Medium format travel photography.

[OliverM]

Jardin du Luxembourg, saturday morning, Contax 120mm

 

[OliverM]

That's all, enjoy your trip !

 

[Bill Caulfeild-Browne]

I'm travelling in the Canadian Rockies presently and although I've rented an SUV, I hike a lot so the size/weight of my kit is important.

I have a fairly small (quite a bit smaller than airline carry-on size) Lowepro that has literally been all around the world with me (and to both top and bottom!). It holds the DF with the 150 mm fitted, the 45, 55 and 80 mm lenses. The side pockets carry a few filters and a cable release, the front pocket has 6 batteries and several CF cards.

My Gitzo and Cube go into a duffel bag with my clothing wrapped around them, along with my battery charger. And that's it.

I do have both a 28 mm and 300 mm but I rarely use them and only carry them if a specific trip seems to call for them.

Interestingly, on this trip through the mountains I've only used the 45 once, the 35 most and the 80 and 150 about equally.

Bill

 

[GrahamWelland]

Hey Bill,

Just curious but what does your travel kit weigh? I have a big trip in 2014 with a 20kg max limit (for everything!)

Graham

I'm travelling in the Canadian Rockies presently and although I've rented an SUV, I hike a lot so the size/weight of my kit is important.

I have a fairly small (quite a bit smaller than airline carry-on size) Lowepro that has literally been all around the world with me (and to both top and bottom!). It holds the DF with the 150 mm fitted, the 45, 55 and 80 mm lenses. The side pockets carry a few filters and a cable release, the front pocket has 6 batteries and several CF cards.

My Gitzo and Cube go into a duffel bag with my clothing wrapped around them, along with my battery charger. And that's it.

I do have both a 28 mm and 300 mm but I rarely use them and only carry them if a specific trip seems to call for them.

Interestingly, on this trip through the mountains I've only used the 45 once, the 35 most and the 80 and 150 about equally.

Bill

 

[Bill Caulfeild-Browne]

Graham, I can't remember offhand but I know it's comfortably less than the airlines' 10 kg (22 lbs) limit for cabin baggage. I'll weigh it and send a pic when I get home on Sunday. My best guess is about 10-12 lbs which is quite portable as a backpack.
Cheers,
Bill

 

[GrahamWelland]

That's great news. I'm off to Antartica in 2014 and I've been torn over planning what to take. It may be be just a few sets of my ExOfficio underwear (superb btw!) to the chagrin of my cabin mate. I really, really want to go MF vs the easy DSLR Nikon option. More camera gear, less clean undies :ROTFL:

 

[GMB]

That's great news. I'm off to Antartica in 2014 and I've been torn over planning what to take. It may be be just a few sets of my ExOfficio underwear (superb btw!) to the chagrin of my cabin mate. I really, really want to go MF vs the easy DSLR Nikon option. More camera gear, less clean undies :ROTFL:

A Leica S, with the 30-90 zoom (if it delivers as well as I think it will) should cover a large portion of your shooting. There is the 24, if you want to go realy wide. On the long side, you can add either the 180 or a Hassy 300 with the adapter. A weather sealed 3 lens kit. That's what I would take on a trip like this. (Plus a mono pod in addition to the tripod.)

 

[Bryan Stephens]

Hmm, we'll we both know Amr so that's dangerous advice because I've seen how much he CAN ship and carry! :bugeyes:

As a fellow gear slut with poor packing selection skills I'd actually take just a small M outfit. I think you'll get more out of the shooting experience particularly within the city. The M9 and/or mono with maybe 50 APO and perhaps something wider like a 28mm or 35mm on the other body would work well. The new small Cambo with your P45+ or IQ with sensor plus and maybe a single light lens like a 43 or 47 would also work if you get it in time. (As you know, I'd take my TC/47 & P25+ for a trip like this).

As said though, as a fellow "enabler" I'm probably not a good role model :ROTFL:

I take it Amr is not bringing his gear sherpa on the trip....

 

[Stan ROX]

Guys,

This thread is awesome! I'll travel to Paris next week for the 3rd time this year - all your tipps are very welcome.

Will take my H4D for the girls and just my D600 + 50 mm for the city.

Regarding the tripod: had my Gitzo with the H4D @ Trocadero at night (you know ... ) - lots of Gendarmerie, but no problems - although in darkness this combination (incl. The 50-110 mm Zoom) looks like a mobile rocket launcher ...

Can't wait ... :-D

 

[Paratom]

I have been to Paris only 3 times but Paris for me menas:
-a lot of walking
-shooting during day but also a lot during night
-catching the moment, the people, the scene is the point

Thats why I would bring the MM with some lenses (probably more on the wider side...21,35,75)...and probably would leave my S2 at home.
If I planned to print big big it would be the S2 with 35 (24 or 30 would be even better but I dont own one of those) and 70 and the MM with 35mm.

