View Full Version : First overseas travel with film and RF. Seeking ur wisdom....
fixbones
08-29-2009, 00:13
Hi there,
Some background:
I just started film photography March this year and have since shot around 25 rolls of films (a good mix of B & W and colour). I will be going to Egypt for 2 weeks this coming November and was wondering if i can get some advice regarding travel gears. I shoot a good mix of landscapes and street.
What i have:
- Leica MP & Zeiss Ikon - 50mm summicron (5th), 50mm C Sonnar, CV 35mm f2.5
- Nikon FE2 - 20, 28, 50, 100
- Compacts: Hexar AF, MJUII(Stylus Epic), XA
My current plan:
- Bring both MP and ZI for B & W with all 3 lens. Should i drop one of the 50mm??
- FE2 with 28 & 50mm for colour
Films:
- B & W: XP2 and TriX. I don't develop my own just yet. TriX for pushing if needed
- Colour: Reala and ISO 400 film
What do you think?
My current plan:
- Bring both MP and ZI for B & W with all 3 lens. Should i drop one of the 50mm??
- FE2 with 28 & 50mm for colour
Films:
- B & W: XP2 and TriX. I don't develop my own just yet. TriX for pushing if needed
- Colour: Reala and ISO 400 film
What do you think?
Well, if you are a hulking young athlete and jogging with a bag full of bricks through a desert is among your definitions of "fun", take them all.
Otherwise, pare down - I have yet to see evidence that bringing more than one camera body and lens makes better pictures. Personally, I consider a tripod far more relevant to the outcome than any extra lens or camera...
FrozenInTime
08-29-2009, 00:35
Keep it light ! ... but also add some redundancy against failure:
FE2 + 20,50
MP + 35
fixbones
08-29-2009, 00:48
Life would be much easier if i shoot only B & W. That way perhaps i can drop the FE2 and maybe have a compact for colour just in case....
Reason i brought my FE2 is because being a previous DSLR shooter focusing mostly on landscapes, i am rather attached to my polariser (reasonable or unreasonably)
I find that my travel choices depend a lot on the type of travel, if it is a tour go light as the tour group tends to move fast leaving little time for lens and camera changes. In China I looked up from taking a shot and the tour was gone and I was lost. If it hadn't been for an elderly villager who spoke english I wouldn't have found the bus, would have missed the last ferry and the plane back home.
If you are going on the Nile Cruise in Egypt it's pretty much the same thing with a little more free time and you can leave excess gear on the boat.
With independent travel leave what you don't need in the hotel if you will be in one location for a while and go back for that shot that just needed a different lens you didn't have.
Roger Hicks
08-29-2009, 02:18
THREE 50mm lenses?
Why?
The only reason to carry the FE is for a significantly longer (100) or wider (20) lens and quite honestly I'd look for a 90 for the M-fit bodies instead if lugging a reflex. And an adapter to scale-focus the 20 on the Ms too.
Then, two M-fit bodies and 20-35-50-90. Don't worry about the 85/90 discrepancy: go to http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/zeiss.html, scroll down a bit, and you'll see the variation in viewfinder frames between different cameras.
Cheers,
R.
My advice would depend on what sort of shooting you intend to do and your style. I find trying to shoot colour and mono together rarely works that well and would rather commit to one or the other:
MP + Z1. 35 on MP and 50 cron on ZI. Tri X in both. Now you have both lenses and redundancy. No lens changes needed. You coudl put colour in one and mono in the other
The above alone will be fast and flexible. If you want to take more, add the FE2 with the 100mm for a long lens and maybe a wide.
If the above is too much, take the FE2 + 100 + wide along with ONE RF and 35 + 50 RF lenses
I would use one film stock (I would go for TriX as a pro printer will far prefer working with this to XP2). If you intend to home scan, maybe XP2.
You cant do everything and IMHO are better being master of something than master of nothing. People remember a smaller number of crackers better than lots of mediocrity and I so will you!
When i do shoot colour and BW together I shoot one system, with colour in one body and mono in the other.
