Wide angle for Leica CL and travel choices

[underbyte]

Over the last couple of years, I have migrated from shooting SLR to rangefinders for a lot of my personal photography. I am going on a trip to Paris next week and I am trying to figure out the best use of space and budget. I am taking a Leica CL with 40mm and 90mm but I feel sort of naked without a wide angle lens. In the past, I have always used SLR's for travel and carried a bag or backpack and looked like the ultimate American tourist. My apologies for that. I'm older and wiser and want to travel light this time. This is a departure from my Nikon SLR with 3 lenses approach. However, I love my 24mm 2.8 lens on an SLR and I want to take a wide angle option with me.

I plan to shoot street photos and architecture mostly in black and white. I will bring an SLR as a back up body anyway but I am trying to be the anti-tourist this time out. I plan to leave the back up body in the hotel.

If you can comment from experience or wisdom, I would love to know your thoughts on the following choices.

1) Bring a small Nikon body (FG or FA) with the lens and quit stressing about it.
Pro - I have what I am used to using and the results are controlled and predictable.
Con - Additional camera body, weight in the bag.

2) Buy a 25mm f/4 Voigtlander lens with M adapter and quit stressing about it
Pro - Probably the smallest option
Con - I have to spend money

3) Get a Nikon to Leica M adapter and use the Nikon lens I already own.
Pro - Faster lens than the Voigtlander and scale focused anyway
Con - I have to spend money, will probably need to buy a finder as well

4) I have an Olympus XA4 28mm camera that I could carry as the wide angle
Pro - small, good quality, awesome macro capability
Con - exposure not as controlled, no filters or hood, not as wide as 24mm

I need to make a decision pretty darn soon so any comments are appreciated. The priority is traveling light and having fun while not annoying my wife too much. I am a professional photographer in the digital world so she is used to me having a camera at the ready. The quality of the images is also very important to me but I decided early on that I was not going to lug around a D1x DSLR style camera.

Any thoughts on this are appreciated, I wish that I was less indecisive about this, well, maybe I'm not 😉 I'm going to shoot pinhole too, but that is a completely different subject 🙂

Thanks,
Scott

 

[teo]

I'd go for 4. You have less weight than 1, don't spend money, and you can always buy in future a wide lens for the Leica without the stress of being in a hurry. The Oly is also even more stealth than the CL IMHO (it looks like a disposable camera).
I wouldn't go for 3, in future you'll probably buy a wide lens made for rangefinder, eventually finding yourself with a useless adapter.

 

[nightfly]

I would go with the CV lens option and ditch bringing a second body altogether. I've done a lot of traveling and am not particularly kind to my cameras and still don't understand why people need a second body as backup.

I've never had a camera fail on me. Bring a point and shoot for backup if you must. I usually bring a Yashica T4 with color film if my main camera is loaded with black and white.

I've got a XA 4 as well and I'm not overly impressed with the quality, particularly when I'm comparing with negs shot with my Leica back to back as you might be doing when go through vacation pics. I think they are great cameras for what they are but I just don't think the image quality is quite there. But others disagree. It would however fit the bill as a backup but you might want a wider lens for your Leica as well. Also, I always seem to buy new camera equipment right before a trip and don't test it first and it works out OK.

 

[NoTx]

I would sit back and think on it. But in the end I would grab a wide angle lens.

 

[BillBingham2]

I too would suggest #2. You can still get the old ones with finder from CameraQuest and I bet if you order today you will get it by Thursday!

I love the 25/4 so much I have two, one in LTM that is on a Bessa L, the other for my Nikon S2. You will love the lens and now is the best time to buy it. While you need an M mount, you can pick up an adapter and they work great.

While the CV is slower than the Nikon, it's much kinder for people shots (does not make heads into footballs as quickly). IMHO, each wide angle lens has it's own learning curve as to use. I grew up with a 24/2.8 as my wide angle lens and learned to use it well, but it took a while. The CV almost instantly became my favorite carry everywhere lens.

Go for it, you will not be sorry.

B2 (;->

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

I would take the Olympus XA4.

