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Help me choose my travel gear! |
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09-08-2005
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#1
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Registered User
sockeyed is offline
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
Age: 42
Posts: 919
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Help me choose my travel gear!
Every year I make a point of somewhere new; last year it was Vietnam, before that it was S. France, Turkey, India, China,...
This year is no exception. In just over a month I'll be heading to Indonsia and Malaysia for 4 weeks, to Bali, Lombok, Kuala Lumpur and East Malaysia.
The trouble is, I can't decide what gear to take. In Vietnam I carried my F-1 + lenses and found it manageable, but now I've got some RFs to consider. Here are my options as I see them:
1. Canon F-1 New + 24/2.8, 35/2 & 85/1.8
This kit is proven and reliable. It's heavy-ish. Good lenses.
2. Bessa R3A + Nokton 40/1.4, 75/2.5 & 25/4
Smaller, lighter, great lenses, but valuable. Also, the R3A has jammed 2x on me (not lately, but it's something to worry about).
3. Bessa R + 35/2.5, 75/2.5 & 25/4
Smallest, lightest kit, moderately valuable, great (but slower) lenses. No AE.
I'll be shooting Reala, NPH and probably Tri-X. I'll also bring 1 or 2 Stylus Epics to have handy and my digicam.
Any thoughts?
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09-08-2005
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#2
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ray_g is offline
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: CT & NYC
Age: 46
Posts: 2,755
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Bessa R3a + 40Nokton
Bessa R + 25 and 75
That way, you will still have options if the R3a locks up. The R is so light it will hardly make a difference, plus you will waste less time switching lenses.
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Ray
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09-08-2005
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#3
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ray_g is offline
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: CT & NYC
Age: 46
Posts: 2,755
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The Stylus will come in handy. October is still monsoon season there, right?
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Ray
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09-08-2005
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#4
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Registered User
sockeyed is offline
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
Age: 42
Posts: 919
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Thanks, Ray! The 2-bessa option is something to consider.
Good point about the monsoons. They don't usually hit Bali/Lombok until later in November, but Malaysia might be wet.
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09-08-2005
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#5
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Registered User
VinceC is offline
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,905
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Two camera bodies from the same system always makes a lot of sense. I had a Nikon FM2 jam up in Somalia in 1992-3 and shot the rest of the trip on one body. I'd personally stick with the rangefinders ... they're so small and light compared to the SLRs, and you're looking at comparable lenses.
Point and shoots, digital or film, are also good backups to carry. Because my primary work is no longer photojournalism, these days I usually travel with one film body and use the digital point and shoot (a Canon G1) as backup. I've actually published a couple pictures in my newspapers taken by the G1, a couple others taken by the Nikon RFs. Most of the time I travel with a company photographer and so am just taking the pictures for my personal satisfaction.
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Vince
My Gallery
Nikon S2, S3, S3-2000, SP, SP-2005 / Kiev 2a
Biogon 21/4.5; CV 21/4; CV 25/4; CV 85/3.5; the following Nikkors: 2.8cm/3.5; 3.5cm/1.8 (1956 and 2005 versions); 5cm/1.4; 8.5cm/2; 10.5cm/2.5; 13.5cm/3.5
Soviet lenses: Orion 28/6; Jupiter-12 35/2.8; Helios-103 50/1.8; Jupiter-8 50/2
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09-08-2005
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#6
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peter_n is offline
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 9,127
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What Ray said - the 2 Bessas and your 25, 40 & 75 CV lenses. Sell the F-1. 
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09-08-2005
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#7
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Moderator
rover is online now
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Connecticut
Age: 47
Posts: 13,898
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No, don't sell the F-1, I hate to be tempted.
Yes, two Bessas and lots of film.
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09-08-2005
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#8
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ɹoʇɐɹǝpoɯ moderator
back alley is offline
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: canada
Age: 62
Posts: 35,098
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i'm with ray.
2 bodies is a must.
oops, my (our) neurosis is showing...
joe
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09-08-2005
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#9
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Registered User
zanef2.8 is offline
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 86
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yeah two bodies - R as backup or second body - they are relatively light anyway, ain't they?
Last time, I took 20D and 10D with me and 4 lenses to East Malaysia - Sabah  |
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09-08-2005
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#10
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50 Summilux is da DEVIL!
egpj is offline
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Bogota, Colombia
Age: 44
Posts: 731
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2 bodies is the norm. I go along with the recommended lenses as well.
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Glenn
Photographers work I am interested in: Jon Kral; HCB the portraits
Equipment I am using: 2 MP's an MP3 and some lenses
Gallery
My Homepage
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09-08-2005
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#11
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Registered User
Kin Lau is offline
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ottawa
Posts: 1,689
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Both Bessa's, all four CV lenses and pickup a J8 50/2 before you go as a lowlight backup for the R.
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Of course I have a photographic memory: over exposed, under developed, grainy and out of focus 
<a href='http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=583'>My Gallery</a>
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09-08-2005
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#12
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Registered User
Traut is offline
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 315
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F-1 with the 85 for portraits, people, long landscapes
R with the 40 on it for lowlight / street / candid
stash the 25 in you pocket. You lose some redundancy but still have the P&S for that.
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Guard your time well for in the end it is all we have, B. Franklin
IIf, IIIg, M2, M3,M6 TTL, Rollei 2.8F, G1, G2, F100, F3, F5, D2x, 903SW, etc., etc. <a href='http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=1413'>My Gallery</a>
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09-08-2005
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#13
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Registered User
FrankS is offline
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Great White North
Age: 56
Posts: 17,203
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Both Bessas and what Kin said about a J8.
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“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it or who has said it, not even if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.” – quote
I myself am made entirely of faults, stitched together with good intentions. -quote
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09-08-2005
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#14
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Registered User
aizan is offline
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Torrance, CA
Age: 31
Posts: 3,200
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what traut said.
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