Hi there,
Some background:
I just started film photography March this year and have since shot around 25 rolls of films (a good mix of B & W and colour). I will be going to Egypt for 2 weeks this coming November and was wondering if i can get some advice regarding travel gears. I shoot a good mix of landscapes and street.
What i have:
- Leica MP & Zeiss Ikon - 50mm summicron (5th), 50mm C Sonnar, CV 35mm f2.5
- Nikon FE2 - 20, 28, 50, 100
- Compacts: Hexar AF, MJUII(Stylus Epic), XA
My current plan:
- Bring both MP and ZI for B & W with all 3 lens. Should i drop one of the 50mm??
- FE2 with 28 & 50mm for colour
Films:
- B & W: XP2 and TriX. I don't develop my own just yet. TriX for pushing if needed
- Colour: Reala and ISO 400 film
What do you think?
fixbones
08-29-2009, 02:41
semrich: The first 6 days will be with a tour group with my parents. Thereafter, its free and easy with my bro.
Roger: Interesting... i did not even realize that i have three 50mm !!! Well, i am not really a 100mm person and i really don't mind not bringing it along.
fixbones
08-29-2009, 02:50
What if.....
MP, ZI + 35, 50 - one for ISO 400 and another ISO 1600
Hexar AF for color
...... or buy a GRD III for color
Leigh Youdale
08-29-2009, 04:46
I've just come back from eight weeks in France, UK and Ireland. i didn't take my SLR kit - too heavy and too bulky. I took a Bessa R3A and an R4A. Used my 15mm lens a little, my 75mm lens not at all, but got a lot of use for the 25mm, 35mm and 40mm. (If the last two sound a bit close together it's because the framelines on the two Bessas are different - the 40 goes on the R3A and the 35 on the R4A. The 25 goes on either but you need a separate viewfinder for the R3A. I do have a 2/50 Summitar on my Leica IIIf but that stayed at home, even though both Bessas have framelines for 50mm.
Took Fuji 200 colour film and a mix of 100 and 400 B&W (mainly APX and HP5+).
If you haven't traveled with film before, take care not to put any film in your check-in luggage. Keep it in your hand luggage and preferably get a lead-lined film bag (probably Vanbar in Melb have them) to put your film in. The Xray machines for checked luggage are so powerful they'll fry your film but the hand check ones are usually OK. I prefer to run the risk of having to pull the film out of the lead bag AFTER it's been through Xray for hand inspection, rather than have a stand-up argument with badly informed security guys when asking for a hand inspection before the Xray.
In Australia they are obliged to carry out a hand inspection if asked, although some of them don't know this, or pretend not to know, but overseas the rules vary.
fixbones
08-29-2009, 05:32
Leigh: How was your trip? Must be great!!! Perhaps i'd leave the FE2 at home (might miss the CV 20mm though). Anyways, how was your film selection? Happy?
Did you have one RF loaded with color and the other B & W.
I do have the lead bag and intend to use them
ZeissFan
08-29-2009, 05:53
When I traveled more, I usually took a 35mm rangefinder or SLR (occasionally both), a medium format camera (folder or a Rolleiflex TLR) and a small pocket 35mm (often a Rollei 35T). Then on my outings, I usually brought just one 35mm and one medium format.
When I was much younger, I carried the proverbial "bag of bricks" all around Europe -- Nikon F2A and FE, 28, 50,105 and a very heavy Vivitar Series 1 35-85 plus my little Rollei 35T. I probably wouldn't do that again, given the chance.
We had paper routes when we were little, so carrying heavy loaded bags wasn't really a problem.
Generally, I like my Zeiss Ikon Contax IIa and the 35-50-135 combo. It pretty much covers everything that I need, and it's a very reliable camera.
wgerrard
08-29-2009, 06:03
It's a cliche that bears repeating: Put what you want to take in a bag and wear the bag for 10 hours. If you have no regrets and think you can repeat that performance for the duration of your trip, problem solved. Otherwise, make the bag lighter.
I find bags to be necessary evils. They get in the way, they're often too heavy and too big. A sturdy padded bag is great for protecting gear on a plane or in other travel, but I'm otherwise quite willing to sacrifice hardware choice to comfort.
