35mm or 645 for travel to Spain

[Arcadia4]

Yes same in church of england. cathedral has a bishop and is head of the diocese. Churches belong to the diocese.

So in business terms the cathedral is the regional head office.

 

[Alex Benjamin]

whats the difference between a Cathedral, Church, or Basilica?

What Brian said. They're all churches. After that, it's a question of difference in status and function, which often brings about differences in size.

The Seville Cathedral (Catedral de Santa María de la Sede) is extraordinary and spectacular, and holds the tomb of Christopher Columbus, amongst other things.

 

[Pieter12]

Consider if you are taking a MF camera along, that you will most probably need a reasonably shady place to load the camera along the way. Another impediment to going with a group of non-photographers on a trip.

 

[GregY]

Consider if you are taking a MF camera along, that you will most probably need a reasonably shady place to load the camera along the way. Another impediment to going with a group of non-photographers on a trip.

Not really any more of an issue than w 35mm....
To steer the conversation away from the churches/cathedrals somewhat.... regardless of format i'd be inclined to take a wide angle lens as #1.....given the large and spectacular architectural delights in Spain

 

[Pieter12]

Not really any more of an issue than w 35mm....
To steer the conversation away from the churches/cathedrals somewhat.... regardless of format i'd be inclined to take a wide angle lens as #1.....given the large and spectacular architectural delights in Spain

You need to change film every 10-16 shots, vs 36. Most MF cameras require a change in spools, too. That's a difference. Although you do need to remind the film, 35 is much faster to load, can easily be done on the run (or walking, as it may be) no need for shade.

 

[BrianShaw]

Which camera to bring is so very personal and dependent upon photographic vision; all of the suggestions seem to have some merit, to someone. Great comments on alternatives and implications that should help drive a decision!

My "old world" travels were mostly in England - not Europe - and at first I enjoyed photographing landscapes, cityscapes, and buildings with normal lens using a Rollei TLR. Only occassionally craved a wider angle lens. The I transitioned to 35mm SLR with longer focus, 85mm, lens and found that my photogrphs were much more impactful. Definitiely not postcard-style images. For interiors of public/church buildings and broad landscape panoramas I was always stymied and just stopped even trying to capture the grandeur. Memories are sometimes just as good as a picture. And sometimes a postcard/poster is as good as a picture.

 

[GregY]

You need to change film every 10-12 shots, vs 36. Most MF cameras require a change in spools, too. That's a difference. Although you do need to remind the film, 35 is much faster to load, can easily be done on the run (or walking, as it may be) no need for shade.

Pieter i always shade my camera with my body.... & i don't think changing film on the run will be an issue for the OP...since he's not a photojournalist.
I admit it's my bias...but i really like the tonality from MF ....I guess it's up to the OP what kind of prints he's looking for and what compromises he's willing to accept to get them. I have a soft spot for my Rolleiflex...as it's pretty small and always delivers the goods.

 

[faberryman]

Would the answer to the OP's question (35mm vs. 645) be any different if he were traveling to a country other than Spain?

 

[Eric Rose]

It all depends on what you are going to do with the images. Big prints, take MF, if not 35mm.

 

[Pieter12]

Pieter i always shade my camera with my body.... & i don't think changing film on the run will be an issue for the OP...since he's not a photojournalist.
I admit it's my bias...but i really like the tonality from MF ....I guess it's up to the OP what kind of prints he's looking for and what compromises he's willing to accept to get them. I have a soft spot for my Rolleiflex...as it's pretty small and always delivers the goods.

It is more about being in a group and slowing everyone down, how much they tolerate it. I am not familiar with the MF cameras he is considering, but some can be more demanding to change film, all requiring sealing the roll, opening a foil package, swapping out spools--it's just a bit easier when you can sit somewhere in the shade.

 

[GregY]

It is more about being in a group and slowing everyone down, how much they tolerate it. I am not familiar with the MF cameras he is considering, but some can be more demanding to change film, all requiring sealing the roll, opening a foil package, swapping out spools--it's just a bit easier when you can sit somewhere in the shade.

Agreed..... but I'm sure the OP can adjust one's timing to the flow of his father & his wife....

 

[Alex Benjamin]

Would the answer to the OP's question (35mm vs. 645) be any different if he were traveling to a country other than Spain?

To me it's not as much where as what kind of trip. If they were only doing the major cities, I would have said bring only the 35mm. Only the countryside, just the medium format. But they are doing both. I regretted not having my medium format when I did the trip between Grenada and Sevilla. Vistas in the sierras are deep, not colorful but filled with details, with photos needing big enough enlargements to show them. 35mm just wasn't up to the task. On the other hand, the 35mm was quite handy in the streets of Sevilla and Grenada.

