Visit to Israel - gear choice

[PaulJohn]

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10 hours ago, A miller said:

Hey Paul - Now THAT is more like it!  Thank you!  My thoughts in order of your points:

1.  I assume you mean with family.  Lens choice is entirely personal.  Mine is a 50mm but that's entirely subjective.  Film choice is also subjective.  Mine for this stuff is Portra 160 all the way as the skin tones are sublime and that is really what family photos are all about. 

2.  The countryside is so beautiful and the terrain is so dynamic that often there are breathtaking views just off of the side of the highway within a few steps from the side of the road!, e.g.,  

 

 

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(NB: this was four exposures with my Hassy and Tri-X )

 

I so often find myself pulling over to take photos.  In these cases, a wide angle is great if you are willing to walk a bit and get in close.  But sometimes you will see a tightly framed scene in the distance with good compression potential and will want a longer lens - e.g., layers of hills and/or valleys.  So I wouldn't discount a long lens for this "countryside" type of scenic shooting.

3.  For what you want, I think Ektar is a great choice.  The punchy colors will shine.  It is a slow film, but if that is your pace then I think it would be perfect.  Skin tones won't be ideal but everything else will be punchy and crisp and clean.  You can also use this along the beach with the colorful water and umbrellas.  There should be lots of action to grab.   In terms of lens choice, I don't really know what your style is.  Mine is up close ad personal and so a 28mm would be my choice.  I will already have my 50mm for family stuff and can use it if I need it.  But the 28mm is perfect for me.  Not for everyone though.  If you are trying to be judicious, I wouldn't go wider than 28mm and would skip the 35mm.

4.  Great idea to go mono.  Can't go wrong with any B&W film choice. I am sure you will get some nicely classic viewpoints.   I feel that there are more opportunities for wide angle scenes than long.  So if you are on the fence about bringing some thing wider than a 28mm, this may push you over the edge.  Elan has a very valuable suggestion about going to the Arab quarter when there are no people there.  I find that Friday mornings are good for the b/c it is their Sabbath and all of the shops are closed:

 

On balance, I think you should take option 1 so you have a super-wide option to have fun accentuating with the architectural details that are basically all over the place (and even on top of each other!) with your own personal spin as well as for close spaces like the markets.  I would, though, suggest that you bring along the 75mm for your M-A b/c I do think that you will see things that are beautiful and at a distance and you will want a longer lens that will reach.

In case you are interested, here is a thread of some photos from the Mahane Yehhuda market in Jerusalem.  You can get a good sense of the vibe there.   It is a candy store

 

Have a great trip!

Adam

 

 

Wow - so glad I asked. Really inspiring photos. My Portra never looked that good. What do you scan with? Do you scan negs or prints?

All the colours really pop but that last shot is sublime. The street photos are some of the best I've seen and a convincing demonstration of the merits of film photography over digital.

I think I'm going to take a 24-105 F4 with my Sony instead of a prime and take 35/75 for the M-A. 

Thanks for taking the time to advise.

I'm inspired!

Paul

[A miller]

19 minutes ago, scott kirkpatrick said:

next week.  Right now I'm in the US.  I'll send you a PM.

Love the cactus with fruit.

 

Ok Scott.  We should be close so even though it will be hectic I am hoping we can meet.

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[A miller]

18 minutes ago, PaulJohn said:

Wow - so glad I asked. Really inspiring photos. My Portra never looked that good. What do you scan with? Do you scan negs or prints?

All the colours really pop but that last shot is sublime. The street photos are some of the best I've seen and a convincing demonstration of the merits of film photography over digital.

I think I'm going to take a 24-105 F4 with my Sony instead of a prime and take 35/75 for the M-A. 

Thanks for taking the time to advise.

I'm inspired!

Paul

Thanks, Paul. 

As the for photos I shared, the first three are with Velvia 50  and the last is with Ektar. 

You are very thoughtful and love how you are plotting your spiritual, family and photographic journey and wish you a great time. 

 

Here are a couple of more examples of long focal length scenes that I referred to in my earlier post:

This is Ektar

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This is Velvia 50 (Abur Tur, I just love the lego effect)

 

Here are a couple from the Western Wall to get your juices flowing (Cinestill 800T)

 

 

Israel has gorgeous marinas as well, from Yaffo, to Tel Aviv, Herzliya and really all the way up the coast.  Here are a couple on Velvia

 

 

[PaulJohn]

1 hour ago, A miller said:

Thanks, Paul. 

As the for photos I shared, the first three are with Velvia 50  and the last is with Ektar. 

