ideal travel combo?

[Per P.]

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In my case "travel with" and "carry" are related but different questions. So I will pack the 24-90 and 90-280 zooms plus a couple of fixed lenses in a backpack if I want to cover all (for me) relevant bases, or I may leave the zooms at home and pack 3-4 fixed lenses for a lighter trip, e.g. a city break. For a day trip it would be either the 24-90 or 2-3 fixed lenses unless I know I need the long zoom. But I may not carry everything I brought along with me every day.

While I certainly also agonise over this question regularly, in practice I find it rarely matters that much. I will make the best pictures I can with whatever I brought (that goes both for the trip and any given day). Of course there are exceptions where you miss out on something truly great because, say, the long zoom got left behind. But life goes on.

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[Chaemono]

vor 34 Minuten schrieb budjames:

What body is the "native Canon mount" images shot with?

Regards,
Bud James

Please check out my fine art and travel photography at www.budjames.photography or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/budjamesphoto.

5DS R

[FlashGordonPhotography]

I know how much I’m prepared to carry every day, which is about 6kg plus bag. That’s the three zooms and a fast 50 and the usual accessories. When I travel my mindset is that I’m probably getting one opportunity so I take gear I enjoy and gear that gives me the IQ I desire as a priority over saving a few hundred grams. If photography is a priority I might carry a bit more and if it isn’t, a bit less. If Leica would just make me a 50mm Q2 (I won’t buy a 28mm fixxy) then I’d carry one of those instead of the Rx1Rii I have now. I carried the S1R with three Leica zooms and 50SL ‘lux around Ireland and Paris in July with a lot of walking. That was comfortable for me. I kept an SL in the hotel safe as my backup. I did a weekend away with a Z7 (excellent camera) and it was only 3kg for a similar range but I missed the SL lenses a bit, although I doubt I would have seen an improvement in real world IQ.

I’m starting to get more picky on accessories. Any camera I’m considering must have USB charging. It’s a travel feature I have come to rely on as now I can carry one charger instead of lugging two around (plus the extra power boarrds and power cables they require. I’m only carrying a small filter set. 3, 6 and 10 stop ND’s and a polariser. I’m even experimenting with a vario ND setup. One area I don’t compromise on is a great tripod head. I’ll keep my D4 geared head forever. I rarely use a true macro so unless it’s a photography specific trip I don’t bother. I carry a USBC power bank and less batteries as I have USBC charging on the go now. I’ve dropped over a kilo of accessories in the last couple of years. 

I print, often and big so I appreciate somewhat more resolution than the SL offers but I love the lenses. So I tend to pack either a S1R (maybe the SL2 if they don’t screw it up) or an X1D kit. I love the SL but 90% of their use is for work shoots where 24MP is more suitable. Regardless of the SL2 I will keep my SL’s. The S1R meant I could stop using the Sony A7R** cameras I travelled with last year. Great IQ but I didn’t enjoy the cameras at all. The S1R fixed that for me and the Sony system is being sold off.

I do know a few who are prepared to carry what I do, or more. But not many. Most want lighter and smaller. I’ve just found what works for me.

As the fat middle aged white guy in a market full of locals I don’t think a smaller camera would make me any more discrete, regardless of gear. I’ve found the way to become invisible is to either sit in one spot until you become part of the furniture or just introduce yourself and spend the time with them so they relax. Personally an M or CL has never made me less conspicuous than an SL or X1D. In fact sometimes with the M I get far more attention, which is fine. Any chance to chat with the locals by language or sign is always enjoyable.

I always have angst over what to take, mostly because I have way too much gear. First world problems. I have two trips this year, left and I’m currently agonising over both of them.  Hong Kong next week and Myannmar in November.My head says travel light to Hong Kong but I know I’ll pack the kitchen sink anyway......

Gordon

[ChicagoMatthew]

Less is always more, in my experience... I don't have an SL, but I have a few Ms (film and digital) and a range of lenses... and I have a few MF film cameras I love using... and I have a LF that I always dream about making portraits with... whenever I bring too much, I am always stressed about what to take and when to use it. But when I just restrict myself to the basics, I always seem to have a better time shooting.

If I were you, I would bring an M with one wide lens for landscapes and a 35 lens for walking around, and bring the SL with the 50mmf2 for family shots where you want that AF. 

[hhn360]

On 9/28/2019 at 6:01 AM, budjames said:

I just acquired a lightly used SL to compliment my M kit. I used to shoot Canon pro DSLRs but sold everything off except for the Canon 17mm Tilt Shift lens. I was hoping to be able to use the lens again someday although the last time was over 5 years ago when I still had my Canon bodies.

I see that you use the Novaflex adapter with your Canon T/S lens. How has this worked out? I am considering this adapter but was off put by the high price just to use with my only Canon lens.

Regards,
Bud James

Please check out my fine art and travel photography at www.budjames.photography or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/budjamesphoto.

Hello Bud,

I use the Novaflex adapter to shoot with a number of Canon lenses (especially before the SL version became available - 17 & 24 tilt shift, 16-35, and 85 f1.2).  I think the adapter works pretty well.  The autofocus is reasonable, although on occasion it stops working and I will need to turn the camera off and on again.  With the title shift lenses, focus is manual of course, so no issues with those lenses.  I like the build quality of Novaflex adapters and have several different ones (Nikon F to L, and Canon to Fuji GF - I also use the Canon tilt shifts on the GFX cameras).

