Which camera to take on vacation???

[DonW]

I made a comment about how to deal with your own wants, not your friends. But I'm sorry if I overstepped. Have a great vacation!

No worries

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Love the comments on how to deal with my friends. He is someone I've known since grade 6. We are now both 68 and are best buds plus his wife is a sweetie. They like to take it easy because he can bearly walk. Waiting for knee replacements.

So much for that.

I think I will be taking the XA and the Bessa plus lenses. But a last minute change might happen. My cellphone will be used for any colour images and video.

Sounds like a good plan. Have fun.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Way too much gear for that type of vacation. XA is perfect and your smartphone is your backup.

I disagree. Keep the camera nearby during the day and pull out what you need at the moment. Just keep it hidden, taking the camera and lens you will use. If you have to rearrange your equipment for some reason, do it just before you drive away, so that people do not see that you may have something of value.

 

[Huss]

I don't get it. Picking a Bessa over a Leica? I've had Bessas... Same size/weight category but a miserable experience in comparison.

I sold off my Bessas - bought them out of curiosity - because I thought why on earth would I want to use this instead of my Leicas?

 

[Sirius Glass]

I don't get it. Picking a Bessa over a Leica? I've had Bessas... Same size/weight category but a miserable experience in comparison.

I sold off my Bessas - bought them out of curiosity - because I thought why on earth would I want to use this instead of my Leicas?

Crap!! I might have to agree with our on this one! Now I will be grumpy all day.




Wait a minute! I am grumpy all day anyway. I am going to go back and split some infinitives.

 

[Huss]

Crap!! I might have to agree with our on this one! Now I will be grumpy all day.




Wait a minute! I am grumpy all day anyway. I am going to go back and split some infinitives.

He should dump that Bessa and get a nice F100.

 

[Sirius Glass]

He should dump that Bessa and get a nice F100.

Now you are talking about the good stuff at great prices.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

If I had a Leica or a Bessa, I'd take both. I only shoot B/W, so a 100 speed and a 400 speed... probably HP5/Delta 400, Acros ... I'd use my phone for colour. I don't own either of those cameras, so I'd take my Pentax ME Super, and a Holga... or Bel-Air X for 120. I'm not a tropica/resort guy, so I think I would be miserable unless I can see some Aztec stuff... I promised my wife we would go to some tropical paradise next year (maybe Okinawa, then we can head up and visit her folks) and it won't be all about me and picture taking... I might just bring my D850 that has been sitting doing nothing...

 

[MattKing]

Take the camera that you find most fun to use.....

 

[pbromaghin]

Leica and the Summicron. One camera, one lens.

 

[Buzz-01]

First, this is very personal and you can only answer this question yourself imo.

Anyway, I'd go for convenience. Whatever that means in your selection is up to you.
I'm mainly an Olympus OM shooter and when I go out by myself I usually bring a backpack full of gear. Primes, filters, tripod, and most of the time 2 OM bodies.
I take my time for every shot and that's what I enjoy a lot in the analog process.

But when I'm out with family or friends I try to pack a little more convenient.
In my case this means my Infinity Stylus / MJU-I which fits in my pocket, and/or my Canon EOS 100 / Elan with the EF 28-105mm. Sometimes an extra telezoom if I think it might be useful. This allows me to take whatever photos I want reasonably quick, without annoying the rest of the company too much with me being that photo guy...

On our last city trip I only brought the Infinity Stylus and came back with images I'm very happy with. Shot a lot more photos than usual, because it's so quick to use. No taking out of the backpack or carrying around a bulky SLR all day, just a small (but good!) point and shoot in my pocket.
Didn't miss the SLRs at all!

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Bring two bodies, two lenses. That way you have a choice of focal lengths (I'd go 35 and 90 for focal length) and you have either one body for each lens, or one main and a backup in case something happens.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Bring two bodies, two lenses. That way you have a choice of focal lengths (I'd go 35 and 90 for focal length) and you have either one body for each lens, or one main and a backup in case something happens.

One for color and one for black & white. Of course with LF or MF which has interchangeable backs the choice of films increases with the number of spare backs one has.

 

[bags27]

Take the camera that you find most fun to use.....