Film and X-rays: A subject of endless internet chatter. Every airport I know of warns their checked baggage scanners will, without question, ruin unprocessed film. Every airport I know of also claims their carry-on baggage scanners will not harm unexposed film at or below ISO 800. Rules and guidelines and experiences on getting handchecks vary. I've never used an anti-x-ray bag. Seems to me that if the crew can't see inside the bag, they're going to either handcheck the film or take the film out and then run it through the scanner. Those are your options all along, so I'm not sure what you gain. Probably quicker to put in a transparent plastic baggie, ask for a handcheck, and if you don't get it put it through by itself.
I've had film scanned 6 times before processing with no visible impact.
andredossantos
08-29-2009, 06:03
Bring two cameras. I'd bring the FE with the 20mm (since it's your widest lens), and the MP with the 50 f1.5 and 35mm.
This way you have one camera that operates without batteries, one wide angle, one camera with AE, one fast lens, and the ability to have one camera loaded with b&w and the other with color at all times.
julio1fer
08-29-2009, 06:58
Taking more gear only allows for more potential photo opportunities, and there will always be more opportunities than you can capture on a trip. Of course it all depends on your preferences so I'll just lay down my own experience FWIW.
I have traveled quite a few times, over 40 years worth, taking film gear. I find that, with a single body, a 35 mm f2.8 or higher lens and color film I get 90 % of the photo opportunities I see. In my last long trip I spent two months in Spain with that gear and did not miss much that I wanted. If that set can work with no batteries, all the better. Well, if you want to take a 50 mm along it's all right. My longer lenses rarely get used on trips.
A backup camera such as a reasonably good digital P&S (or an Olympus XA2) would be very advisable.
Travel light (weight is important, not only in comfort but in concentration) and leave no options (don't take too many lenses or types of film), so you can concentrate on the images instead of the gear. A small tripod could be very handy for landscapes if you have the time, but tripods are not for tours.
As for film, if in winter take ISO 400 color (Fuji Superia 400 is my favorite); if in the tropics or summer, ISO 100 (Kodak Gold for me). You can always convert to grayscale afterwards. Slide film would also be a good choice, if you have good light metering skills.
Most of my photos are B+W, but some shots just need to be colour. So take 2 cameras, one for B+W and one for colour. With 2 cameras, you also have a back up in case one fails. For maximum utility, the 2 cameras should be able to share lenses.
From your selection, that would mean: Take the MP and ZI with 50 and 35mm lenses. Choose one of the 50's. It'd be nice if you had a wider lens in M mount as well.
I don't think you need both 50mm lenses. Other than that, have fun!
Roger Hicks
08-29-2009, 11:33
It's a cliche that bears repeating: Put what you want to take in a bag and wear the bag for 10 hours. If you have no regrets and think you can repeat that performance for the duration of your trip, problem solved. Otherwise, make the bag lighter.
I find bags to be necessary evils. They get in the way, they're often too heavy and too big. A sturdy padded bag is great for protecting gear on a plane or in other travel, but I'm otherwise quite willing to sacrifice hardware choice to comfort.
Film and X-rays: A subject of endless internet chatter. Every airport I know of warns their checked baggage scanners will, without question, ruin unprocessed film. Every airport I know of also claims their carry-on baggage scanners will not harm unexposed film at or below ISO 800. Rules and guidelines and experiences on getting handchecks vary. I've never used an anti-x-ray bag. Seems to me that if the crew can't see inside the bag, they're going to either handcheck the film or take the film out and then run it through the scanner. Those are your options all along, so I'm not sure what you gain. Probably quicker to put in a transparent plastic baggie, ask for a handcheck, and if you don't get it put it through by itself.
I've had film scanned 6 times before processing with no visible impact.
Dear Bill,
Impossible to argue with any of that -- including the lead bags. I use Zip-Locs.
Cheers,
R.
+1 for reducing gear and film selection beforehand. I have traveled, on and off for 18+ years, always with partners, families, others. I used to take four cameras, B&W and color, Medium and fast speed film. It wasn't just the weight -- it was a wealth of decisions to manage -- what to take out today, whether to strip inappropriate film out of the camera for what suited, which lenses. Stabilized for a while on the OM system one or two bodies, three lenses. That doesn't help you cuz you don't have OM.
