What sucks about traveling is choosing a camera.

[Hibbs]

Wow...how timely. I am heading to Vietnam in a month or so and cannot decide which rig to take with me. I'll be leaving the Canon P at home coz it is too new to me and I'm not as versed with it. Just started with rangefinder stuff recently.

Right now I am leaning toward taking my OM1 w/ Tamron 17mm mounted and my OM2 with a 50 and 100. This would allow me to shoot B&W with the 1 and colour with the 2.

I also have a sweet Oly Pen FV and several lenses that is tempting just coz of its size and the sheer number of pics I can get. Or...there is a Nikon FA with a normal and a 35-105 zoom. I can also mount the Tamron on the Nikon but all of that is pretty heavy.

Anyone have experience in this part of Asia who can maybe suggest what has worked for them.

Thanks...Hibbs

 

[grizzz]

I'm actually going to Atlantic City this weekend and am planning on shooting a little between trips to the ATM 😉 . I'm bringing my Bessa R with the Jupiter 3 and My Bessa L with the 25/4. I may throw the Jupiter 9 in the bag but don't really think I'll be using anything longer than a normal lens there.

Bottom line a couple bessa bodies and some Russian/cv glass is a nice small package to carry around. I actually want to add the cv 15 to this and it would be all the range I would ever need and darn near fit in the smallest bag/pouch I have.

 

[f/stopblues]

I just got back from Colorado and brought three cameras with me: Bessa R2a with 35/1.7 and 50/1.5, Canonet QL17, and Bronica GS-1 6x7 with a couple lenses.

The whole trip the only thing I ever shot a photo with was the Canonet and it's fixed 40mm. Convenience with decent quality got the job done! Just need to do some developing now..

 

[flamingo]

It depends on what type of trip and what type of shooting you'll be doing.

This is always a dilemma for me as well. My last 2 trips to Las Vegas, I chose to take my 2 Leica M6's ( a .58 TTL and a .85 Classic). My lens selection was my CV 21/4, CV 28/1.9 Ultron, CV 50/1.5 Nokton, and my 90/2.8 vintage black Elmarit (possibly my favorite lens for portraiture, the perfect balance between being not so soft yet not overly sharp with a perfect bokeh). The 28 sat on my .58 TTL for my "street shooting/candids" and it was used about 80% of the time, I barely used the 21, and the remaining 20% of my shots were split with the 50 Nokton and the 90 Elmarit. In retrospect I probably should have left the 21 and the 50 home, and just taken the 40/1.4 CV Nokton instead. All the CV lenses are very sharp and contrasty, just like the latest Leica glass.. My new favorite body in 35mm, however, is without a doubt the Bessa R3a. And the 40/1.4 Nokton on the R3a is one Sw-e-e-e-ee-t combination !!!! Several things I like about the R3a are the ability to shoot full manual or Aperture Priority like the M7 (at 20% of the price), the lighter weight yet still solid build quality, the full hinged back door with quick load permanent spool for changing film, and large 1:1 viewfinder, and finally, a little thing that goes largely uncommented upon on this Forum regarding this camera, the little film window on the back door that lets you actually see if and what film is loaded !!!! Sorry but the Japanese have The Germans beat in the area of functionality !!!!

In 2 weeks the wife and I are going to Monument Valley, Arizona and then down to the Petrified Forest. For this trip I have pretty much decided to leave the Leicas behind and go with my Mamiya 6 system (all 3 lenses, the 50, the 75, and the 150 which beat the tar out of anything Leica makes in terms of pure image quality. There is nothing and I mean NOTHING like looking at a well exposed sharp 6 X 6 chrome on a light table, (except maybe a 4X5 or 8X10 chrome) ! I may leave the 150 behind though depending on how heavy my Domke J-1 bag feels when everything's loaded), and my new Canon 5D full frame digital with the 17-40/4 L , the 50/2.5 Macro and the 70-200/4L and the 1.4X extender. A couple dozen rolls of 120 and 220 film (Provia 400F and Tri-X 320) , a couple of polarizing filters, cable releases for both the Mamiya and the digital, and a tripod.