Should I do the same trip today, I'd bring a medium format with at least two lenses and carry something simple like the Canon QL17 GIII for street. I came back from that trip with too little images of the countryside. But then, we spent more than half our time there. If OP is spending most of his time in the city, the 35mm is probably more practical.

 

[Craig]

As was said above, I think the end use will determine what camera to take. Are the photographs going to go in an album and serve as memories of the trip? Are they "I was there" sort of photos that will bring back memories of traveling with your family? Then I would go with small and light camera equipment.

If on the other hand, you are going to want to make "fine art" sort of enlargements to hang on your wall, then I would go with MF.

The main question to answer is: Is this a photo trip, or is it a trip on which I happen to take some photos? When I'm traveling and it's a vacation, not a photo expedition I think it's important to not become a pack mule for your cameras. If the goal is to enjoy your vacation and occasionally take some photos, go lightweight.

 

[Pieter12]

The main question to answer is: Is this a photo trip, or is it a trip on which I happen to take some photos?

So true. If at all possible, you might just want to take in the trip and go back later for a dedicated photo journey. Shooting candids in the cities and towns with a small camera can be rewarding, too, if that's something you enjoy.

 

[abruzzi]

Agreed..... but I'm sure the OP can adjust one's timing to the flow of his father & his wife....

fortunately, they are more amenable to delays. The Bronica would allow me to have several back which could be used to allow me to time my roll change to when they are less likely to delay the others.

Unfortuately, most of the time will be spent in cities, however we'll spend a few days in the Tabernas desert to investigate the shooting locations of some of the spaghetti westerns. The time in Arcos de la Frontera will also have some time in several parks in the area.

@Craig -- my photos always try to be interesting composition and good photos in their own right of course I don't always achieve that. But I don't do the usual vacation photo things like "post in front of xxx" or use the photos as memories. This isn't a "photo trip" but snapshots are kind of alien to me, so it will always try to be good photos. Here is my favorite photo from the Russia trip. Shot with the MZ-S on Fuji 400H in a very narrow window of a minute or two when the last sunlight caught the gold crosses on top of St. Basil's. I wish that the photo had more resolution:

 

[grain elevator]

The little considerations I can contribute: don't expect to get a lot of photos inside buildings, interiors are often too dark to work without tripod, which they often don't allow and which would slow you down anyway. If interiors are important, consider one of the 3200 films.
As it sounds like architecture is your main interest, depending on your style of shooting I'd consider which system has a wide angle or whatever lens you like to use with low distortion. Unfortunately that might be a minus for the zooms under consideration, which are otherwise very practical.
If you do make the trip to Morocco, I strongly recommend Fes. Chefchauen is also great, and Tetouan is easy to reach and less touristy. I haven't been to Tangier. Most important phrase you'll need is "la, shukran" (no, thank you) as you will get many, many offers for goods and services.
Andalusia is wonderful. I miss the tapas culture. To order a small beer, say "una caña, por favor", a slightly larger one is "un tubo".

 

[abruzzi]

The little considerations I can contribute: don't expect to get a lot of photos inside buildings, interiors are often too dark to work without tripod, which they often don't allow and which would slow you down anyway. If interiors are important, consider one of the 3200 films.
As it sounds like architecture is your main interest, depending on your style of shooting I'd consider which system has a wide angle or whatever lens you like to use with low distortion. Unfortunately that might be a minus for the zooms under consideration, which are otherwise very practical.
If you do make the trip to Morocco, I strongly recommend Fes. Chefchauen is also great, and Tetouan is easy to reach and less touristy. I haven't been to Tangier. Most important phrase you'll need is "la, shukran" (no, thank you) as you will get many, many offers for goods and services.
Andalusia is wonderful. I miss the tapas culture. To order a small beer, say "una caña, por favor", a slightly larger one is "un tubo".

while I think Morroco is off the list, my father's wife is fairly fluent in arabic. I have lived in New Mexico for 20 years, and somehow, very little spanish has rubbed off on me. (my french is better.)

 

[MattKing]

One of the most spectacular photographic opportunities for me, so long ago, was the Valle de los Caídos. However, when I was there, Franco had died just a few years earlier, and the country was in the midst of many changes. The current experience may be very different.
Toledo was wonderful. Seville was wonderful, parts of Barcelona were wonderful. The route up to Santander was wonderful.
Madrid was both wonderful and ordinary, depending on where you were.
But it was a long time ago - 1979.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Basílica de la Sagrada Família, as of a dozen years ago.

