 160S in 220.

Local camera forums include www.photomalaysia.com (having some server troubles today) and www.clubsnap.org (Malaysia and Singapore). You could ask there for shops which carry pro film. I believe there are also members from the Philippines, Thailand and Hong Kong here in RFF.

 

[wtl]

I would calculate 2-3 rolls of 120 (30-45 pictures) a day, minimum. Asia still is a great place to go.

have fun.

 

[Paulo]

Don't know quite where your are going in Asia , but I can assure you that you can get plenty of "pro" film in Bangkok at the MBK center on the 2nd Floor, Hong Kong obviously and I found Provia in 35 mm and 120 in Kunming (Yunnann Province China) and in Chengdu (Sichuan Province China). It's my feeling that many of the larger cities in asia are obviously modern centers busy with industry and commerce. They have advertising agencies, design companies and R+D and of course have many proffessional photogs servicing the domestic market. Also I found that due to the extreme cost of high end digital gear there were a lot of people hanging onto and using their film equipment

Still I would cut your toothbrush in half take a third of what you think you need AND take extra film.

One of the great things about Asia is if you need something like extra clothing it is very very cheap. I just travelled for 2 months in south east asia with a Bronica rf 645 , a 35 mm film camera and 4 lenses in total, all of this in a small lowe pro back pack / with the camera compartment at the bottom. Basically I took the clothing I was wearing on the plane and the camera gear/film. When I went to laos where it was cold I purchased a warm jacket for $5 and then gave it away when I returned to warmer climates.
Of course it really depends on where you are going and how you like to travel. But even if you go to somewhere cold like Nepal (possibly not a good idea right now) It's very easy to buy down jackets and mountain equipment considerably cheaper than back home. You can often re-sell these item back to the place you bought them from or to second hand dealers. Leaving more room for film 😉

Oh India is a tricky place to find good film. and te x-ray machines are old and cranked up to the max so avoid putting your film through at all cost.

sorry for the ramble ...

try this link and post a question there, it's a good source of travel info and often locals are logged on so you can get some very up to date info.


http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/index.cfm

cheers
Paul

 

[wtl]

It's very easy to buy down jackets and mountain equipment considerably cheaper than back home. You can often re-sell these item back to the place you bought them from or to second hand dealers. Leaving more room for film Paul

Only thing I want to add is that most Asian countries are still very poor so leave these goods to the people along the way instead of selling. It won't get you much money and you will make a lot more friends along the way if you give. After all, it is part of Asian (most parts) culture to leave things behind for the needies.

No bashing intended.

 

[Fitz]

Sounds like a lot of fun. I have traveled through Europe and now starting to travel in China, Japan, Singapore and Korea.

I have used a Fuji GA645zi because of size. Now I own the Mamiya 6MF, yet I have only made one trip to Scotland with it so I don't have much experience with the 6MF.

I love shooting B&W, and I prefer to take color when I travel. I prefer saturated colors so my color choices are Kodak 100UC (400UC sometimes) and Fuji Velvia 100F. When I take B&W I like 400 ISO versions.

I always plan to convert color to B&W in the computer later. Transparencies are less expensive to develop and at least one magazine, Arizona Highways only accepts transparencies.

For weight, I'd leave the 150mm lens at home. My shots tend toward wide angle even though I do miss having the 150mm at times.

One way to tradeoff film selection is to carry a small 35mm point & shoot with the other film. I always have (I mean always) my Contax T3 on my belt. Sometimes pulling out the MF can be slow and intimidating for that quick shot. I generally use Kodak 100UC in it and the other film, B&W or transparency, in the medium format.

I still prefer film to digital, however, from time to time I supplement the MF with my Pentax *istD.

Sorry for rambling, but one last point, for 10-15 rolls of film I take a lead lined film bag. If you ask the airport security to hand check your film, it helps if the rolls are not in boxes, and carried in a clear zip lock bag. Never, never put the film, exposed or not exposed, in your checked luggage.

Have a great time!

 

[canonetc]

Take lots of batteries for your Mamiya 6. Those might be harder to find than film. I suggest two batteries for every week of travel. And two extra if you shoot a lot.

As they say, "For Asia, use Fuji. For Europe, use Kodak." Fuji is accented towards blues and greens, and Kodak towards reds-yellows.

For BW, Ilford HP5 120 can give you fairly smooth grain and good latitude if you need to push it. PLus, with HP5 on an overcast day you can get f/22 depth-of-field at a hand-holdable shutter speed.

And for more fun buy a polarizer for your lens(es). Hold the polarizer up to the sky, turn it until the sky goes dark, then make a lttle mark with a white or red permanent inkpen on the 12 o'clock position. Then, on the off chance you want awesome skies on 120 color film, just put the filter on your lens, turn the red line to the top, and you're set. I did this in India on my Contax G1 RF and it worked perfectly for radically blue skies. Just remember open your aperture or adjust your shutter speed by 1-2 stops, as the Mamiya 6 does not meter through the lens.

Safe traveling!

Chris
canonetc

 

[Fastshot]

Samm, I live in Singapore and travel extensively in Asia with the 6MF. If I have to bring only 1 lens, it will be the 50mm. My usage is approximately 50mm-75%, 75mm-20%, 150mm-5%. The 150mm is so seldom used I don't take it on my travels anymore unless I will be shooting mountains. So I suggest your 2nd lens should be the 50mm instead of the 150mm.
Enjoy your trip!