what should I take?

[narsuitus]

Yes you do. Ask me how I know.

How do you know?

 

[CropDusterMan]

In 2003 I went to Nepal for Outside magazine with Martin Schoeller, who was photographing the surviving sherpa climbers who had helped Hillary (Sir Edmund) climb everest on the first summit.

I had planned to only take the M4-P and 35F2 I had at the time...and on the advice of a journalist friend was told
to bring a back-up camera. On day two with the Leica, the camera quit working. Nothing I could do would make
it work. My back up camera was a trusted EOS 1N with 20-35 2.8. If I hadn't brought it, I would have had nothing.
Those images are some of my best memories.

Leica's are great, but just like any camera, even a German camera...they can take a dump. When one goes to
great effort and expense to get themselves to a place where great images await, it is sheer stupidity to rely on only one camera. It's a gamble...and gambles rarely pay off. Even if the Leica was new out of the box, I would take a back-up.

Would you drive across country without a spare tire? You have four good ones, why bother?

 

[Sirius Glass]

All depends on how much time you have for photography which is code for it all depends on how patient your travelling partner is.

Frank nailed it. +1

 

[cliveh]

On day two with the Leica, the camera quit working. Nothing I could do would make
it work.

Did you ever discover why the camera quit working?

 

[MattKing]

It realized that when it came to Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary, Tenzing Norgay and the Sherpas who supported them, the only appropriate rangefinder to use was a Retina.

https://wallphotography.wordpress.com/2012/04/22/cameras-explorer-i-kodak-retina-type-118-1935/

 

[CropDusterMan]

It realized that when it came to Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary, Tenzing Norgay and the Sherpas who supported them, the only appropriate rangefinder to use was a Retina.

https://wallphotography.wordpress.com/2012/04/22/cameras-explorer-i-kodak-retina-type-118-1935/

Good one!

 

[CropDusterMan]

Did you ever discover why the camera quit working?

It had to do with the advance mechanism...was a pricy fix...like most Leica repair, (if memory serves, I had them CLA it at the same time) but when done by the right people, great work that lasts. Dang, wish I still had it....I shot a ton with that old camera. I sold it to help pay for flight school back in the day.

 

[shutterlight]

In 2003 I went to Nepal for Outside magazine with Martin Schoeller, who was photographing the surviving sherpa climbers who had helped Hillary (Sir Edmund) climb everest on the first summit.

I had planned to only take the M4-P and 35F2 I had at the time...and on the advice of a journalist friend was told
to bring a back-up camera. On day two with the Leica, the camera quit working. Nothing I could do would make
it work. My back up camera was a trusted EOS 1N with 20-35 2.8. If I hadn't brought it, I would have had nothing.
Those images are some of my best memories.

Leica's are great, but just like any camera, even a German camera...they can take a dump. When one goes to
great effort and expense to get themselves to a place where great images await, it is sheer stupidity to rely on only one camera. It's a gamble...and gambles rarely pay off. Even if the Leica was new out of the box, I would take a back-up.

Would you drive across country without a spare tire? You have four good ones, why bother?

I missed the Schoeller reference until my second read through of your post. Well done all around.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I just learned to take a back light meter even though the built-in light meter never had a problem. It is cheaper to buy a used light meter when one is home rather than pay full fare when out of the country.

 

[CropDusterMan]

Martin did a great job on that gig...some very interesting pictures of some great old guys. Legends.

 

[Jim Jones]

I've had two Leicas fail in the past 60+ years due to mishaps. For a once-in-a-lifetime trip I'd take one Leica and one compact digital point-and-shoot. A 16mp digital image is infinitely better than no image at all.

 

[Sirius Glass]

In Europe I have found that a normal and wide angle lenses are all that are needed. Longer lenses add to the carried weight and baggage but also are very rarely used.