Now into RF, I find that my shots have gone up as i cut down the choices I have to make -- stabilizing around one body with interchangeable lenses, one P&S, possible a special purpose camera (like a pano) when I can't live with my one advice.
Used to be 24, 50, 100 -- finding that a 35 will let me do much of what the 50 will. Looks like you tend more to the WA -- so I would consider <no attacks, please, I'm a weak old man and can't stand the heat, taking the FE2 and your chosen lenses, and the little Olympus as a back-up.
Even when I have multiple cameras with me, against my own advice, I find myself reluctant to pull one out of the bag -- i shoot with what's out.
+1 for putting all this advice through a screen that includes a) how you are traveling, and b) what you shoot.
Enjoy what you take.
just a quick note on the polariser (seeing you mentioned that you like using them).
Remember using one on a RF is not particularly hard. A little more fiddly, but if you want to cut down on gear and avoid carrying a reflex just for use of a filter....
This is for non 'coupled' polarisers. The double up ones are obviously very fast and easy (though $$$).
make a few marks around the edge of the filter (liquid paper, permanent marker). point filter at scene (not mounted on lens yet). spin filter till degree of polarisation is attained. note where marks lie (ie 9oclock), then mount the filter and place marks in same spot. shoot.
Can be fast once you've done it a few times.
That way you can take the two bodies that share lenses. keeps things compact and familiar.
just a thought.
D.
Or better yet, mark two for the same positions (easy to do - cover one with the other, search brightest position), so that you don't have to unscrew and screw it all the time.
fixbones
08-29-2009, 18:39
I do agree that bringing only one system definitely makes more sense.
Think i'll bring:
Bodies: MP and ZI. One for color and the other for B & W. Hexar AF for ISO 1600 B & W
Lenses: 50 cron and sonnar, 35mm and a 21mm perhaps (potential for new gear).
That way, i'll have both RF with 50mm to walk around which covers boths B & W and color. The other 2 lenses (thankfully small) in my Domke F6.
The Hexar AF comes out when its dark.
Bob Michaels
08-29-2009, 19:24
Everybody is different but when I go to Cuba for two weeks in October, I think I will take:
2 Zeiss Ikon bodies (& extra batteries)
Zeiss 50mm f2.0 and 35mm f2.0, CV 28mm f3.5 and 21mm f4.0 lenses
50 rolls of Neopan 400
That way I have backups for everything and am only taking what I shoot with 99% of the time. Shooting different types of film never works for me as I always seem to have the wrong one in the camera in my hand.
When actually out walking and photographing, I have one body with the lens on it and occasionally a different lens in a pants pocket. The other pocket is full of film. (& spare battery) Everything else is left behind.
I probably will not shoot all that film, but there is no worse feeling than worrying about rationing film because you think you might run low.
I carried exactly that same kit while out photographing today, except less film. Everything stayed in the car but one body with 35mm lens which I shot with all day.
You will most likely enjoy your trip more by seriously cutting down on the equipment and focusing on composition with one wide angle lens and one 50mm lens with one RF camera plus the XA.
I once traveled for six weeks to Europe with a Rolleiflex TLR and a tiny Minox GT P&S. I never felt that I had lacking photo equipment with me.
Go light. Very light.
fixbones
08-29-2009, 19:53
What do you guys think about going 100% B & W for the trip??
It is definitely something i'd consider. A bit scared i admit but the idea sounds rather exciting too.
That way, it'll be down to 2 bodies and 50,35 and hopefully 21mm.
The other thing is to bring the Cron or sonnar? Hhmmm ...
35mmdelux
08-29-2009, 19:59
2 RF bodies, 21mm, 35, 50. All kodachrome.
Hello,
Egypt is wonderful and you will have a delightful time. I have visited Egypt at least six times and I always loved it and I still look forward to returning there.
I just want to mention a word for your film. I only shoot B&W and I have never felt at a loss for having not shot color.
Also, I quit carrying 400 speed film in Egypt -- 100 or 125 speed took care of everything just fine.