Best advice! I need to take it myself....

 

[NB23]

Yes, definitely. You would not want to use some sort of lowly inferior crummy Japanese optic on your German photographic machine. Quelled horror! What if some pixel-peeper one day discovered that you did not use a Leica lens? Gawd!

Not in a 5-star resort.

3-star and below, voigtlander A-ok!

 

[Helge]

I've hauled way too much gear twice, only to use all of it only for a few mediocre shots or not at all.
Never again.

Bring a normal lens. And if you use them a lot, a light tele or a wide. Mark my words, not all three.
Unless this is a photo trip, you will have a lot less time for photos than you think.

Also bring something you could bear to drop or have stolen, without that spoiling the trip. That leaves out (presumably) Leicas.

A medium format folder, would also be a fine choice.

Olympus XA could become an irritation with the 35mm. It put demands on always having to have something interesting in the foreground.
A ca. 50mm gives you that little more tele.

Also bring a small bag to carry it in. Don't rely on pockets or having to carry it around your neck. Not good for the camera, and not good for you.
A camera strap is for not dropping the camera. Not a way to carry it for a day.
Even the most pocket friendly camera will not like being in a pocket for days on end. Especially not in a hot climate.

 

[DonW]

I've hauled way too much gear twice, only to use all of it only for a few mediocre shots or not at all.
Never again.

Bring a normal lens. And if you use them a lot, a light tele or a wide. Mark my words, not all three.
Unless this is a photo trip, you will have a lot less time for photos than you think.

Also bring something you could bear to drop or have stolen, without that spoiling the trip. That leaves out (presumably) Leicas.

A medium format folder, would also be a fine choice.

Olympus XA could become an irritation with the 35mm. It put demands on always having to have something interesting in the foreground.
A ca. 50mm gives you that little more tele.

Also bring a small bag to carry it in. Don't rely on pockets or having to carry it around your neck. Not good for the camera, and not good for you.
A camera strap is for not dropping the camera. Not a way to carry it for a day.
Even the most pocket friendly camera, will not like being in a pocket for days on end. Especially not in a hot climate.

All good advise.

Another wrinkle, I have on several trips to Mexico taken my Rollieflex TLR. Got great images! It's a magical camera. My problem is I have too many choices lol. I know I will have minimal quality photographic time so that is the main consideration. I was leaning towards a 50mm lens which as Helge points out negates the XA. Especially if I am using 400 asa film. But then on the other hand I can set a 35mm at hyper focal distance and blast away. Crop later.

In past years I have taken a Leica M3 and on another trip the M5. Those trips were more centered around photography so it made sense. Not so this trip. I don't consider any camera a fashion accessory or status symbol so the Leica doesn't appeal to me in that way. Cameras are just tools. Period.

 

[cjbecker]

All good advise.

Another wrinkle, I have on several trips to Mexico taken my Rollieflex TLR. Got great images! It's a magical camera. My problem is I have too many choices lol. I know I will have minimal quality photographic time so that is the main consideration. I was leaning towards a 50mm lens which as Helge points out negates the XA. Especially if I am using 400 asa film. But then on the other hand I can set a 35mm at hyper focal distance and blast away. Crop later.

In past years I have taken a Leica M3 and on another trip the M5. Those trips were more centered around photography so it made sense. Not so this trip. I don't consider any camera a fashion accessory or status symbol so the Leica doesn't appeal to me in that way. Cameras are just tools. Period.

Take the rolleicflex, done deal.

I got my hard sided box ready for our outerbanks trip coming up, rolleiflex 3.5e, rolleicord as backup. And just too finish off 2 rolls of e100 taking a f5 with a 55 2.8 ais

 

[Radost]

What is the point of owning nice cameras if you don’t take them to a vacation? Literally the place you want to have good quality memories.

 

[Helge]

All good advise.

Another wrinkle, I have on several trips to Mexico taken my Rollieflex TLR. Got great images! It's a magical camera. My problem is I have too many choices lol. I know I will have minimal quality photographic time so that is the main consideration. I was leaning towards a 50mm lens which as Helge points out negates the XA. Especially if I am using 400 asa film. But then on the other hand I can set a 35mm at hyper focal distance and blast away. Crop later.

