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Ideal MFD travel kit

Pradeep

Member
I probably do not belong on this thread, but Satybhat's post resonates with me.

Years ago, before the kids had flown from the nest, I too had similar problems. My family would walk a little distance behind me, saying 'we're not with him' to any passerby. Those days I had the tripod and my Canon 60D along with a few lenses all in belt pouches or in a backpack. DSLRs were rare (this was 2002 after all) as were large cameras in general. The 6MPx camera was my new toy and the new love of my life. I couldn't get enough of it and it went everywhere with me.

Later when my wife and I went alone she would still complain "you look ridiculous with that big lens on (it was just a 70-200 f4), look around, is there anybody else lugging a big camera?"

Over the years, she has graduated from being super conscious of my bumbling around with a big camera to actually helping me carry some of my gear. The kids are now much older and actually quite supportive of what I do. I suppose a lot of it has to do with the fact that they now see me as a serious photographer and not just somebody with a new fancy toy. My wife will now point out great angles or opportunities (she has a good eye) when I am photographing something.

The best part is when my kids ask for my prints to decorate their new apartment and when my wife says can you give a copy of your book to so and so?

The journey has been long and quite arduous, but getting here from there has been well worth it and tremendous fun to boot.

Pradeep
 

richardman

Well-known member
Sounds like an excuse to BUY MORE GEARS - not that there's anything wrong with that. But to answer your questions:
1) Do not mix photo trips and family trips. Many people have said that. Just don't.
2) If you have the money to consider the Leica, why even consider the Pentax? If you need to watch your budget, sure, but if the Leica is within your budget, even if you have to stretch, then just buy it and be done with it. Otherwise, it's always going to be - damned, I wish have that XYZ
 

chrismuc

Member
I sometimes take my Contax 645 with three lenses (for example 35/55/140) as a travel kit. The camera (w/ prism viewfinder, w/o battery grip) with the 35 fits into a belt bag, the 55 and the 140 (one on top of the other) into a pouch which I originally purchased for a Canon 70-200f4 lens. So the whole setup is not much bulkier and heavier than a 5D cam with battery grip and three lenses. Same could do with Hasselblad H, Pentax 645, Mamiya/Phase 645, Leica S.
 

jerome_m

Member
I don't understand why you would consider the Pentax since you already have the 645 DF. The two cameras are about the same size and weight.
 

jerome_m

Member
Not you, Chrismuc. The original poster, satybhat, said in his first message that he has a 645 DF and is considering a Pentax 645z. I don't understand why the Pentax would be more "family friendly" than the DF.
 

satybhat

Member
Not you, Chrismuc. The original poster, satybhat, said in his first message that he has a 645 DF and is considering a Pentax 645z. I don't understand why the Pentax would be more "family friendly" than the DF.
Because the available light shooting would avoid tripod requirement, available wide angle zoom (less costly than the 40-80 Phase), amazing weather sealing..

I'm just not a fan of the 645DF+. Seriously, I think Phase should have put all that research into a better body, before all the zooms.
 

jerome_m

Member
Because the available light shooting would avoid tripod requirement, available wide angle zoom (less costly than the 40-80 Phase), amazing weather sealing..

I'm just not a fan of the 645DF+. Seriously, I think Phase should have put all that research into a better body, before all the zooms.
I understand better.

What I would do, however, is to get the 28mm (or 35mm) for the DF and get a monopod (actually, I am doing just that, but with Hasselblad stuff...). It would still be quite compact, the monopod is much faster than a tripod and sufficient in many cases when travelling and with the huge amount of pixels of your IQ180, you could crop a bit to zoom and still end up with more pixels than on the Pentax (or Leica S).

But if you don't like the DF camera at all, I understand that using it may not be an option.

Of course, you could simply wait till Sony issues a stabilised A7r and use that with the impressive 35mm 2.8.
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
So my mostly uneducated opinion is that ANY MF is going to provide much better IQ than any small sensor. That being said I think it's all about finding a balance between size, ease to pack, and quick AF.

I think for a travel camera for a discerning IQ will always be important but also thing about a camera you can hand to someone and they can use well enough to get a picture that's in focus when it's not opportune to setup a tripod. For this I'd recommend something like a pro body Canon, Nikon, Sony, or a Micro 4/3 camera. They all have lenses that are "good enough," bodies small enough, and autofocus. In a perfect world I'd recommend a Leica M because they are just amazing photographic instruments if 35mm is large enough for you but I've had enough experience to know you have to zone focus any shot you want to be in focus if you ask a stranger to take your picture.

I say all of this because it will be more important to your family to actually be engaged with them, in the moment, and in the pictures than what camera you took them with or even IQ. Sometimes it really is the little things.
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
So my mostly uneducated opinion is that ANY MF is going to provide much better IQ than any small sensor. That being said I think it's all about finding a balance between size, ease to pack, and quick AF.
.
I would agree, so long as you are prepared to shoot either in good light or off a tripod / monopod. If you want to wander around and shoot handheld then I'll wager that most of the image quality benefits of the MF platform melt away once you've had to compromise with sharpness.

