Europe Trip Gas - What to get?

[stewmander]

I am planing a trip to Europe - London, Paris, Rome, and am thinking it would be a great excuse to buy some new gear. I am trying to decide between some nice film stuff or some digital RF gear.

What I have: Canon Rebel X (i or s, I forget the exact model but I think the Euro version is KISS), XA, QL17, Nikon FE, RB67

I think I will take the XA and one more...I just dont know if I should get some L gass for the Rebel, some nice AIS for the Nikon, or dare to attempt to lug the RB67 (dont think thats an option).

I was leaning towards a Sony NEX5, but the kit I would have liked with the 16mm doesnt seem to be available any more. I dont know if the money for Canon L lens would be worth it on my Rebel for the price (17-40L is expensive).

So, for about $700, what would you add to an XA?

[jarski]

cant comment about XA, but I would not get any full frame glass for DX-camera, if you want to optimize what you lug around. EF-S 15-85 is good versatile travel zoom.

[mfunnell]

Here's what I would actually take [if "loaded for bear"], based on what I have rather than anything I'd buy for the trip (ie. I'm not telling you to buy anything, just describing what I'd do):

A Tamrac roller bag with adjustable dividers for cameras etc. and designed to fit in those airline measuring cages, loaded with:

Laptop (in dedicated side-pocket), external USB hard drive and Wolverine external HD/multi-card reader (backed up and empty, ready to have photos loaded) and assorted battery and phone chargers.

Canon 5D with EF 100-400 lens.
Canon 50D with EF-S 17-55 lens.
Canon EF 24/2.8, 50/1.2 and 100/2.8(macro) lenses.
Canon 430EX flash.
Canon EOS 30V body.
Plenty of Tri-X, in a clear plastic bag in an easily accessible external pocket (to have it hand checked through X-ray).

In a separate Lowepro shoulder pouch: M3+Elmar-M 50/2.8, Summilux 75, VCII meter, ND filters (one for each lens) plus some Tri-X and spare batteries for the meter (and lens brush, microfibre cloth and other such sundries).

If challenged on the weight of the Tamrac bag (it fits the "cage" but is overweight for most airline regulations) I'd pull out the camera with the big 100-400 lens and throw that over the shoulder. That fits the regulations and reduces the weight of the bag to "legal"(ish). I've always got away with it. Once past the barrier, just put it back in the bag.

That's worked for me, so far, flying international and domestic, and gives a good deal of photographic flexibility once at the other end. In my checked baggage I carry a Lowepro "slingshot" camera bag empty aside from assorted memory cards, cleaning cloths, rocket blower, spare batteries, filters, off-camera flash cords etc. ready to be populated with cameras and lenses once I'm back on the ground.

[EDIT]Of course for short trips, or where I know I won't be doing wildlife or landscape or whatever I'll reduce that considerably. Often I'll travel with something like, say, my Contax G2 with 28, 45 and 90 lenses - all of which fit handily in a small Lowepro shoulder-pouch. In that case I'll likely take along a small digicam or, say, a Stylus Epic or XA to handle colour as well.[/EDIT]

...Mike

[Austerby]

I'd go for a nice 24mm or 28mm, a fast 50 (f1.4) and a good short telephoto. That should do you perfectly for European cities - where a wide is useful in narrow streets, a fast is useful for low-light and interiors and a short-tele for picking out details.

[Jeremy Johns]

These days when I leave the studio (for travel) I take:

5D2 with CV 40mm (excellent lens and very small combination)
Bessa R2 CV 35 1.4
GRD3

That covers all my shooting requirements and most of the time the 5D2 stays in the hotel.

BTW if you need any tips on where to buy film or get any processing done in London, drop me a line. Hope you have a great trip.

[stewmander]

Thanks for all the replies, I was thinking that an L lens on a non full frame sensor might not be the best. Im still thinking digital RF, or perhaps a contax G with a 28? I think wider is a good way to go.

I def want to keep it light, with 2 cameras or so that way I can focus on shooting and not choosing gear...and digital appeals to me to get photos online faster...decisions decisions

[SamStewart]

take the xa and FE. buy more film, save the rest for processing/beer. bring a 50mm. the xa has a 35mm so youre covered.

[ferider]

Forget new gear, spend the $700 in Paris ...

[JMQ]

Originally Posted by ferider

Forget new gear, spend the $700 in Paris ...

Amen. Minimize the gear, enjoy the trip!

[stewmander]

Originally Posted by JMQ

Amen. Minimize the gear, enjoy the trip!

Sounds like a good idea, haha. I do have a 50mm on the FE, so that might be the best plan: spend the money in Paris . Good ideas all!

[Vics]

Originally Posted by ferider

Forget new gear, spend the $700 in Paris ...

Couldn't agree more!

