Film or Digital for Big Trip this Fall

[malligator]

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Film. I’m having a blast working with the 22 rolls I took on my three week trip to Indonesia. I barely touched the Q2. 

[ktmrider2]

It appears the bike for this trip will be a KTM 690 enduro-68 hp and the bike weighs less than 340 lbs.  Not having to carry camping gear is a big deal and will allow room for a couple cameras.  I could go with a bigger bike (Harley Road King or BMW GSA1200), another 650 with about the same hp but heavier, or a 300cc BMW which actually weighs more than the KTM.  I want light (so I can pick it up solo) with some off road capability..

Presently for cameras I am leaning toward my M4 with either 35/90 or just the 35f2.8 Zeiss C Biogon.  The cell phone situation is a bit more complicated as the newest iPhone 14 has a great camera but most of the countries in Central and South America do not support the e SIM cards.  I will probably keep my current iPhone 11 and throw a GR3 into the mix so I can upload photos taken with a large sensor.  Apple recommended the iPhone 12 PRO since it has a good camera and still uses regular SIM cards.  More information is required before I make a decision but the GR3 is not much bigger than my 90f2.8.

Thanks to everyone who have given me input.  

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[intangiblethings]

I recently did Fukuoka and brought:

CLE for the day time

GR III for anything wider or just general snap shots

M10M for evenings/overcast

I brought a LLL 35mm 8E and a 50mm ELCAN. It was perfect for the most part. The GR III covers virtually everything you need without taking up extra space.

[ktmrider2]

Hi guys:  I have given a lot of thought to my upcoming trip and what I wish to accomplish.  I have a solid departure date from Anchorage of 2 Sept 2023 in order to catch the Alaska Marine ferry from Haines, Ak., to Bellingham, Wa.  From Bellingham, Wa., I will be riding to St Louis, Mo., to visit my sister and guide her and her partner on a motorcycle trip to Utah.  I will ride back to STL and drop off my Harley and get my KTM690 which I will be riding south.  I will be departing STL in mid October for the Panama Canal.  I will not decide on going all the way to Tierra del Fuego until reaching the Canal.  At 70, it is good not to plan too far in advance.

In looking back on my most recent foreign trips to Vietnam and the Philippines in which I took a Leica film camera and my cell phone, I did not even finish a roll of film due to bad weather so my $5000 camera sat in a Billingham bag under my poncho during monsoon season while I toured the highlands of Vietnam on the back of a 150cc motorcycle in pouring rain.  The postcard photos I took to send to friends and family were done with the phone.  So I have decided to leave the expensive Leica at home and take digital but something which can be called a camera not a telephone. 

Several friends have requested that I write a blog of my travels (some requested "youtube" videos but I said no).  I think a blog needs photos and digital is much easier to post than film (requires conversion to a digital file) so I have changed course and decided to travel with a Fuji X-T5 and a Ricoh GR3.  The APS C sensors are large enough for better results compared to a phone but the cameras are much smaller than their full frame equivalent.  And I already know that one of my destinations during my Utah trip cries out for an  ultra wide or fisheye lens-Antelope Canyon.  So one is packed.  The blog will make a great reminder of this epic motorcycle journey.

Honestly at 70 I wonder how many more trips I have in me.  However, my motorcycle mechanic here in Anchorage (young guy at 62) and I were discussing this subject and he told me that one of his other customers just left for a motorcycle journey to New York City from Alaska and he was 88.  Thanks for the input to this thread.

Edited August 6, 2023 by ktmrider2

[j.scooter]

Please share the link to your blog once it is ready.

Have fun

[ktmrider2]

I am finalizing my photo equipment list.  Since I have decided not to carry camping equipment and am taking a slightly larger motorcycle than the BMW GS 310, I can physically take a more comprehensive kit.  However, part of me says not to and to keep the gear simple.  

Originally when I decided to go digital instead of film, it was a Fuji XT-5 with 7mm, 23mm, 35mm and 56mm lenses and the Ricoh GR3.  The 23 and 56 give me the equivalent of 35/85 in 35mm but using the APS-C format.  Now my travel kit with the M4/M240 was 35/90 so these lenses come pretty close and I have decided to leave the 35 (50 equivalent) at home. The 7mm is a fisheye packed specifically for Antelope Canyon in Arizona and will be left in St Louis when I continue south.  The Fuji X-T5 is small (about the size of an M) and much, much lighter with 40 megapixels.

