the perfect travel kit

[bill]

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Rick, having seen some of your work. particularly from Venice, I'd say you have mastered the art of taking the lenses that work for you I agree wholeheartedly with the rest of your post, btw.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[KM-25]

Either one of the two for me for a year around the world:

 

400-500 rolls of Tri-x sent in batches of 100. Existing kit:

M6TTL .72, black

Chrome M3

28/3.5 CV

35/2 Summicron Asph

Silver 50/2 ZM Planar

Silver 90/3.5 CV

my smallest Gitzo Carbon fiber and an even smaller Bogen Table top tri-pod in one small A&A Oskar's One Day Bag...in other words, my usual kit.

 

Or, perhaps best yet, one X100, 23/2 ( 35/2 ) and another in black with a 33/2 ( 50/2 ).

 

I have an assignment with an NGO for two weeks in September in the Middle East, I was going to rent an M9 but I think a far more potent kit will be my D700, 28/2AIS, 35/1.4G, 50 1.4G and 105/2.5AIS with my fabulously reliable X100...

 

I will never understand threads with titles, "What lens to bring to Yellowstone"...?...really?

[KM-25]

Either one of the two for me for a year around the world:

 

400-500 rolls of Tri-x sent in batches of 100. Existing kit:

M6TTL .72, black

Chrome M3

28/3.5 CV

35/2 Summicron Asph

Silver 50/2 ZM Planar

Silver 90/3.5 CV

my smallest Gitzo Carbon fiber and an even smaller Bogen Table top tri-pod in one small A&A Oskar's One Day Bag...in other words, my usual kit.

 

Or, perhaps best yet, one X100, 23/2 ( 35/2 ) and another in black with a 33/2 ( 50/2 ).

 

I have an assignment with an NGO for two weeks in September in the Middle East, I was going to rent an M9 but I think a far more potent kit will be my D700, 28/2AIS, 35/1.4G, 50 1.4G and 105/2.5AIS with my fabulously reliable X100...

 

I will never understand threads with titles, "What lens to bring to Yellowstone"...?...really?

[Rick]

Rick, having seen some of your work. particularly from Venice, I'd say you have mastered the art of taking the lenses that work for you I agree wholeheartedly with the rest of your post, btw.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

Bill,

 

Really spooky that you post right back so quickly. I actually had you in mind with your MP and your one favorite old(er) lens. I have always assumed that you are more comfortable in your craft with that as your kit, just being out with your camera and mind's eye.

 

Can you imagine only taking one lens and my M9 to Europe with me this summer? How liberating and free would that be? No hotel safes or worries about stolen lenses out of hotel rooms or carrying crap around. Just the clothes on my back and the camera around my neck and my imagination. Now there would be the perfect kit. Living like a temporary local where ever our feet take us.

 

Rick

 

Edit: Back to our regularly scheduled program.

[Rick]

Rick, having seen some of your work. particularly from Venice, I'd say you have mastered the art of taking the lenses that work for you I agree wholeheartedly with the rest of your post, btw.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

Bill,

 

Really spooky that you post right back so quickly. I actually had you in mind with your MP and your one favorite old(er) lens. I have always assumed that you are more comfortable in your craft with that as your kit, just being out with your camera and mind's eye.

 

Can you imagine only taking one lens and my M9 to Europe with me this summer? How liberating and free would that be? No hotel safes or worries about stolen lenses out of hotel rooms or carrying crap around. Just the clothes on my back and the camera around my neck and my imagination. Now there would be the perfect kit. Living like a temporary local where ever our feet take us.

 

Rick

 

Edit: Back to our regularly scheduled program.

[andym911]

if it came to deciding the perfect travel kit then size, weight and convenience would be top priority.

 

I travel a lot and at the end of the day what you have with you is what works...

 

one body, a 28mm and a 50mm would do it for me.

 

accessories depending on whether you do film or digital.

 

you might add a 90mm if you are fit..

 

best

andy

[andym911]

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if it came to deciding the perfect travel kit then size, weight and convenience would be top priority.

 

I travel a lot and at the end of the day what you have with you is what works...

 

one body, a 28mm and a 50mm would do it for me.

 

accessories depending on whether you do film or digital.

 

you might add a 90mm if you are fit..

 

best

andy

[Per P.]

Bill,

 

Really spooky that you post right back so quickly. I actually had you in mind with your MP and your one favorite old(er) lens I have always assumed that you are more comfortable in your craft with that as your kit, just being out with your camera and mind's eye.

 

Can you imagine only taking one lens and my M9 to Europe with me this summer? How liberating and free would that be? No hotel safes or worries about stolen lenses out of hotel rooms or carrying crap around. Just the clothes on my back and the camera around my neck and my imagination. Now there would be the perfect kit. Living like a temporary local where ever our feet take us.

 

Rick

 

Edit: Back to our regularly scheduled program.

 

Rick,

If one lens is a little too liberating, then you can bring a couple for the trip but only take one out at a time I actually think that you make photos with whatever you have.

 

If you have just one lens with you, then first of all you do you your best with that one, and secondly it may also impact how you see the world on that day. For better or worse. So it comes down to how much you are prepared to lug around in order to capture different perspectives or situations.

 

I thought that presenting the spread alongside a sample of the kind of photos I make could help some posters compare and contrast. No more, no less. If you want a less flat version of the story then stop by next time you are near Switzerland

 

Have a great trip, Per.

[Per P.]

Bill,

 

Really spooky that you post right back so quickly. I actually had you in mind with your MP and your one favorite old(er) lens I have always assumed that you are more comfortable in your craft with that as your kit, just being out with your camera and mind's eye.

 

Can you imagine only taking one lens and my M9 to Europe with me this summer? How liberating and free would that be? No hotel safes or worries about stolen lenses out of hotel rooms or carrying crap around. Just the clothes on my back and the camera around my neck and my imagination. Now there would be the perfect kit. Living like a temporary local where ever our feet take us.

 

Rick

 

Edit: Back to our regularly scheduled program.

 

Rick,

If one lens is a little too liberating, then you can bring a couple for the trip but only take one out at a time I actually think that you make photos with whatever you have.

 

If you have just one lens with you, then first of all you do you your best with that one, and secondly it may also impact how you see the world on that day. For better or worse. So it comes down to how much you are prepared to lug around in order to capture different perspectives or situations.

 

I thought that presenting the spread alongside a sample of the kind of photos I make could help some posters compare and contrast. No more, no less. If you want a less flat version of the story then stop by next time you are near Switzerland

 

Have a great trip, Per.

[denoir]

For example, someone posts the percentage of usage of lenses on a trip, as if that is going to help anyone else gain insight into their own minds eye. He then states that he mostly uses his 35mm and 50mm 65% of the time, 90mm was used 25% of the time, and the 24mm was used less than 10%. So, how does this help anyone else? How does it even help the person that posted this flat retrospective of their history. It seems to me that it would just tend to reinforce their own dogmas.

 

I guess you are referring to me, and the answer is that it doesn't help anyone except me. Like the rest of these posts it's introspective rather than an attempt at being helpful to others. Exactly, and I mean exactly in the same way as the rest of your post where you list your own preferences ("dogmas"):

 

I shoot mostly 35mm and below most of the time and therefore bring way more wides because I like to shoot this way. I'm picking the lenses to take with me that give me the most of my own creative vision. My kit has my favorite lenses based on how I like to see. I could care less if I have all the focal lengths in my kit covered.

 

I like to shoot wide and below 35mm a lot because of the perspective I can take advantage of with those lenses. Makes for what I think are better creative and fresh views (for me). I like to carry more lenses in the wide angle group from 16-35 and rarely use 50-90.

 

So to ask you the same question, how exactly is this information helpful to anybody? At least I took the time to explain why I like to bring along two different 35mm lenses.

 

Don't take me wrong, I don't mind you or anyone else listing your favorite lenses. I'm just pointing out that you are equally guilty of the thing you are accusing others of. Of course which lenses you choose to include in a travel kit or in your lens collection will be a personal decision that won't be relevant to anyone else. You might inspire somebody by posting images that show the characteristics of a certain lens, but just listing them is completely unhelpful.

 

There are however two points to posts like the ones in this thread:

 

1) Introspection and analysis of one own's choices. It can help you optimize your kit further.

 

2) Plain curiosity. It's interesting to see what other people choose to work with - even though that information won't be of any practical use.

[denoir]

For example, someone posts the percentage of usage of lenses on a trip, as if that is going to help anyone else gain insight into their own minds eye. He then states that he mostly uses his 35mm and 50mm 65% of the time, 90mm was used 25% of the time, and the 24mm was used less than 10%. So, how does this help anyone else? How does it even help the person that posted this flat retrospective of their history. It seems to me that it would just tend to reinforce their own dogmas.

 

I guess you are referring to me, and the answer is that it doesn't help anyone except me. Like the rest of these posts it's introspective rather than an attempt at being helpful to others. Exactly, and I mean exactly in the same way as the rest of your post where you list your own preferences ("dogmas"):

 

I shoot mostly 35mm and below most of the time and therefore bring way more wides because I like to shoot this way. I'm picking the lenses to take with me that give me the most of my own creative vision. My kit has my favorite lenses based on how I like to see. I could care less if I have all the focal lengths in my kit covered.

 

I like to shoot wide and below 35mm a lot because of the perspective I can take advantage of with those lenses. Makes for what I think are better creative and fresh views (for me). I like to carry more lenses in the wide angle group from 16-35 and rarely use 50-90.

 

So to ask you the same question, how exactly is this information helpful to anybody? At least I took the time to explain why I like to bring along two different 35mm lenses.

 

Don't take me wrong, I don't mind you or anyone else listing your favorite lenses. I'm just pointing out that you are equally guilty of the thing you are accusing others of. Of course which lenses you choose to include in a travel kit or in your lens collection will be a personal decision that won't be relevant to anyone else. You might inspire somebody by posting images that show the characteristics of a certain lens, but just listing them is completely unhelpful.

 

There are however two points to posts like the ones in this thread:

 

1) Introspection and analysis of one own's choices. It can help you optimize your kit further.

