What DID you take on your big trip?

[k.hendrik]

Just packing for Fuerteventura & trying to get to Cofete. SWC + Nikon Df.

 

[Steve Goldstein]

When travelling with my wife it's always the Mamiya 7 with 50mm, 80mm, and 150mm lenses - this kit has come with us all over the world. Of the three lenses the 50mm almost never comes out, and I use the 150mm for maybe 15-20% of my images. I did throw in the 65mm for a national parks trip in Washington state and got good use of it. I'll occasionally add my Olympus XA to the mix, but my other 35mm cameras stay home nowadays.

If I'm travelling alone it's often my Nagaoka 4x5 with a few lenses. But for someplace with iffy weather or likely to be windy (Iceland, for example) the speed and convenience of the Mamiya 7 win out over the bigger negative in my mind.

Usually I bring along a Feisol 3441 tripod with a small ball head. It works fine for both MF and my 4x5. A few filters, a meter, and plenty of black-and-white film round things out.

On ski trips to Colorado I've carried the XA because I can shove it in an inside pocket. But this coming winter I'm going to carry a Perkeo II in a small chest pack (like the ski patrol uses for radios) under my jacket. I guess I'll need to carry a small meter too.

Since I got the Mamiya 7 16 years ago I've rarely used 35mm.

 

[moto-uno]

Just returned from Asia ( 5 weeks ) it was on the bucket list . Carried my Bronica Etrs with 50 and 150 lens
with extra film back and boxes of C-41 and E-6 . Heavy in the heat and humidity . Hand checking the film got
old pretty quickly ( 8 airports ). But I got lots of keepers that will enlarge well . Always been afraid to bring
my Mamiya 7 kit ( maybe next time )

 

[quixotic]

I took a Fuji GF670 to Cuba (along with a small 3D digital and a Sony A7s). On group walking tours, I found the GF the easiest of the three to quickly fish out of my bag, and also the easiest to quickly frame a shot with my hands otherwise full of crap. And the results encased in Gepe 6x6 slide holders? Awesome! Almost 3D-like!

 

[Rrrgcy]

I should learn. 1st time visiting to Havana, 3 days. I'm a target so didn't even bring my Samsung cellphone as an ultimate backup. Brought a Canon IVSB rf w 5cm Summitar and 10 yr old Sony coolpix. You already know where this is going. The digital died by first evening, didn't bring charger. I hadn't used the Canon in a long time and after half roll soon the finder seemed screwed up. The view was blackened w some reflection. No! Walked all the way back to the hotel, light fading. First day and I've already drowned. I was pissed and stressed out, I nearly beat the poor camera to death trying to shake it into order, banging it w the palm of my hand, striking my thigh, rapping it sharply half expecting it would blow apart. Nothing worked. Then i looked down topside and stupidly realized I merely needed to move that finder magnification lever out of the inadvertent in-between position. Got back stateside and two of eight rolls didn't wind-on properly. Ahem. But at least I didn't take up the midnight invitation by four quite rough fellows to go back to their apartment and take a look at "a friend's many antique cameras he could sell." The written Jeckyl & Hyde forearm tattoos sorta helped my gut feelings keep me out of trouble. What's worst, or best, is the best photo was taken while in a moving car from the front passenger seat through the front windshield. I held the camera at my chest. I don't think I'd have wanted it another way. The charm of "the antique camera" went a long way in everyone being excited to see it on the street or elsewhere. Less intimidating or patronizing perhaps.

 

[edward1953]

My last trip was to Amsterdam for a long weekend in July I took two Canon F1-AE bodies and these lenses:- Tamron SP 17mm f3.5, Canon FD 28mmf2.8, 50mm,f 1.4, 75-150 f 4.5 zoom all in a Domke F2 bag. I had no problems the weather was fine and I shot eight rolls of slide film.
The previous time I was in Amsterdam was in an October a couple of years ago and it was very cold and windy because Amsterdam is s seaport and the wind comes straight off the North Sea.

