Europe travel with LF - tips?

I will be going to Rome and various spots around Tuscany in October,

not strictly for photography, and I've pretty much decided to leave

the LF gear at home, as painful as that will be for me. I can travel

comfortably with a fair amount of 35mm gear, but the thought of

lugging the 4x5 around Europe is not appealing (and I use a fairly

lightweight camera, the A/S Discovery).

 

What makes this particularly difficult is that I know 35mm Tuscan

landscapes will be unsatisfying for me. Does anyone have any tips

about traveling with LF gear? Unfortunately, I think it's beyond

hope; I want to be able to carry everything in a small bag. I'm

considering an "intermediate" solution -- picking up a lightweight

6x7 or 6x9 rangefinder from an auction site to carry in addition to

the 35mm equipment. Any recommendations?

Fuji 6x9? For landscapes look for the GSW model with 65mm lens.

 

Otherwise the 90mm version is also pretty easy to find used.

A Fuji or a Mamiya rangefinder would be a nice choice.

 

Or, you could get a smaller LF camera. I could fit either my Gowland (monorail) or my Walker (ABS field folder), three lenses, readyloads, etc., in my medium-small 35mm bag. I'm not a member of the Everything Including The Kitchen Sink school of travel photography, so I pack light. Main problem is the tripod: how big, and how to carry. I would opt for a lightweight travel model, and learn to cope with its shortness.

 

You may not save any money buying a MF and lenses instead of an LF and reusing your LF lenses.

It has been several years since I've air-travelled with LF gear, so take my comments with an appropriate grain of salt (or several), Brian. Last time I did, however, I fit all the 4x5 gear in a rolling Tamrac case that was sized to fall within the carry-on regs, and fit in the overhead space on the plane. The tripod I took fit inside my hard-shell luggage. (So, I had wrinkles, shaped like my Bogen head, on the chests of my dress shirts. No big, I just kept my jacket on, and wore wide ties.) If you have to keep the tripod outside your regular luggage, I'd suggest a hard-shell case, like those used for golf clubs. Soft-shell cases will almost guarantee a tripod with bent legs.

 

Ultimately, I think it boils down to a personal decision of whether to put up with the inconvenience of taking LF gear on flights. If it's a photo trip, the decision becomes more obvious. If, however, it's a trip primarily for other purposes (business or family vacation), other factors come into play.

Brian,

 

I have just got back from holiday in Northern Italy with my LF and 35mm gear. (Phew it was hot!) I am in the UK but I expect air travel is much the same wherever you are. I prune all the kit to what I regard as a minimum which fits into a bag which goes into one of the suitcases. My two assistants came with me (aka wife and son) so we had two other cases for clothes etc. I use a lightweight travel tripod in these circumstances which is OK for my amateur work. I would have been stuck if it had been windy but that is the major compromise. I have beefed up the tripod head to make it more rigid and it seems ok in calm weather judging by the prints. I take the 35mm camera body and one lens and all film including LF (in grafmatics) as hand luggage as they get less x-rays that way.

 

I use LF because of my interest in architecture as well as landscape. If landscape was my prime object I personally think MF would be OK for me but thats for you to decide.

 

Have a good trip

 

Colin

My wife and I recently took a trip to Tuscany, San Quirico de Orca, from the UK and took both my LF field camera with 3 lenses and Pentax 67 with me. The LF camera and lenses with Dark slides spot meter etc I managed to fit into an airtight Peli type hardcase and the Pentax with 2 Zoom lenses etc in a soft sholder camera bag both of which we carried on as hand baggage. The tripod I had to dismantle into supports and head and this was put into a soft case with walking clothes, Boots etc in the hold. We were just under the limit for total hold bagage for the 10 day trip. My experience is that LF is a great format and you will miss it if you don't take it but be prepared to use a lot of film. MF is certaily more econical and produces great results.Everywhere you turn and at nearly any time of day except between 1100am and 1500pm you will be faced with great pictures. If you need any suggestions for the area around San quirico let me know.

Have a great trip

Tony

Use a Toho (not Toyo!) FC-45X. Currently, I find my A/S F-line C also too heavy to carry (though more while walking then flying :), so the little Toho (1.5kg) is really liberating.

I can use a puny Slik 804 CF tripod (less than 1kg/50cm when folded, fits in my onboard luggage) with the Toho instead of the Gitzo 410 needed for the Arca w/o any ill effects up to now.<br>

Also, use Quickloads and confine yourself to 1 or two lenses - and I bet your LF kit will be no more bulkier or heavier than your 35mm bag.<br>

A Fuji 6x9 is even lighter and smaller (and can give really outstanding results if used within its limits!), but even more minimalist.<br>

IMHO, the ability to bring back large negatives from a long journey depends mostly from how much one can adopt a »reduce to the max« attitude referring equipment :).

Buy Michael and Paula's book, and just take your P&S for snapshots.