Have fun!
James
James,
Is there some danger present when walking around in Egypt and take photos? In particular, in the poor areas of Cairo, is it OK to take openly photos of the situation there?
Hello Raid,
That is a really good question. I have never experienced any problems in the poor areas of Cairo...the people have always been so friendly in these districts and they are more safe, at least in terms of violent crime, than any Western city. I believe that this fact is what made the February 2009 bombing in the Khan al-Khalili so tragic -- many Egyptians were outraged at this vile act.
However, just like anywhere, proper respect must be paid to customs and sensibilities of the residents. Intrusion will possibly cause a scene -- unless you are slick and feign that you are photographing something else-- but a gentle approach goes a long, long way.
The police and the military are usually the most curious...cigarettes are a great form of baksheesh / ground-breaker for these poor underpaid civil servants...I always carry a few packs of a European brand (giving out the local Cleopatra Cigarettes will not get you too far since they are cheap and not much of a "treat").
Of course, just like everywhere, I never advertise my camera when walking about -- I keep everything in a jacket pocket or around my neck and under my arm inside my jacket (I even wear a lightweight jacket in the summer just for this purpose).
However, the nightlife in Cairo can be sketchy -- again, just like many places, the ne'er-do-wells come out at this time as do their scam artist cousins.
Anyway, my conversational Arabic is good and I am very familiar with the country so this most likely helps a lot.
I hope I did not ramble too much...if I did, let me know Raid and I will try again!
James
jonmanjiro
08-30-2009, 00:40
* keep it to a minimum (lighter is better!)
* stick to one system (two bodies max, three or four lenses max)
* standardise on one filter size if possible
* stick to one or two types of film
If I had your kit, I'd seriously think about picking up a second F-mount body (either FM, FM2, FM3A, FE, or FE2) for cheap and taking the two F-mount bodies with the 20,28,50, and maybe the 100. I'm guessing all these lenses take 52mm filters - a good thing.
My travelling kit used to be FM3A x 2 & 24/2.8, 50/1.4, and 105/2.5, but I hardly ever used the 105/2.5. This was a great kit, but even this gets heavy when you're carrying it all day every day for weeks on end. I ended up almost doing my back in while in Chiang Mai last January.
Now my travelling kit is Zeiss Ikon x 2 & CV 28/3.5, CV 35/1.4, and ZM 50/2. Provia 100F goes in one camera and the ZM 50/2 lives on that, and Provia 400X goes in the other camera and the CV 38/3.5 goes on that during the day and the CV 35/1.4 takes its place at night. Amazing how much lighter this kit is compared to my SLR kit.
Leigh Youdale
08-30-2009, 03:56
Leigh: How was your trip? Must be great!!! Perhaps i'd leave the FE2 at home (might miss the CV 20mm though). Anyways, how was your film selection? Happy?
Did you have one RF loaded with color and the other B & W.
I do have the lead bag and intend to use them
Hi,
I see you're getting heaps of advice, so here's some more!
The trip was great - first time in Paris and in Ireland but been to UK several times before (wife is English). We came back with 2500 images between us which I've edited down to around 600 to print into photobooks.
First, I wouldn't go totally B&W. Travel photography really lends itself to colour and I'm sure you'll end up disappointed if you just take Mono.
I had one RF loaded with colour and the other with B&W, plus my wife carried the digital P&S which was handy for the occasional "grab" shot apart from allowing her to take what she wanted. It was a good backup. I had it on "Finest" setting and used two 4GB cards. Didn't take a computer.
In general I tended to have my 25mm lens on the colour camera (main use was interiors and wide scenic shots) and either the 35 or 40 on the B&W (main use was street photography). You'll find that good B&W shots come from getting in closer to your subject and trying to avoid lots of clutter and small detail, so really wide lenses are not always so suitable. If I had to go with just two lenses I'd probably pick a 28mm and a 50mm even though I find the 25mm CV is ideal for a lot of what I do. But inevitably the lens you want to use is one the "other" camera, so maybe a second 50mm so each camera has one and then swap the 25 or 28 around as needed. That's two bodies and three small lenses.