I dont you dont need color in November in Paris

 

[Godfrey]

My name is Amr and I am a Gear-a-holic.:bugeyes:

I am going to Paris for thanksgiving and , as always, the question of what gear to take comes up. this trip, I am planning to take all medium format gear and leica M9 and monochrome.
I am curious to know what the medium format shooters take with them in personal trips. For those who are Paris aficionado, any tips, tricks, or secret places to shoot; places outside the icons.
I searched the internet and I got mixed messages regarding the use of tripod in public/outside, so, please share your personal experience.

Posting your favorite paris photos is a bonus for all of us.

My medium format gear is all film, so my travel kit now would include the M9 with 35, 50 and 90 mm lenses and most likely one of the Voigtländers. Or just the Bessa III ... And the iPhone.

Paris .. With a Minox about 15 years ago ...

​

Sometimes it is best to carry as little as possible and spend your time looking, making photographs as you see them happen, rather than carrying gear and debating what to use.

Enjoy.

 

[aeaemd]

I started that thread before my paris trip and it was extremely helpful. NOw, I am considering sweden.
Any tips, advice, pictures to share?!!

Amr

 

[gogopix]

Amr

I am glad to see this thread rejuvenated. I can't help with Sweden (I've traveled on business, but not with GEAR

I do a lot of France and Italy, and will be going to the Dolomites trekking in June and am debating MF vs RF.

I have travelled with everything from a Kodak back thru every Phase back (except the iq180. also S2 3 times and M8, M9, M9-P, R9/DMR

and lenses! I took 5 lenses with the DMR and nearly killed myself climbing up and down 3,000 feet in Corsica, and took the P65+ with Contax AND Alpa TC to Wales Snodonia.

Then about a year ago I sold off Almost everything (close to 100 lenses and 8 cameras. )

Now down to well, almost....0.. .a few long Leicas and some M's..and my wife's R4 and Digilux-2

So I am rebuilding from dust collectors to usable gear. The question for the Dolomites is:

M9 and a few lenses (28, 50, 135 maybe even the 15 and 12mm Voightlanders) . Yes the M9 is magical!
Or
the Contax 645 and P65+ (yes, I went back to THAT :wtf: and 45, 80 and 140mm)

Which one for the Trek? At 70 YOA I can still carry 30lbs, but I really don't want to

I have P65+ images from Mt Blanc that are irreplaceable. The M9 just wouldn't do it even with panos.
BUT you miss a lot of street shots, and we will be in Verona a while.

No, I won't take both

From your experience, which will I regret NOT having :shocked:

Regards
Victor

 

[Shashin]

So, what lenses do use the most with each camera? Take both bodies and just one or two lenses for each. I can do 95% of my work with one lens and 99% with two. As for a wide, stitching is the best "wide in the bag and it does not take up any space. And the great thing with two cameras, if you drop one, you still have another.

 

[aeaemd]

I tend to take alot of gear with me.
The Cambo RS with 23 Rodi became my "point and shoot" . Cambo is light and very east to use and the 23 is amazing. I love night photography and long exposures, so 45+, achromatic plus are my main night backs. Credo 80 full spectrum is my day time back for infra red and visible.
I also take the D800 e with Zeiss 15 mm and 24/70, good for street photography and indoors where you can't use tripod.
I have to admit that I take my fav camera which is the techno as well, but, it is not great night cam.

I am going to stockholm for 4 days and started reading about it. It is very hard to get a feel about gong around town. I don't use public transportation a lot and don't know how the taxi situation there Or may be I need to rent a car. All questions you can't find in a book, I need inside info

 

[Geoff]

2 wkk trip to Europe. Thinking about taking an RX1 and a Techno with MFDB. Peculiar, yes, but lighter than MF camera and lenses. Might get some shots, both fast and slow shooting. Would take a 55, 90 and a 150 for the view camera, with a stitching back.

 

[Mammy645]

@aeaemd

You can easily walk around Stockholm, no problem. And if you get tired the subway is very convenient and safe. If you have any other questions feel free to ask, I lived there for many years.

 

[malmac]

I have been interested to benefit from the opinions of those who have travelled a lot. Next week we head off to UK and Europe for 7 weeks. 645DF with 55mm and 150mm lenses and canon 5D2 with the 24-105 zoom as the low light, general snapshot unit.

Really still too heavy and I wish I had something smaller than the 5D but that is how it is.

Thanks to all who have contributed their wisdom to this thread.


Mal

 

[vjbelle]

Will be going to Prague, Croatia and Venice in the Fall and taking my STC with 35, 60, 100, and 150. Total weight with Guru bag is under 15 lbs. Not too bad. I thought about also taking my 800e but that adds another 5 lbs with two lenses and would be very slightly used (I rarely do street shooting).

Victor

 

[Godfrey]

My medium format kit is film rather than digital.
I prefer to travel as light as possible.
If I carry MF on travel:

Hasselblad SWC
2x A12 backs
Orange and Green filters
10x assorted rolls of film
Meter
Light tripod
Cable release
Plus Leica X2 (or Ricoh GXR-M with 40/90 lenses) plus batts, charger.

That all fits in a single modest bag and weighs about six lbs, except the tripod.