Iceland focal lengths

[dem331]

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I always carry a backup camera on trips, but I’ve never had to use it. 
 

However, if I were going to be shooting in freezing temperatures for a long time, I might be tempted to continue carrying one. 

 

[Smudgerer]

Three M lenses, VC 15mm, ( a good suggestion in a previous post ), 28mm or 35mm and a 50mm......and yes for sure I'd take a back-up body with the M10-R too, "just because". A mono-pod would also be a very handy piece of kit to take and easy to port around, plus extra batteries and a small "warming pouch" to protect them from the cold weather conditions there.

If you don't own a back-up 10-R, or even any of the lenses you choose to take then rent them for the trip, much less of a capital expenditure.

Edited November 27, 2023 by Smudgerer

[sinjun]

6 hours ago, JRWhite said:

That said, do you travel with a backup body?

Often no, and I've been lucky enough never to have had a failure. Though I do have a Kolari mod Sony A7S which I have brought on occasion  - it's very small and works well with all my Leica lenses. Just a thought - is your son bringing a Nikon backup? If it's mirrorless and you got an adapter, it could serve as a backup for you both.

[RexGig0]

I have never been to Iceland, but, have been to some interesting places in the USA, with my Nikon-devoted wife, who loves nature photography. (I also use Nikon equipment, and added Leica M five years ago.) When we are both shooting, unless it is a close-range/macro-specific shoot, such as a “Moth Night,” we tend to use different lenses, that complement each other. If I am using a long “super telephoto” lens, she may use an AF-S 80-400mm G telephoto zoom, which has a much shorter Minimum Focusing Distance spec, because, sometimes, an interesting bird or creature may suddenly appear, at short range. Or, she may use her AF-S 80-400mm G zoom, while I use lenses suited to even shorter range, such as a 28mm f/1.4E and/or 60mm Micro-Nikkor. Or, she may be using her P1000 slower-focusing, super-zooming camera, with its integral zoom that reaches 3000mm equivalent, while I use a capable short-range lens, for nearby targets of opportunity. (Notably, my wife is the more-senior photographer, the mentor who persuaded me to become serious about photographer.)

Consider being the photographer who concentrates on documenting your son’s trip. Environmental portraits. “BTS” images, with your son, and his fellow travelers, captured mostly with your 25mm and 50mm lenses. Let your younger, presumably stronger son heft all of those long, heavy lenses. 😉 Notably, this is not the same thing as being an assistant. 

Consider buying a pair of Leica lenses, neither M nor L, but binoculars. I was serious about binoculars about two decades before I started using interchangeable-lens cameras. Originally, it was for wildlife and bird viewing, and navigation. After I met my wife, I used binoculars to spot wildlife and birds, for her to photograph. Swarovski and Zeiss are on the quality level of Leica binoculars, but Leica have the red dot.

I do like to travel with a second camera body. I know what it is like to drop an M10, then finish the day trip with a second camera. If not a second camera body, well, I can certainly see myself fumbling and dropping a base plate, or battery, during a battery swap, so, if planning to shoot in a rocky area, where retrieval could be problematic, perhaps a spare base plate? (Ample spare batteries seem important, too.)

I will now yield to those who have Iceland experience. 

 

[JRWhite]

7 hours ago, RexGig0 said:

Consider being the photographer who concentrates on documenting your son’s trip. Environmental portraits. “BTS” images, with your son, and his fellow travelers, captured mostly with your 25mm and 50mm lenses. Let your younger, presumably stronger son heft all of those long, heavy lenses. 😉 Notably, this is not the same thing as being an assistant. 

Consider buying a pair of Leica lenses, neither M nor L, but binoculars. I was serious about binoculars about two decades before I started using interchangeable-lens cameras. Originally, it was for wildlife and bird viewing, and navigation. After I met my wife, I used binoculars to spot wildlife and birds, for her to photograph. Swarovski and Zeiss are on the quality level of Leica binoculars, but Leica have the red dot.

I do like to travel with a second camera body. I know what it is like to drop an M10, then finish the day trip with a second camera. If not a second camera body, well, I can certainly see myself fumbling and dropping a base plate, or battery, during a battery swap, so, if planning to shoot in a rocky area, where retrieval could be problematic, perhaps a spare base plate? (Ample spare batteries seem important, too.)

 

Very interesting that you brought up documenting this travel as my son's trip. Recently I had the same thought. And my standard kit is perfect in that role. For sure I'll capture images of Iceland's vast grandeur but perhaps I recast my part in the trip. Hmmm...lots to think about.

Copy all re: binoculars. Several others have made the same recommendation. I'm fortunate in that the view from the south side of my home is quite nice and I keep two sets of binoculars at the ready. A 7x50 and an 8x42. Both are Nikon but neither are high end models. However, both are also a bit larger than I want to carry to Iceland (or anywhere else outside my home not involving my truck). Which model do you recommend?

Yes, I view a second camera as a must. Best if compatible with M lenses. I've been thinking hard about an SL2 as I believe it well compliments the M system. And my eyes are such that at some point I may need help focusing. Plus, I really don't want to have to learn another company's menu system. And while one might recommend a second M10R, or variant, I can buy a used SL2 for over $1,000 less than I can a used M10 (of any variety). Clearly a first world problem but one that keeps me up at night.

Many thanks for the input! 

[JRWhite]

11 hours ago, Smudgerer said:

A mono-pod would also be a very handy piece of kit to take and easy to port around

If you don't own a back-up 10-R, or even any of the lenses you choose to take then rent them for the trip, much less of a capital expenditure.

