Travelling with a rf

I just did a year abroad with one body and two lenses. For the first half it was a Bessa T + Nokton 40 and Skopar 21. Then I switched to an M2 with a Zeiss 25 and Summicron-C 40. Both combinations worked like a dream for me (I have some results posted on my gallery in the England and India sections). I'd recommend a Leica body, but a Bessa will get the job done just fine. The R3M would be a much better choice than the R4M, IMO, for 50mm. But where the Bessas and early Leica M's lose out is the lack of a 28-ish frameline. 35 and 50 are much too close for me. I prefer 28-50 and for that you need an M4-P or later or a Zeiss Ikon. Or you can do as I did and just learn how a particular lens frames and live without exact framelines. I didn't take the 25 off the M2 for the last three months and did fine.

best,
-A

Anupam Basu said:

...I'd recommend a Leica body, but a Bessa will get the job done just fine. The R3M would be a much better choice than the R4M, IMO, for 50mm. But where the Bessas and early Leica M's lose out is the lack of a 28-ish frameline. ...
-A

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A bargain 3-Lug M5 or a Minolta CLE would both have 28mm frame lines and not be much pricier than a new Bessa. I have an M5 and a CLE & enjoy the distinct feel and pleasure each of them adds to shooting.

As it has been noted the 40mm lens is a nice length for travel photography, the CLE would also have 40mm frames.

The Minolta also has a very sophisticated TTL flash technology, which along with a Minolta 360PX (they sell for pennies these days) will give amazing flash images. I often put it on the designated flash bracket (PG2) to shoot group events in areas too low lit for non-flash work. At that point it's no longer the "compact" unit it is by itself, but is an amazing flash / camera setup.

Something to consider if you're also thinking about an affordable, GOOD flash system with this travelling kit.

For all the reasons mentioned above, these two cameras are the RF's that I take with me when I travel for long periods.

The Summicron DR 50mm, f/2 I mentioned earlier usually stays on the M5 and the Rokkor-M 28mm on the CLE. I also carry a 40mm with me to use on the CLE when needed (the DR Summicron is incompatible with the CLE). These two cameras, three lenses, a set of filters and a flash / bracket are nearly always all I ever take on trips even when gone for months at a time.

If you add it up, this is a very affordable travel kit.

Jeff M

You might want to consider getting a Bronica RF645 along with the 45mm and 65mm lenses. I bit larger than your 35mm RF, but with a much bigger negative.

If you want a bit larger, maybe a Mamiya 6 with the 50mm and 75mm lenses?

Neither of these would be too large to carry around all day. You could even add a small 35mm camera like an Olympus XA or Minox 35.

My travel kit used to be an Iskra (6x6 coupled RF folder) and Minox 35GT.

The Minolta CLE is a very nice camera, but has a couple of drawbacks for my use. It is completely battery dependent, and it doesn't even meter when you set the exposure yourself. You have to meter in automatic mode, remember the settings, then switch off of auto exposure and set your manual exposure. The meter goes off entirely in manual exposure mode. I've started using a very small incident meter a lot, and plan to press the CLE back into service more often using that.

The viewfinder magnification of the CLE is 0.58, and it has framelines for 28, 40, and 90mm lenses, not for 50mm. The Bessa R3 has framelines for 40, 50, 75, and 90mm.

Cosina-Voigtlander make a very small 28/35 combination hot shoe finder that is a nice accessory for the R3M/A cameras if you require those.

My sample of the M-Rokkor 28 is a bit soft and flare prone wide open, not just the flare from pointing into a light source, but a general veiling flare under some circumstances, even pointed away from the sun. It doesn't have the white edge spots that sometimes occur with this lens.

Lee

Olympus OM-1 or OM-3TI with 24, 50 and 85mm lens. That should do the trick and be light and give you DOFP.

--Jeffrey

With that camera, why limit yourself to that one lens, especially that one.
I would have one of each length and another body like the the R3 or R2, to cover the longer lengths.
If I were you, I'd also make room for me.
:rolleyes:
Have Fun!
Brian

Jeffrey A. Steinberg said:

Olympus OM-1 or OM-3TI with 24, 50 and 85mm lens. That should do the trick and be light and give you DOFP.

