Q or M for one week on Miami Beach

[ctaborda]

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Adam,

 

That's scary. I live in Miami and often shoot at the beach. Can you please elaborate on how you had 2 cameras stolen? Were you mugged while taking photos?

 

I'm very curious, as I am always concerned about this.

 

Also, insurance-wise, do you just add them to home insurance policy? But I'm guessing you need to call and specify each camera body, Lens and so forth ?

 

I would take the Q and M + 50Lux.

 

The Q is wide enough to get some nice street shots plus the shutter goes higher than M, useful in bright light. However, 28mm is to narrow for capturing the Art Deco buildings head on, for that you need 15mm (attached pic done with 15mm VIII from Lumis Park). If you like to do beach shots of people in the afternoon/dusk, I found that a longer focal is better (attached pic beach at dusk 75mm summicron, slight crop).

 

 

Just make sure you are insured. I had two cameras stolen in Miami Beach.

[Exodies]

I thought my home insurance covered my cameras but when I wanted confirmation that they didn't exceed some upper limit on the value of a single item I was surprised to discover that for a 21000€ (one M typ 240 and four lenses) cover of loss, theft, accident at home or on holiday I needed extra cover, 545€ per year. As you can deduce from the currency, this is in Europe.

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[Adam]

Adam,

 

That's scary. I live in Miami and often shoot at the beach. Can you please elaborate on how you had 2 cameras stolen? Were you mugged while taking photos?

 

I'm very curious, as I am always concerned about this.

 

Also, insurance-wise, do you just add them to home insurance policy? But I'm guessing you need to call and specify each camera body, Lens and so forth ?

 

Have not checked this thread for a while, my apologies for late reply.

 

I was not robbed -  meaning attacked. A moment of inattention, distraction once at the airport and once at the beach (different visits). In the touristy places vigilance is good, always keep your camera on you. Christmas season is full of people and professional thieves.  Seems obvious, but distractions happen.

 

I have home owners insurance, but there is a deductible, so I added personal item insurance. A Leica set should cost you around $100-150 per year full insurance no deductible. I use StateFarm, just because my home is insured there. I think it is good practice to have your cameras fully insured. The insurance not only covers loss, but also damage by accident.

 

If you are unlucky and something gets stolen. Report it to the police and get a copy of the report. Makes life easier down the road.

Edited May 27, 2016 by Adam

[FeralCoton]

Yes with State Farm in the US you can add a personal rider. To homeowners or renters insurance. The cost for an m and a couple of lenses is about 150/yr.

 

 

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[jto555]

To the OP. If you are going on a family holiday then use a phone for the photographs. Trust me, its a lot less trouble to use with a family in tow.

[Exodies]

Re: insurance. Mine costs 585€ per year for one m typ 240 and four lenses. Covers theft, loss, accident and breakdown (I think; you never know till you need it)

[bencoyote]

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Low light still a problem for M, and I missed Q on the evening a lot.

 

 

I don't know about that. There are some cases where you decide that this is a kind of photography that you want to do. And there are times when something deep in your soul pulls you a way that you don't consciously intend. I find that low light photography is an example of that for me. I just find myself in situations that are interesting and the light is extremely weak.

 

I'm not really kitted out for low light. I'm not toting a Noctilux around anywhere. When I sort of planned out my M system a couple of years ago, I didn't expect this. I have a 50mm Summilux ASPH, a 28mm Summicron ASPH, and a 90mm APO-Summicron ASPH and I find that I can get my shots within the 3200 ISO limitation that I find acceptable. If I were planning it out now based upon what I now know, I would have a 18mm Super-Elmar, a 35mm Summilux FLE, and a 90mm Macro-Elmar. 

 

Low light is not a problem with the M240. I do everything hand held and with natural light. It is just practice and throwing away the ones that don't work. 

Some examples:

https://goo.gl/photos/jDRUvqs7wRg1sRte8 

https://goo.gl/photos/i4ACFQj1v5uhAHxM6

https://goo.gl/photos/c4CMmdPDv4XG72TYA

 

Just practice. My tips are mostly picked up around here:

1. Take a few test shots and chimp before the decisive moment to get exposure and focus right. Metering doesn't really work when you are hugely off of the reservation of normal photography. After you have figured out what's working. It usually stays pretty constant.
2. Count clicks. e.g. "the girl in the cage is 7 clicks to the left of crowd and 3 to the right of the guy on the stage."
3. You can get away with ISO 3200, crank the aperture wide open, then use the longest shutter speed you can hand hold and get away with how people are moving. Then forget about it. Chimp as necessary to deal with a change in the situation.
4. Use a wide lens more room at a wide aperture.
5. Motion tends to have nodes in it when your subject is essentially frozen, that is the the moment you want.
6. Pick out something of high contrast to focus on like a stripe on someone's shirt.