Camera for vacation?

Markok765 · Feb 22, 2009

I'm going on vacation in the summer, and I'm considering what camera to bring.
Either Nikon System or Olympus:

Nikon:
F5, 28mm, 50mm, SB600
Pros: Professional, I know it won't break
Great Metering
Fast
Cons:
Large, and sometimes obtrusive. I also don't want to have to carry it if I go to a restaurant or something.

Olympus:
Olympus XA and A11 Flash
Pros
Small
Quiet
Great lens
Cons:
Rangefinder[sometimes hard to focus]
Not as reliable[though I think it would be plenty reliable]
Less features for less situations[eg no bounced flash]

What do you guys think?

Chan Tran · Feb 22, 2009

I have about the same equipment like you, the F5 and the XA. I would bring the XA, the F5 is very difficult to use in situation like a restaurant etc.. Not so much about the bulk and weight but people look as me funny with the F5.
I generally bring the FM chrome body with only the 50mm lens on vacation. The FM is smaller and in chrome, it looks like an old camera, people don't feel uncomfortable with it around.
Just my feeling.

archphoto · Feb 22, 2009

Depends on where you are going to.

If you take the F5 with you, you might take the Oly aswell.
I would take them both with me if I had just that, otherwise my RB 67 with a couple of lenses will do fine.......
But he, I am the idiot that looks at a holyday as a photo opertunity........

Peter

Konical · Feb 22, 2009

Good Morning, Marko,

Your method of travel should be considered. If you travel by car, size and weight become relatively minor factors; if you're flying, the limited luggage space argues for something more minimal.

Konical

Markok765 · Feb 22, 2009

Well, I'll be traveling by plane, but I have one carry on bag, and I could bring my photo bag as a carry on.

Colin Corneau · Feb 22, 2009

There's your answer, right there.

Markok765 · Feb 22, 2009

Yeah, but I don't really want to be walking around with all that stuff all day long.

DWThomas · Feb 22, 2009

There could be lots of answers here. If I'm traveling by car, I may take tons of stuff, depending on what sort of time and opportunity I think I will have for photography. If flying, I may tighten up quite a bit. I admit things may not be 100% safe in a hotel, but if staying in hotels I take two cameras and may leave one at the hotel at least some of the time to walk the streets a bit lighter.

On any significant trip I like to have two cameras, just in case the primary one decides to conk out. The second might be as mundane as a small P&S of the type whose name cannot be mentioned, but at least I would return with something to show. Subject matter would also affect my choice -- street shooting and candids vs landscapes, etc. I almost never take a flash (unless it's built in) as I don't do too much interior stuff and like available light when I do. (And some places one may visit -- museums, churches, etc. may frown on flash anyway.) On one overseas trip with my A-1 intended as the main shooter, I used an Elph Jr (APS) as backup, and in fact ended up taking probably 65% of my pictures with it; it was more than adequate for snapshots. I limited myself to a 50mm 1.4 and 35-70 f3.5 on the A-1, leaving home my 35-105 f3.5 macro zoom which is a great lens but weighs more than the camera and is quite large.

DaveT

nickandre · Feb 22, 2009

I agree with Konical on that it depends how you're traveling. Given your options I'd go for the XA as I'd want something that isn't obtrusive as a full SLR. Personally I prefer my N80 for lightness.

Never ever check a camera under the plane. Or film.

Jeff Kubach · Feb 22, 2009

I would go for the Olympus XA and flash. It is easlier and lighter.

Jeff

elekm · Feb 22, 2009

I would take both. The Olympus takes up hardly any room, and there are times when you'll want the Nikon but other times when you don't want the bulk and weight of the Nikon and the Olympus will do.

Rol_Lei Nut · Feb 22, 2009

Don't know... The ideal choice would probably be a rangefinder (smaller, lighter, unobtrusive and - in most cases - as reliable as your Nikon).

That is my lightweight travel set, with 90mm, 35mm & 21mm (+ sometimes 15mm) lenses.

Had the XA for many years, but the lens, while ok, is no match for a good rangefinder one.

eddym · Feb 22, 2009

I'd take it all. Most hotels will let you put equipment into their safe while you are out. Even if they charge for that, it should not be much, and would be good insurance.
Speaking of insurance, do you have any, and does it cover you while traveling?