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The OP asked for RF suggestions and DOFP is highly overrated. The SLR won't do many things an RF will.

Anupam Basu said:

The OP asked for RF suggestions and DOFP is highly overrated. The SLR won't do many things an RF will.

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Most (an understatement only to avoid being absolutist) rangefinder lenses have DOF scales to cover you. You can also test your own personal limits for the print size and viewing conditions you prefer, and bias up or down a stop or two on DOF using these scales. A pre-focused or hyperfocally set lens is a real advantage for quick shooting. Many experienced RF photographers learn to "read" focus from a lens tab (an advantage of those kinds of lenses) and get close enough for DOF coverage or for a minor eye-level adjustment even before raising the camera.

Lee

I had exactly the same dilemma some months ago while planning a two month trip.

Remember also that, unless you make partial shipments to home during your trip, you will have to carry all your films (or negatives) back to home. I came to the conclusion that the best way to assure you will have enough space (and weight allowance) to carry everything back to home is to carry from the beginning all the loaded cartridges you plan to use, then develop at home. Same size and weight that goes, comes back.

In terms of space, you will not save a lot carring bulk film cans. Each 100' can occupies a volume similar to 12 film cartridges, each can renders 18 36exp. rolls, so your gain would be the volume of six (18 minus 12) cartridges per each can. The bulk film loader has a volume equivalent to maybe 30 cartridges, so it will "eat" the volume gain of five 100' cans. (Let's assume that, at the beginning, you will carry the empty cartridges inside the bulk loader). In other words, five 100' film cans plus a bulk loader will use the same space as 90 individual film cartridges. If you plan to shoot no more than 90 36exp. rolls, then is more efficient to carry the preloaded cartridges.

My advice is that you carry all the film you will use in leaded bags, without the boxes and plastic cans. Carry some plastic cans to be used to protect the film during your day trips.

Moreover, develop and scan during your trip ? Possibly you will get better quality and price at home rather than abroad.
Carrying a bulk loader and film drums ? Remember security inspections at the airports, on a recent trip (in Europe) my case was opened twice by security services without me been present. No harm in my case, but bulk film cans look pretty suspicious.
Doesn't sound as a good idea to me.

If you want to take landscape and docu images I would say 25/28-50 is the critical FL range. Just a 50 would be hugely limiting to my mind and if restricted to one for everything it would be 35. At least the r4 has lines wider than 35mm, but the 50 would be tiny.

disfromage said:

The only thing I feel qualified to comment on is that I think you might feel limited by only having one lens. I would consider something wider and perhaps a longer lens also. My do everything 35mm rangefinder kit is 21mm, 35mm, and 75mm.

Richard Wasserman

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This is my experience also. I've been traveling with rangefinders for about 35 years.

I'm currently on the road with a35/75 combo,and really wish I'd brought my 28.

MPandolfo said:

My advice is that you carry all the film you will use in leaded bags [...]

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I've heard talk that the lined bags are invitations to inspections and additional travel hassle, possibly including rescans of the contents outside of the bags. It's not clear whether these are field reports or pure speculation. Anyone with experience using these bags in travel care to comment?

John W said:

I've heard talk that the lined bags are invitations to inspections and additional travel hassle, possibly including rescans of the contents outside of the bags. It's not clear whether these are field reports or pure speculation. Anyone with experience using these bags in travel care to comment?

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Hello,

I used the film bags quite regularly immediately following the attack on NYC in 2001. What I learned is that the bags will only help you if you're prone to forgetting to ask for hand inspections of film - because a lead bag is going to arouse interest and lead to a hand inspection. Any lead-lined bag is going to be taken out and the contents will be hand inspected for radiation and powder (explosives) residue. Not a big deal, as that's what I have them do with film anyway.