Now if I had to choose the smallest MFD travel system though it would be an Alpa STC & 40HR with my IQ150. Surprisingly small, light and agile but I'd also have a tripod with me.

Personally I'd go with the small Leica M outfit or equivalent. I do many trips only with my Sony Rx1r.
 
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Ken_R

New member
Take the Alpa, leave the wife and kids at home...

You gotta a have priorities, man.

A Pentax 645Z with the FA 45-85mm zoom. Or if you prefer primes, the 645Z with the A 35mm, DFA 55mm, and FA 120mm Macro or FA 150mm. I think a Leica S system would be great too. I believe there is a nice wide to short tele zoom. Personally, I would probably be happy with your IQ280 on an Alpa TC and a 40mm lens--zone focus and be happy.

I travel with my 645D and three or four lenses plus a Sony RX-1. I find that a great combination. Maybe the IQ280, Alpa TC, a simple compact wide and then something like an a7 with a good zoom would be good to travel with.
I agree.

I have traveled with just the 40mm HR-W / IQ160 / Arca Rm3Di and made some really nice images. No need to carry much more than that if your trip is shared with family and it's not exclusively about photography.

It's about the experience. If things get in the way get rid of them.
 

Chris Giles

New member
The 645z with a 75mm lens is a wonderful thing.
But the Leica S is gorgeous too. I'd end up with the z though for one reason, which is ISO performance.

I'm in Mexico right now with the DP series from Sigma and wish I'd just brought the z now. ISO 100 is more limiting than I thought.
 

algrove

Well-known member
I was pondering similar choices of late.

Don't have an Alpha, but sold my P45+ and associated goodies will sell soon. Got the 645Z for the sale price of the P45+. Easy trade off to me.
I shoot with an S (006) friend and I just cannot see it as desirable since it is pretty much old technology for a very high price when compared to the 645Z.

I have Canon gear and decided I would even sell that and opt for the large photo site 51MP 645Z instead of getting the 50MP due out soon. Now this 645Z is a modern camera and should take me many years before I feel the need for another system. (I am keeping my digital M's for discrete street work). Just think you can set the optimal f stop for the MTF graph if you want or option for greatest DOF if wanted.

Wow! Is all I can say. I find the 55/2.8 a terrific walk around and/or tripod lens. It is water resistant and well sealed. The 90/2.8 macro is also another weather sealed fantastic lens. Wide-I got the last 25mm in the US I guess, but many like the 35 very much. I feel the 28-45 is not the best for travel. but being a new lens with weather sealing and shake reduction (Like the 90) it offers a possible one lens setup with 22-35 equivalent FL.

Guess this sounds biased, but I could not be happier with this system.
 

Paratom

Well-known member
IMO and experience I believe even shot handheld MF gives better IQ than FF/35mm sensor cameras.
I see it all the time when I look at images I took with the Leica S vs images I tok with the 5dIII (which I dont own anymore) or the A7II or the Leica M. These cams all produce good IQ but I feel the S images are one clear step ahead.
Tonal transition, color, bokeh. IMO the difference between the lowest resolution digital MF back and 35mm is clearer than the differences between the various MF options.

Regarding the S being old technology...maybe the sensor is not the latest and greatest, on the other side its not bad at all and the lens selection is impressive. And the body is very ergonomic. I think the best thing is to handle and check out the various systems since user interface is a very personal thing.
 
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algrove

Well-known member
The S lenses are excellent and that is important, but at what cost. For a travel camera one does not need an S. Then there is the pricing which is way overboard IMHO. I bought my entire 645Z setup with 8 lenses for less than cost of the S body alone.

I was using one of those lenses today and its results are fantastic even at 100% on the LCD. Then there is the 37 to 51 MP difference. From 37 up to 51 that is a 37% increase in pixels!
 
if you want a Leica S , buy it. My S2P works for me as a daytime and tripod travel camera. I usually travel with the contax adapter and the 55 mm. lens. It is a nice and light for MFD walk around setup.
 

thrice

Active member
If you're with your family taking photos, you are not up at 6am or out on location at sunset when truly frameable pictures would be taken. For your holiday snaps stick with your Leica M.

Keep your Alpa and when on holiday get up before your family and go take a shot at a good location during sunrise/sunset and return to the family for the daylight activities with your M.

I am lucky in that my girlfriend (who has no interest in photography) likes to hike pre-sunrise and stay out til sunset in some inhospitable locations. She does get a little impatient as well though :p
 

Paratom

Well-known member
The S lenses are excellent and that is important, but at what cost. For a travel camera one does not need an S. Then there is the pricing which is way overboard IMHO. I bought my entire 645Z setup with 8 lenses for less than cost of the S body alone.