I concur with others that the light in Egypt will be fairly strong and you will rarely need more than 100 ISO film, but a lot of consumer Fujicolour comes as 200 ISO and that's OK. I doubt you'll need 400 ISO B&W but you could throw a couple in, just in case. The lower speed film gives much better results in my view anyway. I used a lot of APX100 which is a wonderful B&W film but you can't get it anymore.
As for the lead bag question - well, I've never had any (low speed) film spoiled by up to 5 or 6 passes through the hand baggage Xray (bear in mind that the Xray dosage is cumulative so at some point it WILL have an effect). But I have had film that was checked in ruined - it was an unexpected and unavoidable security scare at Heathrow but nevertheless, the film was badly zapped and unusable for printing. I've had many arguments since with uninformed security guys and their supervisors and now carry a document from Canberra quoting chapter and verse on the regulations wherein they MUST do a hand inspection if requested. They often act surprised and I'm sure many of them have not been told this in their training. This doesn't apply outside of Oz of course and staring down an armed military person in India can be a touch and go experience, believe me!
On this last trip I put all my film (having emptied my cameras) through the Xray inside a lead bag and it was not challenged or questioned in either Australia, UK or France - which surprised me. I was expecting to have to empty it out post-Xray and then get it inspected. You'll just have to be prepared for anything - I think it all depends on the day, who is one, what time the shift ends etc etc.
Above all, be ready. Photo opportunities come quickly and unexpectedly when traveling and you really need to have a camera at hand and already set for anticipated distance (zone focussing) and exposure so you can just flick the shutter lock and go.
It could get really bright in most tourist locations in the morning. so have with you an ISO 100 or so film for those shots. Street is fine with 400 if you avoid noon.
Egypt is some what colourful, it is not India. so have some color when you shoot street.
There is only koack c-41 bw film in Egypt and aside form the consumer kodak film there is the ISO 100 profoto which i found okay. You will not find film faster than iso 400 (you probably won't need it, but bring a couple of iso 800 rolls just in case)
gear: a wide angle for the sights (pyramids, Nile, Mosques, Churches, temples and beaches) the 20mm on the Slr would do it. The 2 rf bodies one for colour and one for BW. The VC35mm one one body (for most street stuff) and the 50mm lux on the other (the 50 will come in handy if some one agrees of their portrait taken rather than a wider snap) i think all would fit into a small backpack (which you will carry for water and LP guide anyways).
I am Egyptian, so feel free to drop me a line if you needed anything or if you have questions. i'd gladly help.
We could shoot some street off of the tourist map if you would like to. (:
Mahmoud
my links: mhazzaa.deviantart.com
wlife.shutterchance.com
fixbones
08-30-2009, 05:24
Great to have input from a local =D
Yeah i reckon colour and wide angle is important. However, am a bit reluctant to bring my SLR system.
Most probably use one of the RF for color.
Alternatively, get the GRD III for color work (GAS GAS GAS)
Don Parsons
08-30-2009, 05:30
My vote is for Reala which scans easily and then do the b&w conversion. Go light. I took a canon a570 (35-100 +/-) to Turkey, France, England and Ireland last year and didn't feel I missed a single shot.
Take the least amount of gear you can stand. Try to narrow things down as much as possible. Nowadays I go with an M3, a collapsible 50 and about three rolls of Tri-X per day of travel. I've never wished I'd taken more gear, but I have often wished I had taken less!
Vic
35mmdelux
08-30-2009, 06:14
Did someone say creativity? For 20 yrs I shot with 1 lens and never felt like I missed anything. On my last overseas trip I took a 28/50, surprisingly used the 28 most of the time. Never felt like I needed more gear.
Bob Michaels
08-30-2009, 06:31
A general thought: Your photographic style does not change with the location. Carry what you carry at home. Use what you use at home.
In addition to the excellent advice about never trying something new on a special trip or occasion, realize you use the bodies, lenses and film you do because it works for you.
Who remembers Garry Winogrand's famous photo of a football game shot with a 28mm lens?
David_Manning
08-30-2009, 06:34
Sounds like you're getting lots of advice.
