Confessions of a Camera Junkie (and which one to take to Paris)

[markwilkins]

OK, so I'm going to London and Paris for a couple of weeks in the spring. The question of

what camera to take along would normally not be an issue -- I'd take the M7, probably

with the 50/2 and 35/1.4 ASPH.

 

Unfortunately, I sent the M7 to New Jersey for a repair (intermittent DX-reading failure)

and it's now winging its way to Germany. No, it won't be back before the trip, and no, I

can't go to Solms to pick it up.

 

I have various other equipment choices available to me, and I know they're not really

perfectly comparable from a standpoint of what images I'd like to make. What I'm looking

for are suggestions as to a strategy, an interesting project, or whatever to MOTIVATE my

decision to take one set of equipment or the other.

 

I'm agnostic on the issue of film vs. digital. The reason I'd normally take the M7 is that I

simply take better pictures with it. Why, I don't know. I also like using color neg film

because it puts the issue of white balance in someone else's court -- fiddling with white

balance is my least favorite aspect of digital photography. (That's true with slides too, but

there I've tended to tolerate it because the images look beautiful on a light table.)

 

Soooo, here are my choices, in no particular order (though the ones that seem most

reasonable to me are nearer the top.)

 

1) Nikon D70 w/ 17-35 f/2.8 zoom and 50mm f/1.4. I don't like that my low-light lens

comes out equivalent to a 75 in this arrangement and again white balance is a problem

(particularly in indoor lighting) but it's probably a serviceable arrangement.

 

2) Nikon F100 w/ same lenses, plus maybe an 85/1.8. Being able to go wider might be a

lot of fun and the 50/1.4 is a very useable choice. Also, the camera's smaller, which is a

plus. However, lugging film around and developing later is a minus.

 

3) Pentax 67 w/ 90mm f/2.8 and 45mm f/4, plus maybe a Canon G6 compact digital to

balance it off. This one might be a lot of fun -- I don't get enough use out of the Pentax

67. However, it's like carrying around a ton of bricks.

 

4) Just go with the Canon G6. Can't really get the same degree of nice depth of field, easy

to carry around, takes nice pictures otherwise, and I won't cry if I lose it or it's stolen or I

destroy it.

 

5) Get a second M7 or an MP body, possibly with a 0.58 viewfinder. I'm Mark, and I'm an

addict.

 

Cameras discounted from the list are: Nikon D1x (too big, offers few practical advantages

over the D70 for this application), Nikon FM2n (nice enough, small, but F100 will do better

with the lens I want to use)

[trex1]

Hey there Mark,

 

I have kind of been in the same boat, especially with digitalis. The best photos I ever made in Paris where with a huge hulking Bronica EC 6x6, that I used to photo my sister's wedding there. I would not dream of returning to Paris and lugging that camera around, it weighs as much as a small Volkswagen!

 

But, at the time, it was perfect. You cannot lose with a nice medium format camera. I would say the Mamiya 6, or Fuji GA645. Both are dream cameras for Paris, especially in view of their lightweight, and superb RF lenses.

 

I fell in love with the Bronica, but it was too heavy, so I bought a Bronica SQ, which is lighter, but does not really work for me, not sure why, so I am selling it. In the meantime, rf af cameras seem to be the ticket. hence my purchase of a Hexar AF the other day.

 

The Hexar has all the advantages of an M7, with a built in 35mm summicron lens, and af, all for $300.... Honestly, if I was off to paris, I would take that, and the GA645, or just the Hexar. They are lightweight, cheap, and take pictures that will rival or exceed what you can do with a Leica. You can get either camera for 3-400 dollars on Ebay.

 

That's my tip. I would certainly use film, and the combo of the two works very well. The hexar for grab shots, and the GA645 for the ones you want to blow up really big!

[wmwhee]

Sounds like you yourself might be leaning toward the F100, a good choice. Forget checking the monitor on the D70 after each shot, worrying about white balance, etc. Trust the force.

[robert_m_johnson]

Collector...

 

http://www.frazettaartgallery.com/ff/news/HTML/feb_2001.html

[markwilkins]

Heh, perhaps I do have something of the collector in me. However, I am a visual artist, full

time, for a living, so I feel fine about taking some joy in my tools. :)

 

I am not, however, a professional photographer, so maybe that's why I've been so much all

over the place both in my artistic goals and my equipment. For me, photography is play,

not work.

 

However, taking pictures of my travel has nothing to do with any of that! Help me out

here!! :D

 

-- Mark

[markwilkins]

Darius: Thanks! However, I'm not buying another camera for this trip, unless it's a Leica, and

probably not then!! :)

 

Bill: Checking the monitor is definitely a bad habit, but it IS possible to turn it off on the

D70! A more insidious bad habit is cranking off hundreds of meaningless shots just because

you can.

[nee_sung]

The F100. Even with the M7 you have to lug film around, etc.

 

I think I qualify as a somewhat bigger junkie :-)

[Robert_Lai]

If you walk around as much as you should, you'll want the lightest equipment with you. For that reason, I wouldn't discount the FM2n along with just 2-3 prime lenses. With all of the great architecture in these two cities, plan on bringing a 20mm or 24mm lens with you.<p>Don't bring this gear with you if you plan to visit the museums such as the Louvre. You will be asked to check your gear. For these reasons, you should also carry the little digital P&S with you. My wife carries her Canon Elph 2 APS camera with her for all trips, because it's so tiny. She snuck it into the Louvre too! Just remember to turn the flash off when you're inside (although to our dismay we found out that many people didn't - they kept blasting the great artworks with their on-camera flash units).<p>I don't see why you're adverse to carrying film when your first inclination was to bring the M7.<p>Another perverse idea - rather than the Pentax 67, why not bring a compact folding medium format camera such as an Agfa Isolette III, or a Zeiss Super Ikonta B? They can be carried in your jacket pocket, have excellent lenses, and give you a big, juicy negative to work from. At least the Isolette III can be obtained for around $150, cleaned, rebellowed, and overhauled from someone such as Jurgen Kreckel.

