Travelling - help me decide on camera

[freecom2]

I'm stuck on which camera to take, I am going to Paris for 4 days.

I have always travelled with my Rolleiflex - good lens, quiet, compact, and not especially heavy. It has allowed me to take shots like this in the past. My other choice is my 'blad 500C/M.

For the 'blad? Backs (nothing worse than the perfect colour shot in front of you, when you are on exposure 1 of a roll of T-Max) - this is the absolute major advantage to me. Through the lens might be useful if I do some landscape stuff. Brighter WLF.

Against the 'blad? Slightly heavier, especially with a couple of backs (but their versatility balances out their additional weight, IMO). Louder. A little more finicky to load. Darkslide to mess around with. More potential for lockup.

What do you think?

 

[TheTimeChamber]

Go with the Rollieflex, I always over pack on holiday and I suspect you would do the same with the blad

 

[steveo_mcg]

Changeable backs, take the 'blad.

 

[Threeracers]

Just had a similar conundrum for my imminent French Frolic - I ride down to Le Mans first thing tomorrow morning.

My choices were Hasselblad or Minolta Dynax 9. The Minolta should really have won over Hasselblad - but I have packed the Hasselblad!

For me the ability to swap between backs would sway me with your choice but either way, have a good trip and look forward to seeing the results.

Mark

 

[freecom2]

Thanks for the opinions thus far.

Just to add to this - I always carry a D7000 + 17-55mm f/2.8 on me, so the medium format camera isn't the only photographic thing I'll have on me.

 

[excalibur2]

Thanks for the opinions thus far.

I always carry a D7000 + 17-55mm f/2.8 on me, so the medium format camera isn't the only photographic thing I'll have on me.

That's cheating Well I thought a nice combo would be:- a 35mm camera with slide film and medium format for colour or B/W

 

[freecom2]

That's cheating Well I thought a nice combo would be:- a 35mm camera with slide film and medium format for colour or B/W

As far as I'm concerned, the D7000 is my 35mm camera with very flexible slide film, and a flexible focal length range, and my medium format camera with colour/B&W for certain snaps.

 

[MindofMel]

I'd take the hassy! Changeable backs is such a big feature. Like you said; nothing worse than being on shot 1 of Bw/ colour and wanting the other!

 

[robhooley167]

'Blad

 

[Threeracers]

Thanks for the opinions thus far.

Just to add to this - I always carry a D7000 + 17-55mm f/2.8 on me, so the medium format camera isn't the only photographic thing I'll have on me.

Don't say that, I would like to take both of mine but I would really struggle with my luggage space :thumbsdown:

But it would be nice to have both.....

M

 

[freecom2]

I'm also leaning towards the 'blad now - although I take that recommendation with a pinch of salt, since anyone who owns an RB67 must consider the 'blad a light camera

Mark - if I was on a bike, I'd also be thinking very hard about luggage space! Safe journey down there.

 

[joxby]

Mamiya 6

thread/

If for some unfathomable reason you don't have one, sell everything and buy one...




As a side note, I always used to take everything but there are circumstances where the only safe choice is an RF......even a 35mm RF.

There was a time when I'd take a film kit as a side to my digital, but these days I'm not interested in digital at all, so it don't go out the front door...ever.
I reckon if you can take a digi kit and be arsed to shoot it, there doesn't seem to be much point in taking a film kit..:shrug:

 

[Nod]

Thanks for the opinions thus far.

Just to add to this - I always carry a D7000 + 17-55mm f/2.8 on me, so the medium format camera isn't the only photographic thing I'll have on me.

Just my tuppence...

Unless the main point of the Paris trip is photographic, I would travel relatively light and take just the digital kit (sacrilege here, I'm well aware!!! ) for the "usual" holiday snaps. However, if it's a photo break, I would take as flexible a kit as possible which probably means the Hassy with a few backs.

Having said that (re the digital kit), last time we went for an FFE (guesses on a postcard!), I took the full (D)SLR kit and used a 24-70 f/2.8 for well over 90% of the shots, so a similar range (or even a couple of primes - 75% [at a guess] were at the extremes!) might be enough.

On a recent holiday to Crete (which we've visited many times, so I have all the "usual" shots at DSLR quality [many many times over!]) I took a couple of compacts and a bridge and have to say I didn't miss the SLRs at all, especially the bulk and weight!

Whatever you take, hope you have a fantastic time and get all the shots you want.

 

[skysh4rk]

If I were going to Paris on holiday and had the space I would personally take the 'Blad and leave everything else at home. The unique look of medium format makes for more memorable photos and the swappable backs afford some flexibility. Paris just screams film to me as well.

