EGYPT

[tanya_mcmillan]

Hi

 

I am off to Egypt. I have spent lots of hours pouring over all your recommendations. But I am a novice who likes to

use 35mm film. I have a RICOH XR-10 and a MINOLTA DYNAZ 404 si. I have just purchased a Tokina 28-210mm

Zoom lense for the minolta and I have access to a large PENTAX lense for the Ricoh. I also have a cheap 10mp 5X

optical zoom VIVITAR camera.

 

I am wondering, if anyone can help me in plain English without confusing me (it's easy to do) what else i should be

getting for my trip. i am going 23rd September 1 week cruise and 1 week stay in Luxor. Also I have been looking for

film. I think Black & White and colour. You all talk of FUJI NPZ 800, but I can't find it also KODAK GOLD 100 for

daytime or FUJI REALA 100. I don't mind how much I spend as long as the pics are good. I live in the UK and

wonder if the NPZ film may be called something different.

 

Anyway thanks in advance if anyone can give me some information. I only hope that some day my knowledge of

photography is as good as all those out there who write on these forums.

 

Thanks Again

 

Tanya McMillan, Northern Ireland

[matthew_newton]

For the Minolta if you can swing a bit of an expense I would look for a wide angle prime lens, maybe a 24mm lens. I would personally not have gotten a super zoom for a variety of reasons (mostly image quality and speed reasons), but I would at least get a wide angle prime lens (you'll probably find in some cases you'll need the extra angle) and you might want to consider looking for a standard fast lens, like a 50mm f/1.8 for it as well.

 

I personally use Reala for anything I consider high quality unless I need extra speed, then I simply use superia 400. It has enough resolution for an 8x12 to look nice and I like the color saturation of the film.

[japan_photo]

Tanya, you should seriously think about bringing a tripod with you, especially if you are staying one week in Luxor. The temples out there are gorgeous at twilight and you will need a solid support to take decent pictures. As for film choice, I would not experiment much on an abroad trip - bring those films you are familiar with. Enjoy your trip, Egypt is fantastic.<br>

Frantisek<br>

[noreen]

What do you plan on using the ISO 800 for, Tanya? Short of some twilight/night shots (highly recommended--bring the tripod!), maybe some

late afternoon street photography, or shooting in the dimmer recesses of the temples, you probaby won't need it. Photography is no longer

permitted inside the tombs, alas. (Wouldn't hurt to bring some 800, but it shouldn't be your first choice of film) Regarding color negative film:

I tend towards Reala, though usually for color I shoot slides (or, more recently, digital). However, as Frantisek said, don't make Egypt your

first attempt with an unfamiliar film. There is much opportunity for good B&W, too.

 

I also second Matthew's suggestion of a 24mm (those temples are BIG) and a reasonably fast 50mm. And consider bringing a spare lens

cap. I lost one of mine at Hermopolis Magna and had to resort to a rubber band, tissue, and a baggie on that lens for the rest of the trip.

 

Have a great time! I'm headed over there myself again for three weeks in October, though I'll only have one week "at leisure."

[frank_ernens]

If you're shooting both black and white and colour, you'll probably want two bodies so you don't have to reload (and hope

the film is aligned) or finish the film. I would go mad with two bodies that didn't take the same lenses - imagine if you

wanted to take a black and white photo with one lens and that one was on the colour camera.

<p>

You should definitely shoot a roll of the film you plan to take and get it developed where you plan to get your Egypt

photos developed. I speak from bitter experience: all of my Papua New Guinea shots from the 1980s were ruined by bad

development; only in the last few years have many of them been printable at all, through the magic of Photoshop. Shooting a roll

will also tell you whether you are happy with your Tokina 28-210mm zoom. If you <i>are</i> I would seriously consider

taking just that lens and the Minolta camera and no other camera. If you <i>aren't</i>, I would not take the lens at all;

when will you be getting to Luxor again?

<p>

The 24mm is a good all-purpose wide for an experienced photographer, but I'm not sure it's easy to use for a novice.

28mm is a very good focal length.

<p>

If by "large" you mean "long" (i.e. long focal length) then be aware that anything longer than 200mm is hard to keep

stable without a tripod or Image Stabilisation (gyro in the lens). Often there's little call for such long lenses travelling

anyway, though someone who has been to Egypt can say better than me. I have shot a lot from boats and ships, and

180-200mm is a very good focal length for that, long enough to capture the shore and short enough to keep stable; forget

about using a tripod on deck.

<p>

I can't give specific recommendations on print film that aren't out of date. I did use and like Kodak Gold 100 through the 90s because I

liked the colours.

[joseph_smith3]

A regular tripod and a portable tripod you can put into your pocket, like the Untrapod #2. Regarding lenses, definitely a 24mm. Get a double bubble for your hot shoe so your horizons and verticals are straight ! Filters--I like warming filters for Egypt's vistas and temples outdoors, like 81A or 81B or 81C. I use B+W brand, and use the KR1.5 and the KR 3.0, roughly equivalent to a 81A and 81C respectively.