My little wonder in trips to Mexico's Yucatan is my Minolta CLE with the 40 and the 28mm lens. I rarely use the 90. My back up is an Olympus Trip 35. Years ago I used my Leica IIIC with Kodachrome. Still miss that film! If I had to take a camera in absolute horrible conditions, it probably would be a screw mount Leica, operating hassles, not withstanding. M's are easier to use, but screw mounts are build like the proverbial brick outhouse. Ed A.

 

[vdonovan]

For a month in Europe I packed a Bessa R 35mm rangefinder with 28mm lens, a Zeiss Super Ikonta 6x9 rangefinder (with close-up attachment), and a S-Sharan cardboard pinhole camera. I ended up shooting almost exclusively with the pinhole.

 

[vdonovan]

On my current 2-week trip to London, I brought a Travelwide (set up for pinhole) with two film holders, a box of Ilford Ortho film, and a small changing bag.

 

[flavio81]

Canon New F-1 and Canon EF, with a set of cheap and light lenses:
FD 28/2.8, 35/3.5, 50/1.8, and 100/2.8

It was a great choice, moreover due to both of them having also auto-exposure modes, which can help when something really unexpected happens.

 

[TSSPro]

Road Trips: Sinar F2 and a cadre of Nikkor/Rodenstock Glass, tripod, and other required accessories. ~10film holders, tripod (fp4+)

Bronica SQa, 50, 110macro,150,80, ext tubes x2, 3backs, polaroid back, filters, filter holders, wl finder, prism finder, cable release, spare take up spools, and plenty of film, meter

On road and day trips in the car I'm primarily concentrating on the 4x5 stuff, so the Bronica only really gets used for scenes that look great in a square, or when I run out of sheet to shoot on the 4x5.

Flying...Longer distance travel for a longer period of time....: Bronica rig as listed above or Nikon 35mm kit
Nikon:f5/f100 w/o battery grip, 24-70 2.8, 50 1.8, 80-200 2.8, two flashes, ttl cord, sample pack of color correction gels, tape, other accessories, a light stand/umbrella, batteries, plenty of film (Typically hp5+, velvia, provia or other neutral balanced chrome, Fuji 400 Xtra/press for color neg)

hand check in foreign countries has been difficult, and the xray systems in foreign countries may not have the same output of radiation/energy that we have in the US, which makes risking sending film through that much more harrowing. I've been lucky in that my trips abroad (Mexico) have been smooth sailing equipment wise. Luckily I've broken enough things and replaced them enough to where I know what redundancies I would most likely need.

most frequently used: LF- Nikkor 90 4.5, Nikkor 210 5.6, & Rodenstock 150 5.6, red 25 filter
MF: 50mm, 110mm, 80mm
35mm: 24-70 2.8D, 50 1.8

Least used: Color correction gels for strobes (not much need when you're runnin' and gunnin' while on vacation (at least for me, anyways),Velvia 50 - love love love this emulsion, but I don't find myself shooting a whole lot of it anymore while on vacation, slower speed and less flexible -- don't want to be locked into 50iso for 36 frames when conditions will change quickly, polaroid backs- less fujiroid available, shoot it less, need it less.

 

[darinwc]

The last overnight trip was a 3 day cruise with the family. I went light. My digital with a couple of manual lenses. And my Super Ikonta with Fuji Acros.

I was very pleased with the portability, ease of use, and image quality from this classic.

Next trip is going to be a bug one. Week-long stay in Cancun. We are going to some of the Mayan ruins. I am not going to risk taking a 4x5. -That takes some serious balls. But I am bringing some film cameras. I may bring the Ikonta along with my Olympus OM4 and a few lenses. Or maybe go the other route and order a fujica 6x7 and tote an Olympus XA for fun. I better decide soon!

Here is an example from the ikonta.

 

[twelvetone12]

I'm getting more and more minimalistic. this time I just have a canonet 28 and a couple rolls of film. I even forgot the lens cap.

