My perfect Leica M Travel Kit - YMMV

[jaapv]

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My ideal travel kit: 

30-year old Lowepro backpack Mini (looks older), SL, Sigma 150-600, Summilux M24 M on adapter, 35-70-R on Novoflex adapter, Sigma 45L, 3 spare SL batteries, 5 spare CL batteries, TL. 55-135, two CL chargers, 2 SL chargers, sensor cleaning accessories, Hama shoulder pod, Trinovid 10x42 BA Jagd, Macbook Air 13" Mac charger, card reader USB cable. Weighs 10-11 kg approx. In Lowepro Orion bum bag (looks even worse) CL, 18-56, 1 spare battery, pipe and tobacco, malaria meds, airsickness tablets, paracetamol, Spare SD cards, odds and ends.

 

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[LocalHero1953]

I'm not sure how big the envelope is for a M travel kit: does it include all the chargers and cables, laptop, card reader, (and @jaapv's binoculars, paracetamol and kitchen sink🙂)?

The kit for my recent 10 days in France only qualifies as a M kit because it has one M in it, but not even a M11:

• MP with Summilux-M 35mm pre-asph v2, Luigi half case; loaded with Portra 160 or 400.
• Leica Standard with Nikkor 3.5cm f/3.5, Nikkor 3.5cm optical VF, Luigi half case; loaded with Delta 3200.
• Leica Q2
• Fogg b-major shoulder bag (holds all three cameras and lenses)

My travel kit to Edinburgh and Shetland in August/September (by car) will be similar but with the addition of:

• Chroma Carbon Adventurer 4x5 folding field camera
• Three lenses: Nikkor 90, Fujinon 125 and Fujinon 240
• A box of film holders, loaded with Portra 400 and HP5 (undecided whether to take extra film and a changing bag)
• FLM tripod, Novoflex Magic Ball levelling head, focusing loupe, homemade dark cloth (designed for windy locations), Sekonic 398 meter, extra long cable release......
• f-Stop Loka back pack (this large format kit, with a water bottle, weighs just <10kg, which is OK for hiking)

Edited May 6, 2023 by LocalHero1953

[jaapv]

Mine does have an M lens in it  . I may throw in my Monochrom set as well..

[Ouroboros]

Just returned from 2 months travelling in northern India and Sikkim including 2 weeks trekking to Annapurna Base Camp and back in Nepal.  Weight was the overriding factor due to the grade of the trek and altitude: M10-R with 50mm & 28mm summicron safari editions with two spare batteries and four 128gb Sandisks in a Hadley Digital.

In October we're in Botswana (Okavango), cycle touring though game reserves in Estwatini and backpacking in South Africa.  No altitude concerns there so I'll be taking the M10-R with 28mm, 50mm & 90mm summicron safari edition lenses and 8x20 Ultravid in a Hadley Small.

[Jared]

I have ten days in Spain coming up, mostly Madrid, some beach time as well. Haven’t been to Madrid since the 1970’s as a young child. Leaning towards the following: 

• M11, may not even bother with an SD card
• 50mm Voigtlander f/1.2 Norton (might choose the 50mm APO instead, but thought a low-light lens might be a good idea)
• 35mm Summicron APO
• 28mm Summaron
• iPad pro for quick upload and processing—can do more careful work when I get home
• Rocket Blower
• M11 thumb support
• USB-C charging cable
• Fogg b# bag as my small carry-on (it can easily hold all the above)

That’s it. Then, on any given outing, I take either the 28/50 combo or just the 35.

[jaapv]

And a spare battery I suppose?  I won’t leave the house without one, no matter what camera. 

[PhotogLeica]

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Going to Italy in a few weeks. I plan to take:

M10

Voigtlander Super Wide Heliar 15mm (For those Rome coliseum shots!) 

Summicron 28mm ASPH F2

Summilux 50mm ASPH F1.4 

Spare Battery and charger

Couple of ND filters 

Three 64GB SD cards

Visioflex 020 (for those few situations I want precision focus, helps with 15mm view, ....debating if I will really take this or not)

Misc stuff (lens cloth, grey card, blower, small notebook....)

Bag is a Tenba Solstice 7L Sling Bag. I have a Billiingham but I need space for a rain jacket, snacks, and water bottle and the TenBa sling bag fits the bill and is perfect for gear and some room for extras, including a water bottle' Its also easy to carry as my airplane small carry on that fits under the seat, it holds a tablet too.

 

[kivis]

Looking to add to my arsenal.

