Flying west, (from NY State) not driving

Gas prices, and time costs being the main reasons. This will of course limit

my gear load. The 4x5 and tripod stays home. But I think I will regret not

bringing a 6x7 SLR along? And only bringing 35 rangefinder & SLR kits, and a

pair of digital point & shoots?

 

 

My Pentax 67 and it's 3 lenses weighs close to 10 lbs, plus I will need a

small tripod. This is a first trip to the Yellowstone/Glacier region. Am I

crazy even considering leaving this big camera home? I always consider

photography first on these trips. I will have rental car, and I have back pack

to haul the camera with. But I'm wondering if I will become a slave to the

larger format, and ruin the recreational parts of my vacation?

Don't worry unless you aren't going for three months you will be stuck in traffic most of the time.

Steve, if you usually make big prints of shots you love, then bring one of the cameras that gives you big negatives -- the 4x5 or the Pentax 67 -- and take time to enjoy using it once in a while on your trip.

 

If you don't want big prints for the walls, then having just the 35mm and little digital cameras is no disadvantage.

 

I took the Rolleiflex and 35mm Nikon to Waterton Lakes, Glacier and Yellowstone last summer, and did not regret taking a little more time to use the Rolleiflex on the more extravagantly scenic bits (the Nikon served double duty as ambient light meter). Still, I haven't made any big prints from that trip. If I were going back this year, I would bring only my new Nikon D200.

 

I do think you will want at least one relatively long-lens option (300mm or better in 35mm field of view terms) for some wildlife opportunities. You don't need a big lens to photograph elk and bison in Yellowstone; they're often quite near the roads in large numbers, grazing or just relaxing in hilly, photogenic surroundings. And you get quite close to the thermal features in Yellowstone. But for bear or bighorns or goats or raptors -- critters that either keep their distance from you, or that you really want to keep your distance from! -- have a tele option.

 

As for "ruin the recreational parts of my vacation," only you can decide, really. But one easy solution is to consider photography one of the recreational parts of your vacation...

 

Be well,

You don't say whether or not you are going alone. I recently came back from a trip to Italy with my wife, her cousin, and met a friend from California. Everyone had their own agenda of what they wanted to see and do. I would have ruined everyone's trip (including mine) if I had traveled with a lot of camera gear. So I brought a Konica C35MF (essentially a point and shoot) and 5 rolls of Elitechrome. Very liberating.

STEVE, DO you have a wife or a companion ? and, are planning to bring her/him along? If yes, then , not only your VACATION WILL be AFFECTED, but your companion's also. I would'nt say ruined , though. AS long as you bring only what you can carry comfortably.

Pentax 6x7 & 2 lenses, small tripod, ONE digi P&S

 

With the above, you take care of "photo bug" needs with the 6x7, snapshots with the P&S, and leave you enough time to enjoy non-photo activities without being too weighed down by camera equipment.

 

As I was once advised in this forum -- for you to get any enjoyment out of a VACATION (i.e., NOT a photo-safari), only bring a MAXIMUM of 2 formats.

 

KL

Other than the LF tilts and swings, there is nothing you can't do with 35mm - it's just a quality issue vis-a-vis LF and MF. On the flip side, if you can handhold the MF Pentax, it's just as easy to use (though not carry) as 35mm. Or use a monopod. But I think the moment you start using a tripod, you have to consider the impact on others in your party.

 

To me, you are already over complicating with digital P&S, 35 RF and 35 SLR. YMMV of course, but I think adding an additional format is really pushing it. If it was me, and if traveling with others, I'd take the digital and the 6x7 with monopod.

 

OK, you win, take the 35 RF too.

Unfortunately my girlfriend is also a photographer, and carries a Fuji S2, and a bag of 35 stuff as well.

 

 

 

The more I think about it, the more I want to bring the 67 along! Even if I only find one place to use it, at least I will have it.

If it was me, I can't imagine going to Yellowstone with another photographer and not bringing my favored camera equipment along. I'd hate myself! The landscapes alone are awesome, let alone the wildlife!

 

My suggestion to you is to take either the 4x5 or the 6x7, whichever makes you happy, and a couple of lenses (not necessarily the whole camera store). I'd only take one system, except that you could supplement it with that digital p&s (there are some really cool small ones with stabilization and amazing telephoto lengths now, to let you get those distant wildlife shots when the 4x5 won't hack it).