Markok765 · Apr 10, 2009

I think I'll just go with the olympus XA + A11 flash + maybe my Gitzo tripod + spare set of batteries.
Question: Does the Olympus XA RF go out of alignment?

frank · Apr 10, 2009

To choose between the options that you specify, it depends on how important photography is to you on this trip. Your 2 cameras certainly represent extremes, of size and weight, in 35mm cameras. A medium sized camera would have advantages of both. (smaller/lighter to carry, but with lens options and exposure control)

Markok765 · Apr 10, 2009

frank said:
To choose between the options that you specify, it depends on how important photography is to you on this trip. Your 2 cameras certainly represent extremes, of size and weight, in 35mm cameras. A medium sized camera would have advantages of both. (smaller/lighter to carry, but with lens options and exposure control)

It is pretty important to me, but I find I can do 90% of photography with the Olympus that I can do with the Nikon. The only things are better metering for some situations, shutter speed control, and the option to use the 50mm for portraits, which I can use the olympus for anyways.

I think the XA +flash+tripod and a olympus stylus epic as a backup would be good.

Pumal · Apr 13, 2009

I'd take a Yashica Electro 35 GSN or MG-1; or a Lynx 14e with the 1.4 lens. They are all three great for street or low light situations; besides being small and you can stick them in your pocket (a big pocket)

elekm · Apr 13, 2009

Take an SLR and the Olympus XA. The XA takes up so little space that it's the perfect camera to have when you don't want to haul lots of gear.

And when you want the flexibility of different lenses, you'll have the SLR.

Chaplain Jeff · Apr 15, 2009

Hello,

The F5 is a beast, will draw attention and ruin opportunities for candids. That - along with the fact it won't matrix meter my AI/s lenses - is the reason I got rid of mine years ago and went back to an F4, which is modular in its power / grip configurations and WILL matrix meter. All you're losing is "color" matrix metering and distance metering with flash photography - both of which in my book were just marketing ploys, as they never effected my shooting (basicall: tools to make average shooters shoot like good shooters). The F4 - with the MB14(? - can't remember the designation of the film back) will do practically everything the F5 will do and with an AF-S lens will focus nearly or as fast as the F5 (and if you're shooting AI/s lenses, it just doesn't matter.

If you want people to say, "OOOH, he's got a REAL camera! He must take good pictures!" take the F5. If you want to take great candids of your vacation and not get a bicep workout in the process - and if you're not going to take my advice and run out and get an F4, shoot the XA.

ChrisC · Apr 15, 2009

Markok765 said:
Yeah, but I don't really want to be walking around with all that stuff all day long.

Why do you have to walk around with it all, or even any of it some of the time? Have time for photos, and time to just enjoy the time away from home. It's always nice to have a bit of free time without the worry of taking photos.

benjiboy · Apr 15, 2009

If you want a real vacation Marco I would take just the XA, it has a sharp 35mm lens, rangefinder focusing, is capable of excellent results, will go in your pocket, and you don't have to worry about it getting stolen or lost.

P.S Especially for street photography and in public the XA it's perfect, it doesn't look too serius or professional to arouse peoples curiosity.

waynecrider · Apr 15, 2009

Everytime I go on vacation to visit the parents I take a kit or two for some real AZ photography and then eventually come to realize my overpacking mistake and promise myself that next time it'll be different; It seldon is. This time I came with 2 bodies, an assortment of lenses and a flash that I'm still hoping to use more of. I think that may be a one day trip out in the country out of 11. Three weeks back I went with a friend on a 3 day trip to upstate Fla. and took another decent kit and wound up only shooting a Leica Minilux with b&w in it. So I've come to realize that unless I'm specifically going out to shoot alone quite often, there really is no reason to take anything beyond a p&s or a single body and short zoom. My picks now are one P&S with wide lens and another small camera for color. Gone are the days of believing that I'll be on Photo Safari garnering the perfect stock photo collection when visiting people.

jp80874 · Apr 15, 2009

I guess it depends on the pace you keep. I carry a 7x17 on a big Ries tripod. My wife carries water colors and an easel.

John Powers

Galah · Apr 15, 2009

Markok765 said:
I'm going on vacation in the summer, and I'm considering what camera to bring.
Either Nikon System or Olympus:....What do you guys think?

How about you get an Olympus Trip 35 (the name says it all!)

Check this link:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

benjiboy · Apr 16, 2009

Galah said:
How about you get an Olympus Trip 35 (the name says it all!)

Check this link:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Because Marco already has an XA which is a much better compact with a superb 6 element Zuiko lens , rangefinder focusing, and clamshell construction.

Camera for vacation?

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency