M8 plus Nikon but what lens?

[joecmlin]

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So I will be tripping in Europe for 10 days among Paris, Prauge and Berlin. Recommendation is welcome.... many thanks.

my choice

M8

1. Leica 18mm + 28mm cron + 75mm cron

2. Leica 35mm cron only

3. Leica 18mm + 50mm lux

 

plus or minus

Nikon d7000 + 35mm 1.8 and/or 28-300mm (do any of you use zoom out to 200mm range during traveling?)

[stunsworth]

I lived in Paris for a while and took most of my snaps with a 35mm Summicron, so with an M8 I'd choose the 28mm. After that maybe a 50mm.

 

Click on my website below and select. Picture a week 2002 for some mainly Parisian photos.

[jpk]

M8 + 28

D700 + 28-300

 

Ideal for me would be M8 & 21mm F1.4 plus D7000 with 18-200...

[WestMichigan]

How about a 'Response' which doesn't answer your Query, but instead asks Questions! :-)

 

a) How Fit are you to haul gear around during this Trip?

Is this a Bucket List kind of Visit?

c) How will a traveling companion/signifigant other feel about/be impacted by your Gear? By your Photographic Endeavours?

d) How long will you be there?

 

I bring these things up because I'm of a mind that a camera bag or bags with a: D700, fast slr prime, an slr super-zoom, the batteries and chargers for it, with an M8 and it's acoutremount, and 1, 2, or 3 lenses, is gonna have some heft to it. It will take a commitment to transport to airports, on flights, to hotels, and carry one or the other outfits, or both even, as you endeavour to shoot memorable shots - or at least shots documenting your memories.

I spent 3 days on Grand Traverse Bay here in Michigan with 1 dSLR, my R Mount Summi Fifty & Elmar Ninety, a super zoom, the acoutremount, and a point & shoot, too which ended up being a bit of a logistical commitment keeping batteries charged, lenses cleaned, and such. My Girlfriend is utterly supportive of my Photographic Endeavours, but she really puts up with a lot cuz she loves how much I love photography. Not every signifigant other is gonna enjoy being a camera bag sherpa as a main component of a trip to the City of Light. :-)

 

I could get farther into points related to my question, but the Main thing I'd suggest is ask oneself how much time they have available in the trip and how much of it they wish to devote to the 'overhead' of transporting the equipment and keeping batteries charged for multiple cameras and such. You don't want your 'dominant' recollection of 3 days and 2 nights in Paris to be sheparding camera bags through airports, to taxis, to hotels, and back again. :-)

 

Personally, I'm nearly six foot tall, over two hundred pounds, and schlepping a ton of gear around was something I'd do at the drop of a hat. I wanted the pictures, that was the price, so I did it. Well, a bad back, neck, and feet, have crippled me. I'm 43 with a body like an 83 year old! Little old ladies hold doors for me now, little old men ask if I need help unloading my groceries at the market! Sigh. :-)

I hope the weather for your trip is Gorgeous, I hope your Photos are as well, and please share some in our M8 Photography Thread. I'm sure we'd be glad to see a few.

Richard in Michigan

 

OOOh: just noticed you'll be in Europe for 10 days, but visiting 3 cities (?) - I'd still weigh carefully what 'role' you want photography to have in the trip and the cost/benefit of your equipment choices on things beyond simply the photographic variables.

[joecmlin]

thanks. you guys are great. within a few min, I have great responses already.

I have a kid and 2 other friends to travel with. traportation is a problem moving from town to town. winter time and short day; I am thinking about fast lens for evening shots. Tripod is good to have but trouble. I might end up going with M8 + 28 +75 and D7000 and one lens.

[stunsworth]

Take the M8 and a couple of lenses and leave the Nikon at home.

[WestMichigan]

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Ola - Me Again,

it appears you're taking folks' input and advice to heart and carefully considering your options on the photographic front. Once you make your choices though, don't spend any part of your trip beating yourself up over not having brought a summi/nikor/ballhead/gizmo/doohickey! Your chosen 'kit' will be your kit and invest your energies in making great images with that kit and not lamenting the kit laying in a cabinet back in the states.

A query I do have though is what the D700 is for 'photographically' speaking? In case the M8 fails? For snap shots? To have the 'super zoom' available just in case?