 

[Down Under]

What an amazing assortment of gear we have and use in our traveling. We are truly lucky to be photographing in this day and age.

I have lived for my travels since the '60s. Back then I explored Canada, the USA and Mexico with a a Yashica D (long gone, given away), then a Rolleiflex 3.5E2 (still have it, still used). Thousands of B&W negs still exist,many to be printed next year for the first time ever. Slides have largely faded. Curses to Anscochrome and Agfachrome CT films...

I went to 35 in the '70s, bought a Mamiya, then Pentax, finally Nikon (Nikkormats), which still owned and occasionally used. Europe,the Pacific, Asia (three months in Bali, the same in Malaysia, worked in Bangkok for a year, Australia (where I've lived since 1976). The Rollei as a backup. I shot Bali in 1970 with the TLR and sold almost all the images I took, travel stock was lucrative in those long ago days. Nowadays just try giving away a photo of Bali, however good... times have changed.

'80s and '90s were my busiest period. Many many trips to Southeast Asia, I was still young and had lots of energy, so took along everything but the darkroom sink. In 1986 I had two Nikkormats and four lenses, the Rollei, and a Linhof 6x9 with threelenses and two film backs. Famous last quote, "never, ever again!" to which I have more or less faithfully adhered, with one or two lapses.

'90s, I changed professions from photojournalism to architecture. Photographing office interiors didn't appeal, so I traveled more to Asia. Minimalism became my way to go. A Nikkormat and three lenses. A Rollei. Late'90s, a Contax G1 kit (28, 45, 90).Tens of thousands of memorable images, mostly color neg.

With the new century I went even more minimal. A health-related year off work in 2006 took me mostly to Indonesia, Malaysia, Sarawak and Brunei. The Contax, a then new Fuji GA645i, sometimes ultra light with a Voigtlander Perkeo I, lens hood, yellow green filter and a few films in a soft bag in my backpack. 120 forced a new discipline on me, which I had missed out on in my wild youth.

Since 2009, overlooking the D gear, I've traveled every year to Asia to shoot colonial architecture. Sometimes a Hasselblad 500CM with 50 and 80 lenses (recently sold as little used nowadays), the Fuji, Nikkormats, the Contax.
As a self-employed design architect with anoffice and staff, and specialising in government contracts, for two and a half decades I was in the odd situation of either having a lot of income but no time to go anywhere, or the opposite. Finally I retired last year, and now find I have more time, and oddly, more disposable income to travel, than I ever did. A blessing, this. To my regret, I didn't "do" Australia when the going was good (= cheap), and now find it too expensive. I did New Zealand last year, lovely scenery, nice people and all, but I didn't relate to the culture and my images reflected this apathy, postcard shots and Velveeta landscapes.

This year I've been mostly in Indonesia, out of Surabaya, an amazing city,not for your everyday tourist. Forthe first time I'm into travel as a lifestyle... a Nikon F65 with D lenses (20, 24, 28, 60, 85), hoods, UVs, yellow and orange filters, and 50+ rolls of mostly outdated B&W film from my freezer, in two plastic food containers. The D lenses do double duty with a Nikon of the sort we don't discuss here. Very convenient both ways. Film B&W blows anything from D out of the sky. I have a small tank and buy chemistry (they don't sell film) from an OL outfit in Jakarta, so I can see my negs a day or so after my shoots. It's an ideal situation for an old film bloke.

Mid year the GA645i broke down in Sarawak and I bought a Fuji GS645w to replace it out of Singapore. Alas, it didn't suit me, and I've just sold it. The GA645i is out for repairs and will be returned in January. For MF, I think it's the ideal camera.

At 68 (69 later this week) I can still walk and carry packs but not as much weight as I did even at 60. I now find one camera and at most one or two lenses (usually 28-85, 20-60 or 24-85 depending on my mood and what I want to shoot) suit me best.