 

Film: Fuji print film: low ISO like 100. From the Pro Fuji films, I would take: (1) FUJICOLOR PRO 160C, for vivid high color saturated situations, high contrast; (2) FUJICOLOR REALA, ISO 100, natural colors, medium contrast, universal type film; (3) NEOPAN ACROS 100 B&W. If you do not like vivid high contrast images stick with (2).

 

More film info here: http://www.fujifilm.co.uk/professional/films.html

 

Buy your film in Northern Ireland,

 

Joe Smith

[frank_ernens]

Mention of filters reminds me that most people use a yellow filter with black and white to darken the sky (yellow is the

complementary colour of blue). ISO 400 is a common speed for black and white, which gives you a handy 2 extra stops

in your slow zoom.

<p>

An 81A/B/C filter is made for removing the blue cast when shooting in shade; the light there is from the blue sky rather

than the sun. It's a good thing to have with you if shooting slides, but with film the lab will usually correct the colour for

you - and also correct away such use as Joseph suggests.

<p>

Fuji films available in Europe are shown <a href="http:/www.fujifilm.co.uk/film/film.html">here</a>. According to that,

PRO 800Z replaces NPZ 800. I would be cautious about using ISO 800 speed film in the desert with an older camera,

because you could run out of shutter speed.

<p>

I forgot to mention that when you are deciding whether the zoom lens you bought is good enough, you should use a print

the size you eventually want. Better lenses and films can make bigger prints.

[tanya_mcmillan]

Hi Thanks for all the information. I have always been a bit of a fly by the seat of my pants kinda girl. When I lived in Australia, started to take pictures at night with iso400 standing on top of a bridge( holding my camera). Of course they were not very good. But I got them developed and learned.

 

However, no I want my pictures in Egypt to be good, but at the same time, I can go again, and probably will next year if I enjoy it.

 

NOREEN I think I would use iso 800 for as you mentioned dusk, night etceterea. And lots of iso 100 and some 400 also I think (couple of rolls) If I can fit in a tripod, weight wise I will- dusk and night shots are what I like the most.. I know what you mean about the lense cap. I was in the Northern Territory, chasing an 8 foot goanna through the dessert, and the sole of my boot flew off, fell over, lost the lizzard. When I got back in the car had also lost the lense cap. RED DUST all over the place.

 

JOSEPH I don't uderstand what a double bubble for a hot shoe is, and is warming filters - refering to the depth of colour?

 

FRANK filters are confusing me, I was told to get a UV filter and a circular polarizer. Will that suffice. I take your point on the 'long lense', however, I do want to try some black and white film, and see the sense in using two cameras. I have thought of getting a second minolta body. Money is now becoming a bit tight, and beggars can't be choosers. I will try to get a second body. I will try to shoot a roll off this weekend with the new lense.

 

Can someone explain to me f- Is it the higher the numbers e.g 5.5 slower and the lower like 1.8 the faster speed capability of the shutter? I AM SORRY!! :) And do different brands of say iso 400 film react differently - FASTER?? As MATHEW has said Extra Speed?

 

Thanks all for the valuable information. When I get back I will post some pictures for you (if they are O.K - ALL a big leaning curve.

 

Tanya

[frank_ernens]

F-stops: yes, lower numbers are faster, but less is in focus. For travel, you often want everything in focus anyway, so a

slow zoom lens is OK, but then you need faster film. And all ISO 400 films are the <i>same</i> speed - ISO is the

International Standards Organisation and all the national governments make it illegal to say something follows such a

standard when it doesn't.

<p>

Filters: a circular polariser would be useful on your trip to cut glare from the Nile, and maybe to darken the sky. But,

especially when sunscreen and sand is involved, putting them on and taking them off can be a menace.

<p>

I don't see how having two bodies will help if you are now going to use three kinds of film. I think you're much better off

saying each day "today I'm only going to use such-and-such kind of film", informed, of course, by knowledge of the

itinerary and suggestions people make here. Then you only have to carry one camera and lens that day. And you don't

have to buy another body. (Another lens, a fast one, <i>might</i> be handy - Minolta made some crackers - but I'm

guessing it's a frill.)

[tanya_mcmillan]

I really don't know I looked on E-bay and it's very confusing- with regards to a fast lens. I got another minolta body

for £20.00 today. My other half can have one and i will have the other. We used 25 rolls of film for a weekend to

London, so i would say the slower night shot film will be ok for one or two nights worth of shots, after using the faster

films during the day. I shoot way too many pictures.