[markwilkins]

Thanks, everyone, for the ideas so far! Robert, I'm not particularly averse to using film,

but the F100 is a more bulky camera than the M7 and doesn't share what I find the M7's

usability advantages. Also, since the D70 and the F100 are similar cameras in a lot of

ways, the differences come down mostly to the difference in FOV and carrying film around.

(I still think I'm leaning toward the F100 based on that balance though.)

 

One advantage to digital is that it WILL NOT and CAN NOT get fogged. (I haven't had

trouble with security X-rays, but during a trip to London last year with the Leica, I fogged

a roll by mistake because I forgot to rewind the film before opening up the bottom plate of

the camera!! Amazingly, though one edge of the film was fogged, the pictures still came

out well enough to be worth keeping.)

[kenny_c]

How about a Voigtlander body or 2 oe 3.

[bart feliciano]

Mark, I can probably loan you a Bessa T or Bessa R3A for your trip if you need an M-Mount.

 

Send me a 'hey'

[roger.a]

I took just my Pentax 67 and the standard lens to Paris one year (105/2.4) - no camera bag, just carried the camera - had a great time.

[william_vickers1]

We need confessions of a more personal and sexual nature.

[markwilkins]

Thanks Bart, that's the most useful answer yet!! :)

 

-- Mark

[wbowman]

Since you would be most comfortable with a Leica have you considered buying a used M6

and then selling it when you return (or when your M7 comes back from Solms)? It's not like

it's going to lose any value over the month or so between purchase and resale.

 

Given the choice of the equipment you do have, I would take one of the Nikon film bodies

+ the 17-35 and the 85. It just seems like the lens is never wide enough for me in either

city (or any city!). If you love the 50mm focal length, you should take it too (since it would

replicate one of your Leica lenses).

 

Also keep in mind that you'll be walking a lot in both cities - so lighter gear is better. I

can't imagine hauling around that big Pentax. Also, London is crowded and it is difficult to

navigate the tube and many of the streets with a giant camera bag. smaller gear is better.

[terry_rory]

Have you also considered that Spring in London is typically the wettest time of the year? Your entire time there could be in heavy rain. In which case you may want to consider a little P&S with underwater housing is you are determined to shoot outdoors.

[brandan]

You have all those cameras and can't make a choice?

 

:-)

[kurt_teerlynck]

Buy a second M body or even a CL or CLE, I have those and they are sooo sweet! An M6 isn't expensive anymore too. Anyway you need a backup for you m7 when you own a 35 summilux asph and a 50 summicron, one lens for each body is nice! Paris is great and a 35 and 50 are really enough there I feel!Succes,Kurt

[WM]

Hi Mark,

 

How about getting yourself a used M6 classic or M6 TTL ? When you come back, you can either keep it as a very nice backup to your M7 or sell it off and not even lose a cent ?

 

In that way, you can still use your 50 cron and 35 lux.....a killer combo !

Have fun on your trip.

[erin.e]

If you are a true Leica lover there is only one decision, use this opportunity as a God sent reason to buy another Leica body so you will not be put in this invidious situation again when one of them craps out.

[paul_neuthaler]

If you take your F100 w/50mm 1:1.4, you won't go wrong. Having said that, if it was me, I'd take the F100 with a 24 or 28 instead.<div></div>

[alastair_anderson]

I had a project when I went to Paris. I wanted to take pictures that would have been pleasing to the surrealists. (I'd read a book somewhere called "Paris and the Surrealists". Can't think of the author or his photographer off hand.) Anyway I had 3 cameras with me. This was a few years back (pre-digital). I had an m3 with a 2.8 elmar, a Rolleiflex and an Olympus point and shoot (mju). Black and white with the Rollei and colour with the others. The 2.8f was in its case but somehow the weight wasn't an issue. I got some wonderful black and white pictures. Really memorable colour shots with the Leica in London too.

Take the cameras you enjoy using the most. If I were to go again I'd probably take my folding 6x6 Voigtlander Perkeo and an MP with a couple of lenses.

[frederick_muller]

I don't know what a Canon G6 is, but It's interesting that virtually all your other choices split into two camps ... SLR heavy and the M7. It sounds to me like the M7 was your first choice, your actual preference, or you wouldn't be asking the question. It is also apparent that you have no second body for your Leica kit, which is an acquisition that makes a lot of sense. Why not pick up a used M6 TTL or a Bessa R2 and travel light with your 50mm cron and 35mm lux aspherical?

 

By the way, here's an OT observation. I have done lots of walking in both London and Paris. In London, distances look further on the map than they are in practice. In Paris, the opposite holds. So if you are going to Paris, a pair of really good shoes and a light kit are something you will appreciate in very short order! Have fun! :-)

[john_r._fulton_jr.]

F100 and be there. Cupla lenses. That's all you need. The 17-35 zoom and the 85. That said,

a *true* camera junkie would take everything. And figure it out when they get there. And

carry at least half of it around all day. And probably not get many pictures. :->)

[paul_neuthaler]

Mark, I just returned from a week in cold, wet, expensive London: my kit was an M4-P, Leica Winder M & 50mm tabbed Summicron & plenty of Fuji iso 400. Never used my 90 M Rokkor -- hard for me to focus on 90mm frameline.