I'll be in Malaysia for ten days next month, and I'll use the F65 with either the 24 or 28 to shoot colonial buildings in Perak. I still have 200+ frozen 120 roll at home and I plan to give the Rollei or the GA645 a good workout next year,and use up that stock.

I would love to go OS with just a Canonet and a small bag of film. In my next avatar I plan on not spending up big as I have this time around, for cameras. I'll try it then...

Lovely images, pentaxpete and omre. You know how to capture the essence of what you see, be it candids or the more fleeting visual essence...

It took me years to figure out the journey isn't about the gear but what I see and want to photograph. A few decades ago it was all adventure stuff, beaches, sports, bars, night scenes, markets. Now it's botanical gardens and colonial architecture.

And I intend to be buried with the Rollei, my lifelong love...

 

[Prest_400]

My last Big trip was a Semester abroad in Sweden, ending up with a Workweek in NYC. I keep things minimalist as do not have more than a couple hands. OM-1 with 28mm and 50mm, then a m43 Digital which can mount those lenses with an adapter. And phone (IMO nowadays it can be the only Digi camera needed).
I do regret not taking my Fuji 6x9 however, because staying in Sweden there was amazing light and landscapes.

I have a F80 with 28-80 kit zoom that got me through daytrips in the summer, and more recently a 50mm 1.8; Good gear picked at a nice price and covers the 35mm ground. For long trips I've yet to try using the 6x9, a GF670 or Mamiya 6/7 would be a dream for that.

As a self-employed design architect with anoffice and staff, and specialising in government contracts, for two and a half decades I was in the odd situation of either having a lot of income but no time to go anywhere, or the opposite. Finally I retired last year, and now find I have more time, and oddly, more disposable income to travel, than I ever did. A blessing, this. To my regret, I didn't "do" Australia when the going was good (= cheap), and now find it too expensive.
[...]
It took me years to figure out the journey isn't about the gear but what I see and want to photograph. A few decades ago it was all adventure stuff, beaches, sports, bars, night scenes, markets. Now it's botanical gardens and colonial architecture.

It's great to read about other walks of life. I'm in an opposite end of the spectrum carrer wise. Recent young grad but no career yet, so it means no income but lots of time! The time-money relationship is quite terrible.
I was about to take a flight to Asia for this month, Philippines specifically because of having relatives there (last time 6 years ago) and I had the idea of taking MF. However, without disposable income and the risk of ending up to 0, and other priorities I haven't.
Last summer it was crazy here, Everyone took a vacation to Thailand or Vietnam. I also had an idea to do that, but when too many people do it for the sake of appearance, I just become averse to it. It sort of devaluates the own experience.

I did discover my home area, near to Barcelona so actually there are nice photo ops nearby. Plus it doesn't involve a heavy investment in time nor money and is much more accessible. There is a decent chance I will be moving away in a few years so it is a good project. That's my current "big" trip.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

On a big road trip last summer, I took everything from 35mm, RB67 kit, 4x5, to 8x10. I also took along my Travelwide. Everything was used except the Travelwide. For Japan in March I will take the Travelwide (with 90mm lens), very light tripod, incident metre, yellow, red, and IR filter, cable release, 5 holders, changing bag (and will double as dark cloth), box of fresh HP5, and Rollei IR, empty box for exposed film...all stuffed into a shoulder bag.

 

[naaldvoerder]

On my latest trip to Asia I took 2 Contax Aria bodies, 18mm, 28mm, 50mm, and 85mm lenses, a small carbon tripod, release cable, and red filters 55mm and 86mm for the 18mm lens.
In the way of consumables I took mainly HP5 with, and a couple of rolls of grossly expired Kodak HIE.
I took 7 flights on that trip, and managed to have the film hand-inspected on every occasion.

 

[Geoff Allen]

Havana for 9 days this past March.

