Simple kit for Paris - OM2n?

[BoxBrownie]

Hi Folks, I'm off to Paris for 4 days at the end of the week and want to keep it simple.
I'm thinking to take either my Olympus OM2n or Nikon F3 and very little else if possible.
What else though? Ideally 1 lens (I have 28mm, 50mm and 135mm for both cameras).
The other option is something like a Mju 2 or Yashica T5 - ie point and shoot though I obviously will have no control over exposure.

Can I get away with Fomapan 100 or do I really need something like HP5+?
Also is it worth taking a light tripod or would it be more hassle than it's worth?

I won't be on my own so I won't be able to hold people up for too long I guess but might be able to slip off here and there. Any advice much appreciated.

 

[Peter de Groot]

I would take both camera's. One with 28 mm and the other with 50 mm. Then you don't have to switch lenses. Or take one camera with the 28 an 50 mm lens.

 

[colinRTM]

I would just take the OM-2n with both the 28 and 50... actually, I'll be in Paris again soon and that's exactly what I'm going to do, as I have the same gear

As for film, I've yet to try Fomapan but one can never go wrong with HP5+. It is my usual "go to" film.

No need for a tripod, I should imagine.

 

[Vonder]

If this is a photography trip, take everything. If this isn't a photography trip, take the OM2n and a 50mm lens and nothing else.

 

[BoxBrownie]

If this is a photography trip, take everything. If this isn't a photography trip, take the OM2n and a 50mm lens and nothing else.

Hmm I'm leaning towards this. I'd like it to be a photo trip but it's really a sight-seeing museum & all you can fit in tour for our relatives from Australia. Maybe I'll keep it ultra-simple.

 

[rhmimac]

Paris on 50mm

take the OM2n and a 50mm lens and nothing else.

I did the same:Nikon F65/50f1.8/Superia400, it's all you need if you're hopping in and out trains/subway/taxis/musea.



rhmimac

 

[BetterSense]

What I would do is take my OM2n w/50mm lens, and then pocket my XA4 (28mm lens). Then I have normal and wide lenses, and the option to just take one camera or the other.

 

[mgb74]

In European cities, I always like having a wide lens. You don't always have room to back up for desired composition. So I'd go with taking both the 28mm and the 50mm. They're so small, one can easily go in a pocket. Or small waist pack. Or a companion's purse (or your purse).

I'd keep it simple and just load up with HP5. Personally, I would not bother with a tripod unless photography is your prime purpose.

 

[MattKing]

Three Olympus lenses? They are tiny - I'd take them all .

Personally, I would regret not having a longer lens to compress perspective. You may end up using it less than the others, but the 135mm will get you shots that you will appreciate.

The last time I travelled in Europe (a long time ago) I had this exact kit (28mm f/3.5, 50mm and 135mm f/3.5) as well as a small pouch that held the two lenses not on the camera body, and it worked well.

EDIT: I also carried a monopod that strapped on the side of my shoulder bag

 

[perkeleellinen]

I would take the 28mm lens with which ever body you feel most comfortable with.

I do lots of these sorts of trips: a few days in an interesting city with people who don't want to wait around all the time while I set-up a shot. If you're doing lots of walking, a smaller and lighter kit will also be more pleasant.

I've never longed for another lens, another body or a different film type. In fact, in a city like Paris, you should have your attention on the sights not your equipment.

 

[phaedrus]

When I went to Paris in February 2009, I took my Nikon F6 and Nikkor f/2.0 35 mm, Zeiss f/1.4 and Nikkor f/2.8 105 Macro lenses. The lens I used most was the 35 mm, followed by the 50 mm, the 105 very seldom for architectural details. If I were to go now, I'd take a rangefinder camera with a 35 mm lens in it's place and replace the 35 mm Nikkor with a 28 mm lens, a focal length I now prefer.

 

[tim elder]

Bring one body and either all three lenses or the two most used. Definitely bring the HP5+ and definitely don't bring a tripod. Have fun.

Tim

 

[Trask]

Having just come from living in Paris for three years, I can guarantee you'll want to do a lot of walking, so pare off the ounces. I would not take a tripod, though a small Leica-style tabletop tripod can be useful for late evening photography. I often shot APX100, but the weather can be variable in Paris, so under cloudy conditions you could be facing slower exposures. I'd opt for the HP5+ and if you find you've got a lot of light, rate it at 200 and develop in D76 with additional ammonium chloride. I usually went out with a 35mm lens on a rangefinder camera, or a Pentax SM 50mm on my Canon T90. I'd sometimes bring along a 90mm for the RF, but rarely used it.

 

[Jeff Kubach]

I would go with either camera body, and with 3 lenses. Film HP5, don't have to worry about a tripod.

Jeff

 

[BoxBrownie]

Lots of sensible advice so far.
I've decided to take just HP5+ and no tripod as we will probably be doing a lot of walking going from sight to sight.
I'm still wondering if I should even bother with an SLR for this sort of trip and just go around with my Yashica T5?
I'm anticipating taking cafe interior shots (which I think I can get away with, just, using EV400), store fronts, street shots and monuments. Would I really miss the manual control in these circumstances I wonder?

 

[firecracker]

If I were you, I would choose 1 SLR with one or two lenses, and 1 P&S camera.

 

[rhmimac]

great blog

When I went to Paris in February 2009

great blog!


rhmimac

 

[Trask]

I'll no longer travel to places I really want to photograph with a p/s camera, because I got caught once in a situation where my p/s (half-frame Yashica -- neat camera) could not focus accurately. So frustrating to know that if only I'd taken a focusable camera I'd have got the pictures I wanted. So I'll never make an non-focusable camera my sole camera for anything important.

 

[Allen Friday]

Paris is my favorite city in the world and I try to visit it for at least a few days each year.

I find that I shoot quite a bit of 3200 speed film on my visits, even though I usually use a rangefinder camera. I use the higher speed film inside the museums, cafes, and churches. I also use it at night if I go out without my tripod. I recommend that you toss in a few rolls of 3200 for the trip. Remember to have it hand searched at the airport.

 

[BoxBrownie]

Well I did it and it went quiet well I think. Have developed a couple of reels so far (took 1/2 dozen or so reels) and they look quite good. Will post some up in the next few days along with a little piece on what worked and what didn't etc.

 

[Robert Hall]

Awesome. Let's see some of those shots!

 

[BoxBrownie]

Well here's the first bunch up on my Flickr:
Dead Link Removed

Not typical travel shots I'll admit but I'm quite pleased with some of them. There are some more to come. I took more colour film than I thought so I'm waiting for them to come back from the processor.
How did the minimal kit approach work? Well, I think. There were four of us doing the sightseeing thing and not a lot of time to stop so a fully automatic camera was very handy in the end, there just wasn't time for more careful picture taking and I put all my effort in composition and let the camera work out everything else.

They are all hand held or braced against a wall or similar so the low light ones came out pretty well considering. Lots and lots of walking and getting very thirsty. If I could have changed anything it would have been to wear better shoes!
Some pics are sharper than others. Manual focus would have been nice, wider than 35mm would have been handy but all in all it was ok, I didn't miss too many pics.
My favourite picture so far is this one, the stairwell at the old apartment we were staying in:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stripeycobber/4626943220/in/set-72157623982279927/

And here is Henri Cartier Bresson's first Leica behind glass at the HCB Foundation:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stripeycobber/4626877454/in/set-72157623982279927/

Will report back when I have more scans.

Any comments, criticisms welcome (gushing praise also very welcome).

Steve B

 

[colinRTM]

Great photos! I'm actually writing this from on board a TGV en route to Paris... and I'm taking the exact same equipment you did