I was using one of those lenses today and its results are fantastic even at 100% on the LCD. Then there is the 37 to 51 MP difference. From 37 up to 51 that is a 37% increase in pixels!
No question the Pentax-body comes at a lower price. In regards of lenses its mixed. The new wide angle from Pentax is very expensive as well, and the 90 which seems one of the best Pentax lenses isnt cheap either. Some report to be very happy with Pentax lenses, other report they have to stop down to get good results with some focal lengths.
I love the fact that the S-lenses have focus info on the chip so one doesnt have to dial in focus-fine-adjustment into the camera.
The Pentax has the advantage of higher ISO and some more MP (if you need them). The User interface is very different. I also find the S looking more like a traditional SLR to probably catch less attention/prefer the form factor.
I think both are great systems.
 
M

mjr

Guest
Morning

I travel a lot, mainly crap places but always interesting places, even when I'm travelling with people who aren't photographers. For me, being somewhere different is exciting and I always want the best pictures I can get, being away for me doesn't mean that I want less from the shots.

For me the Leica S is simply the best camera I have ever used, personal and commercial work has taken on a new depth and I am just disappointed with my other cameras. Travel now is just the S 006 and the 70mm, I can do everything I want with that and even handheld in low light, the results always blow me away. The size isn't an issue when looking at the results.

I will say that looking at retail prices is a little off putting but since the announcement of the 007, 006 bodies can be bought at a good price, my ex demo S with just over 1k shots on it was not a huge amount more than the Z and having used both, the Z is an entirely different camera, the files are different, the handling different and for what I do, the extra megapixels are not worth the switch.

Looking at all the shots I took with the D800/E they are different, because there is so much latitude in the shadows, I tended to push them a lot, not because it helped produce better pictures but because I could, looking back a lot of them have lots of detail but they are flat, the S files I actually embrace the shadows and end up with far richer, deeper files that are beautiful to me. Obviously we all like different things.

If you are interested in the S it's worth trying it out, it is extremely simple, beautiful to hold, the viewfinder is amazing and the lenses are superb no matter how you shoot them. I love using manual focus and compared with 35mm cameras the ease of focussing is a revelation.

I have run a couple of landscape workshops with Z owners this winter, both Z's struggled with the cold, both lost use of the top screen, not that that affected the output but still compared with the S it put me off.

Only you can know what is right for you but I hope you find something that fits you as well as the S does for me, I have hundreds of shots taken up at ISO 800 and they stand up against every other camera I have owned.

Good luck with finding the right tool, it's amazing when you get it just right!

Have a good Sunday.

Mat
 

algrove

Well-known member
No question the Pentax-body comes at a lower price. In regards of lenses its mixed. The new wide angle from Pentax is very expensive as well, and the 90 which seems one of the best Pentax lenses isnt cheap either. Some report to be very happy with Pentax lenses, other report they have to stop down to get good results with some focal lengths.
I love the fact that the S-lenses have focus info on the chip so one doesnt have to dial in focus-fine-adjustment into the camera.
The Pentax has the advantage of higher ISO and some more MP (if you need them). The User interface is very different. I also find the S looking more like a traditional SLR to probably catch less attention/prefer the form factor.
I think both are great systems.
Have you ever used a 645Z? I have used an S 006. The S tired my hand much worse than I would have thought from a DSLR like camera . The S with its 37MP is now hardly MF in MP against the Nikon and Sonys at 36MP, albeit in a smaller format (which is why we prefer MF anyway). Since I often crop having any extra MP goes a long way toward the end result. Like on many counts Leica is behind the technology power curve, but ahead of the pricing curve. Believe me I know since I have owned until recently around 70 M and R lenses and still own many M lenses and M bodies.

Now, let's compare pricing since you say the Pentax 25 is expensive at $5000. Well, the comparable Leica 24 is priced at $9250! The 75/2.8 Pentax I got for $600 (even though I prefer the Pentax 55/2.8 with weather sealing) and the Leica 70/2.5 is priced at $5000. The Pentax 90/2.8 macro, weather sealed with shake reduction, is $4500 and the Leica 100/2.0 although not a macro and f2.0 is $8000 whereas the 120/2.5 macro is $7250.

The 30-90 Leica is $11,750 and is a nice lens since I have used it. I have the 28-45 Pentax at $5k which is weather sealed with shake reduction and I have used it hand held with stellar results.

Hey, we each have our preferences, but dollar for dollar, the Pentax is the way to go especially since it is at the cutting edge of MF technology for a while and is giving Pjase and Hasselblad a run for their money what with using the same sensor and getting more from it than those other two.

On Lula just read carefully Micael Reichmann's essay on using the 645Z. He makes extremely compelling arguments backed up with his facts, findings and 30+ years of user experience with every camera you could buy in that 30 year span of time..
 
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