M11

35mm 'Cron

[pgk]

I can travel (and have travelled) with one M body, 21, 35 and 90mm lenses (+ charger, SD cards, spare batteries, sensor brush, lens cloth, etc.). All in a small Billingham (not sure what model) inside a decidedly ratty, old rucksack. FWIW the lenses I use are the 21SEM, the 35/1.4 Asph, pre-FLE and the 90/2.8 Elmarit-M all with UVa and hoods but no front caps as they just get lost. I am perfectly happy to chage lenses as often as I need to. The set will cover (and has covered) 99.9% of the photography I do whilst travelling. There is no 'perfect' set but this one will allow me to take most of the images I like. I always carry a folded up, lightweight dry bag into which the Billingham will fit if needed.

[Photoworks]

nobody is taking a zoom?

[jaapv]

I am... 🫠

[OldMan]

Of course I changed my mind! 🤦‍♂️

• Leica M11 w/PD Black Leather Neck Strap & Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH FLE Lens in Black Leather Leica Camera Cover
  • Voigtlander Vintage Line Type II 21mm F/3.5 COLOR-SKOPAR Aspherical Lens & Leica 90 Summarit f/2.5 M Lens on OpTech Double End Cap
  • Spare Camera Battery & SD Cards in Pouch
  • Voigtlander 21/25 Optical Viewfinder in Pouch

[DadDadDaddyo]

Glad to see at least one 4x5 mentioned! I do know it's a Leica forum, but after owning several other 4x5 I finally scored a Toyo VX125. This is an eminently portable 4x5; the 125 is its folded thickness in mm.

Of course then there's all the other, well, um, what I like to call the "Ancillary Adams"... carbon fiber tripod, Fujifilm 150mm on a lens board, a Gossen with a spotmeter attachment (smaller than my Spotmaster), half a dozen film holders, and oh yes: focusing cloth (or just flip my jacket over my head.... What you looking at??)

And for sure, never forget the Rocket Blower!

The M10M has sure changed things for me!

Now it's the 35mm Summicron on the body and a Macro 90mm tucked into a pocket. A spare battery in another pocket (the charger stays in the hotel). I've gone for days with that kit. With the M11 added a few months back I'm getting ready to add either a 24 or 28mm. The Summilux 50mm comes along for night work, sometimes. Plus a Manfrotto pocket tripod. It all fits comfortably in a Hadley Pro Small or for daytime carrying, the tiniest Tenba Cooper (loved that line, was sorry to see it go... drove me to Billingham).

It's been a while since I've packed the GFX100S plus lenses. That system is frankly on the chopping block in my stable. It's still useful as a digital back for the VX125, but that's for purpose-filled days of photographic determination, which is hardly travel...

The SL2 gear stays, for now. Two zoom lenses get me from 24mm to 280mm, and I can't part with the 35 or the 50 Summicrons.

The SL system is a matter of the rational mind. The M system is a matter of the heart. 

[jaapv]

On 5/6/2023 at 3:13 PM, Ouroboros said:

Just returned from 2 months travelling in northern India and Sikkim including 2 weeks trekking to Annapurna Base Camp and back in Nepal.  Weight was the overriding factor due to the grade of the trek and altitude: M10-R with 50mm & 28mm summicron safari editions with two spare batteries and four 128gb Sandisks in a Hadley Digital.

In October we're in Botswana (Okavango), cycle touring though game reserves in Estwatini and backpacking in South Africa.  No altitude concerns there so I'll be taking the M10-R with 28mm, 50mm & 90mm summicron safari edition lenses and 8x20 Ultravid in a Hadley Small.

No wildlife lens? Even if you only pass through or even avoid game reserves; i've regularly seen Wild Dog on the main road from Kasane to Francistown, and that was not exceptional.

The 180 APO 3.4 R plus APO extender 2x R is the most light-weight and compact option. 

[Hausen17]

My trip to Switzerland/Iceland last year was all in a Wotancraft Pilot 10l.

• M11
• WATE,  VC50/1, VC90/2.8 (Next trip will swap out VC50/1 with the MATE)
• Q2
• 3 x Benro Circular NDs
• Spare battery + Charger x2
• Air Blower
• Small nodal slide
• Visoflex 2.0
• Slik CF-635 Carbon tripod

[Ouroboros]

6 hours ago, jaapv said:

No wildlife lens? Even if you only pass through or even avoid game reserves; i've regularly seen Wild Dog on the main road from Kasane to Francistown, and that was not exceptional.

The 180 APO 3.4 R plus APO extender 2x R is the most light-weight and compact option. 

