What to take to Tokyo?

Wow, this sounds like a nightmare in Hell.

I dislike cold winters, but hate humid and hot summers even more.

Tokyo is indeed challenging but with time we get used to it. I am hardly bothered by it now. Towel / sandals and life is good! Workdays are harder...

.....plan some extra breaks to recover from the heat....

Thankfully Tokyo is full of Izakayas serving icecold beer so this will hopefully provide enough cure to the heat.
 
So i kept the x100 and its in Tokyo with me now!

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Shibuya at night.
 
If you want to bring the minimum to Japan, you could do a lot worse than a Fuji XT 1 and the 18-55 lzoom - which is not your standard "kit lens" quality wise. I would not go the M8 route - the Fuji will kill it for image quality and versatility. And what you save on budget by buying the M8 body, you will lose on Leica glass. You can go even cheaper and get superb results by getting a used X Pro 1 body. If you like wide angle lenses, the Fuji 14 is a really superb lens. Any of those choices would leave you with a good base to build from when you are photographing back in the UK. PS Last time I went to Japan, I brought a D3 and a 28-300 zoom, but I'd probably bring my Fujis next time.
 
Might threadjack slightly, but it was on the same line of questioning. I'll be heading in October and thinking of a M4-2 + CV 50/1.5, CV21/4, Rokkor 90/4 along with a converted Polaroid 120 pathfinder and a Nikon J1. Any thoughts on this?
 
Might threadjack slightly, but it was on the same line of questioning. I'll be heading in October and thinking of a M4-2 + CV 50/1.5, CV21/4, Rokkor 90/4 along with a converted Polaroid 120 pathfinder and a Nikon J1. Any thoughts on this?

I'd bring any one of those three kits and leave the other two home. Unless you are there specifically to do photography and have a well formulated notion of what you want to do with each of those cameras, you're just burdening yourself too much to relax and enjoy seeing Tokyo.

Obviously, the M4-2 and 21/50/90 kit is the most versatile lens-wise, but I'd be very tempted to take my favorite Polaroid (either SX-70 or SLR570m) along with a few accessories, a dozen or two packs of film, and a tripod. It would be a very different photographic adventure!

G
 
Might threadjack slightly, but it was on the same line of questioning. I'll be heading in October and thinking of a M4-2 + CV 50/1.5, CV21/4, Rokkor 90/4 along with a converted Polaroid 120 pathfinder and a Nikon J1. Any thoughts on this?

We were there in november and the temperature and weather were beautiful.
Be prepared for rain.

Cheers,

Wim
 
Its pretty hot and humid here right now, i'm not sure what the weather is like in October, but pack light.

Also, carrying stuff around on the metro/JR is a nightmare, so take something you can just swing on your shoulder.
 
My daughter and I are looking for a place to meet up in early January. I will be on my round the world trip and she has a five week break from grad school. We are looking at someplace in Asia.

So, I know Tokyo will be cold in January but any other negatives that time of year? We are also looking at Malaysia, Borneo or Thailand. Suggestions are welcome.
 
Tokyo will be warmer than or as warm as El Paso.

I use to walk around in shorts and light wind breaker in Jan. when I lived there.
 
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