 

Hien

[budjames]

1 minute ago, hhn360 said:

Hello Bud,

I use the Novaflex adapter to shoot with a number of Canon lenses (especially before the SL version became available - 17 & 24 tilt shift, 16-35, and 85 f1.2).  I think the adapter works pretty well.  The autofocus is reasonable, although on occasion it stops working and I will need to turn the camera off and on again.  With the title shift lenses, focus is manual of course, so no issues with those lenses.  I like the build quality of Novaflex adapters and have several different ones (Nikon F to L, and Canon to Fuji GF - I also use the Canon tilt shifts on the GFX cameras).

 

Hien

Thank you for the info. I’m ordering the Nova-flex adapter tomorrow.

Regards,

Bud James

Please check out my fine art and travel photography at www.budjames.photography or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/budjamesphoto.

[tom0511]

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vor 4 Stunden schrieb FlashGordonPhotography:

I know how much I’m prepared to carry every day, which is about 6kg plus bag. That’s the three zooms and a fast 50 and the usual accessories. When I travel my mindset is that I’m probably getting one opportunity so I take gear I enjoy and gear that gives me the IQ I desire as a priority over saving a few hundred grams. If photography is a priority I might carry a bit more and if it isn’t, a bit less. If Leica would just make me a 50mm Q2 (I won’t buy a 28mm fixxy) then I’d carry one of those instead of the Rx1Rii I have now. I carried the S1R with three Leica zooms and 50SL ‘lux around Ireland and Paris in July with a lot of walking. That was comfortable for me. I kept an SL in the hotel safe as my backup. I did a weekend away with a Z7 (excellent camera) and it was only 3kg for a similar range but I missed the SL lenses a bit, although I doubt I would have seen an improvement in real world IQ.

I’m starting to get more picky on accessories. Any camera I’m considering must have USB charging. It’s a travel feature I have come to rely on as now I can carry one charger instead of lugging two around (plus the extra power boarrds and power cables they require. I’m only carrying a small filter set. 3, 6 and 10 stop ND’s and a polariser. I’m even experimenting with a vario ND setup. One area I don’t compromise on is a great tripod head. I’ll keep my D4 geared head forever. I rarely use a true macro so unless it’s a photography specific trip I don’t bother. I carry a USBC power bank and less batteries as I have USBC charging on the go now. I’ve dropped over a kilo of accessories in the last couple of years. 

I print, often and big so I appreciate somewhat more resolution than the SL offers but I love the lenses. So I tend to pack either a S1R (maybe the SL2 if they don’t screw it up) or an X1D kit. I love the SL but 90% of their use is for work shoots where 24MP is more suitable. Regardless of the SL2 I will keep my SL’s. The S1R meant I could stop using the Sony A7R** cameras I travelled with last year. Great IQ but I didn’t enjoy the cameras at all. The S1R fixed that for me and the Sony system is being sold off.

I do know a few who are prepared to carry what I do, or more. But not many. Most want lighter and smaller. I’ve just found what works for me.

As the fat middle aged white guy in a market full of locals I don’t think a smaller camera would make me any more discrete, regardless of gear. I’ve found the way to become invisible is to either sit in one spot until you become part of the furniture or just introduce yourself and spend the time with them so they relax. Personally an M or CL has never made me less conspicuous than an SL or X1D. In fact sometimes with the M I get far more attention, which is fine. Any chance to chat with the locals by language or sign is always enjoyable.

I always have angst over what to take, mostly because I have way too much gear. First world problems. I have two trips this year, left and I’m currently agonising over both of them.  Hong Kong next week and Myannmar in November.My head says travel light to Hong Kong but I know I’ll pack the kitchen sink anyway......

Gordon

Hi Gordon,

do you pack it in a backpack or in a messenger bag?

[hhn360]

11 hours ago, budjames said:

Thank you for the info. I’m ordering the Nova-flex adapter tomorrow.

Regards,

Bud James

Please check out my fine art and travel photography at www.budjames.photography or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/budjamesphoto.

You're welcome and enjoy it!

 

[FlashGordonPhotography]

19 hours ago, tom0511 said:

Hi Gordon,

do you pack it in a backpack or in a messenger bag?

Backpack, mostly. Sometimes a sling bag or Thinktank waist bag. Usually I have only the extra lenses in the bag and the camera/standard zoom out on a sling strap. I rarely carry the hoods so the bag isn't that big. Current bag of choice is the LowePro Pro Tactic 350. Feels *lighter* than some other packs when loaded.

Gordon

[lanetomlane]

I usually travel with the SL, 16-35 and 24-90 zooms. Maybe big and heavy but the results are worth the effort.

[Ken Abrahams]

 I travel with both SL and M Monochrom cameras and all my M glass however as a Street shooter I choose which camera and lens specific to that day of shooting and perhaps in my smaller bag, pack another lens alongside my water bottle. It is usually only a quick trip to change lenses and or bodies (if required) and if I come across a scene requiring colour and or wider/longer lens I return there the following day. I don't see the point in travelling without ones basic kit.    

[cwcltd]

On 10/2/2019 at 5:36 PM, lanetomlane said:

I usually travel with the SL, 16-35 and 24-90 zooms. Maybe big and heavy but the results are worth the effort.

Same here, can’t be without my SL; depending on what I’m doing I often take the CL/23 as a quick grab or as a back up in case anything goes wrong with the SL (it never has).