Taking Rollei 35T (or N80) at music festival... film speed choice, B&W or color?

[jay moussy]

Outdoor music festival, open air and tented, next week, July in New England.

Plan is taking newly acquired Rollei 35T, for bulk, weight, over a more capable Nikon N80, music over photo kind of thing.
Actually this is a three-day event, I could take the N80 on alternate days/weather conditions, perhaps.

I am sort of confused over film choices, and not even sure if I want to stick to B&W. I will have some color (and videos!) by way of a small digi-computer, my beloved Lumix LX7.

Insert confused puppy looks. Inexperience is tough at times..!

Ideas?

 

[BradS]

What do you want to photograph? People in the crowd? The band(s) on stage?

Seems like the Nikon would be a much better choice but it really depends on your goals and intent.
Same goes for film choice. The choice of color vs. B&W is highly subjective and depends entirely upon what you want to accomplish.

So....what do you want to accomplish, photographically?

 

[snusmumriken]

My only suggestion is, if you opt for colour, use colour negative rather than transparency film. The metering on the Rollei 35 is a bit vague, and transparency film really wants to be within 1/3 stop.

Don’t forget to focus the lens! I have, many times.

 

[GregY]

Outdoor music festival, open air and tented, next week, July in New England.

Plan is taking newly acquired Rollei 35T, for bulk, weight, over a more capable Nikon N80, music over photo kind of thing.
Actually this is a three-day event, I could take the N80 on alternate days/weather conditions, perhaps.

I am sort of confused over film choices, and not even sure if I want to stick to B&W. I will have some color (and videos!) by way of a small digi-computer, my beloved Lumix LX7.

Insert confused puppy looks. Inexperience is tough at times..!

Ideas?

I'd load ISO 400 B&W since it's a zone focusing camera. People have taken great photos with the Rollei 35, but they do take some getting used to.

 

[Paul Howell]

What lens do you have for the N80? In Minolta world I would take my Minolta 7, a 28 to 300 along my 50mm1.4. Film, Tmax 400 with can be shoot at 800 without any additional development time, the N80s matrix metering will work quite well with color, Porta 400. The 28 to 300 is compromise lens, one does it all, fine in good light, but the cost is sharpness and some distortion at wide and long end.

 

[jay moussy]

After some thinking, I will settle on taking my Canon T70 and 25-80 lens, or a 135 (?) for portability, and the Rollei 35T as sidekick - this would be the Rollei maiden outing in my hands, gambling on it a bit.
Both supplemented by the diminutive Lumix LX7, which has done well at same venues, including neat video mementos.

I should have explained that the music enjoyment is my main focus. Photo is second, catch funny moments, street scene, "atmosphere", some closeups near stage, practicing in general, when I am not 100% tied in the music, stage rotation, etc.

I have several FP4, one HP5+, two Kentmere 400, and two Gold 200 rolls on hand.

 

[BradS]

Cool!
I look forward to seeing some of the resulting photos.
Have fun, enjoy the music, and stay hydrated.

 

[runswithsizzers]

IF it was me, and IF the primary goal is to enjoy the music, and IF I am allowed to say this on an analog forum -- then I would be inclined to take only the Lumix LX7.

For me, film photography requires a little more concentration than digital, and when I am in film-photography-mode, I tend to tune out distractions (like music). But my film cameras do not have auto anything, so it may be that if I had autoexposure and/or autofocus, then multi-tasking might be more do-able?

 

[jay moussy]

^^ yes, not suited to technical work, with my approach.

Fortunately there. is enough down time here and there, or, I saw the current music act perform at another stage rotations, so I can enjoy but also allow brief photo distractions. The T70 versatility would be good for that.

 

[Paul Howell]

Good choice, have fun.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Carry a second camera body so that you can shoot both black & white and color, preferably the same speed.

 

[Eric Rose]

My go to was always my Rollei 35T with XP2

 

[drg3rd]

Sounds like maybe you are headed to the Newport Folk Festival. If so, be aware that they may not let you in with an ILC (festival policy). I was there last year and some people were being turned away. I got my Hasselblad 500 C/M in last year because they didn't know what to make of an old film camera that didn't look like an SLR/DSLR. You shouldn't have a problem with the Rollei, but they might make you put the N80 back in your car. I'll be there Saturday, but haven't decided which camera(s) to take - maybe my Fujica GS645.

 

[jay moussy]

Nope not Newport, but Lowell Folk Festival, where there is no restriction that I know of. Four stages spread across the city, free to the public, with great ethnic foods.
I vaguely knew about the Newport rules, not in detail.
I just read "Professional audio, photography and video equipment (no detachable lenses)". Which, to me, seems like preventing anyone from making a decent recording, as afforded by even the most pedestrian modern equipment!

 

[drg3rd]

Ah ... same dates, different place. Have fun ... enjoy the music ... and the unfettered photography! (Also ... longer reach than just the 35T is a must).