 

[underbyte]

Wow! that was fast, thanks for the advice!
I have been leaning towards the CV 25mm lens for a while, but I just haven't pulled the trigger on it yet. I almost bought the Nikon-Leica adapter but was worried about it being obsolete when I finally buy a proper lens for the system. I take good care of my gear and I have never had camera fail either but I wouldn't consider traveling with just one body. It's having the second body in the country with you that makes the other camera not fail, right?

 

[nightfly]

I don't know I spent 5 weeks traveling around Mexico with just a Pentax K1000 on buses and camping with surfboards etc, no problems (till I got back and got my film stolen but that's another issue).

I spent 6 weeks in Peru, Ecuador and Brazil with just a Yashica T4 on buses, camping etc, same deal. One time the Yashica rewound mid roll otherwise, no problems.

Another two weeks in Argentina with just a Mamiya 6, hiking glaciers, outside on the deck of a boat in the rain cruising around icebergs. Worked great.

Especially with a Leica, there isn't a lot go wrong (not sure about CL electronics). I might not bring a digital on a long trip with limited access to power or backup but a film camera in a big city, they don't just spontaneously break as much as people who want to justify a second body seem to think.

Enjoy the trip. I'm sure whatever you bring will make some beautiful images.

 

[underbyte]

As a sailor and climber, redundancy is part of my being. I have to assume that one will break. I shoot events for hire on a regular basis, and on those gigs I even bring an old extra flash. Granted, I have never had a camera or flash fail but I would hate to be in a position not able to take the shot. I can certainly understand traveling with one in some circumstances. I do only take a single XA or QL17 when I go run an errand or pick the kids up at school. 🙂

 

[KoNickon]

If you're thinking of getting the 25/4, spend a little extra and get a Bessa L and just leave the lens on there. Yes, it's another body but it's a great combination, and pretty compact. Just make sure you've got the viewfnder securely attached!

Frankly, though, there's a lot to be said for option 1 -- you are familiar with the equipment already and there's no cash outlay. Increased weight in the bag, but it's not like you'd be lugging around an F2.

 

[mjflory]

I faced a similar dilemma last summer. I went to Japan and Vietnam with my CL, its 40mm, a Tele-Elmarit 90/2.8 and a C-V 21/4. The combination proved very versatile and not too heavy. The 21/4 was great for interiors, temple grounds, and the like. But I did find switching lenses while walking was annoying, so when I got back I bought a Bessa T to devote to the lens.

Incidentally, I took a tiny Sony DSC-T5 digital camera as well and used it incessantly. It fits in a shirt pocket and has a 35mm-105mm equivalent lens. (The current models are 7 megapixels, up from 5, and have image stabilization, which would have made the night shots much better.) Digital for snaps, film for big prints -- turned out to be a good combination for me.

Enjoy the trip. You've picked a great time of year for Paris. We're long overdue to visit.

 

[eon]

Don't ruin your small setup by bringing a SLR. Therefore skip #1 and #3. Don't bring a SLR as backup either.

The best is #2, a VC 25mm.

If you need a backup to feel relaxed bring the XA4 for that.
This includes the easy #4 if you like that better than a VC 25.

/Erik

 

[underbyte]

I did it. I finally broke down and ordered the lens. Thank you all for the thoughtful advice. I almost bought a Bessa L with the lens on it, but I really wanted to rely on the CL alone. I think the 25/40/90 carrying combination is going to be very cool and small.

The black versions are sold out so I have a Silver lens with the new finder and an M adapter coming. It is one of the few lenses I have purchased new in the last few years. Ebay has been pretty good to me but I am very excited to be the first owner of something.

So, where can I find those STUPID SERIES 5.5 FILTERS!? I know, the 39mm sort of thread on OK, I've tried it.

Thanks Again!!!
Scott

 

[vrgard]

Congrats, Scott. Sounds like a great travel kit. I'm going to be doing basically the same thing with a CL, 40 Cron, 90 Rokkor and Canon 28/3.5. We'll have to compare notes soon on our respective experiences.

Oh, and do let me know if you find a stash of Series 5.5 filters as I, too, am on the lookout for them.

-Randy