In past years I have taken a Leica M3 and on another trip the M5. Those trips were more centered around photography so it made sense. Not so this trip. I don't consider any camera a fashion accessory or status symbol so the Leica doesn't appeal to me in that way. Cameras are just tools. Period.

I’m thinking more the monetary value of the Leicas.
Nothing wrong in appreciating good classic design and in showing off a bit though.
Another rangefinder will take exactly as good images as the Leica.

A Rolleiflex is already too big for me to drag around.
At a stretch a very light TLR like the Ricohflex or a meterless Autocord maybe. But it’s still a big box to find a place for and take care of.

Something like a Hi-Matic 7s or a Minolta X-300 with a fast 50mm would fit the bill perfectly. Light, and has both manual and auto modes.

 

[DonW]

Oh another option!! I have a Minolta Hi-Matic 7s!! Helge you are a bad boy . The lens on that 7s is stellar!!! I would put it up against any 50mm Leitz lens made at the same time any day! In the real world of photography Leica's are a PITA. They are always going out of alignment. You need to have at least three of them so you have your main camera, a backup and one off for a CLA. It's ok if you are making money with them, it's just a cost of doing business. That's why Nikon trashed them with the Nikon F. Everyone was fed up.

When I was doing magazine work I lugged everything from 4x5, Hasselblads and 35mm all over the world. It gets REAL old very fast. I'm not looking to make Nat Geo images on this trip, just want to have a camera for those spontaneous images that might pop up. I feel naked not having a camera with me lol.

 

[Sirius Glass]

What is the point of owning nice cameras if you don’t take them to a vacation? Literally the place you want to have good quality memories.

 

[Helge]

What is the point of owning nice cameras if you don’t take them to a vacation? Literally the place you want to have good quality memories.

Because a typical vacation is a very hard milieu for a camera to live in.
Unless you have a space suit harness that you can strap your Hasselblad to and a magazine for thinned down non-backed film, then bringing a Hasselblad on a vacation, it becomes as much about managing the Hasselblad as it becomes about enjoying your vacation.

If you are not there to take photos first and foremost, then bring something good, but small and carefree.

Some cameras are mostly near field cameras. That you can take out from a secure base like a car, a well stocked big camera bag, or your home.
Rolleiflex mostly fits in that category.
And all large format gear too.

Just as there is cameras mostly suited for the studio work like Mamiya RBs or large format rail.

It’s just not worth wearing a Rolleiflex down to the bone for a week or two of vacations shots. Running unnecessary risks too.

There is over 350 others days of the year you can use it. And for stuff that is ultimately probably more meaningful and well considered.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Because a typical vacation is a very hard milieu for a camera to live in.
Unless you have a space suit harness that you can strap your Hasselblad to and a magazine for thinned down non-backed film, then bringing a Hasselblad on a vacation, it becomes as much about managing the Hasselblad as it becomes about enjoying your vacation.

If you are not there to take photos first and foremost, then bring something good, but small and carefree.

Some cameras are mostly near field cameras. That you can take out from a secure base like a car, a well stocked big camera bag, or your home.
Rolleiflex mostly fits in that category.
And all large format gear too.

Just as there is camera mostly suited for the studio work like Mamiya RBs or large format rail.

It’s just not worth wearing a Rolleiflex down to the bone for a week or two of vacations shots. Running unnecessary risks too.

There is over 350 others days of the year you can use it. And for stuff that is ultimately probably more meaningful and well considered.

I have never felt that carrying my Hasselblads a problem or limiting. I fail to see why taking them should cause a problem. Perhaps a review of how you travel or even move about.

 

[Helge]

I have never felt that carrying my Hasselblads a problem or limiting. I fail to see why taking them should cause a problem. Perhaps a review of how you travel or even move about.

I was actually once on a vacation with someone who had brought a Hasselblad.

Whenever it was with him, it was always subtly or not so subtly about where to set it down, where to place it on his torso, so as to not get it bumped. And changing magazines and reloading them always required a sit down at a table.

Actually taking a photo was a dance and a song. Never under thirty seconds, often more.