My present feelings is to leave the GR3 behind.  I will be carrying an iPhone and can always use it for photos if for some reason I don't have the X-T5 along or the X-T5 malfunctions (can always buy another small digital).  I know the GR3 is small but it is another piece of equipment.  The X-T5 is weather resistant but the GR3 is not.  I have a bit more than 3 weeks to decide.

By the way, GoogleMaps says it is 12,100 miles (19,600 kms) from Anchorage to Tierra del Fuego.  Of course, my side trip to/from Utah is not included nor is the return trip (thinking of riding up the east coast of South America and shipping my bike back to USA from Buenos Aires).  And the Alaska ferry reduces the motorcycle ride by 1500 miles and flying the bike from Panama City to Bogota, Columbia over the Darien Gap reduces the road miles a bit as well.

 

 

Edited August 12, 2023 by ktmrider2

[madNbad]

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7 minutes ago, ktmrider2 said:

I am finalizing my photo equipment list.  Since I have decided not to carry camping equipment and am taking a slightly larger motorcycle than the BMW GS 310, I can physically take a more comprehensive kit.  However, part of me says not to and to keep the gear simple.  

Originally when I decided to go digital instead of film, it was a Fuji XT-5 with 7mm, 23mm and 56mm lenses and the Ricoh GR3.  The 23 and 56 give me the equivalent of 35/85 in 35mm but using the APS-C format.  Now my travel kit with the M4/M240 was 35/90 so these lenses come pretty close.  The 7mm is a fisheye packed specifically for Antelope Canyon in Arizona and will be left in St Louis when I continue south.  The Fuji X-T5 is small (about the size of an M) and much, much lighter with 40 megapixels.

My present feelings is to leave the GR3 behind.  I will be carrying an iPhone and can always use it for photos if for some reason I don't have the X-T5 along or the X-T5 malfunctions (can always buy another small digital).  I know the GR3 is small but it is another piece of equipment.  I have a bit more than 3 weeks to decide.

By the way, GoogleMaps says it is 12,100 miles (19,600 kms) from Anchorage to Tierra del Fuego.  Of course, my side trip to/from Utah is not included nor is the return trip (thinking of riding up the east coast of South America and shipping my bike back to USA from Buenos Aires).

 

 

How many different types of batteries, chargers and cords do you want to carry? Oops, almost forgot voltage converters!

Edited August 12, 2023 by madNbad

[ktmrider2]

GR3 and X-T5 use the same charging cord.  Batteries are different.  Both charge batteries in camera without a dedicated charger.

Edited August 12, 2023 by ktmrider2

[madNbad]

Which bike are you planning on riding? The 310 has the advantage of being lightweight and maneuver but that would be a long time on a thumper.

[ktmrider2]

I am taking my heavily modified KTM 690 enduro.  It has twice the horsepower (68hp) of the GS310 while being 40 lbs lighter.  The previous owner has turned it into a great adventure tourer by adding a five gallon aux fuel tank which when used with the standard three gallon tank gives me eight gallons total.  He also added heated hand grips, cruise control, a steering stabilizer, soft luggage, a big rear cargo rack, and aftermarket seat.  Now it is still a thumper and one designed for off road use.  It is hard to turn a sow's ear into a silk purse.

If I am unhappy with it by the time I get to St Louis, I have a 2008 BMW GSA1200 which I will switch to for south of the border.  However it is much bigger and heavier (but a lot more comfortable and is my favorite bike).  Since this will be a 6-9 month adventure from Alaska, comfort is important and BMW does have a better dealership network south of the border.

Unfortunately, there is no perfect bike just like there are no perfect cameras.

[madNbad]

1 hour ago, ktmrider2 said:

I am taking my heavily modified KTM 690 enduro.  It has twice the horsepower (68hp) of the GS310 while being 40 lbs lighter.  The previous owner has turned it into a great adventure tourer by adding a five gallon aux fuel tank which when used with the standard three gallon tank gives me eight gallons total.  He also added heated hand grips, cruise control, a steering stabilizer, soft luggage, a big rear cargo rack, and aftermarket seat.  Now it is still a thumper and one designed for off road use.  It is hard to turn a sow's ear into a silk purse.