- Contax G1 w/ 1 lens (45)
- Hasselblad 500C w/ 1 lens (80) & 1 back (12)
- Sekonic L-358
- 14x rolls of Portra (160/400)
- 7x rolls of Tri-X

The whole kit fit into one of those little LowePro bags, minus some of the film reserves, which lived in my carry-on. It felt like a pretty great setup. Light, portable, and as versatile as I felt I needed. I've since acquired a Mamiya 7 (w/ the 65), so I might choose that over the Hasselblad if I had to do it over again (I should only be so lucky). They take up about the same amount of space, but the Mamiya is lighter. The Contax, though, is a wonderful travel camera and it's gone with me on all my trips since I got it in 2003.

I didn't end up using any of the Tri-X because, well, it's Cuba. It's colourful.

 

[spacecadet]

Thailand for 15 days back in June.

-Contax G1 w/ 90mm F2.8
-15 Rolls of Kodak Portra 400(Pushed some to 800 and one to 1600)
-5 Rolls of Ilford Delta 3200(Pushed 2 of them to 6400)
-Sony A7 with Leica 50mm Summicron-R

I didn't even touch the Sony, I only brought it incase the Contax failed on me mid trip, which it didn't, why should it?

http://photo.derekburgess.com/thailand.html

 

[rubbernglue]

I went to India for two weeks last summer, brought...
Mamiya 645ProTL (wlf and no grip) + two backs and the 55/80/210 lenses
Ondu pinhole 6x6
Sprocket Rocket
Zeiss Ikon Nettar 6x6
and then also sekonic l-358 lightmeter and lots of film


Then, three weeks after getting home from India I went to a two week trip in the northen Norway with the intention of shooting large format!
- Toyo 45AII along with ten backs
- Mamiya 645ProTL (for ground work... and to leave in the car when we walk longer distances)
- pentax spotmeter
I then brought a darkroombag along with a 10x15cm photography binder wrapped in a black bag to store undeveloped sheets in, I then used a telephone and a paper to write down the sheet index to.

 

[Trask]

My last significanr trip was last October -- a week's trip driving from Paris to the Basque country and into Spain, then back up the Atlantic coast of France to Paris. Aware that I couldn't carry too much weight, I took my Plaubel Wide 67 -- a very compact yet high-performing 6X7 camera that I shot color film in. For B/W I also carried a Leica III with CV 21mm, 35mm Summaron, and Canon 85 f/1.9. I should have left the 85mm at hom, as I rarely used it and it weighs a lot being all brass. All in all I was pleased with the photographs I was able to make with his small amount of equipment.

 

[mrosenlof]

Spent a week in Tokyo and then another week in Guam in October. Took a 5x7 camera, 3 lenses, 6 film holders. Also a Zeiss Ikon super Ikonta shooting Ilford Delta 3200.

I had wanted to take LF to Japan for a while. Won't do it again. Too much weight, and it's a pretty light kit as 5x7 goes. I guess I could consider 4x5, but probably not. Having the Ikonta was good. I did a lot of stuff at night in Tokyo with that. Worked out well. I used the 5x7 more in Guam (I had a car there!) and have a few photos that made it worthwhile. I use 5x7 only to make contact prints, not to make big enlargements.

--------

Previous trip, Hasselblad, with 120mm macro. WL finder. HP5. There were times I wished for a tripod, but this one camera and lens worked well for me. Vienna and Prague, no car. Times I wanted a tripod or a longer lens, or both.

---------

A while before that... Mamiya 330F. I took a few lenses and tripod. We had a car for this trip (Maui). I never felt like I was missing some equipment I needed. I think the lenses I had were 55, 80, 135, 180 and used all of them. We worried about excess baggage weight. I have acquired a lighter tripod since that trip.

----------

I'm fond of both the Mamiya TLRs and the Hasselblad systems. People talk about the weight and bulk of the Mamiya, but 80mm/2.8 on both and the dimensions are really pretty similar, just a different shape. My 80 for the hassy is a CF, so the older C is a bit smaller. The Mamiya lens sets are more compact than Hasselblad lenses, at least up to 135mm, but I think highly of both systems for travel. The nature of the trip, and transportation determine how many lenses or other accessories I haul along with me. I don't print big.

