What would you take?

[Mute-on]

Leica Q. Wide angle perfect for Paris. One handed operation. Fast and accurate AF. Good IQ.
Cheaper option is Ricoh GR II or perhaps Fuji X100T.
If you are wedded to film, a metered Leica M body, 35mm lens, Kodak Ektar, Portra 400 and Ilford XP2.

Less is more when having a trip for your enjoyment as a couple.

Enjoy!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rob-F]

I would take either Leica body, the 21mm, the 35mm, and the 50mm. If limiting to two lenses, I would leave the 50mm home. This is because the narrow streets in France call for the use of wide lenses. Ideally, I would use a 24 or 25mm rather than the 21, as I find them to be rather more versatile than a 21 in Paris. A great combo is 24/35/50. That is what I use in France. Yes, there are shots to be had with the 90, but again, the wides will be more important. Bon Voyage!

 

[kxl]

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?

I think this pretty much narrows it down to the only one of your options that does not require film.

 

[Pablito]

I think this pretty much narrows it down to the only one of your options that does not require film.

Yes, I agree. Or get a Panasonic Lumix LX100 or similar.

Film is a pain to travel with. Even Salgado gave it up for that reason!

 

[coogee]

I'd take the M6/35mm and leave the iphone at home.

the iphone seems like by far the greatest distraction from the ethos of 'enjoying the experience' - but it simply 'may not be possible'.

bon voyage whatever you take.

 

[kshapero]

The Leica M2 Voigtlander 21/4 and 50/2.5. Never had an M2. Maybe it's time.

 

[BillBingham2]

IPhone with lots of cloud storage.

B2 (;->

 

[Roger Hicks]

I'd take the M6/35mm and leave the iphone at home.

the iphone seems like by far the greatest distraction from the ethos of 'enjoying the experience' - but it simply 'may not be possible'.

bon voyage whatever you take.

YES!

I'm always fascinated by the idea that taking a camera will somehow stand in the way of experiencing something, while a portable computer won't. The camera makes you more aware of your surroundings, at least visually. The iPhone helps distract you from them.

Being in the visual "here and now" also helps you (or at least me) to be in the "here and now" in many other realms.

Cheers,

R.

 

[skibeerr]

Travelling is a fast paced experience for a lot of tourists going overseas. Considering this I would take one camera and one lens. If film is your thing M6+35mm. For Digital an x100 is more than enough for me.

 

[michaelwj]

YES!

I'm always fascinated by the idea that taking a camera will somehow stand in the way of experiencing something, while a portable computer won't. The camera makes you more aware of your surroundings, at least visually. The iPhone helps distract you from them.

Being in the visual "here and now" also helps you (or at least me) to be in the "here and now" in many other realms.

Cheers,

R.

And nothing beats a paper map for navigating!

 

[Roger Hicks]

And nothing beats a paper map for navigating!

Dear Michael,

Very true. In the countryside you have to be aware of your surroundings, e.g. using a water tower or a hill as a navigating point, seeing which way roads go, etc. In the city, a good city map such as the A-Z of London or the Leconte Plan de Paris is at least as good as any GPS-related tool.

GPS is great if you are lost and have to get somewhere (and preferably have a paper map as well). But a lot of the pleasure of travel is coming upon the unexpected; sometimes coming upon it, indeed, as a result of getting lost.

Skibeer said, "Travelling is a fast paced experience for a lot of tourists going overseas." It can be, but why should it be? Leisure is pretty much by definition non-purposive; those who reduce travel for pleasure to a series of boxes to be ticked seem to me to have missed the point.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Spanik]

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

PF

+1 You want to take snaps, then use a camera made to take snaps.

 

[FrozenInTime]

M6 + 35 Summicron - for photography
Something on a selfi-stick so you fit in with the other tourists.

 

[robert blu]

When traveling with my wife I learned to use the one camera-one lens strategy. I do not need to make a reportage for a magazine! I only need to fix a few important (to me) moments, a few emotions...
Last July in Arles it was M7 +50 cron and it was more than adequate.
But my wife had her DSLR with a prime (also 50 eq) 🙂
At the end keep it simple 🙂 enjoy the trip
robert

 

[brennanphotoguy]

I'm comfortable with not using a meter so I'd take the M2 but I'd only take one lens probably. If you're not comfortable without a meter then just take the M6. Given your options I'd say the 35/2 for your only lens.

 

[_goodtimez]

I voted for the combo with the lightmeter: M6.
35 and 90 are great companions.

 

[FrankS]

Your photography style determines lens choice. I simply never use a lens longer than 50.

 

[hendriphile]

You've been given some wonderful practical advice here. Just for the fun of it, here's a dream-world (due to $$$ considerations) idea. Traveling abroad with film can be a hassle, especially if you are thinking of taking low and high speed films, color plus black and white. So my pipedream solution would be an M-D and 35mm lens. Keeps it simple, no chimping, no interminable "press and pray", no portable computer to distract you from seeing something you want to keep or share; just getting it, and carrying on with your trip.

 

[mdwsta4]

I voted for the M6 simply because of the meter, but I'd bring only the 35 cron if traveling really light or the 21/50 if bringing a pair of lenses.

For my first European adventure I brought that same combo (50 cron, 21 voigt) although I could have easily gotten away with only the 50. On my last trip I carried one body and a 35mm lens. When I go back next month I plan on doing 50 and 28 (no longer have a 21). If I wanted a longer zoom I'd probably invest in a Sony RX100 or some other compact camera.

 

[Kent]

M6 + 21 + 35 (or 50, depending on your preference) + 90

Still small and light enough and definitely all you need.