1. don't head over there with equipment you are sure will disappoint you. (But good 35, on a tripod, is not bad, MF even better. I would have loved a Fuji, and single lens)

 

2. are you renting a car? (a big part of the how to get it around -- through the airport is trivial compared to daily issues). If so, most hotels/accomdations (outside big American style hotels and big cities) are a few steps from room to car, and you may then go camera/tripod and small film/lens bag.

 

3. Some places are crowded, and tripods banned or rather difficult (you can find landscapes aplenty, however). I think a Large Format might actually improve peoples' keeping their distance out of your composition, for architecture, etc.

 

4. ditto on the tripod in shell case, and you should be able to have a small lf kit in a over-the shoulder bag, or at least larger carry-on size.

 

5. film -- graphmatics or readyloads for space, though a (few) holders, changing bag, and box of film probably as good or better. The more you rely on reloading from the box, the smaller. Film here, or film there, airport security, see other threads for recent updates.

 

6. If with family, don't spoil their trip by photographing a single scene for 4 hours. It is a rare trip for them as well. That, to me, is the bigger reason not to carry LF when not alone. And, if you are signed up for tours, forget special time considerations (I would forget the tours, instead).

I forgot one crucial question, which is always there. How do you use the camera? If landscapes, AND you are not habituated to using movements, then a large MF Fuji (or like) will do very well. If architecture with movements (space is closer than you would like in the streets), and/or you are accustomed to movements, then stay LF (or go whole hog MF view).

Thanks for the responses -- you've given me a lot to think about and some very good advice. I am now mulling over the possibility of bringing the 4x5 after all and trying to minimize equipment as much as possible, along with a P&S 35mm for those times when bringing LF is too cumbersome.

 

I do shoot mainly landscapes and though I am accustomed to using movements, it wouldn't kill me to go without them. I am not going with a tour group, and I will be renting a car, once we leave Rome, so I should have a little more control over my own time.

 

Tony, the itinerary is not yet set, so if you have advice about San Quirico or elsewhere in Tuscany, please e-mail me. I will also check out Michael and Paula's book for some thoughts about picturesque places to visit.

 

I'm still undecided and I'll have to think about this some more... thank you for the help!

www.michaelandpaula@michaelandpaula.com and then click on "photographs." There are two volumes, one for each of them.

I once took my Cambo SC to Normandie. I had an old backpack in which I mounted some light wooden plates on the sides to strengthen it. But I had to assemble and dissable the cambo after each shot, As it didn't fit in the backpack assembled. It worked pretty well however.

Is it possible to rent the LF camera while you are there? If so, it would seem the best option.

I'm hoping to visit some friends in Switzeralnd in a year or two, and have had the same thoughts. Why take photos of the Swiss Alps with a 35mm or digital camera when I could set up a 8x10 instead, develop the negatives in my hotel or friends place, and mail them home to print when I return.

A Graphic with a rangefinder would seem like the ideal camera to use. Light

in weight and closes to small porportions. Use handheld with the higher

shutter speeds and the viewer or speed frame.

 

As concerns small bag, my friend Dick carried a Wista, 210 Rodenstock, say

three film holders, one filter, shutter release cable and a Gitzo carbon fiber

very easily in a small bag and he's ancient and has a bad back. I carried a

regular consumer backpack with 3 lenses, filters galore and 12 holders with

no problems.

 

If you want I'll be more than happy to lend you my Graphic and supply you

with lensboards for your lenses for free. Mine doesn't have a rangefinder tho; I

yanked it for weight and repair. All you have to do is stick a Italy sticker on the

front cover which is now minus the leather and needs covering.

Second thoughts; Many others here who have taveled to Italy or who live

there may have inside info about getting film processed there. I would also

check availability of film and cost to purchase there. Forget the hassle of

imspections. If processing was quite available I would seriously consider a

small 4x5 such as my graphic for the out of town driving around landscapes

for a minority of shots. For everything else probably the 35mm since film and

processing is cheaper by the shot and it easier to carry around the cities. Btw,

don't forget a P&S. Any conclusions yet?

I'm going to Switz. and have been debating camera choices. The last time I went was by bicycle so my choice was the Rollie but I had depth of field prob. and some camera(operator) shake. We're going by car but the thought of schlepping 24# around and my wife's complaints lead me to think Rollie again but with a tripod and 400 speed film.

Limitation = happiness. 4x5 is a cannon, roll film a rifle, 35mm a pea shooter......(once you

know large format..that is.)

Take less large format equipment. Don't try to "cover the bases"using other lesser

formats.............4x5's Quickloads......run around a lot. Enjoy.

Did Venice to Rome 500 sheets Quickload, in 2002. Be careful with tripods. Italians are

hungry for money and decend right away on you for a "Permit"....a bullshit scam whereby

they ask that you get a permit that costs $700 for the day. Only a fool would get one.

Good luck!