That said, I'll be in Paris for a few days next week myself and I'll have to begrudgingly leave my SQ-A at home as I just won't have the space .

I am, however, in the process of securing a worthy alternative .

 

[FruitFlakes]

Whenever I go to Paris I just take my Rolleiflex and Hexar along - although last time I went was in the middle of winter so it was all B/W for me. If I go this summer I'd probably just shoot colour in the Rollei and take my X-Pro 1 kit along (or bring my Hexar or Leica + use my GRD for snaps). Although, I could go mad and take my MX-EVS along with the 2.8F - but I imagine that won't be fun to carry.

 

[excalibur2]

Paris just screams film to me as well.

For me the problem of a popular big city is if you go to the tourist spots you'll see hundreds of better shots on the net, so I don't bother...anyone got a unique shot of Tower bridge So that leaves interesting street shots or that intimate restaurant with someone special and so on and any camera would do for that. If you are going to take street shots in places tourists don't go (for the other side of Paris) I'd take a £5 compact film camera for that...just in case.

 

[robhooley167]

I'm also leaning towards the 'blad now - although I take that recommendation with a pinch of salt, since anyone who owns an RB67 must consider the 'blad a light camera

That's what my Fuji GW690 is for, I'm not taking the RB67 to New York over summer, that's half the reason i bought the Fuji

 

[robhooley167]

For me the problem of a popular big city is if you go to the tourist spots you'll see hundreds of better shots on the net, so I don't bother...anyone got a unique shot of Tower bridge So that leaves interesting street shots or that intimate restaurant with someone special and so on and any camera would do for that. If you are going to take street shots in places tourists don't go (for the other side of Paris) I'd take a £5 compact film camera for that...just in case.

That's not really the point though is it? Sure there are better photos of everything out there but does that mean we can't take them?

 

[skysh4rk]

For me the problem of a popular big city is if you go to the tourist spots you'll see hundreds of better shots on the net, so I don't bother...anyone got a unique shot of Tower bridge So that leaves interesting street shots or that intimate restaurant with someone special and so on and any camera would do for that. If you are going to take street shots in places tourists don't go (for the other side of Paris) I'd take a £5 compact film camera for that...just in case.

Yes, there are zillions of touristy Paris shots online, that's why I'd say to leave the digital slr at home and not worry about capturing everything. I'd personally focus more on people/street/abstract type photos, which I find more fun to shoot with a WLF and film, and they'll be unique to your trip.

For me, it's also not necessarily all about the end product, but what camera I will enjoy using most during my holiday as well.

Obviously we all have different needs/wants/interests/restrictions, it's about finding the camera that best balances these factors.

 

[freecom2]

Thanks all.

My DSLR + medium format kit is a tried and tested combination. DSLR has been for general snaps, friends and family, and the medium format has always served its role in other stuff away from that. I have some street shots and general shots from each trip, as a result.

Ideally the DSLR would be replaced by an equivalent APS-C camera like a Fuji X, but funds don't permit that.

As far as I'm concerned, the digi is coming - I just thought I'd mention it, since it won't be just the medium format camera trying to cover all the bases.

 

[PMN]

For me the problem of a popular big city is if you go to the tourist spots you'll see hundreds of better shots on the net, so I don't bother

With the greatest respect, if you think like that why do you have a camera at all? Unless you're in the top 0.000000003% most talented photographers in the world everything you will ever shoot has already been done infinitely better than you ever could but why does that matter? I realise we all see these things differently but when I pick my camera up I want to record what I see, how I see it, and put that across to whoever may by chance see my images in a way that means something to me. It doesn't matter in the slightest that someone else may have taken the same shot before me and made a far better job of it, surely it's about a personal experience that has some significance to you?

 

[excalibur2]

That's not really the point though is it? Sure there are better photos of everything out there but does that mean we can't take them?

Well that's just me and I'd rather see (or take) a shot of some old houses with a steep cobbled stoned road, in the mountains of Italy than a shot of the Vatican etc When people say "where was that taken" you know your shot is different.
But of course I wouldn't take a camera to Paris without taking something and it would be shots of my family with hopefully a nice blurred shot of Paris scenery in the background or maybe streets shots of something unusual....and what I don't want is someone thinking "Oh no! not another shot of the Eiffel Tower"

 

[excalibur2]

With the greatest respect, if you think like that why do you have a camera at all? Unless you're in the top 0.000000003% most talented photographers in the world everything you will ever shoot has already been done infinitely better than you ever could but why does that matter? I realise we all see these things differently but when I pick my camera up I want to record what I see, how I see it, and put that across to whoever may by chance see my images in a way that means something to me. It doesn't matter in the slightest that someone else may have taken the same shot before me and made a far better job of it, surely it's about a personal experience that has some significance to you?