 

[skucera]

My last big trip was a business trip to my company's HQ in Bologna, Italy. I took a Minox 35EL. I'd just gotten it a couple of weeks before the trip, and the first two rolls through it were beautiful, but halfway through the first roll in Italy the shutter stopped closing, so two and a half rolls were ruined without my realizing it until I got them developed. Luckily, I also took lots of pictures on my iPhone, and I brought home 2000 photos of Florence and Bologna on it.

My next trip will likely be a couple of weeks at another of our Italian offices in January. I think I'll take my stalwart Olympus XA. I've owned it for more than 30 years, and it has always just worked.

Scott

 

[darinwc]

Looks like few people are taking tripods. or maybe just not mentioning it?

 

[MattKing]

A monopod is a great travelling accessory. The one I've traveled with the most had three retractable tripod mini-legs, which was very useful.

Combine it with a camera with a built-in self timer and you can deal with a lot of low light circumstances.

 

[Down Under]

I will be off to Malaysia tomorrow, for two weeks (decided at the last minute to extend by four days, see my earlier post). My travel bag is packed and ready for checking in at the airline desk, 9.2 kilograms. Unusually heavy for me. Usually I like to travel light and buy things as I go. Soap, toothbrush, shavers, shaving cream. Haven't yet tried disposable (recyclable?) underwear, available everywhere in most Asian countries.

As for my photo gear, I have to admit to a dilemma. A Nikon F65 will be by backup camera, with two lenses (I can go to three lenses if I have to) - 28, 60 micro, 85. Am considering 24 instead of the 28. 105 instead of the 85, tho the latter suits my shooting eye better. I could take a 180, but I bought this lens two years ago and haven't yet used it, ike my 20, two beaut lenses but they don't seem to fit my eye.

Clear filters, lens hoods, a tabletop tripod. All to go into one bag. Oh, and film. 20 rolls - 15 B&W, 5 color neg. 35mm film can be bought in Malaysia, or at least in Kuala Lumpur, not cheap, but a good range is available.

For quick and easy color shots, a Canon G15 with a lens hood. As my French Canadian relations say, "c'est tout".

No 120 this time. My GA645i is still out for repair, will be ready in January. Another trip is planned for February, likely I'll will take it then. I use the GA a lot for architectural shots - an odd choice of camera for this work, but with a little care (and a good spirit level) it suits.

A sudden thought. As a last minute choice, I could jettison the 35 gear and go with a Voigtlander Perkeo I, lens hood, filter, a Weston Master III or V, and one sealable plastic container of 120 rolls (18-20 in all). More minimalism, more freedom. Very tempting...

I'll flying to KL, revisit Perak state (Ipoh, Kuala Kampar,Taiping and points in-between) and hope to stay longer in Panang this time, to soak up the tourist delights, hang out in Chinese temples and secondhand bookshops, and climb the hill (I believe it's known as Bukit Bendera) to photograph architecture and vegetation, which I last did in 1990, with a stop at the botanical gardens on the way down if I can still walk after all that exertion. All this is unusual for me, I'm getting old, I think. the journey (on my own) is more an exploratory/research trip, part of my retirement plan to spend more time in Malaysia and out of Indonesia next year, given the latter country's economic problems, high inflation, and increasingly cumbersome system for longer stays.

An annoying unforeseen event for me this trip, is all my usual budget hotels in Malaysia are fully booked out, probably for the inevitable Christmas/New Year rush. Am safely booked for one night at Ibis KL, beyond that it will be in the laps of the travel gods. No matter, some new adventures are about to happen.

Annoyances aside, it's nice to have the freedom of choice, especially in deciding what gear to take.

Decisions, decisions. It's good to have all this freedom of choice, 'tho.