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Six month backpacking trip around the world - what to take?


manuel_zamora_morschhaeuse

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<p>Hello everbody,<br /> <br /> I've recently started planning a six month backpacking trip "around the world", which should take place in approximately one year or so. Starting from Germany and I'd like to visit India, South East Asia, China and then selected parts of the American continent. Besides the important task of choosing the right backpack and set of clothing, shoes, etc. there is the question of which photographic equipment to take. This trip will not be a photographic expedition, but taking photographs is a very important aspect of it. At this point I do not want to discuss any particular equipment choices, but mainly ask you folks from photo.net -<br /></p>

<ul>

<li>Did any of you travel for a longer time (> 1 month) with limited luggage? </li>

<li>What type of photography did you do and what did you take with you? (Number of bodies, prime/zoom lenses, focal lengths, electronic devices like notebooks and storage, ...) </li>

<li>How much did the equipment weigh? </li>

<li>What worked, what didn't? </li>

<li>Do you have any particular tips, recommendations or resources (web sites, books, ...) for me? </li>

</ul>

<p><br /> I know that many of my questions highly depend on the nature of the trip and the type of photography one is envisioning, but as I am very curious about your experiences (and pictures!) please don't hesitate to express your experiences and opinions.<br /> <br /> Thank you very much,<br /> <br /> Manuel</p>

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<p>I haven't done a backpacking trip like you are thinking of under taking, though I do go backpacking in the wilderness (and sometimes not quite so wilderness), so I'd think there are a few comperables.<br>

Bernard is right on, weight is killer when you have to have it on your back most of the time. I don't necessarily agree with the going film. Now I use almost exclusively film (other then a digital P&S), but when you are talking 6 months that is a lot of film even if you are only shooting a few pictures a day. Of course power can be a possible issue, but there are ways to work around this.<br>

First, if you are doing digital I suggest the following. 2 spare batteries and charge up at every opportunity. No laptop, get a good hard drive based backup that you can load the images directly to from your SD or CF card. Next, get a lot of memory cards. In fact, treat them like rolls of film. They aren't that expensive any more and you should just consider it a trip expense. 12 4gb cars runs around $150-200. Once you shoot it full, back it up to the hard drive and mail the card home (or to a friend, family member, etc). Better yet if your pocket can streach 12 8gb or 24 4gb cards. Yes that ups the cost that much more, but that gives you something like 200-300 pictures a week depending on your camera. If you were doing film you'd shoot less (trust me, you'd never carry 260 rolls of film on you). At the end of the trip if you don't really want that many memory cards, sell them on Ebay or else where. Sure you'll lose a lot of money on them, but you could probably get half your money back. Its cheaper then having shot and developed everything (even simply developing and an index print) if you went with film for the trip.<br>

For film, take a similar strategy except carry say 20 rolls of film on you at all times, maybe even a bit more (film doesn't weigh much for 35mm, I am pull a number out of my head, but I'd say 40 rolls might weigh 1lb). Get more film whenever and where ever you can. If you are in a country where you think that might be dicey, stock up before you go there. Again, film doesn't weigh all that much. Mail the film home whenever you can. If you are in a place where you'd trust the development of the film, well develop it there and then mail it home.</p>

<p>For either digital or film I suggest this. No more then 3 or 4 lenses and make them light. I'd personally take a 24mm, 50mm and 100 or 135mm lens. I'd consider also taking a 14mm or 17mm lens (I don't currently own one, but its on my list of need to get around to one of these days). If you are zoom hungry I'd say take something in the 17-55 range plus a longer prime or light zoom if you have an APS-c camera. If zooms don't take more then 2 and maybe a fast prime (like a 50/1.4 or 1.8 or 35/2 or something). Don't take f/2.8 glass for zooms, to much weight. No tripods or monopods unless you can afford a really lightweight carbon fiber hiking tripod (no more then 3lbs including head, or you'll regret it).</p>