 

2) Plain curiosity. It's interesting to see what other people choose to work with - even though that information won't be of any practical use.

[Rick]

Rick,

If one lens is a little too liberating, then you can bring a couple for the trip but only take one out at a time I actually think that you make photos with whatever you have.

 

If you have just one lens with you, then first of all you do you your best with that one, and secondly it may also impact how you see the world on that day. For better or worse. So it comes down to how much you are prepared to lug around in order to capture different perspectives or situations.

 

I thought that presenting the spread alongside a sample of the kind of photos I make could help some posters compare and contrast. No more, no less. If you want a less flat version of the story then stop by next time you are near Switzerland

 

Have a great trip, Per.

 

I agree with all of this, exactly. And, in my first paragraph, I stated that there is nothing right or wrong about making it about the gear or kit. And, I know that members here are both incredible photographers (you included) and gear-heads. I just picked on your post (not you specifically) to juxtapose a slightly different point. Probably, it was an obvious one. But, one that didn't seem to be finding a voice in all of the perfect kits.

[Rick]

Rick,

If one lens is a little too liberating, then you can bring a couple for the trip but only take one out at a time I actually think that you make photos with whatever you have.

 

If you have just one lens with you, then first of all you do you your best with that one, and secondly it may also impact how you see the world on that day. For better or worse. So it comes down to how much you are prepared to lug around in order to capture different perspectives or situations.

 

I thought that presenting the spread alongside a sample of the kind of photos I make could help some posters compare and contrast. No more, no less. If you want a less flat version of the story then stop by next time you are near Switzerland

 

Have a great trip, Per.

 

I agree with all of this, exactly. And, in my first paragraph, I stated that there is nothing right or wrong about making it about the gear or kit. And, I know that members here are both incredible photographers (you included) and gear-heads. I just picked on your post (not you specifically) to juxtapose a slightly different point. Probably, it was an obvious one. But, one that didn't seem to be finding a voice in all of the perfect kits.

[Rick]

Denoir, actually I wasn't referring to you at all. I actually didn't read your post, I must have scrolled past it.

 

Next, you ask how is my post about lenses helpful to anyone else? You missed the point of the post. It isn't helpful either. It is only an example of how unhelpful it is to anyone else because, I explain that my choice is based on something that is personal to how I am trying to see, not how I pick what to take based on the perfect kit or list of lenses that span the focal lengths. I never did post a perfect kit. There isn't one. Lists don't help anyone. Discussions of how to use specific lenses or how to develop a specific style with certain lenses would be helpful. Or, which lenses to bring to create some artistic vision would be helpful, just for example.

 

I am not a Google camera spinning around snapping pictures of everything I view on my vacation with the perfect lens mounted on my camera and the perfect kit in my bag!

[Rick]

Denoir, actually I wasn't referring to you at all. I actually didn't read your post, I must have scrolled past it.

 

Next, you ask how is my post about lenses helpful to anyone else? You missed the point of the post. It isn't helpful either. It is only an example of how unhelpful it is to anyone else because, I explain that my choice is based on something that is personal to how I am trying to see, not how I pick what to take based on the perfect kit or list of lenses that span the focal lengths. I never did post a perfect kit. There isn't one. Lists don't help anyone. Discussions of how to use specific lenses or how to develop a specific style with certain lenses would be helpful. Or, which lenses to bring to create some artistic vision would be helpful, just for example.

 

I am not a Google camera spinning around snapping pictures of everything I view on my vacation with the perfect lens mounted on my camera and the perfect kit in my bag!

[denoir]

Rick, if I failed to understand your point the first time, I'm definitely failing to understand it now. How on earth would having one kit or another equate to snapping everything you see?

[denoir]

Rick, if I failed to understand your point the first time, I'm definitely failing to understand it now. How on earth would having one kit or another equate to snapping everything you see?

[dwbell]

Any valid points you may have been making Rick are, frankly, completely lost in amongst your slightly aggressive, patronising and uncivil manner.

 

It's a shame, apparently you're a good photographer and we could all learn a lot from you. But only if you're willing to teach and not preach.

[dwbell]

Any valid points you may have been making Rick are, frankly, completely lost in amongst your slightly aggressive, patronising and uncivil manner.

 

It's a shame, apparently you're a good photographer and we could all learn a lot from you. But only if you're willing to teach and not preach.

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[Rick]

Rick, if I failed to understand your point the first time, I'm definitely failing to understand it now. How on earth would having one kit or another equate to snapping everything you see?

 

How on earth would having one perfect kit or another equate to anything else other than trying to be able to snap everything you see?

 

At some point will we ever have a thread that relates the gear to a personal creative process? Or, is just going to be one monotonous thread after another about lists of lenses? Isn't there more to the perfect kit to be discussed? Wouldn't it be much more interesting to hear about how some of the great photographers use their lenses to create something? Maybe, every once in a while they would tell us how they choose their lenses based on some creative vision, rather than one focal length being too close to another? Maybe no one cares, and I know you state you fail to understand this, which is fine, you take great pictures.