 

What would i use a fast lense for frank, and if i wanted one, how would they be worded for sale. Otherwise i am

liable to buy something mad, which won't fit or allows me to see the cow jump over the moon. Ha

 

Thanks

 

Tanya

[joseph_smith3]

Tanya, here is a picture of a double bubble:

http://www.naturescapes.net/store/product.php?productid=70&cat=12&page=1

Go to your camera store and get one that fits your camera's hot shoe. The store should be able to help you get the right model for your camera.

 

Here is info on filters. I use a KR 1.5 (81A) on my lenses for color shots in lieu of a UV filter. When clouds are really great, I sometimes switch to a 81 C instead of a polarizer to add punch to the clouds. With a polarizer, you sometimes end up with uneven polarization across the sky especially with wide angle lenses like a 24mm. If you have a polarizer, take it with you. Just make sure you use it properly. http://www.schneideroptics.com/info/handbook/

 

Joe Smith

[matthew_newton]

Good thing you got the second body. I have a pair of Olympus cameras for the multiple film dilemna, an OM-1 and an OM-1n. That way I can either use Reala in one and Superia 400/800 in the other or Ilford XP2 super in the 2nd body. Or for those rare times I don't want to be switching lenses on the body because speed is of the essence or dust is a serious issue, such as shooting on Safari with my 400/4 on one camera and my 80-200/2.8 on the other (j/k oh god how I wish about all of those).

 

Look for a wide angle lens still, a 24mm lens would be very nice as would that 50mm lens. For a 'fast lens' the smaller the f-stop the faster the lens is. So an f/2 lens is faster then an f/2.8 lens, an f/2.8 is faster then an f/3.5, etc. The only lens I would really worry about the speed of is the 50mm lens. They are generally very cheap. Look for a 50mm f/1.8 lens, it shouldn't cost you more then £20 I would think (if even £10). A 24mm lens probably would only run you £30-60 and it is noticably wider angle then your 28-200mm lens at its widest angle.

[frank_ernens]

Tanya wrote:

<p>

<i>allows me to see over the moon</i>

<p>

I wonder whether you are confused between fast and long here. Length is the focal length, measured in mm, and is the

28 and 210 in your 28-210mm zoom. Speed is the f-stop, and you want it only to see and shoot in dark places or to blur

away the background. You probably don't want to blur away the background in this case.

<p>

A fast lens with fast film will get you a shot inside a tomb or passageway if flash isn't allowed, as I've read it isn't. A

wide would be best, and I'd have taken my 21mm with my old film gear. Noreen says above you can't photograph in the

tombs at all, now, so if there aren't any other interiors a fast lens isn't much benefit.

<p>

When you use a lens like a 24mm, and even more the 21mm, you have to learn to "get up close" and compose the

picture with either something in the foreground or, more likely for this subject, strong geometry. It takes practice, which

means you'd need to find the lens and then try it out - meaning, running to the lab each time to get your film developed -

all in the 3-4 weeks you have. That could easily turn from fun into a death march.

<p>

If you're going to burn as much film as you did in London, the second body will solve your film-changing problem. Just wait a few minutes

and

one's free. I don't understand why you're choosing slow film for night and fast for the day. Is it because of reciprocity

failure on the fast film? Do you know about "sunny 16"? Together with the rule that to hand-hold (no IS, no tripod) you need to keep shutter

speed above 1/focal length (in secs and mm), that will let you estimate what film speed you need with that lens. Overall, ISO 400 is a

useful speed.

<p>

How long a lens do you need? If the boat is in the middle of the Nile (2km across in many places) you can't shoot the

shore and get anything much interesting without very special equipment. So I have to believe the cruise company will

stick close to one shore precisely so people can take pictures with the typical 200-300mm lens. You're not getting answers here, so ask

them!

[frank_ernens]

Oh, I never really answered your question if you did understand focal length. 300mm is "long", 400mm is about the limit

without big tripods and fancy gimball heads. There's a 500mm mirror lens that fits your Minolta which can be hand held.

[lee_carruthers]

I highly recommend Fuji Reala. Nice fine grained, medium contrast film that gives you natural colours and scans

very well. I would caution you about consumer films like Superia 100 (and maybe Kodak Gold 100 - never used it)

commonly available at drug stores and chain stores. They have much higher contrast which can cause trouble when

shooting in bright sunlight with deep shadows. Contrast can always be boosted with digital editing software, but it is

often hard to reduce effectively. I had to use a few rolls of Superia in Peru and Iran (ran out of Reala) and always

cursed it with high contrast scenes - pics were worthless. Shadows were blocked up and highlights tended to burn

out. I also didn't like the colours.

 

Reala is a great film with lots of exposure latitude as well.

[tanya_mcmillan]

Well thank you all for your advice. I have now two cameras and two lenses, and uv lenses and polarisers and extra lense caps, and am waiting on Ilford and Fuji Superia film to arrive. I have taken all advice and hope that all goes well. My fiancee and I are spending alot of time getting to know our new equipment. MANY THANKS TO EVERYBODY - if pics turn out well, i will post them.

 

Thanks again

 

Tanya