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<p>I did a two-month trip many years ago. Everyone is right about the weight... go light. At the time I had one of those Olympus all-in-one pseudo-SLR zooms (film). It worked well; I mailed home film on occassion. I would not suggest taking an SLR with mulitple lenses, unless you are VERY committed to carrying all that around. Try this... carry all the camera gear you're thinking about everywhere in your normal life for a few weeks. If you get sick of it, when you also don't have your clothes with you, just imagine after a few months on the road.<br>

If I were doing it I'd probably go with a G11 or one of the super-zoom all-in-ones. Keep in mind that you're traveling to some less developed places, so you're not going to want to stand out too much. I think a smaller camera like a G11 would help you blend in more. And you'd probably take it out more, use it more, because it will be less of a hassle. </p>

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<p>The Nikon 45p is a nice travelling lens, small and light with a slightly wider field of view than a 50mm which I find perfect for landscapes. It also has better color and conrtrast than the 50/1.8 Nikon. The Nikon FM10 with the 45p makes a sweet travelling package.<br>

When I was travelling in Europe last year I took a Nikon 8008 (about 2 pounds) and a Leica z2x (less than 1 pound). When I got up in the morning, facing a day of walking around a hot city, I couldn't bear the thought of carrying the 8008 around my neck all day so I almost always took the z2x which gave great results. I don't recommend any of the Leica p&s's, however, since they are prone to failure and they gobble up batteries. My z2x, for example, lasted the entire trip but the shutter failed 2 weeks after I got home.</p>

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<p>I regularly travel with one carry on sized bag for extended periods. Most recent was 5 weeks in Cambodia and Lao.</p>

<p>My backpack is a regular type DaKine one not a photo type one. Camera gear is one 1 series Canon full frame body, and a 24-70 f2.8 zoom, battery charger and cards, remote release and a Manfrotto 190 tripod with an Acratech head. If I want to take more camera gear then my alternative set is 16-35 f2.8, 50 f1.4 and a 70-200 f2.8. But that is rare now, I looked through my EXIF and realised I could do the vast majority of my travel shots with a 24-70 and that has proved to be the case. I also carry a G10 P&S. Netbooks are the way to go with storage and serve multiple duties as entertainment centers when you want to watch a movie or something and also keeping in touch, email, blogs etc, wireless connections are very easy and prolific now, it might be worth finding out about coverage from a couple of the big world wide wireless suppliers now and sign up for your trips duration, (Boingo etc).</p>

<p>For me, it works, and has been arrived at by many trips.</p>

<p>One comment on backpacks, lots and lots of people travel with them but very few people need to travel with them, the vast majority of the time, even in seemingly far away and exotic places wheeled luggage is just as, no it is more, suitable. Wheeled baggage that has shoulder straps really does give you the best of both worlds, they tend to be less comfortable but the times when you have to carry the bag tends to be very little. Unless you are going hiking with all your gear regularly then think about a wheeled set. My next bag will be a ThinkTank Airport Security, but that is really going to have to serve multiple duties. Be honest with yourself about how much time you will <strong>have</strong> to have your gear on your back.</p>

 

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<p>Sounds fun. I spent a summer cycling through Europe when I was young. I cut as much weight as possible when I crossed the Alps - cut the handle off my tooth brush, trimmed borders from maps, bought film and mailed it as I went. Have fun, and keep your gear to a minimum. Less to worry about. </p>

<p>As for cameras, how large do you intend to print? I'd still be inclined to take film so that I wouldn't have to charge DSLR batteries. But I still like to print B&W in my dark room. So I'd bring a Mamiya 7 and a few lenses. YMMV.</p>

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<p>Nice nostalgic question.</p>

<p>In 1977 my wife and I spent most of 12 months crossing from Europe to S.E. Asia then Canada. I packed a Nikkormat with three primes. Lived out of one medium-sized duffel and a camera bag. Light.</p>