I’d like to see you trying to carry that on a base camp trek in Nepal.  
We spent the first two weeks of our journey trekking to Annapurna Basecamp, a fairly hard trek up to 12500 feet.  Not only a very steep undulating route, there is also altitude to cope with.  
The key to enjoying a trek like this is to travel light.  Carrying such an outfit that you suggest on a high altitude Himalaya trek  would be ridiculous.
We saw plenty of wildlife during our travels, including tiger (x2) and a male sloth bear in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve that came to within 15 metres,  if photographing wildlife were my main reason for being there I’d be geared-up accordingly with Nikon cameras and lenses.

I do not pretend to be a wildlife photographer, I prefer to observe.

 

 

 

 

[FlashGordonPhotography]

I prefer to be trip specific when I travel. And currently I’m not sure where my M’s fit into that. I’m not a minimalist when I travel. Nor do I hike to base camp. So weight savings is not my ultimate goal.

I have just gotten back from Italy. I took my X2D and a suite of lenses. It went really well, although I’d love a wide zoom and something a bit longer. For my next trip to Africa, I’m taking a Canon kit because I need the reach and I want the AF capabilities. And the 28-70 f2.0 might be the perfect lens for mountain gorillas. I’m off the Mongolia in September and either the X2D, GFX or SL2 will make that trip. The M11 or X2D for India in November and my GFX for Iceland in February.

As for my M’s. I have a comprehensive kit that still fits in a mid size waist bag with room to spare. M11, M11M, 28 f2, 50 APO, 90 macro, 135 and a WATE. EVF, macro adaptor plus a basic cleaning/repair kit. I’m currently playing with the new 35 ‘lux and may get a 75 APO because I’m enjoying being slightly wider on my X2D (with 55 and 90mm). Then I’ll put my old 24 f2.8 back into rotation. I generally don’t use filters with my M’s. If I’m carrying all the extras I may as well carry my X2D.

Accessories are a small multi tool generally used on a bike, a cleaning cloth in the pocket of every pair of pants I own (they live there and get washed with the pants), sunglasses, small rocket blower, gaffer tape wrapped around my tripod legs and a small Leatherman tool on my key ring. I keep swabs and a larger leatherman in the hotel. I have a rain jacket when needed and a small poncho for when I’m not sure what the wether will bring. Water bottle holster on my waist pack belt.

To me kits are fluid. I have no desire to stick to one fixed kit for years.

Gordon

p.s.. The only ting I really want is a super small *alternative* camera for when I just don’t want to take the big kit. Something with, IBIS, a wide zoom and small. That’s not as easy as I’d like. Currently it’s an XT5 and 10-24. But I’m on the lookout for even smaller. What I really want is a new PenF with the sensor from the OM-1.

Gordon

[JoshuaR]

I love threads like this

My travel setup is totally up in the air. It used to be easy: 28, 35, 50, with either film or digital M. That was all I owned! Now I have 21, 28, 35, 50, 75, and it's way harder to choose. I've also "diversified" my lenses, in the sense that I have very small ones (28 Summaron-M) and relatively big ones (35 FLE).

The main thing is that I like to keep it minimal—ideally just a camera with one lens mounted and another in a pocket. I have a solo work trip to Venice coming up, and I'm thinking I'll take either 21 + 35 or 21 + 50—probably the latter, because both lenses are relatively small. They'll come with an M10 and an extra battery—that's it.

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[FlashGordonPhotography]

On 5/18/2023 at 4:38 AM, JoshuaRothman said:

I love threads like this

My travel setup is totally up in the air. It used to be easy: 28, 35, 50, with either film or digital M. That was all I owned! Now I have 21, 28, 35, 50, 75, and it's way harder to choose. I've also "diversified" my lenses, in the sense that I have very small ones (28 Summaron-M) and relatively big ones (35 FLE).

The main thing is that I like to keep it minimal—ideally just a camera with one lens mounted and another in a pocket. I have a solo work trip to Venice coming up, and I'm thinking I'll take either 21 + 35 or 21 + 50—probably the latter, because both lenses are relatively small. They'll come with an M10 and an extra battery—that's it.

Just got back from Venice. For me, the wides were far more useful. Especially the 24-28mm mark. So I’d be taking the 21 and 35, *if* you have to be that minimal. Personally I’d also have the 75mm. My favourite shot from Venice was taken with a 105 equivalent and most of the rest that I like with a 24 or 30mm equiv.

Gordon

[david strachan]

Thanks Gordon.  We are off to Japan toward early September, and loath to put in a "What Lens/bag/camera/shoes" should I take?

So will work with a 28mm for most daily excursions...until I wake up sweating and worrying later..