Which would you take on a trip??

stradibarrius · Oct 21, 2012

This may seem like a trivial question but I will be in Spain and Portugal In Nov. and am trying to decide which cameras to take with me. I will be taking my D300 for sure and want to take a film camera with me as well. I wish I could take my RB67 but way too heavy for this trip so my choices are either my F100 or my FE???
For mt F100 I have a Nikon 50mm f/1.8AF-d and a Nikon 28-105mm.
For the FE I have a 28mm AIS, 35mm AI and 50mm AIS. The FE with the 28 and 50 would be a lighter set up but the F100 with the 50mm AFD and the 28-105 would give me AF.

The reason I ask such a simple question is knowing that some of you have gone through this before and will mention things I haven't considered.

David Brown · Oct 21, 2012

There is no correct answer. Take what you are comfortable taking.

wildbill · Oct 21, 2012

it's kinda like "what color underwear should I take?" Whatever you like.

PentaxBronica · Oct 21, 2012

I'm not sure how older Nikon lenses and their DSLRs get on, but I'd take the camera which can share the most lenses with the D300.

fotch · Oct 21, 2012

FE. You can focus the camera, more important is not to be overloaded with heavy gear.

MikeTime · Oct 21, 2012

I faced the same question going on holiday a few months ago, and ended up taking just the D700 with 28 mf, 35 af, 50 mf and 85 af. No regrets there.

If I were you (I'm not) I'd take the D300 with your two favourite fixed focal length lenses (14 and 35?) and the FE with a 35 and Tri-X. But that's just me.

whlogan · Oct 21, 2012

desertratt said:
Do not load yourself down with too much camera gear but take enough. Only you can decide.

I would take the F100 for it superb functionality suite and the 105mm lens you have. That and AF. Have some fun !!!!
Logan

Alexander S. · Oct 21, 2012

What lenses are you bringing for your D300? If they are not DX lenses, that might affect your choice since you could use them on the F100.

stradibarrius · Oct 21, 2012

For the D300 my 16-85 VR and the 70-300 VR...both are DX so no sharing there. I will probably go with the F100.

Chan Tran · Oct 21, 2012

stradibarrius said:
For the D300 my 16-85 VR and the 70-300 VR...both are DX so no sharing there. I will probably go with the F100.

The 70-300VR I am sure that it's FF. Can this lens be used on the FE? I don't know which version of the lens you have. I would rather bring the FE as it's smaller and the F100 and D300 are too much the same, look and feel etc... The FE would be handy at places where modern DSLR's are not welcome.

MARKNABIA · Oct 21, 2012

Reminds me of the Master...."When asked what camera I use, I reply 'The heaviest one I can carry'." - Ansel Adams

markbarendt · Oct 21, 2012

Keep it simple F100 and the 50mm AF-D 1.8.

Think of yourself as HCB in the 21st century with AF.

destroya · Oct 22, 2012

take the f100. the modern style will be easier switching between the 300 and the 100. Also if someone else besides you needs to take a film picture, the 100 can be used just like the 300, P mode

john

waynecrider · Oct 22, 2012

I'm not a fan of the lenses you have for the F100 but I have tested pre-Ai 35mm and 50mm lenses and they are fabulous.

markbarendt · Oct 22, 2012

waynecrider said:
I'm not a fan of the lenses you have for the F100 but I have tested pre-Ai 35mm and 50mm lenses and they are fabulous.

You have a problem with the 50 1.8 AF-D? I can't imagine why.

Care to be specific?

MFstooges · Oct 22, 2012

Chan Tran said:
The 70-300VR I am sure that it's FF. Can this lens be used on the FE? I don't know which version of the lens you have. I would rather bring the FE as it's smaller and the F100 and D300 are too much the same, look and feel etc... The FE would be handy at places where modern DSLR's are not welcome.

All of the VR lenses don't have aperture ring, it's almost useless with FE. I think OP has figured that it's better to bring D300 + F100. If I were him I'll bring 70-300VR for the extra reach on cropped sensor DSLR and 50mm + wide angle for the F100.

narsuitus · Oct 23, 2012

Assuming you have other lenses you are taking for the D300, if I had your equipment, I would take the F100, the 28-105mm, and a few rolls of 36-exposure film to backup my D300.

TheFlyingCamera · Oct 23, 2012

Frankly the 70-300 for the D300 is total overkill in a place like Spain and Portugal, unless you're going to photograph migrating sea birds or something. Almost everything you'll want to photograph will best be served by your wide angles or wide-medium tele zooms. Frankly, I'd just take one or the other, the F100 with the 28-105 and MAYBE the 50 for low light, or the D300 with the 16-85 lens. Too much fussing back and forth becomes a distraction. Even though the device form factor is the same, you have to think differently about how you expose with each of them - you've got to be very conscious of SBR and highlight values with the DSLR, which is not necessarily so with the F1000 (if you're using negative film).

Alexander S. · Oct 24, 2012

I travel a fair bit and always bring a telezoom. It really depends on personal preference and shooting style. I like longer focal lengths, I can zoom in on little details of architecture, for example, or get candid portraits from a distance.
I'd take the D300 and the two zooms, the 50, the F100 and the 28-105. I might not bring it all all the time though.

munz6869 · Oct 24, 2012

Last trip I went on I took the kitchen sink and came home with very satisfying negatives to print. After much travelling I've sort of decided that taking the lightest camera isn't really for me - because I'll always end up wanting bigger negatives. So now I drag around a 5x4" field camera kit (mostly wider lenses), and on days when I lack the enthusiasm to lug that about, I take a 6x8cm rangefinder with a standard lens - a great street photography camera. I am sure my motivation will ebb as I get older, but right now the reward is getting home with that film...

Somedays, walking up hills, I hallucinate about carbon fibre tripods, and miniature spot meters...

In summation - take the camera you 'want' to take.

Marc!

Mad4MF · Oct 25, 2012

Are you taking spouse/SO and/or family? If so, the less gear the better. If not, take the film gear that most reflects what you want from film shooting versus the D300. For example consider leaving 35MM at home unless you just want to shoot some Velvia or Tri-X "because". If it's a lutherie oriented trip take whatever gives you the best IQ.

Phillip

voceumana · Oct 25, 2012

Not that you have these cameras, but my 2 favorite travel cameras are:

1. Fuji GW690 rangefinder. With a fixed lens, I don't have to worry about what lens to use, and the 6x9 negative almost seems large format. But it is big.

2. I have the Cosina Voightlander R2 with several lenses; the small size of the lenses and camera make it really easy for travel. My whole kit will fit in a little camera bag. Do a 35 and 75mm lens (or 28/75) and you've got a pretty flexible 2 lens kit.

Charlie

kivis · Jan 17, 2016

Leaving for a jeep trek in the Negev Desert. Taking a Nikon FM3a and a Nikkor Ais 50/1.8 and my Ais 105/2.5. Grrrr.

Sirius Glass · Jan 17, 2016

Take both: one for color negatives and one for black & white.

onre · Jan 17, 2016

I'm going to Spain with my wife in the end of March.

The plan so far: OM-2n for color positives, Minolta Autocord for b&w negatives. There's a possibility of acquiring a Moskva folder before the trip. If that happens, it might take the place of Autocord.

Which would you take on a trip??

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