Which camera for trip to Vietnam

[markus_h_photography]

Hi there.
Going to Vietnam for a few weeks in march. My wife will be taking care of digital (colour) duties but i've decided i'd like to shoot some film black and white myself. I've got several cameras in my arsenal but have narrowed it down to these:



Olympus Om2n with 50/1.8
Nikon FG with 50/2
Minolta x300 with 50/1.7

All are clean and fully functional.

I also have some canon and nikon AF cameras but they lack soul.

Which of the above three would you take and why?

 

[mfogiel]

The Olympus is smallest, and it probably has the sharpest lens of all these, so if it is in a good shape I'd use that.

 

[lynnb]

I have a pers0nal preference for OM1, so I'd take that. Simple and fast to operate and the VF is excellent.

 

[Addy101]

I would also vote for the OM2n. It is the smallest of the bunch and it is a step up from the others. Both the FG and X300 are considered entry-level cameras, while the OM2n is (semi) pro.

 

[teddy]

Definitely Olympus. The "Japan" version of that lens is very sharp and high contrast. Maybe those qualities help in the tropics?

 

[btgc]

To me they all are about same so I'd take one I'm not fearing to loose or damage. But me, I'd take MF folder just for size of negative.

 

[Bisakok]

Does it matter? What are you going to do with images you take?
(Personally I'd sell the whole lot and go medium format).

 

[Hern]

Least valuable (beater) camera? X300

Best quality camera for the trip? It would be the Oly for me 🙂

 

[markus_h_photography]

To me they all are about same so I'd take one I'm not fearing to loose or damage. But me, I'd take MF folder just for size of negative.

Hmm. Interesting. I have actually got an mf folder...

 

[Pherdinand]

i'd take 2 of the 3 to have a backup 😉

 

[Dave Jenkins]

If you have only one of each, then the Olympus, by far. But if you have a second camera of any of them that takes the same lenses, then take that and its backup.

Personally, I carried an OM2n as my main camera on documentary assignments to 27 countries on five continents and it never let me down. But I never traveled without a backup, and usually two of them.

 

[Rob-F]

I would pick the Olympus; but whichever one you take, do bring a wide angle lens. I wouldn't dream of going on a trip without one. I would not worry about too much about the loss/damage issue. I do bring a second identical body in case of trouble. The small size of an OM makes it easy.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

To me Minolta has no soul either. Olympus is just fancy.
Take Nikon. It is classic. And every time they are bragging about how tough Nikons are they are bringing Vietnam.

 

[Dave Jenkins]

The FG is not one of the tough Nikons. And the Olympus OM2n is plenty tough, as I have learned from years of experience. Nonetheless, whatever you take, take a backup.

 

[rodt16s]

Thinking they're all battery dependant, do you have a mechanical body

 

[kiemchacsu]

Take a 35mm if you have. Take a look in this thread i post pictures of hanoi. Most of them were taken with 35mm lens


http://rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2340934

 

[Out to Lunch]

Bring UV filters and hoods since the daytime light can be very harsh. Best light at daybreak and sundown. I'd also bring one fast wide lens.

 

[Bill Clark]

When I was in Viet Nam I used a Nikkormat camera. I used prime lenses, just a few though.

 

[kuuan]

I second the tips for bringing UV filters and hoods and a wide lens, I'd take a 28mm. As for which camera I think it doesn't really matter. Is there one that you simply like best using? take that one!

 

[Roger Hicks]

Two Leicas and a Nikon F would be traditional.

Seriously, what does an F cost? I'm damn' glad I never had to go there 40-50 years ago (the UK kept out of that particular police action) but in the 60s I was living in Bermuda, a classic post-Vietnam or inter-Vietnam posting, and therefore know/knew several combatants and Tim Page ( http://www.timpage.com.au/ -- the only person I've ever met who was TWICE pronounced DOA at hospital). It would surely be historically satisfying to have a real Vietnam War era camera. My nephew taught English there for a few years around 2008-2011.

In the 60s and early 70s I'd never thought anyone would go there for a holiday...

Cheers,

R.