For me it must be an age thing after taking shots for 55 years but on average get through a roll of film every two weeks so it must be of something? Well it's shots of what I like and quite a few of family, and if I posted many of them........ you would all be yawning

 

[freecom2]

I almost never post any digi stuff online (well, aside from Facebook, but that's for private consumption really). Even though most of them are just snaps, they are my snaps, my personal record of a trip. And I take enough of them and a varied number of them that a DSLR with a mid-range zoom works perfectly for it.

I'm leaning towards the Hasselblad for sure now - B&W/colour/slide in one camera and three backs.

 

[freecom2]

Missed these two replies, apologies.

Mamiya 6

thread/

I reckon if you can take a digi kit and be arsed to shoot it, there doesn't seem to be much point in taking a film kit..:shrug:

To my eyes, a Mamiya 6 has all the benefits and minuses of my Rolleiflex - quiet, relatively light, excellent lens of approximately the same focal length/aperture (I wouldn't bother with the other lenses), but no interchangeable backs, and again not useful for any landscapes. Also, the cost of a decent Mamiya 6 outfit these days... it doesn't equal the flexibility of having a blad/flex combination, IMO.

Just my tuppence...

Unless the main point of the Paris trip is photographic, I would travel relatively light and take just the digital kit (sacrilege here, I'm well aware!!! ) for the "usual" holiday snaps. However, if it's a photo break, I would take as flexible a kit as possible which probably means the Hassy with a few backs.

Having said that (re the digital kit), last time we went for an FFE (guesses on a postcard!), I took the full (D)SLR kit and used a 24-70 f/2.8 for well over 90% of the shots, so a similar range (or even a couple of primes - 75% [at a guess] were at the extremes!) might be enough.

On a recent holiday to Crete (which we've visited many times, so I have all the "usual" shots at DSLR quality [many many times over!]) I took a couple of compacts and a bridge and have to say I didn't miss the SLRs at all, especially the bulk and weight!

Whatever you take, hope you have a fantastic time and get all the shots you want.

I see your point, and of all the shots I will get, the vast majority will probably be digital. That's fine. I don't have a compact/bridge digital camera, and I don't really want to make that investment considering I'm pretty used to the weight now (and I carry the DSLR with an OpTech strap).

It's not a photographic trip, but at the same time I definitely know when it's too much (with other people)! Thanks for the kind words

 

[Andysnap]

I have been having the same dilemma over my trip to Canada. Sorted now though since the purchase of the Fuji GW690 which will fulfil the landscape side of things (and maybe some Toronto/Vancouver cityscapes), the D300 plus 300mm and 1.4x tc covers the wildlife and the Samsung EX1 clips on the belt for days when we go for a long walk and I can't carry to much kit.

At least thats the plan this week......:shrug:

 

[joxby]

but no interchangeable backs...

If it had backs it would kinda defeat the object or RF's

and again not useful for any landscapes.

If you don't take a wide its not useful for scapes, but you could say that about any camera...no widey no scapey
Not that you can't shoot a scape with a tele or anything..

Also, the cost of a decent Mamiya 6 outfit these days... it doesn't equal the flexibility of having a blad/flex combination, IMO.

Flexibility is not an RF forte, its all about travelling with minimum kit/weight and physical size, if you're ok with umpteen bags of kit....you can take anything and everything....

 

[excalibur2]

If you don't take a wide its not useful for scapes, but you could say that about any camera...no widey no scapey
Not that you can't shoot a scape with a tele or anything..

That's a bit old fashioned now as you can take some great panos using a non wide lens using programs like Photoshop for stitching. Instead of using a magnifying glass to see things in a 24mm shot it's much clearer seeing a pano with a 50mm lens, unfortunately the best panos need a lot of frames and those damn digital cameras have an advantage

 

[freecom2]

If it had backs it would kinda defeat the object or RF's

There's no particular reason why a rangefinder camera can't have interchangeable backs - and what is the 'object' of RFs after all? Some of the biggest cameras are RFs, so these things are not as clear cut as that.

Flexibility is not an RF forte, its all about travelling with minimum kit/weight and physical size, if you're ok with umpteen bags of kit....you can take anything and everything....

I am fully aware of the benefits of the Mamiya 6, but a basic 75mm/80mm set up would be:

Mamiya 6 body, 75mm lens, hood - or -
Hasselblad body, 80mm lens, hood, back, light meter

Additional backs add weight, but they aren't especially large, and as I said at the start of this thread their versatility justifies their additional weight. Hardly 'umpteen bags' now (if anything, it's the digi kit that comes with more stuff).