<p>Recently we have traveled in SE Asia and S. America. I still take one small duffel, but a digital Nikon (D300) with two VR zooms covering 18 - 400 mm. If pressed, I'd just use the 18 - 200. I have other lenses that I leave at home. I do take a tripod. It gives me wonderful low-light results and I personally enjoy the exercise of balancing ambient and artificial light at dusk.</p>

<p>IMHO, the optical quality of modern lenses and cameras is astounding. So I'd recommend a nice wide zoom and tough body. And a sound backup strategy. A card reader would allow you to skim the "keepers" at an internet cafe and write them to a backup card (or two).</p>

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<p>In 2001 I travelled for 9 months through India, Nepal, Laos and a little bit of Thailand. for 3 months I travelled through India with just a 30 liter backpack I bought in Kathmandu. In it were just 1 pair of trousers, about 4 pairs of underwear and a few t-shirts. No socks, I walked on teva's. I wore one other pair of trousers. This was in summertime though. I had my laundry washed at the guesthouses.<br>

For photography I used an Eos 1n with 28, 85 and 100mm lenses. If I would go again, I would bring my Canon G10 and use that. Small and light and excellent image quality.<br>

Good luck with your preperations.</p>

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<p>Thank you everybody for your input!<br>

I thought about staying with film for this trip, but my calculations resulted in some 2000€ cost of film and development. Combined with the hassle of taking some 250 rolls of film with me (or trying to find professional slide film in remote places) sounds like pain in these digital times. But it surely appeals to me to just take my Leica MP and a few small and light but top notch lenses. <br /> My normal digital kit consist of an EOS 5D Mk I and the 17-40L f4, 24-105L f4 and 70-200L f4. Not that I want to take all of these lenses, but this kit (w/ a lightweight 35mm f2) weighs alone 3kg (6,6lbs). I thought about aquiring a Pentax kit with a set of their "Limited" pancake prime lenses covering the same focal lengths, which would reduce the weight to about 1.5kg (3.3lbs). But as I want to maximize file quality and I really like the output of my 5D I'll have to think some more about that. And then there's the question of a backup body or backup camera (P&S vs second camera body).<br /> The G9/G10/G11 route sounds appealing, but I'd really prefer the image quality of a DSLR, as I was planning to print at least a small subset of the images rather largeish (16 x 24 inches or so).<br /> I also thought about taking a netbook or a 13" MacBook Pro to download the cards and probably update a blog while being on the road, but portable hard disks with card readers are of course (much) lighter.</p>

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<blockquote>

<p>I saw an article a while ago by a professional photographer who was doing a shoot with a very expensive digital Hasselblad. He had a $500 G10 along also and happened to take some of the same shots with it. When he got back to his studio and enlarged the images from both, he couldn't tell the difference.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Yes, I read that too, that was on Luminous Landscape. I believe Michael Reichmann (the author of that article), but he was mainly photographing static landscapes, and I'm not sure if the G9/G10/G11 is fast enough for quick street photography. And, I'm a sucker for bokeh...</p>

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<p>Manuel, you are over thinking this. If you take a P&S (as I do) it is mostly there for backup, it does not need the functionality of your main body as you are unlikely to rely on it, however with care you can take images that will print plenty big enough with them. You can preset everything on the G10 including focus so it can be used in a "street" environment to good effect, but it takes some practice.</p>

<p>Now I think that your three lenses are not really very complimentary, there is too much overlap at the ends, they are all slow and bokeh is not the strongest feature on any of them. Look in your EXIF and see where you are taking your favourite shots, and your best shots, with regards focal length. I see a huge number of people traveling with a 5D and the 24-105, if that won't work for you then the other two together should.</p>

<p>I always travel with a laptop/netbook.</p>

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<p>Scott, you are probably right, at least concerning the over thinking part. The f4 Zooms are really not that fast, but one of my alternative plans was taking (and of course buying / complementing the existing ones) just selected primes (I can easily do with a 24, 35 and a 85/100), but 3 or 4 L-primes are not really lighter than 2 or 3 zooms. I am mostly concerned about the weight part - 3 or 4 kg of photographic equipment is a lot. But as you already said, most of the time you do not carry all your equipment with you.<br>