History of the Temple - Sagrada Família - Sagrada Familia

The Sagrada Família history. Discover the history of the temple of the Sagrada Família and its construction, which began in 1882.

sagradafamilia.org

Thank you. That is very helpful.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Fast film is a liability. You likely need to get in and out of museums with scanners where there is no time to educate the dumb and the deaf.
And if you are forced to put it through in the airport, slow film is much less affected.
Plus you get better results with 135.

Use a table tripod pressed against a wall or on any surface. Or just rest your hand on a hard surface.

I have never had a problem with ISO 400 and ISO 800 films flying to Europe, Australia or New Zealand.

 

[koraks]

If you do make the trip to Morocco, I strongly recommend Fes.

Ah, Fes. The medina, with its maze of alleys, a small group of boys on every corner. "Sorry sir, is closed," whenever you take a turn. Slow your pace just a fraction of a second, and they'll add "for 10 dirham, I show you the way". Of course, the alley isn't always closed. Just about half the time, it actually is
It's a place where you learn to say "no", decidedly, very quickly. Or you come home with loads of stuff and no money.

I have never had a problem with ISO 400 and ISO 800 films flying to Europe, Australia or New Zealand.

That was before the days of CT scanners. But let's not foul this thread with another debate on this; a link has already been posted to it.

 

[GregY]

I have never had a problem with ISO 400 and ISO 800 films flying to Europe, Australia or New Zealand.

Steve, Have you flown in post Covid times...since the introduction of the new scanners? Depending on where you fly out of in the USA...you may get out with your film in tact. Coming back may be another story.....thus the recent long thread about airports & scanners....

 

[abruzzi]

I have no concern getting out since in the USA the TSA explicitly allows hand checks of carry on, its really the return I worry about. Since we'll spent a couple days in Madrid at the end of the trip, getting rolls developed before leaving is one option I'm considering--if I can find a place that will develop in a day, but that still puts any unused rolls in jeapordy, so I am consdering posting all the film back on the last day. Day to day most of the film will remain in my room, only whats loaded in the camera(s) and a few rolls to swap out when complete. Russia had small xray scanners everywhere--subway, museums, concert halls, Lenin's masoleum, etc. and they didn't seem to cause issues. (when the russian guard saw my Retina IIIC he asked me to put it away--no photos--then gave me a thumbs up and said "old school")

 

[Helge]

I never, or very seldom, take pictures in a museum. I go there to contemplate the artworks—to take my time doing so—and rarely think of photography. If there is a painting that impresses me and that I'll want to see again, I know I can either find it later in a book or on the web. Bonus is that in each case there isn't someone standing in front of me hindering my contemplation, or next to me hurrying me to move to the next painting.

As I said, the nightlife in Spain is worth seeing—you don't have much choice if you want to eat, in some places, nothing opens before 9:00 or 9:30pm except for uninteresting touristy stuff—and photographing. Moreover, churches and cathedrals are dark, and there also, a fast film is necessary.

I know fast film is more sensitive to scanners than slow film, but I have yet to year stories about 400 or 800 film being ruined by them. And, as the other thread mentioned here shows, hand inspection is a possibility in many places.

Given the little room you have with carry-ons and luggage on the plane, I'd rather take less lenses and more film than the opposite.

Museums are often architecture in and of themselves. And some of them have great views of the city.
If you go into a lot museums you are not going home to put your camera away first.
A few museums will understand. Others will doggedly insist on having everything scanned. And quick.
Scanning damage is accumulative. The more you scan the greater the damage.

Evening photos are not possible without a tripod on 400 film. You have to push. Once you do that, it’s likely toast if you are forced into scanning.
So you might as well bring a pocket/table tripod and just use slow film. And/or use a small direct flash for outside stuff with a relatively bright background.

 

[BradS]

It has been a while since I've been to Madrid but the last time I was there, I made the egregious error of asking the agent at the security check point for a physical check of my film. I had it all out of the boxes in a clear plastic ziplock bag, asked very politely in proper Spanish (but maybe the wrong dialect) and I got an angry and threatening ten minute ass-chewing from an uniformed officer - who acted as as if I had suggested that I was carrying explosives in my carry-on bag... and after all of that, the film went through the machine anyway (without any damage, even the Delta 3200). Never again will I ask for a physical inspection of my film at the airport in Madrid !!!... but things may have changed.

My standard travel kit is: Nikon F3 and Nikon F2 (or two Nikon F2) and 24/28mm and 50mm lenses. Sometimes, rarely, I'll also bring along some longer options like the 105mm, 180mm, 200mm. When traveling, it is important to me to have two bodies that can share lenses.