I'm deciding between two cameras I am familiar with and own.

 

[joxby]

If RF's have no bulk advantage and

I'm deciding between two cameras I am familiar with and own.

it hardly matters what you take, the difference between them is splitting hairs.

 

[cambsno]

Buy another rollei and have separate films in them!

 

[tikkathreebarrel]

Buy another rollei and have separate films in them!

+1 on what he said

I'm still intending to pack my little car "lite" to go to France and am intending a compact digi and an Oly OM body with 50mm and 100-200 lenses and a stash of film. Now you've got me thinking Mamiya 1000S 645, one lens, lightmeter and film. Possibly

 

[excalibur2]

+1 on what he said

I'm still intending to pack my little car "lite" to go to France and am intending a compact digi and an Oly OM body with 50mm and 100-200 lenses and a stash of film. Now you've got me thinking Mamiya 1000S 645, one lens, lightmeter and film. Possibly

Unless the digi is a Nex or similar with a good lens, you are going to be stuck for scenery shots with the OM, although you can do panos with 50mm that are impressive, the best ones are minimum of 9 frames (if you just shoot 3 frames it's going to be wide and narrow still nice though)....so have you a 24mm or 28mm lens and if you have a very good zoom 80-200mm that would save some space in your car.

 

[tikkathreebarrel]

Unless the digi is a Nex or similar with a good lens, you are going to be stuck for scenery shots with the OM, although you can do panos with 50mm that are impressive, the best ones are minimum of 9 frames (if you just shoot 3 frames it's going to be wide and narrow still nice though)....so have you a 24mm or 28mm lens and if you have a very good zoom 80-200mm that would save some space in your car.

Digi is Panasonic LX3 with Leica 24mm lens which will certainly take care of "over the windscreen" shots whilst en route and landscrapes when there. For that reason I was going to leave behind the 28mm Zuiko lens not because it takes up precious space, more for the avoidance of duplication and carry the 50mm 1.4 and the 100-200 f/5 trombone to cover the longer options - people candids and the like.
Once I get to the point of "take two OM bodies, one preloaded colour, the other b&w" I'm taking up as much space as a 645 body and if I factor in the lightmeter it's a simple step to the 645Pro with built-in metering and swap backs to preload colour and b&w. Battery charger, mustn't forget battery charger!

 

[excalibur2]

Digi is Panasonic LX3 with Leica 24mm lens which will certainly take care of "over the windscreen" shots whilst en route and landscrapes when there. For that reason I was going to leave behind the 28mm Zuiko lens not because it takes up precious space, more for the avoidance of duplication and carry the 50mm 1.4 and the 100-200 f/5 trombone to cover the longer options - people candids and the like.
Once I get to the point of "take two OM bodies, one preloaded colour, the other b&w" I'm taking up as much space as a 645 body and if I factor in the lightmeter it's a simple step to the 645Pro with built-in metering and swap backs to preload colour and b&w. Battery charger, mustn't forget battery charger!

Ah! VG digi......I was going to type reasons why you should leave the 35mm film camera behind, but got stuck on how to get by without your longer options i.e. your zoom :shrug: But if you are going to use flash, an advanced flashgun on your Om (assuming they are as good as Canon or Minolta) is going to be superior to a digi compact.
For me it's simple as I don't have a decent digi to use and pack all my film stuff in a backpack and don't care if it weighs 16lbs

 

[tikkathreebarrel]

Ah! VG digi......I was going to type reasons why you should leave the 35mm film camera behind, but got stuck on how to get by without your longer options i.e. your zoom :shrug: But if you are going to use flash, an advanced flashgun on your Om (assuming they are as good as Canon or Minolta) is going to be superior to a digi compact.
For me it's simple as I don't have a decent digi to use and pack all my film stuff in a backpack and don't care if it weighs 16lbs

:bonk:Only a few days now in which to completely change my mind.:bonk:

 

[Nod]

How will the final results be viewed and created? If they'll end up as prints, I would probably shoot just colour (probably slides since I've found trannies scan better than negs) as long as it'll be a scanning job - once the images are digitized, colours can be adjusted/removed to suit the mood! Even if this just saves the extra bulk of a single magazine, it could be removal of camel back breaking bulk/weight!

 

[excalibur2]

:bonk:Only a few days now in which to completely change my mind.:bonk:

erm..wear a jacket with big pockets the OM goes in one and the compact goes in the other, and you'll have room in your car for the 645

 

[tikkathreebarrel]

erm..wear a jacket with big pockets the OM goes in one and the compact goes in the other, and you'll have room in your car for the 645

No room in the car for a big jacket hahahahaha.

Hey, my apologies for thread hijacking