Thank you very much for your thoughtful input!</p>

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<p>I haven't made a six-month long backpacking trip, but I have made several month-long trips in SEAsia (about the only difference in what you need is more storage for photos). Everything I need for a month of photographing now fits comfortably in a 35-liter backpack and a small Domke F-5XB camera bag. As other have said, lighter is better. If you're going to get off the beaten track, you definitely want to be able to <strong>carry</strong> everything comfortably. If you can't easily carry all of your stuff for at least a kilometer, you've got too much stuff.</p>

<p>In dry season, I take one pair of tennis shoes and one pair of sport sandals. In wet season, it's Doc Maarten boots and sport sandals. The sandals get used the most, but I often go on treks or rent motorbikes for making day trips. The shoes get strapped to the back of the backpack when I'm not wearing them.</p>

<p>Bring lots of good plastic bags. They're great for keeping things dry and for separating dry/clean items from wet/dirty items. Another very-useful item is a sarong. It's small and light, it dries quickly, and it can be used as a wrap, a towel, and a sheet. (There are two types of buses in SEAsia: the miserably hot, sweaty ones with no/busted aircon, and the freezing cold ones with working aircon. Always be prepared for either.)</p>

<p>For camera gear, I take a Canon 5D, 50/2.5 macro, 28/1.8, and (sometimes, depending on destinations) 20/1.8. I also have a Hyperdrive HD-80 with 120GB drive that I use for backing up cards. I do a fair amount of shooting in the dark, so a capable low-light setup is essential.</p>

<p>I don't carry a laptop; too much weight and bulk. Instead, I use an Apple iPod Touch. It gives me internet access wherever there's wifi (which is quite common these days). It also provides music for long rides (the "local flavor" of blaring Asia pop karaoke on the buses wears thin pretty quickly) and lets me show people samples of my photography. And it easily fits in a pocket, so there are no concerns about having a laptop stolen from a hotel room.</p>

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<p>What you are doing should be a great experience. My trips have been a lot shorter, but I have appreciated the following:</p>

<p>Use of a non-photographic backpack or comfortably carried sack into which I can place the equipment (I have small padded camera equipment bags that insert easily into the inconspicuous outer bag). Given all the time you will have while carrying / stewarding your gear, this makes it less noticeable and less likely to be the object of theft. As we like to mingle with the local peoples we also try to dress as closely as possible to the prevailing customs (this isn't an obsession but helps in street shooting and meeting others)</p>

<p>I prefer to use my feet as a zoom lens and work with faster prime lenses (but not too fast, as weight goes up proportionately). Maybe you can cut down on weight by using your 17-40 zoom and then a few light primes to have more reach or more compressed perspective, like a 50 f2 and 85 or 135 f2.8. Whatever you bring you will always find one or two that may not get much use. Analyse your shooting habits and compose your lens choices accordingly. A macro lens may be a good choice in the 50 to 100 range. </p>

<p>I find taking film a hassle, as much at the airports as elsewhere. Also excess heat can be a problem with film and is hard to avoid. You might want to have a light monopod (can perhaps double as a walking cane in tricky mountain paths, or as last resort in scaring off deranged stray dogs) or pocket tripod. Keep copied files of your digital photos separate (SD or CD cards, burned disks, portable hard drive, etc.)</p>

<p>Got caught in Cantal mountains of Auvergne last summer and having left my light rainwear at the B&B, but at least I had a large plastic bag to protect my wallet-papers and small camera bag during a torrent of rain (the sheep were all huddled beneath large trees). Plastic bags can also keep your gear healthy in dusty climates. Seaspray is a good way to depreciate camera equipment early.</p>

<p>Photocopy all your important papers and passport and keep separately. Not legal, but useful if you are in a pinch.</p>

