My first all film euro trip

[gniquil]

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I am bringing my M6 classic, 50 lux, 35 cron, and VC28 Ultron, and a meter. Currently I have many rolls of hp5, fp4, and portra400 in the refrigerator.

 

Which film should I bring and how many rolls. Should I only bring my 50/28? or just the 35 ? Anything else I need?

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[bill]

Maps?

 

First and foremost, good on you. It's great to see someone doing something like this.

 

But... seriously, how can we advise you? Europe is a huge place, with a massive variety of sights and varying conditions.

 

Whatever sort of photography you do at home, whatever lenses and films you feel comfortable with, bring those. You don't say how you are travelling, or whether space is an issue, where you are going, what you are seeing, or what photos you like to take so that is the best advice I think you are likely to get at this time.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[gniquil]

Ignorant me... I was just lumping all Europe into a big single thing like most people do with China or Asian . Sorry about that.

 

Anyway, i am going to Berlin, Prague, Budapest then Paris. I mostly like shooting street, perhaps some architecture/landscape. And since it's europe, i guess churches are unavoidable.

 

If I am staying in each of these cities for 2 to 3 days, is say 10 rolls each of hp5/fp4/portra400 enough?

[bill]

Good choices - I have been to all of the cities you list, some many times. Of those my favourites would be Prague, followed by Budapest, then Berlin and Paris last - others will be along to differ.

 

All four cities have their attractions, but I would counsel that at this time of year they will be hot - and crowded. Unless you are a low light shooter I would pack some slow film - it will be bright and contrasty. To avoid the tourists - and the cliches - I would try to get out early in each city and watch it "wake up".

 

I genuinely can't advise you as to how much film to carry - your shooting rate is a personal thing. All of the cities you list are "target rich", however, with cathedrals, statuary, museums, monuments and more magnificent buildings than you can shake a stick at; bear in mind that each one has been the capital of an Empire at one time or another and have architecture to match. Also bear in mind that if you are flying, we don't really do film hand-searches on this side of the pond - you certainly have no right to one, but you can always ask

 

Finally, get yourself four small city guides rather than one big tome on Europe - you can then carry each one at a time. The "A Great Weekend in..." series should suit you nicely.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[Stealth3kpl]

I usually expect to use one film a day but I'd take enough for 2 rolls a day. Portra 160/400.

Pete

[sblitz]

did the same thing last summer going to spain. my two cents are as follows -- skip the b&w and take the portra. i shot 160 rated at 120 iso (developed as 160) and the shots came out wonderful. have them scanned as tiff files to give you plenty of room to adjust and you can also turn them into some pretty good b&w shots. portra 400 is nice as well and gives you a bit more room when it starts to get dark. as for the lens, take 28 and 50 when you want to carry 2 lenses and leave them in the hotel just use the 35mm when you only want one lens. if you are after faces more so than broader scenes, just use the 50mm.

[dunkelblau]

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...Tour of europe without going to Istanbul !? This is outrageous !

 

Seriously though: enjoy your trip - and Europe's not all cities, we have great landscapes too;-)

 

(Shot with M8; taking the crop factor into account, I took most pictures with a 35mm equivalent (=Elmarit 28mm). If you want to shoot interiors (cathedrals!), a 21mm and a tripod are useful)

[stunsworth]

IAnyway, i am going to Berlin, Prague, Budapest then Paris. I mostly like shooting street, perhaps some architecture/landscape. And since it's europe, i guess churches are unavoidable

 

If those I've only been to Berlin and Paris. I've visited Berlin a few times and lived in Paris for a couple of years. In both cases I used my 35mm Summicron more than all the other lenses put together. But that's a personal choice, you should have an idea whether you're a 35mm or 50mm sort of person.

 

It's probably a good idea to bring too much film. I'd allow for a minilum of 2-3 films per day. Once upon a time it was very easy in Paris to stock up with film at FNAC - that's a large books/music/video/electronics chain with several large stores in the city. However I've not been there for a while, and I imagine it's more difficult to find film than it used to be.

 

I assume you're going in summer. I mainly shot FP4 in Paris, and I think a film around ISO 100 should be fine during the day, though I'd have a roll or two of Tri-X or similar for shooting indoors.

 

The museums and galleries in Paris are pretty relaxed about photography provided you don't use flash or a tripod.

 

In Berlin I found what used to be the eastern sector the most interesting and characterful. I didn't like the big boulevards such as Unter den Linden and K-Damm - but then I found the boulevards in Paris boring too.

 

Most of all have a great time - and save your beer drinking until you've left Paris.

[erl]

How much film?

Think of a number, then double it!

That always works.

Don't put the film in your 'hold' luggage.

keep it in your 'carry on' luggage, for scanning reasons.

[250swb]

I wouldn't rule out finding a shop that sells film, but the idea of thinking of a number them doubling it is sound. If your trip is primarily photographic, and you won't be annoying company by saying 'hang on while I take this photograph' all day and all night, then film usage should be high, four or more rolls a day. You don't want to feel inhibited about pressing the shutter, and of course four rolls a day won't mean 144 keepers unless they are just holiday snaps, but realistically any good photographer would easily expect that shooting rate to get maybe two or three worthy contenders per day against the 'generally interesting' crowd of shots. You won't be able to anticipate events and places in the same way as at home, there will be more surprises, so you need to shoot away at anything that feels right.