If the 'images' the Nikon would be used for are 'snapshots' and not 'artistry', I would consider getting a 'Nice' point & shoot which does wide angles with a shortish zoom range. If there isn't much likelihood of any of the Nikon's shots even being printed, let alone to 8x10 and larger, the arguments for using a high grade dslr to shoot them start to getting thinner and thinner. A P&S would be a LOT lighter - friendlier for your companions to take shots of you/for you as well.

Returning to the central thesis of my previous post, take enough equipment to come away with memorable images, but not so much equipment that serving and servicing that equipment's presence comes to define the experience of the trip itself.

Anyway - Bon Chance - and Wear Clean Underwear so your TSA Agent has as good an experience as possible.

R. in Mi.

 

thanks. you guys are great. within a few min, I have great responses already.

I have a kid and 2 other friends to travel with. traportation is a problem moving from town to town. winter time and short day; I am thinking about fast lens for evening shots. Tripod is good to have but trouble. I might end up going with M8 + 28 +75 and D7000 and one lens.

[ramosa]

I have traveled in France a couple times over the past few years and will be returning in the spring. I recommend leaving the DSLR at home and going with just the RF. As for lenses, it, of course, depends on how you shoot. For me, I would take the 28 and 50. No question about it. If I were adding a third lens, it'd be something longer, such as your 75. I, too, have an 18, but I rarely use it (only when out in nature).

 

So I'd recommend taking the M8 plus:

Two lens kit: 28 and 50.

Three lens kit: 28, 50 and 75 (or 28, 35 and 75).

[ishkra]

Leave D700 at home and take a warm wool sweater...it's really cold here in Europe

[andybarton]

The best short breaks I have had in foreign cities have been when I have taken only one lens. You can concentrate on enjoying yourself, seeing the city and being with your friends / loved ones etc, rather than rooting around in a bag, wondering what lens to move to next and generally being a PITA for said companions.

 

I have never come away from a place thinking "Oh, I wish I'd brought all my lenses and spent more time changing them".

 

If you use an M8, a 28mm is ideal.

[fotografr]

The best short breaks I have had in foreign cities have been when I have taken only one lens. You can concentrate on enjoying yourself, seeing the city and being with your friends / loved ones etc, rather than rooting around in a bag, wondering what lens to move to next and generally being a PITA for said companions.

 

I have never come away from a place thinking "Oh, I wish I'd brought all my lenses and spent more time changing them".

 

If you use an M8, a 28mm is ideal.

 

That's exactly what I'd recommend, except I'd go with the 35 cron. You're going to be constantly on the move and hauling a lot of equipment around, plus trying to secure it at cafes and on public transport, would not be enjoyable. Make it easy on yourself and have a great time.

[jaapv]

What are you going to do with the Nikon (except train your muscles that is )? A small backup (Dlux4?) might be a better idea.

[3rdtrick]

I often carry my Nikon along with the Leica M9. The Nikon either has the 70-200 2.8 or 300 F4 with teleconverters and sometimes a 20 & 50 in the bag just in case. Usually I travel by vehicle so this is not a problem to carry. If I were travelling to Europe, I would leave the Nikon behind so that I can have room for more Leica lenses. My Leica kit is similar to yours and I would take most or all of it with me just picking the kit when I go out.

 

If I was worried about a backup, then the DSLR and small zoom would have to stay in the bottom of the luggage.

Pete

[WestMichigan]

Hi Pete...

Just wondering if you're built like an NFL Linebacker? The Nikon outfit you're describing sounds heavy enough by itself to trigger 200 dollars a flight in extra bag fees! How do you schlepp camera bag(s) that heavy from place to place without herniating a disc!

Richard in Michigan

I often carry my Nikon along with the Leica M9. The Nikon either has the 70-200 2.8 or 300 F4 with teleconverters and sometimes a 20 & 50 in the bag just in case. Usually I travel by vehicle so this is not a problem to carry. If I were travelling to Europe, I would leave the Nikon behind so that I can have room for more Leica lenses. My Leica kit is similar to yours and I would take most or all of it with me just picking the kit when I go out.

 

If I was worried about a backup, then the DSLR and small zoom would have to stay in the bottom of the luggage.