<p> </p>

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<p>Film should be a lot less expensive then that. 250 rolls of Fuji 400h runs about $7 a roll (including development only, no prints) or about $1750US for 250 rolls. Frankly at 6 months for the trip I'd figure on no more then 1 36exp roll per day, if that. That brings your cost down to about $1,100. Still expensive, not nearly 2000€. Also if you went with cheaper consumer film (fuji Superia works just fine for me with most things) then your talking more like $500 for the 180 rolls you'd need for the trip (including develpment. There are a couple of labs near me that will do it for $.99 a roll, not pro labs, but I've never had a single roll out of 150 or so messed up by them, well other then the rare cut negative missing 5-10%).<br>

Total weight of 180 rolls is something around 9lbs (not light). Of course if you are buying film as you go, you probably aren't going to have more then 1-2lbs of film on you at a time. Once you get in to possibly buying a whole new digital SLR kit with even just 3 lenses and a portable harddrive or two and extra memory cards your talking well over the price of film for the trip (figuring more like 1500€ if not more like 1000).<br>

At any rate, for digital I'd go with your 5D plus 24-105 and carry a P&S and call it a day. That or get some light weight primes. I'd go with a single hardrive backup and my memory card strategy. Also 2 spare batteries.<br>

I dunno, my Olympus OM-1 with 24/2.8, 50/1.4 and 100/2.8 sounds pretty attractive at about 4lbs including about 30 rolls of film (I am guessing the almost 7lbs for your kit doesn't include any kind of storage solution or spare batteries?). For me more then 5lbs on my back for camera gear is to much. My pack weighs in at about 45lbs including a days water (3 liters) with my camera and that is not something I'd want to schlep around Asia for 6 months (of course I could probably ditch the tent and sleeping bag as well as mess kit, stove and fuel which means about 12lbs out of the pack). With camera gear the lighter the better.</p>

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<p>I did a similar trip in 2003/04 with a 4 month stop in New Zealand. Photography was not the primary aim. I used film with an EOS 50E with 24-85mm 3.5-4.0 and a cheap 70-300mm zoom. I also took a mamiya 7 with 80mm lens and Manfrotto tripod for use in a number of specific locations.<br>

All luggage including tripod fit in an 80L backpack.<br>

I bought 120 and 35mm flm in advance from a mail order company to cut costs.<br>

I think i would use digital if doing it again. An slr with 2 zoom lens and a compact for more spontaneous shots ( eg hanging of the back of a moped, in crowds etc). I found 24mm wide enough and didn't shoot much at >200mm. Bringing the cameras was an additional hassle, but not too much of a burden. It made me more security conscious, but I was willing to risk theft of the cheaper canon gear (a bag full of L lens and I may have been too paranoid to take them out) I used a small non descript -bag with home made dividers (cardboard and bubble wrap) when wandering around.<br>

I had my film developed in australia and New Zealand and mailed home. Two rolls were ruined in processing by a lab error, and 2 black and whte rolls had odd blotching marks on them (? humidity/ damp storage). Digital capture (and adequate back up) would avoid this, and also remove any doubt as to whether you got your shot before leaving that once-in-a-lifetime location.<br>

All in all it was an incredible experience, and photography didn't dominate or detract from it in any way. A lot of the photos in my portfolio are from this trip.</p>

<p> </p>

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<p>Yep - watch the weight. But it all depends on the type of travelling you are doing. I would travel between destinations (buses, trains, hitching etc) with backpack plus a day pack slung on my chest, then when I arrived I used the day pack for local travelling for a few days so in this respect weight is not too critical. But if you are hitching and tramping a lot it is more important to watch what you carry.<br>

I travelled for two years in SE Asia and Australasia - the first year with a Pentax ME Super plus 28mm 50mm and 180mm lens (until they got stolen) then with a Canon EOS 1000 with 28-80 and 70-210 zooms. With the Pentax kit I never failed to get a picture I wanted so three primes should not be a problem. That sort of kit was fine for a lot of top-notch travel photography up until the 1990s (when the price of zooms started dropping) so do we insist on carrying all those heavy lenses now? I usually carried 20 rolls of slide film and prcessed them when I reached large towns before posting them home.<br>