Question: are you going to Egypt on a photo assignment, or are you going to enjoy a new experience?
If you're going on assignment, take your whole kit in Pelican roller-bags. Hire a local fixer who can translate and has a car.
Okay, seriously, you're traveling on vacation, right? Just acknowledge you won't get a shot of everything now...take the pressure off yourself. Take your MP, 35 and 50 lenses, and Plus-X b&w film. Take a digi p&s.
The digi p&s will do color, has a flash, has video, and is VERY unobtrusive for taking to dinner and strolls later in the evening when you should be drinking in the smells and foods of Egypt.
Take the battery-less MP with a 35 strapped on, the little 50 in a pocket, and 125- (or 100)- speed film and walk the country during the day. No bag...it probably won't rain on you. Put the other little lens, film, and passport/wallet/phone in the pockets of some cargo shorts/pants.
Remember...you can always buy a travel book full of spectacular color photos. Lots of tan, gold, red, and access to anywhere you can't go. Concentrate on the MOOD and feeling of your trip, and shoot all b&w and capture that mood. Shoot details and faces, and just like a movie, shoot the beginning and the end (it'll make your travel log/book/journal feel more like a story).
Simplify, light, and fast. One film, one camera, one or two lenses. No bags and crap hanging from your neck. Remember to take the camera away from your face to see with your eyes too!!!
----Dave, professional traveler
James,
Thank you for your suggestions. I may have a one month trip to Cairo next year, and I am already planning ahead. I was told that some people [in charge] are not overly pleased if photographers take risks in general. Safety is the most important issue here.
fixbones
08-31-2009, 02:48
Jon: Thought about getting an extra F body too.... really interested in getting a FM3a (for this trip or not). However, since i already have 2 RF bodies and 3 lenses that i really like, i might just wanna stick with them - smaller, better low light ability, perhaps slightly lighter.
Great advices everyone!! Certainly did help my thinking process.
- will stick to my RF system
- bringing MP and ZI plus both 50mm and 35mm.
- Hope to purchase the ZM 25mm f2.8 before the trip to supplement my kit since i tend to shoot wide with color. Will go w/out the viewfinder. Thus the Hexar AF will likely have to go :(
- Films: TriX and Fuji 400H (i love grains)
- .....and the XA just for fun.
James,
Is there some danger present when walking around in Egypt and take photos? In particular, in the poor areas of Cairo, is it OK to take openly photos of the situation there?
Yes it is safe. Safer than most countries.
Jon: Thought about getting an extra F body too.... really interested in getting a FM3a (for this trip or not). However, since i already have 2 RF bodies and 3 lenses that i really like, i might just wanna stick with them - smaller, better low light ability, perhaps slightly lighter.
Great advices everyone!! Certainly did help my thinking process.
- will stick to my RF system
- bringing MP and ZI plus both 50mm and 35mm.
- Hope to purchase the ZM 25mm f2.8 before the trip to supplement my kit since i tend to shoot wide with color. Will go w/out the viewfinder. Thus the Hexar AF will likely have to go :(
- Films: TriX and Fuji 400H (i love grains)
- .....and the XA just for fun.
Some iso 100 film for morning touristy pictures maybe useful.
fixbones
08-31-2009, 04:09
Yes..... might bring a few rolls of Reala as well but i think the ZI should do well with ISO 400 as it goes all the way to 1/2000. Figured the ISO will e flexible enought for bright conditions as well as the more shaded areas.
I don't fancy changing films mid roll..
jonmanjiro
08-31-2009, 05:07
Jon: Thought about getting an extra F body too.... really interested in getting a FM3a (for this trip or not). However, since i already have 2 RF bodies and 3 lenses that i really like, i might just wanna stick with them - smaller, better low light ability, perhaps slightly lighter.
Great advices everyone!! Certainly did help my thinking process.
- will stick to my RF system
- bringing MP and ZI plus both 50mm and 35mm.
- Hope to purchase the ZM 25mm f2.8 before the trip to supplement my kit since i tend to shoot wide with color. Will go w/out the viewfinder. Thus the Hexar AF will likely have to go :(
- Films: TriX and Fuji 400H (i love grains)
- .....and the XA just for fun.