Pete

[3rdtrick]

Richard,

I travel in my vehicle so I can carry all of my gear. If I travel by plane, bus or train, the big DSLR stays behind... In fact, it is pretty much only special things like arishows, races, and wildlife parks where I carry and use the DSLR. Most everything else is strictly Leica M.

Pete

[WestMichigan]

That's Cool Pete.

My love for airshows and airplanes is part of why I ended up in 'Photography' in the first place. My 'plane crazy' phaze passed with time, but photography has sure stuck! It ended up being my Major in College when I was finally able to go. I'm suspecting that once I get up and running with 'Leica' my dSLR will wistfully gather dust waiting for 'airshows, races, and wildlife parks' to regain my attention.

Now - Let me amend my original question. How do you schlepp a big nikon, a 70-200 f2.8 (those don't exactly fit in a coat pocket!) or the 400 f4 (no featherweight either) and their acoutremount at 'airshows, races, and wildlife parks'?

Sherpas? Little Red Wagon? Day Laborers? Teamsters? Hee Hee

I personally use a folding canvas wagon actually with big camera bag, med bag, tripod, folding lounge chair, and food/drink!

Richard in Michigan

Richard,

I travel in my vehicle so I can carry all of my gear. If I travel by plane, bus or train, the big DSLR stays behind... In fact, it is pretty much only special things like arishows, races, and wildlife parks where I carry and use the DSLR. Most everything else is strictly Leica M.

Pete

[MikeMyers]

So I will be tripping in Europe for 10 days among Paris, Prauge and Berlin. Recommendation is welcome.... many thanks.

my choice

M8

1. Leica 18mm + 28mm cron + 75mm cron

2. Leica 35mm cron only

3. Leica 18mm + 50mm lux

 

plus or minus

Nikon d7000 + 35mm 1.8 and/or 28-300mm (do any of you use zoom out to 200mm range during traveling?)

 

 

I don't see how anyone could answer this question. It's like asking which is better, a gallon of gasoline, or a gallon of milk. Without knowing what you intend to use it for, how can anyone offer you advice?

 

 

Let me ask this differently; what kinds of photos do you expect to be taking, that couldn't be shot with a P&S?

[andrearch]

Take the M8 and a couple of lenses and leave the Nikon at home.

 

[giordano]

Many posts here are confusing the D7000 (a compact APS-C camera) with the full-frame D700. In fact, the D7000 with 28-300 AF VR zoom weighs just about the same as the M8 with 18mm Elmar and 28 and 75 Summicrons. The 35mm f/1.8 Nikkor is also a small lightweight lens, lighter than a current Leica 35mm. So there's no open-and-shut case against the DSLR on grounds of weight. FWIW the 28-300 is less than five inches long too.

 

Anyway: ten days for Paris, Prague and Berlin - with three other people, one of them your child. Unless they are content to be your intelligent servants, being with them will really limit your ability to concentrate on photography.

 

Also, I infer from the fact that you're asking this question here that you're not a 100% fluent Leica user, not one of those people who almost subconsciously make the right decisions about exposure and focusing. In other words, that when you use the M8 you'll have to give more attention to the mechanics of picture taking than when you use the Nikon. Maybe you'll also worry less about the Nikon getting dropped or stolen.

 

If I'm right, taking the Nikon means you'll miss fewer picture opportunities - although the 28-300 on the D7000 gives you at widest 42mm equivalent focal length, and the 450mm equivalent at the long end is overkill for most city photography, especially near the winter solstice:).

 

If I'm wrong, and you can work the Leica at the same time as arguing about where to have lunch and keeping an eye on your child - take the M8 with 28mm as standard lens plus the 18 and 75. Either way, enjoy the trip!

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[3rdtrick]

Hey Richard,

Obviously I am a gear head however, I am also a big fan of travelling light. A typical air show event I would have my DSLR and only one long lens. I like the 70-200 for vintage propeller planes and the 300 F4 for bigger shows with jets. Lately I have the Rapid strap so the DSLR gets carried over my shoulder. I carry my M9 system in a small Domke F5Xb bag with a few lenses and a TC for the DSLR. In addition to the aerial shots, I like to get lots of nice photos of the static displays and the M9 is just perfect. If I were travelling like the OP, I would leave the DSLR stuff behind and have a nice M kit with me.

Pete