 

[ch1]

Fortunately, I'm not a MF person so I would keep the SLR in the mix together with say a 35-70 zoom. And then the Bessa and Minox round out the kit nicely. And if I could borrow a wide for the Bessa - I'd leave the Minox behind too.

Two bodies, four lenses - plenty of range.

 

[FrankS]

and finally, a little thing that goes largely uncommented upon on this Forum regarding this camera, the little film window on the back door that lets you actually see if and what film is loaded !!!! Sorry but the Japs have The Krauts beat in the area of functionality !!!!

Flammingo, you do realize that this is an international forum, including Japanese and German members?

As for the issue, just try turning the film rewind knob. If you feel resistance, there is film in the camera. If it turns freely, there is not. Simple.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

When I travel, long weekends mainly, I take the Voigtlander R3A with 40mm Nokton, and the Leica Minilux because it can fit into a suit pocket for semi-formal type outings.

Spare batteries and about ten films although really five would be enough. Actually three films would be enough.

SLR, digital camera, tripod, flash, 6x6, big bag and the like all stay at home.

 

[Joe Vitessa]

Definitely depends on where I'm going, what I'll be shooting. Medium format--a Minolta Autocord-- is my choice for scenics/landscapes. Rangefinders are best for cities. My Contax G1 with 28mm, 45mm and 90mm fits in a very small bag. And I must say that those lenses consistently produce better images for me than my Voigtlander 25mm, 35mm 1.7 and Canon 50mm 1.4, which I also travel with. The Zeiss glass produces images with stronger punch (saturation, detail), which travel photo editors seem to prefer. My Holga usually rides along as well.

 

[Toby]

My advice would be take whatever is most reliable. I've only ever had cameras breakdown on foreign trips. If I'm within easy reach of a camera repair shop all my equipment is faultlessly reliable :bang:

 

[dnk512]

I have the same problem... It brings me GAS, too.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

If you're going for a vacation take a small camera, enjoy the restaurants, a few walks, a trip out of town and so on. Just take one small camera, with maybe an even smaller backup. No more.

If you're going to take photos for maybe selling then take the whole damn lot but forget nice dinners and great walks and fantastic memories...

 

[BrianShaw]

Fortunately, I'm not a MF person so ...

And what, may I ask, is so fortunate about that? 😉 Does it just make selection easier, or is there something wrong about MF that we should know about?? 😕

 

[cbass]

If it'll help you, here's what I'm taking with me on a 10-day trip to Amsterdam & Paris in two weeks:

Bessa L with 25 & 15mm lenses (for cityscapes & scenics);
Vivitar 35 ES with fixed 40/1.7 (for low light/indoors); and
Sony digital P&S for carrying in my pocket just in case.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[StuartR]

If you're going for a vacation take a small camera, enjoy the restaurants, a few walks, a trip out of town and so on. Just take one small camera, with maybe an even smaller backup. No more.

If you're going to take photos for maybe selling then take the whole damn lot but forget nice dinners and great walks and fantastic memories...

I vehemently disagree with this. I think even if the main purpose of the trip is photography that does not mean you can't take great walks, have nice dinners and create fantastic memories. More often than not, it is the great walks that lead to great pictures. And just because you take a bunch of cameras, it does not mean you have to bring them all with you everywhere.

In any case, I do agree that it is very difficult choosing a camera to travel with. My problem in choosing equipment (not in general) is that I often go on long trips, but not quite long enough to bring everything. For example, in grad school I lived for a summer in Japan. I was there for 10 weeks, which is long enough to want to have more than just an RF and a few lenses, but too short to bring everything you want to make yourself feel at home (MF SLR kit, scanner etc). Similarly, I am going to be spending part of the summer in Iceland this year. Three weeks will be a language course, and I will probably stay on another few weeks for photography. Iceland really begs for a view camera or at least a MF setup, but carrying this all from CA to Minnesota (where the course begins) to Iceland and back again is a huge pain in the butt, especially when everything I need for 9 weeks has to be able to fit in one checked suitcase and two carry-ons.