If I am unhappy with it by the time I get to St Louis, I have a 2008 BMW GSA1200 which I will switch to for south of the border.  However it is much bigger and heavier (but a lot more comfortable and is my favorite bike).  Since this will be a 6-9 month adventure from Alaska, comfort is important and BMW does have a better dealership network south of the border.

Unfortunately, there is no perfect bike just like there are no perfect cameras.

I thought we were doing pretty good stuffing the suitcases in the CR-V and driving from Oregon to Pennsylvania for a visit with my sister!
The year before I moved west there was a small ad in the local paper, “Lady BMW rider looking for companion for short trips and touring.” At the time (1984) I had a 1974 R75/6 with a Vetter fairing and a Denfield Solo Sadle. She had a R60/5 and our first trip was a 160 mile round trip from my driveway in SE Pennsylvania to Pocono Raceway. It started raining about fifteen minutes into the trip. It rained all the way to the raceway just to find out the race had been canceled and of course rained all the way back. Decided she was a good riding partner and three weeks later we left for a ten day twelve hundred mile trip along the St Lawrence Seaway. It was a great and memorable trip (including changing my pan gasket in a sketchy parking lot in Toronto) and I haven’t been on a motorcycle since arriving in Portland

 

Edited August 12, 2023 by madNbad

[ktmrider2]

Well, I am leaving Anchorage in a week to catch the ferry to Bellingham, Washington, on 4 Sept from Haines, Alaska.  I have started a blog which is being hosted by Horizons Unlimited.  Go to the "Traveler's Stories" section.  My blog is titled "An Old Man Goes South:  Alaska to Tierra del Fuego".  I hope to update it twice a week but will guarantee doing it weekly.  

I have posted a couple photos from my iPhone of myself and the bike "Beast".  Significantly, these are the first photos I have ever posted to the internet.  I am slowly being dragged into the 21st century.

My final camera selection is a FujiX-T5 with a Sigma 18-50f2.8 lens.  I am trying for small and simple but wanted something with a bigger sensor than my iPhone.  The Sigma is the first zoom lens I have purchased being a fan of primes but it is so small, fast and close focusing that I could not pass it up.  The X-T5 is Fuji's latest and greatest with a 40mp sensor and weatherproof.  I don't plan on doing videos but the Fuji certainly has the capability.  

Film still has a place in my heart but digital is just so much easier, especially for posting on a blog or the internet.  Hope you enjoy the blog if you are interested.

[ironhorse]

Best of luck on your trip. Looking forward to following your adventure. It was a bit of a hunt to find your blog so I hope you don't mind me posting a direct link. 

 

https://new.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/rdnewton/old-man-goes-south-alaska-to-tierra-del-fuego

[ktmrider2]

Thanks Ironhorse.  Posting a direct link is above my skill level when dealing with the internet.

[bdjackson]

Good luck with the trip, it sounds so exciting! I have subscribed to your blog and will look forward to hearing how you progress. 

[ktmrider2]

Am leaving tomorrow for the first leg of the trip to spend the night in Tok(rhymes with Poke), Alaska. Tok is about 310 miles from Anchorage and about 70 miles from the ALCAN port of entry on the Alaska Highway.  The next night is Haines Junction, Yukon, another 300 mile ride.  The last day is 150 miles on Monday to catch the ferry from Haines, Alaska to Bellingham, Washington.

The bags are packed and I decided to let technology win over tradition.  The film Leica's are still my favorite camera and  my travel kit has been an M4 with 35/90 lenses but on this trip I have packed a Fuji X-T5 with a 18-50f2.8 Sigma and a 7.5f2 fisheye.  The X-T5 is weather resistant, 40mp APS-C sensor and lighter than the X-T4 and the 18-50 is the equivalent of 27-75mm on a full size sensor.  It does video as well.  The fisheye is packed specifically for a slot canyon in Arizona (Antelope Canyon) during my detour to the Four Corners area before heading toward the Mexican/US border in mid October.  