I have thought about travellng again and I would give serious though to taking my Leica R5 and 3 lenses again - considering the bulk and weight of digital gear (heavier lenses, heavier camera, cards, back-up hard disc, chargers etc etc etc) it is a very attractive proposition! </p>

<p>If you do want to go digital what about taking the 5DII plus 3 primes, and using the high pixel count as a digital zoom?</p>

 

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<p>First, thank you all again for your thoughts and advice!<br /> <br /> Mike Dixon, how do you like the Canon 28mm f1.8? It's reputation is not the best, but it sounds like a good lens, at least on paper. <br /> <br /> Matthew Newton, I calculated with 40 frames per day (probably a bit too much) and the local prices for Kodak E100G (6.60€ per Roll and 3€ for development). There is cheaper film, of course, but slide film is very expensive, at least here in Germany. <br /> <br /> Mike Hitchen, most of the time I will use just the small daypack for local travelling, so you're spot on with your analysis. I can make 95% percent of my photography with 3 primes, so that would be a preferred solution. But as I said above, three L-primes are not really lighter than 3 L zooms (but feature other advantages of course!). <br /> <br /> I can see three distinct options: <br /></p>

<ol>

<li>staying with Leica and film, less weight, but the logistic challenge of buying, transporting, developing and/or mailing film </li>

<li>using the 5D and a small selection of lenses (optimal mix of zoom and primes or just primes), distinctively heavier (especially when taking a notebook and/or portable hard drives, chargers etc.) but also distinctively the best image quality of all options or </li>

<li>reducing at least the camera weight by adopting a different camera system (Pentax w/ Limited primes) and probably also leaving the notebook at home and just take portable hard disks.</li>

</ol>

 

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<p>I use an Epson P3000 for archiving digital on the move. It's got a pretty good battery and the spare is pretty light as well. Good screen for viewing and culling while away from laptop. You can also watch movies on it is a pinch though iPhone has mostly taken over that purpose.<br>

You have some great options to choose from.<br>

I have 2 basic "bundles" that I can manage when traveling for longish periods. Both work in a reasonably small daypack.<br>

Digital - Now a 1DMk3 w/17-40 and 70-200/4L, spare battery, cards, etc. Biggest PITA is the humongous Canon double charger. Now thinking of adding 28/1.8 for a low light option. Usually a Fuji P&S as well. An Altoids tin full of SD cards will take you a long way.<br>

Film - 2 M6TTL bodies, 25,35,75, (if security is a concern I'll sometimes go with 25,50,90 as the replacement cost is a fraction of the other combo) GorillaPod with small ballhead (mostly for easy leveling) cable release, batteries, etc. HP5 in one body / 400NPH in the other. I send film home mostly, processing locally depending on the situation. It's nice to develop a couple of rolls along the way to check for issues periodically. Same Fuji P&S for times that it makes more sense.<br>

Slide film is beautiful, but a pain to travel with for me as location processing is available infrequently if at all. Fuji/Kodak neg film is easier to deal with and, if necessary, buy/replace along the way.</p>

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<p>In the past two years I've done about 9 months worth of trips, up to 2.5 months at a time.</p>

<p>Gear tended to vary according to destination. Main kit was Canon 400D, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 10-20, plus a fast prime like 85/1.8 or 90/2.8 macro. Yes it got heavy at times, but to me it's worth it. This is what I like to do. Like you the main aim was not photography, it was travel and experiencing places.</p>

<p>On one trip to Costa Rica I brought a 200/2.8 plus teleconverters but this got to be too heavy for my liking. I did bring a netbook on my last trip to Spain/Netherlands/Paris which was very handy. I likely wouldn't bring one to Asia though.</p>

<p>FWIW if I had your gear I'd consider taking the 5d plus 24-105, leave the rest at home.</p>

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