 

[ch1]

And what, may I ask, is so fortunate about that? 😉 Does it just make selection easier, or is there something wrong about MF that we should know about?? 😕

Brian,

You misunderstand. By saying "fortunately I'm not a MF person" all I mean that there is one less piece of gear I'd have to worry about fitting in the travel kit.

I am referring to my status - not 'dissin' MF at all.

Peace. 😉

 

[raid]

I find it lots of fun to sit down and plan which camera gear I will take with me for the next trip. Will it be a Canon SLR like the T90 or F1N or will it be a rangefinder camera like the Canon P? I very much enjoyed my choices of equipment in my last long trip overseas, and I did not miss any other lenses at all. In some cases, MF is King. There, I may take along my trusted Rolleiflex TLR.

 

[BrianShaw]

Brian,

You misunderstand. By saying "fortunately I'm not a MF person" all I mean that there is one less piece of gear I'd have to worry about fitting in the travel kit.

I am referring to my status - not 'dissin' MF at all.

Peace. 😉

Oh... thank goodness! I LOVE my beloved MF equipment... but rarely take it when traveling.

Brian

 

[Doug]

Like Raid, I find it fun to ponder what to bring, and it depends on a lot of things including whim, mood, method of transportation, what the destination is, etc. I've taken just the CLE+40 to Hawaii for 2 weeks, and was content. Another time it was just the Fuji GS645S with the rf and meter not working right, no problem. Last year's trip included a Bronica RF645 and Fuji GA645Wi, not too bulky at all.

For two weeks in Spain it was the CLE+40+90, a Bessa-L+15+25, and just for fun an OM with 500mm mirror. I mostly used the CLE with 40 and the L with 25.

Last fall we drove several states away to a one-week destination stay, so I could haul more bulk. I took two Bronica RF645 with 45+65+100 and a Pentax 67 with 45+75+165. I used NPZ in one Bronica and Tri-X in the other, not using the 45 or 100mm at all. I had NPH in the Pentax and used only the 75mm. Oh well... 🙂

While on a trip, and heading out for the day, I may carry a bag in the trunk with film and other gear, or maybe just one camera & lens with a few extra rolls in my pocket. I will not carry a heavy bag around full of gear, as I want to work quickly and react quickly.

 

[DougK]

On my trip to the Florida Keys a couple of years back I took only my Olympus XA, which worked out very well: camera in one pocket, flash, minipod, and an extra roll or two of film in the other with the remainder of my film at the hotel. On my trip to Orlando, I took just the Fuji GA645 (now gone a new home) and film in a small shoulder bag. If I could have a do-over on that trip, I would have taken the XA instead.

I really like the XA outfit for travel because there's no need for a camera bag at all and you can make the camera disappear in a pocket very easily. I might replace the XA with a Ricoh GR1v (if I can find one), a Nikon 28Ti (again, if I get lucky and find one), or a Fuji Natura S, though. I can't think of very many times when I'm traveling that I've missed shots because I didn't have a long lens, but I have certainly missed more because I couldn't go wide enough. The Natura Classica might be an acceptable alternative to get multiple focal lengths in the range I use 99% of the time but I'd need to hear some user reports on it before I plunk down the plastic.

Regardless of which camera I choose to take with me, I don't think I can handle having more than one camera and one lens with me. I travel extremely lightly on vacation (if it won't fit in one carry-on, I don't bring it) and the last thing I want to worry about is dragging along another bag filled with valuable stuff. Besides, making my options disappear seems to make better photos appear.

 

[sf]

what sucks about traveling is choosing a camera . . .

no

what sucks about traveling is LOSING a camera!

ha ha 😀