My second suggestion was going to be to pick up a wider M-mount lens, so you could take a two body / three lens M-mount kit :D
My first M-mount wide was the ZM 25/2.8. Incredible lens! But coming from an SLR background, not having 25mm framelines in the viewfinder bugged me (plus I have an allergy to external finders), so I ended up scaling back to ZM Biogon 28/2.8, and then to a CV 28/3.5.
fixbones
08-31-2009, 05:53
Jon: You read my mind =D. Not sure how i feel about external viewfinder yet.....
The 21 is tempting but it'll mean that i'll have to use a viewfinder. However the great dof means that i can hyperfocus and forego the RF focus patch.
With the 25mm, i am hoping to rough-stimate using the entire viewfinder of the ZI (and unfortunately i wear glasses....not easy).
I just came back from a couple of weeks in Georgia where I had just the M5, a 21 and a 50. Everything from architecture to urban nightshots and landscape photography in the Caucasus. I could keep the gear in a small handbag with three or four rolls of spare film without looking like a dork. For film I took Elitechrome 100, Fuji 800 and XP2, and the choice was basically dependent how I would be photographing that day. Don't be afraid to change film mid-roll (just be careful not to rewind completely into the canister, write down the number of frames on the canister when you change it, and tell your lab not to cut the film for you)
Keep it light. Why a ton of lenses and two different camera systems? I can see the justification for having a backup body in case yours breaks on you, but that's a risk I normally take and after all I've got a Leica because I'm reasonably certain that it won't break on me.
David_Manning
08-31-2009, 06:22
RXMD...exactly. Did you feel like you missed anything?
No, I didn't.
Well at one point I found myself in the National Archive with a couple of documents that I wanted to photograph, and I had to borrow a small digicam from someone. I guess I could have brought one myself, but it was no problem. And an extra M body and more lenses wouldn't exactly have helped there.
shadowfox
08-31-2009, 07:06
My current plan:
- Bring both MP and ZI for B & W with all 3 lens. Should i drop one of the 50mm??
- FE2 with 28 & 50mm for colour
Films:
- B & W: XP2 and TriX. I don't develop my own just yet. TriX for pushing if needed
- Colour: Reala and ISO 400 film
What do you think?
My goodness!
I always end up with a heavy bag on my trips because of my insisting to lug a medium-format camera.
But you're talking about all 35mm, why on earth would you bring 3 cameras all taking the same format picture?
If you really like 50mm focal length, choose one on the rangefinder and stick with it. One RF camera, one lens. That's one "Zen" concept that can let you enjoy and practice at the same time.
Use your FE2 for 20mm and/or 100mm like Roger said above. 20mm Nikkor lenses are gorgeous for landscapes.
Then decided to bring either XA or Hexar AF for a nice snapshooting (I'd choose the Hexar over XA, but if you have XA4, nothing beats it for travel).
I'm going to Israel and Spain in October for a couple weeks and taking my ZI, 50/2 M-Hex, 25/2.8 ZM, and Yashica GX. This is the only gear I use at home, so easy decision for me ;)
Ultra Color 400 for the Zeiss, Tri-X for the Yashica. Assuming neither camera breaks down, the ZI kit will be for most daytime shooting and the GX will handle indoors and nightime (Tri-X to be souped in Diafine). An Ultrapod II will provide extra support as needed.
Here's what I try to stick by:
Always bring a backup camera. You don't have to always carry it, though.
Use what you're comfortable and familiar with, including your film choices.
Have a one lens, one body kit for the times you want to go as light as possible.
Be considerate of your traveling companions. Taking WAY too long to change lenses, fiddle with camera settings, etc. will annoy people and make your trip less pleasant.
My preferred kit for light travel would be 2 bodies, 28 and 50mm lenses and Tri X only. If you develop in Diafine, you can expose between EI 200 and 1600 on the same roll if needed. Decide if you prefer 20 or 35 mm instead of the 28mm. Then take the MP with the 50mm and FE2 with the 20mm or the MP+50mm and ZI+35mm. The Sonnar is a great lens, but Summicron is easier to manage.
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