I have decided to travel with just one camera. Storage space is small on a motorcycle and I will be living with my equipment choices for the next 6 to 9 months so things besides cameras must be taken. I will be leaving the Ricoh GR3 at home. It is small and sharp and a great travel camera but the X-T5 will do just about anything the GR3 will and I don't have to mess with separate batteries or a second body.  I will have my iPhone 11 as a backup.  I used it successfully on a month long trip to Vietnam last December and it was a cheap solution to photography since the weather and lighting were so terrible I did not even complete a roll of film in my Leica M4.

[Steveoc64]

If it was me - talking about the "bulk" that film rolls take up ... I would take 2-3 bulk rolls of film, a change bag, and some sticky tape. Pack it well, and it won't take much room.

Then bulk roll on the road, re-using the same 3-4 cassettes.

Then I would probably look at developing on the road as well, taking some D-76 powder, or wing it with caffenol on an as-need basis.

Yes, it would be messy, yes it would be imperfect, yes it would impractical.  All good reasons to add it to your trip. 

[ktmrider2]

I have updated the blog a few times and am in Butte, Montana.  I caught the ferry Monday 4 Sept and it took 3.5 days to reach Bellingham, Washington from Haines, Alaska (1854. miles).  I am headed toward St Louis, Missouri, to meet my sister and brother in law.  We will be riding to Utah and back before I continue south in mid October toward Panama/TDF.

I have already made a major decision on the motorcycle.  The KTM690 I purchased for this trip WILL NOT be the bike that crosses the border into Mexico.   On paper, it appeared to be the perfect machine with off road/on road capabilities,  high quality components and super light weight.   Well, KTM has a reputation of manufacturing their seats from 2X4's.   Even though this is an aftermarket seat and I use an Airhawk pad, it is painful after 100 miles.  I know I will be better off with my 2008 BMW GSA1200.  It is bigger and has 97000 miles but it received a thorough inspection for a similar trip I had planned for last year.

And even though I thought I packed light, I have two bags and about 50 lbs.  There will be one bag and maybe thirty five pounds leaving STL.  I started with books to read and three sets of clothing.   The books are being replaced with a kindle and one set of clothing will be remaining in Missouri.  Presently, photo gear is a Fuji X-T5 body with 18-50f2.8 Sigma, a 7.5f2 fisheye and the Ricoh GR3.  The fisheye will be used in Antelope Canyon on the Utah ride and then left in Missouri and the GR3 will also be left.  The 18-50f2.8 Sigma gives me a 28-75 equivalent on a full size sensor.  My film setup is usually an M4 with 35 and 90 lens so not much different.  However, the X-T5 is the latest and greatest mirrorless APS-C and does pretty good video as well.

 

Edited September 9, 2023 by ktmrider2

[ktmrider2]

I rode over 6000 miles in September.  Anchorage to St Louis with 1800 miles on the ferry was 3100 miles on the bike while riding from STL to Page, Az was 2900 miles round trip.  I will be leaving St Louis to cross the US/Mexican border on 10 Oct crossing the border near Houston on 15 October.  I have decided to take my BMW GS1200 for comfort as the ride from Alaska on the KTM690 was literally painful after about 120 miles on the dirt bike seat of the enduro.  

I have decided to ship the FujiX-T5 and the lenses back to Alaska.  I am finding I use the Ricoh GR3 90% of the time.  And the cell phone is still the easiest way to post photos to my blog.  Part of me wishes I had my M4 but honestly the GR3 is so easy to use and I don't have to worry about exposure, film processing. or what lens.  

Presently, the plan is to ride down the Pacific side of South America and back north on the Atlantic.  I hope to be back in the USA by the end of March, 2024.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[ktmrider2]

In the spirit of honesty, I did ship some photo equipment home a few days ago.  But I decided to keep the Fuji X-T5 with Sigma 18-50f2.8 as I bought both the lens and camera body with this ride to TDF in mind.  I ended up shipping the Ricoh GR3 and a fisheye for the X-T5.  I was not doing enough photography to justify two different cameras and the X-T5 is a bit more versatile than the GR3.

I am leaving Missouri in two days for the Mexican/US border and trying to figure out how many pairs of pants and shirts to carry for six months on the road.  So carrying two cameras did not seem to make much sense.