[SilverPix]

Rolleiflex, meter, and film. I find the less I take the more I enjoy the trip and I think my pics improve when not wrangling over what gear to take out each day.

[Spanik]

When I'm traveling I take a Mamiya 645, 35/55/80/150mm. The 55mm does 80%, the 35mm 15% what is left is for the 80mm and 150mm and the 80 is more use as a short tele than a normal. In european cities having a wide is imortant but it depends on what you want to take photo's of.

[bigeye]

I'd be happy with your XA and the FE with 24/50/105.

Only change I might suggest would be to replace the XA with a good digital P&S for convenience. I've been carrying the S100 lately (in my shirt pocket), and while the XA can produce better IQ, the purpose of P&S to me is convenience. (It competes with my phone camera, not so much a real camera, throwing images good to about 8x10.)

Dusk last night, coming home from a business trip (S100, cropped):



- Charlie

[Lund]

When I travel I usually try to be able to fit everything camera related in my pockets. A good point and shoot with 400 iso film and flash for most about everything and a 120 folder with slower film for the landscapes and or whenever I can.

Works for me.

[Don Parsons]

I'd take the fe and 24/50/105 and a digital point-n-shoot.

Just relax and have a good time. Don't try to make pictures, there are enough of them there, they'll be obvious.

[bigeye]

Originally Posted by Lund

When I travel I usually try to be able to fit everything camera related in my pockets. A good point and shoot with 400 iso film and flash for most about everything and a 120 folder with slower film for the landscapes and or whenever I can.

Works for me.

A great suggestion for someone who appreciates 120.

.

[isoterica]

Didn't use all I took to Australia.. you probably won't want to carry it all either. Stick with what you like to shoot. Have a camera for backup if the first breaks or say a point and shoot and whatever else. You want to record your wonderful trip.. but you want to enjoy it too, not just photograph every moment and forget to experience it.

[thegf]

why rome? there are other good cities nearer to Paris.

[Pablito]

If the pictures are important, then take only equipment you know very well - nothing new.

On the other hand, the Panasonic LX5 with the EVF makes a very nice travel camera for snapshots.

[n5jrn]

I wouldn't buy a whole lot of new gear and take it on a long trip without allowing time to try using it at home first. Wouldn't want any surprises to happen once I'm there, particularly surprises involving film cameras that don't show up until one is home and the film developed.

[umcelinho]

a digital RF would be at least $1000, quite above the budget...

get an eximus black slim devil, 20 bucks at amazon. 22mm lens, f11 1/125, fixed focus. feed some 400 iso film to it and it's good to go. all plastic but the lens is surprisingly good, it can flare in a weird way but might be enjoyable. very light and tiny, can be a good ultrawide option. take it along the XA and the other camera you decide to take, it'll be handy. it's such a cheap camera that can give great results, i think it's worth it.

wider lenses in europe are really useful, streets are narrower and things happen closer. i've done italy and france with pretty much just a 35mm, but in some places the 21mm was extremely helpful and sometimes only the 12mm would do it.

speaking of which, if you're into wideangles i'd recommend getting a bessa-l with a heliar 15mm lens, or even a 21. a 2nd hand one should be in the 400-500 range, will be pretty useful, you get much more control and image quality than with the vivitar and it's tiny/light. worth checking it out.

[xxloverxx]

I'd take the QL17 and the FE…and lots (really, lots) of film.

[Thardy]

My first trip to Europe (2007) I took a lot of gear, big heavy dslr, multiple lenses, film slr, compact digicam, newly bought RF, and a lots of film as someone suggested.

Last year (two weeks in Europe) I was going to take two RFs and film, but quickly changed my mind to a GF1, kit zoom and 20mm 1.7 lens which served me very well. I've taken that setup (plus other mft lenses) to 2 other trips since.

In the last month I've been on two trips and took a Nikon P7000 with a 16gb card. I also had a little digi backup just in case.

When I take a lot of stuff I find myself using one camera at a time and stowing the rest in the room. I think going very light is something you have to grow into. You might feel a little naked if not loaded for Bear initially. Take all you want now and then on other trips lighten up the load.

If you're using a dslr make sure to use a really wide angle (prime or zoom), the crop factor kills in tight quarters.

Most of all have fun, don't sweat the gear too much. Photos of European cities look great if taken on a iPhone!

[Snacks]

If you want the most convenience then take the Canon Rebel, but if you want to shoot film then take the Nikon. Two cameras would be nice but would also weigh you down.

Pack fast primes or a prime and a zoom lens. Choice is nice. European streets are narrow in small historic towns, but in cities there is less concern.

Pack plenty of film/SD cards. Make sure those shots get home. Film is far cheaper in, say, the US, than places like London.

You might consider a flash too. Otherwise, have a great time!