You are very thoughtful and love how you are plotting your spiritual, family and photographic journey and wish you a great time. 

 

Here are a couple of more examples of long focal length scenes that I referred to in my earlier post:

This is Ektar

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

This is Velvia 50 (Abur Tur, I just love the lego effect)

 

Here are a couple from the Western Wall to get your juices flowing (Cinestill 800T)

 

 

Israel has gorgeous marinas as well, from Yaffo, to Tel Aviv, Herzliya and really all the way up the coast.  Here are a couple on Velvia

 

 

All superb as usual but the look of wonder on that child's face is mesmerizing. Perfect timing and nicely part of a fascinating environmental portrait. Love your work.

Here is a link to my rather sparse blog that includes a little of my spiritual journey.

https://paulnadin.wordpress.com/2014/11/14/about-me/

I am inspired to write up this trip with photos. Will post here when I get back. 

[Archiver]

On 4/10/2019 at 9:07 AM, M10Alpine said:

I have packed the following (HOLD YOUR HATS): 

1 X M-A
2 x M7
1 x M10-D

35mm Lux FLE
35mm 2,8 Voight Color Skopar (love the small size)
35mm Corn older version (love it so mall and great with Trix IMHO)
50mm 1.8 Canon LTM ( for fun)
50mm Corn - APO 

- Trix 400
- Tmax 100
- Portra 160 - 400 - 800

What the... jeepers, that's a lot of gear for a M shooter. I don't understand why you want two M7s plus the M-A and M10-D all on the same trip?? One film M and one digital I can understand, two film bodies loaded with different films or for different focal lengths, okay, but three film bodies and a digital? And you've got three 35s?

[Archiver]

16 hours ago, PaulJohn said:

I think I'm going to take a 24-105 F4 with my Sony instead of a prime and take 35/75 for the M-A.

This sounds like a good plan. The 24-105 will give you huge versatility, and the M-A can take those extra special images.

Frankly, I usually take more gear than I need when I travel, but enough to satisfy flexible shooting. I travel with the M9 + 21, 35 and 50, and a m43 camera with 12-35 (24-70mm equivalent), 12 (24mm), 25 (50mm) and 45 (90mm), plus a pocket cameras like the Ricoh GR or Panasonic LX10. I shoot my own stock footage for later purposes, so I need a m43 camera like the GH4 or GX85 to do that. It's difficult to simplify gear when you've got multiple things you want to do; having a A7r III  or Panasonic S1 with a 24-105 would go a long way to solving that, add a pocket film camera and pocket digital and that could work, but that's me.

[ELAN]

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4 hours ago, Archiver said:

Frankly, I usually take more gear than I need when I travel, but enough to satisfy flexible shooting.

Me too.  I travel with a digital M and 28, 35 and 50 lenses, and my MP body.  I rarely use both bodies, and many times I never change the lens throughout the trip.  Once I get into a FL mindset I tend to keep using the same lens.

[Archiver]

21 minutes ago, ELAN said:

Me too.  I travel with a digital M and 28, 35 and 50 lenses, and my MP body.  I rarely use both bodies, and many times I never change the lens throughout the trip.  Once I get into a FL mindset I tend to keep using the same lens.

I've just realized I have a kind of photographic 'fear of missing out'. Like, what if I'm in a situation that calls for lens X or Y and I don't have it? My gear is less than some guys who carry huge Canon DSLR setups with the 16-35, 24-70 and 70-200, maybe a couple of primes, but I feel like if I don't carry 'enough' I will regret missing the shot. My usual M kit of M9 + 21/35/50 actually does 80-90% of what I want, except for things like macro and totally silent shooting. The latter two could be handled by the Panasonic LX10 pocket cam. But it's the video aspect which makes me bring extra kit, and the lesser still image quality of m43 means I would miss the M9 if I left it at home.

There are times when I kind of wish I had less photographic interests so I didn't have to carry as much gear!

[ELAN]

I keep it simple.  I walk around with one body and attached lens and don't carry a bag.  Can't stand carrying bags, unless it's a hiking trip.  I have only M cameras and I don't do video so the choice in the morning is which body and lens do I feel like for the day.  Works for me.

[oldwino]

I'm traveling to northern Spain and southern France later this month, for two weeks, and will take a Leica IId, 35 & 50mm lenses (they are tiny!), about 20 rolls of film, and my trusty old X2 for when I want digital/AF. That's it. Small, light-weight kit, probably won't even take a day-bag. Just pick a lens for the day and a few rolls in my pockets. 

[Ko.Fe.]

To me minimal is one film M, one lens and mobile phone. 

