What would you take?

[madNbad]

Way back in 2004 when I was a mere pup of 50, my wife and I spent three weeks traveling in Europe. We landed in Frankfurt and using the trains, carry on luggage, plus a lot of walking we made our way through parts of Amsterdam, Brugges, Paris, Arles and finished up in London. On that trip my camera of choice was an Olympus Stylus 105 Zoom (Mju to most of the world) and I had my film processed at numerous one hour places. Part of my thought process was, dad always told me it's the photographer not the camera, if something happened to it I wasn't out much money, it did what I needed and it fit in a pocket. Fast forward to spring of 2017. To celebrate our thirtieth wedding anniversary we are planning another trip but this time spending more time in Paris and exploring more sites around the city. I would like to travel light and avoid lugging a camera bag around with me but I would like to have something to document our trip. Coming home with some nice images would be a bonus but mostly I just would like to enjoy the experience. So my question to the world is what camera should I take?

 

[Jake Mongey]

Honestly, in experience to size ratio i would go for the retina!

 

[Godfrey]

I always have a small bag with me anyway to carry all my usual junk, so I'd just take the same bag I usually carry with the Leica M-D with 35 and 75 lenses in it.

G

 

[FrankS]

Just the M6 (to give you a built in meter) and 35mm.

Or 21 and 50 if 2 lenses are okay.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Two with Cron and bw film. And wife with iPhone, which is switched to HDR in color. To have something to print and something to dump on FB and have coordinates for where bw was taken.

 

[ktmrider]

My vote is for the M6, 35 and 90. It gives you a meter and a lot of versatility over just one lens. My travel combo for the last couple years was an M9 and 35 and 90.

Depending on which 35 and 90, it is a very small kit. I use a 35 f2.8 C Biogon and a 90 f2.8 Tele-Elmarit M.

 

[Timmyjoe]

When my wife and I went to France over a decade ago, I brought only my M6TTL and a 50mm Lux. And dozens of roll of film. As we were out and about, it was easy to have the camera with its only lens attached, and a few rolls of film in the pocket. I mainly wanted to take vacation snaps, and pictures of her. And the 50mm Lux worked great for both.

 

[MikeMGB]

I voted for the M2 with 21 and 50, actually though, I would go with the M6, 21 and 35, the metering and those two lenses would probably be best for city photography.

Having said that, on a recent trip to Europe my wife just used an iPhone and took some excellent photographs. On the same trip I took a 7mp Leica C-Lux 2. It was nice not to have a camera round my neck all the time and I also got some excellent shots.

If the experience is more important than photography, use your phone.

 

[michaelwj]

One of the M's, 2 or 6 doesn't matter, and a single lens, either 35 or 50. No bag, no lens changing, no worries - you always have the perfect lens 🙂

 

[Bill Clark]

I will usually take one film, usually Leica rangefinder, and one DSLR. Just one lens for each camera, a 50 mm. Plus film, an extra battery and charger and card for the digital, I use 8 gig.

I'm a simpleton.

 

[DougFord]

I'll jump on the bandwagon and choose the M6 with the 35mm cron as well. I'd try to shoot at f4 for anything within 10 feet as light allows.

 

[nickthetasmaniac]

I selected M6, 35 Cron and 90 TE, although if it were me I'd probably take the M2 with those two lenses...

 

[FrankS]

Are you guys really so confident of setting exposure without a meter? Hat's off to you!

 

[Bill Clark]

Black & white film has latitude. However, I would bring a light meter but I also could use the meter on my DSLR or smart phone.

Try free app "pocket light meter" for your smart phone. If your phone has front and back cameras it will work with either one.

Another neat app is to use a smart phone as a "level" for hanging things like framed photographs. Stanley Tool has a neat app and it's free.

 

[Ronald M]

Phone if a nice trip with your wife.

M6 if she will put up with waiting for the light to be right.

Since I do not know your wife,

 

[MikeMGB]

Black & white film has latitude. However, I would bring a light meter but I also could use the meter on my DSLR or smart phone.

Try free app "pocket light meter" for your smart phone. If your phone has front and back cameras it will work with either one.

Another neat app is to use a smart phone as a "level" for hanging things like framed photographs. Stanley Tool has a neat app and it's free.

I use pocket light meter all the time, it has never let me down.

 

[FrankS]

Okay, so the M2 option includes a light meter. That's what I'll change my vote to then. 🙂

No, wait. Ideal kit IMO is a 28mm lens (reader's choice) and an M6 (for meter) and the lower magnification viewfinder. .63x?

My Hexar RF and Canon 28f3.5 will have to do.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Are you guys really so confident of setting exposure without a meter? Hat's off to you!

Frank, I've ventured to photography with ORWO slide film and manual Leica clone. All I used was s16 instruction which was included with each film. For static, tourist photos it was and still absolutely enough. 🙂

 

[farlymac]

Take two Olympus Stylus 105 Zooms, just in case one craps out.

PF

 

[FrankS]

Frank, I've ventured to photography with ORWO slide film and manual Leica clone. All I used was s16 instruction which was included with each film. For static, tourist photos it was and still absolutely enough. 🙂

Very true! Thanks.