 

Steve

[sblitz]

i agree -- overstock on the film, 2 to 3 rolls per day, can always save what's not used and you cannot assume the ability to purchase easily. i was in berlin a few weeks back, stayed in the old east berlin in alexander platz and a gentleman saw my m4 and told about a place a few blocks away that sold film and all sorts of developer related products. sounded like an interesting spot, but i was on business so unable to get there.

[}{B]

Check the weather forecast for those parts of Europe you intend to visit if its going to be in the next week as at the moment it's very hot in the UK and no doubt the continent is even hotter.

[Paul J]

Take everything and buy more film.

[gsgary]

Here's a list of some camera shops in Prague if you run out of film

 

Kalimex

Havanska 131/14

17000 Prague 7

 

AZ Foto

Senovázná 8,

Prague 1

 

Fototechnika a video

Vodickova 36,

Prague 1

 

Jan Pazdera obchod a oprava

Vodickova 30,

Prague 1

[RBullCZ]

Here's a list of some camera shops in Prague if you run out of film

 

Kalimex

Havanska 131/14

17000 Prague 7

 

AZ Foto

Senovázná 8,

Prague 1

 

Fototechnika a video

Vodickova 36,

Prague 1

 

Jan Pazdera obchod a oprava

Vodickova 30,

Prague 1

 

 

Out of those fur shops mentioned, the third one is the only one providing true selections of films. The shop is branded FOTO SKODA.

It is the biggest and best photo store in Prague and is located conveniently in the city centre. They stock Kodak, Ilford, Fuji, Foma, ADOX, Rollei and some other brands and they have the "Leica Shop" mini department as well.

 

The fourth mentioned store is a second hand photo equipment store and it is not what it used to be. Still a chance to find some interesting or rare accessories there though. And it is just one hundred meters away from the above mentioned Foto Skoda.

 

Prague is most beautiful at very early morning, when there is only handful of other people on the streets.

[becker]

50 mm and 28 mm , would it be for me.

If only one Lense 40 mm.

Any 100 ASA film, I prefere adox.

In Berlin You can get Films at Photo Impex in " Mitte ".

 

kr

 

m

[raytoei]

while it is tempting to bring all lens + spare body in case

of an emergency, i find that the best combo for me is one

camera + one lens and then maybe a Point

and shoot camera as a backup.

 

the 35mm is the best all rounder lens if I have to choose only

one lens, it is also easy to focus or zone focus if you intend

to shoot street. (see also hyper-focal focusing, ie.

shoot at f8, focus at 5m and anything from 2.5m to infinity will be

sharp).

 

I usually travel with a 35mm only but will travel with the 50mm as

the only lens if I want to challenge myself.

 

In terms of film choices, depends on what you are going to shoot,

iso 100 - 400 is great, iso 400 pushed to 1600 is very fine as well,

especially for street. in my opinion, there is a very good street

photographer whom i respects, he only shoots with a 50mm

and only 400 iso film, google Mauro Metallo for his images.

 

Here are two recent images with 2 different focal length:

 

M4 with Goggled Summaron 35/f2.8, ISO 400 pushed to 1600

 

M3 with 50mm Summilux ISO 400 pushed to 1600

 

 

hope this helps.

 

Less Gear to carry = More Fun.

 

raytoei

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[NZDavid]

You can take them all: one lens mounted on the camera and the other two in a small waist pouch. If you really want just one lens, probably the 35.

 

Take a mix of film but all those cities will look good in B+W. I did that in the 80s and was in Prague just after the collapse of communism. Very few tourists at that time but I understand it is now very busy. Berlin in color after the all of the Wall, New Year 1990 and again a few years ago -- fascinating.

 

For a compact P+S consider the Leica D-Lux 6 or Panasonic LX-7.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[MarkP]

Up to you but I'd take the 28 and 50 combo.

[philipus]

I can't advise on which lens(es) to take but I would hazard a guess that you should bring what you normally shoot with.

 

The thing with film, though, is that it doesn't take very much space and that, depending on where one travels, it can be difficult to find for reasonable price.

 

My wife and I travelled three weeks in eastern Oz last year and I brought 25 rolls (10 Portra 160, 10 Portra 400 and the rest APX 100). With the very helpful assistance of Geoff (hoppyman) I stocked up in Brisbane two weeks into the trip with another 10 rolls of Portra 400. All in all, I shot just over 30 rolls during these three weeks.

 

It's such an individual thing how much one needs so it is difficult to give advice. It is likely a certainty though that whatever film you find in stock will be significantly more expensive than the one you buy online beforehand. The only "trouble" with buying beforehand is to fit it into your hand luggage (which is where you want to keep it). But since you won't have a bulky SLR hogging space in your bag you can likely add a few extra rolls just to be on the safe side.

 

Good luck and happy trails

Philip