[DwF]

I arrived in Israel on Monday after being in Cairo during the Day of Rage. It took almost 24 hours at the airport to depart. Getting to my hotel in Tel Aviv at about noon, and exhausted I slept a bit and then walked over to this Italian restaurant in the Yemeni Quarter. The larger than life bartender was a wonderful host and with my X1 which was what I carried, I got this souvenir. I was happy my camera gear was minimal. If I went now, the X Vario and maybe another small faster camera.

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[Archiver]

On 4/13/2019 at 1:41 PM, DwF said:

I arrived in Israel on Monday after being in Cairo during the Day of Rage. It took almost 24 hours at the airport to depart. Getting to my hotel in Tel Aviv at about noon, and exhausted I slept a bit and then walked over to this Italian restaurant in the Yemeni Quarter. The larger than life bartender was a wonderful host and with my X1 which was what I carried, I got this souvenir. I was happy my camera gear was minimal. If I went now, the X Vario and maybe another small faster camera.

Was the X1 your only camera when traveling to Israel? How did you find just having that camera and focal length? Sounds like you would have liked a little more flexibility in focal length.

[DwF]

Actually not, I also had an Panasonic LX-5 but truth was, at that time, the LX5 came with me when I wanted really compact, and less to do with focal length. I sometimes since will travel with just the X-113 (same focal length as X1). 

I look at it this way: If I take an M body along, and go out early on a walk, I am happiest to leave lenses in the bag and just take the 35.   I recall a long morning walk in Istanbul with M9 and 35 Summicron. I was perfectly happy with just that lens.

I would consider now something like the X Vario (which I have) or something like a CL and zoom. I really prefer not to be distracted by changing lenses, even though (getting back to the M) I love to have a 28 or 50 along.  It is easy to imagine shooting architectural pictures with 21mm or wider but for me the challenge of using a 28 for that is also exciting. Occasionally the 35 is not quite wide enough. When push comes to shove though, traveling light wins out for me. 

And I rarely use longer focal lengths myself. I was away on a short business trip across the state last winter and found the X Vario sufficed for different settings; walking in the city, and getting out of the car to shoot scenics

David

 

P.S. after posting my previous "two-cents" I realized this was in the film forum   .....so thank you for the kindness!  Below attached is one handheld with the "slow X Vario" taken at about midnight on my business trip just a block from my hotel. For me the challenge around the gear is half the fun.

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[sblitz]

On 4/10/2019 at 9:23 AM, A miller said:

Thanks, Paul. 

As the for photos I shared, the first three are with Velvia 50  and the last is with Ektar. 

You are very thoughtful and love how you are plotting your spiritual, family and photographic journey and wish you a great time. 

 

Here are a couple of more examples of long focal length scenes that I referred to in my earlier post:

This is Ektar

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

This is Velvia 50 (Abur Tur, I just love the lego effect)

 

Here are a couple from the Western Wall to get your juices flowing (Cinestill 800T)

 

 

Israel has gorgeous marinas as well, from Yaffo, to Tel Aviv, Herzliya and really all the way up the coast.  Here are a couple on Velvia

 

 

They let you take pictures at the Wailing Wall?????? I did in 1981, but it was different Israel in terms of Orthodox control over the Holy Sites, men and women could be together, for instance ..... love that shot with the movement!!!! 

[A miller]

7 hours ago, sblitz said:

They let you take pictures at the Wailing Wall?????? I did in 1981, but it was different Israel in terms of Orthodox control over the Holy Sites, men and women could be together, for instance ..... love that shot with the movement!!!! 

LOL how could you do any Bar Mitzvahs there is photography wasn’t allowed! 😂

[sblitz]

1 hour ago, A miller said:

LOL how could you do any Bar Mitzvahs there is photography wasn’t allowed! 😂

No pics inside the synagogue 

[A miller]

12 hours ago, sblitz said:

No pics inside the synagogue 

Outside of Sabbath and holidays, photography is fair game and people are typical respectful

[sblitz]

2 minutes ago, A miller said:

Outside of Sabbath and holidays, photography is fair game and people are typical respectful

Good to know ... when I went in 1991 I also was able to visit and enter the Temple Mount, I understand that is now off-limits. Somewhere I have photos of the Temple and the Rock inside and the footprint in the rock from where Muhammad left earth. Enjoy your time there, look forward to seeing the pictures.

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[A miller]

I hope everyone who is travelling in Israel these weeks is having a great time. 

This is me this week working a scene at the Dead Sea with my Technorama 6x17 film camera.  Still working it but so far so good - and worth the hour plus schlep!!

Happy holidays!

 

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Edited April 19, 2019 by A miller