The nice thing about RF as opposed to film SLRs when travelling - and I'm not sure this makes sense, but has been my experience - is that TSA folks tended to look suspiciously on my Nikon F4e / F5 and big lenses, even after inspecting them. When the answer to the question, "Is this a film camera?" was yes, they would frown and call over an assistant to go through the camera bag as if it were full of illegal drugs or explosives.

When travelling with the M3 / M5, I have always been greeted with smiles and comments such as, "You don't see these much anymore. That's really neat." I don't know what the difference is, but my camera / camera bag / film searches are always faster and friendlier when travelling with RF.

One time I showed up at the x-ray booth 45 minutes before my flight with an F4e, F5 and a Domke bag full of lenses on my way to Disneyworld. When I asked for a hand inspection, the senior employee stated, "If we do, you'll miss your plane." The inspectors kept me at the table looking over my gear until long after my plane had boarded. When they finally let me go, they laughed that I'd have to catch the next flight. Had my wife not stood in the doorway of the plane with our 11 month-old in her arms begging the flight attendants to give me another minute, I would have missed it.

All that to say, RF is an easier way to travel for lots of reasons. I don't carry the lead bags anymore - it was just one more thing to keep up with. Were I prone to forget, I would use them rather than let my film get x-rayed. The lead bag is more to keep you from forgetting - because if you use the bags, they're going to check it. If you use them, make sure you give the inspectors time or you will miss your plane.

Jeff M

I'd also recommend shipping your exposed film home, just so you don't have to lug it about.

As far as gear recommendations, whatever you end up taking, spring another $350 for the Cosina 15mm lens. It's really tiny and relatively inexpensive and might get you that shot that you'd miss with out it. That's true of any lens, sure, but I've found in my travels, there's always plenty of great scenes where there just isn't enough room to back up enough to capture it all with a 35, or a 24, or a...

disfromage said:

The only thing I feel qualified to comment on is that I think you might feel limited by only having one lens. I would consider something wider and perhaps a longer lens also. My do everything 35mm rangefinder kit is 21mm, 35mm, and 75mm.

Richard Wasserman

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Nah, you got it all wrong!
The perfect travel kit is the one I use: 21mm, 35mm & 90mm...
;-)

redmike said:

Superb advice, Im going to need some time to do a little research. I had originally considered the r4m because its totally manual and i could use the wide angle frame lines for landscape work. Ive heard good things about the bessas and the fact you can get some very nice lenses for the range has swung me. Not that I can really afford it but a leica would draw a little too much attention and I dont want to be looking over my shoulder the whole trip. The bessa seem a much more discreet camera.

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Actually, Leicas don't get much attention at all.
On mine I covered the red dot and applied a little gaffers tape on various spots. Result: The camera is nearly invisible.

Only one person has ever seemed to recognize it and commented "Good old Leica", the rest just see a nondescript object.

redmike said:

I am soon to go travelling around the world and don't want the hassle, or the unwanted attention of a bulky dslr kit. I want to take landscapes and documentary type pictures. I need the resulting images to be of sufficient quality to use professionally if they are good enough i.e. image libraries, magazines etc. I am seriously considering selling up my digital kit and taking the following:

Voigtlander bessa r4m with 50mm lens
Lee Filter Kit rf45
Light Tripod
Bulk 35mm film loader
Lots of film

I plan to develop and scan the film at various convenient stages in my trip.

Any comments would be much appreciated

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Not being a Voigtlander user myself I would not feel qualified to comment on the camera but lens wise. If it were me it would have to be a 35mm lens, and from my own use experience, if you could stretch the purse strings to a 35mm Summicron I don't think you would be disappointed. I have a 35mm Summicron asph but the pre asph is fine and produces sensation results and is considerably less money second hand. You could also consider a 35mm Collapsable Summaron which works very well without a hood and is extremely compact

kennethcooke said:

You could also consider a 35mm Collapsable Summaron which works very well without a hood and is extremely compact

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Note that the 35 mm Summaron is not in fact collapsible but it is very small and highly affordable in comparison with the (admittedly better) 35 mm Summicrons.