Monopod...hmmm...very interesting idea. About two years ago I installed a Leofoto VH-10 on my 40 year old Bogon 3018 aluminum monopod. My goodness did it breathe new life into that sturdy piece of kit. What had been buried in the back of the closet for a few decades now sees (almost) regular use. At full extension, the added inches of the VH-10 "head" brings the M10R view finder to perfect, full standing height of eye for me (at 6'4"). And very lightweight as well. More to think about.  

Yes, I've given some thought to renting an M10R. Perhaps for short term, however for the two-plus weeks I'll need it, it's almost cheaper to buy one.

Many thanks for the input! 

[JRWhite]

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Great input from all, many thanks! I feel I am in a better place to make decisions on the kit I will bring along. Looking forward to the adventure. And, as further info, about three weeks following my return from Iceland, my wife and I along with our daughter and her husband will travel to Scotland for three weeks. That trip is totally DIY as we'll be renting a car and driving about 1200 miles. Stops include Edinburgh, Glencoe, Portree, Inverness, and Kirkwall. Should be fun. And, I suspect the Iceland kit will also be the Scotland kit.

Again, many thanks for the guidance.

Cheers, Jim

[LocalHero1953]

1 hour ago, JRWhite said:

Copy all re: binoculars. Several others have made the same recommendation. I'm fortunate in that the view from the south side of my home is quite nice and I keep two sets of binoculars at the ready. A 7x50 and an 8x42. Both are Nikon but neither are high end models. However, both are also a bit larger than I want to carry to Iceland (or anywhere else outside my home not involving my truck). Which model do you recommend?

I’m sure this question will divert the thread. There’s a thread on binoculars I started a couple of years ago. TL/DR I bought Ultravid 8x32.

At the time, as well as consulting this (Leica-favouring) community, I asked my brother, a keen bird watcher. He put Swarovski at the top of the tree, closely followed by Leica and Zeiss. I followed his advice to try all three in different magnifications, and did so at a specialist binocular store near us in Norfolk. I agreed that those three were the ones to choose from, but chose the Leica for their tidy form factor, lack of distortion when panning, and because 8x32 was the sweet spot of power vs compactness. In other circumstances I could have chosen Swarovski. Well worth trying them all out, not following the advice of those with confirmation bias like me. 

[UliWer]

vor 16 Minuten schrieb LocalHero1953:

A 7x50 and an 8x42. ... Which model do you recommend?

8*42 is a good option to watch something in the close bush or tree. Though I fear in Iceland there won't be many opportunities for "close bushes or trees". For long distances (seaside etc.) I'd always recommend a 10*42 (10*50 will be brighter but much heavier). My 10*42 Zeiss Victory SF weighs 850g - and if I had to choose whether I took a binoculars or another lens, I'd always opt for the binoculars. You'll see more than you ever could shoot. 

[IkarusJohn]

11 hours ago, RexGig0 said:

Notably, my wife is the more-senior photographer, the mentor who persuaded me to become serious about photographer.

So … she was the photographer you became serious about?

[dugby]

I use Leica Ultravid 10x25 as they are ultra-lightweight.

10x are very susceptible to hand-shake, so I hold them tightly to the sunvisor of my baseball cap and they become very steady & useable.

[RexGig0]

9 hours ago, IkarusJohn said:

So … she was the photographer you became serious about?

Oops! I meant “serious about photography.” (Too late to edit.)

Well, she was the second photographer I became serious about, actually. A prior girlfriend was a sculptor, who also had a growing interest in photographing architecture.

When I became serious about my wife-to-be, I brought bird/wildlife viewing, and a general interest in nature, to the table. For our first decade together, I was the driver and spotter, often with binoculars, while she was the photographer. She occasionally tried to persuade me to start using a camera. Then, she bought me a compact Olympus digital pocket camera, which was too small for me to handle with any skill, but did prompt me to start looking into less-compact cameras. I bought a small Sony gadget that might be what some call a “bridge” camera, but never learned to like it. Then, I handled her employer-issued* Nikon D300s, a newly-introduced “semi-pro” DSLR, and, well, something “clicked.” Pun intended. 🙂

*She worked for the County Medical Examiner, as a forensic investigator and photographer.

 

Edited November 28, 2023 by RexGig0

[JRWhite]

My son and I recently returned from a 15-day (March 1-16) Ring Road adventure in Iceland. As it was the first time to Iceland for the two of us we elected to join a photo workshop operated by a local company. The workshop included one other paying customer and our guide. Two of the best weeks of vacation I’ve ever enjoyed. Iceland was spectacular. I brought home 4,300 images and have been slowly culling ever since. The many responses to my request for information in advance of the trip were very helpful in guiding my final kit selection. So let me first thank you for those responses...thank you!

My kit consisted of an M10R with the ZM 25mm f/2.8 Biogon, the CV 50mm f/1.5 Nokton and the CV 90mm f/2.8 APO Skopar. Accessories for that system included a total of four batteries, the Type 020 Visoflex (my goodness, that piece of kit was money!) and a handful of filters. The filters included 3/6/10 stop NDs and a CPL. All the filters were 46mm (the largest lens was the ZM 25mm) with appropriate adapters to fit those filters on 43mm threads (CV 50mm) and 39mm threads (CV 90mm). I also brought along my heavy-duty tripod/ball head (both from Robus) and was very happy I did. The only downside was that the tripod was so big it didn’t fit in my checked luggage. However, no issue with Icelandair as they just counted it as the carry on (I carried it in the included case) and my small, Lowe-Pro Flipside camera pack as the personal item. As pointed out by most, wind was an issue at times, and the more stable tripod was the way to go. However, even with that stability I’d estimate that about half the time I used the tripod, due to wind, I was in an Asian crouch with tripod at a low extension and I was looking down through the Visoflex to focus and compose (again, the Visoflex was money). 

The other three guys on this trip (to include my son) carried, in addition to their own large tripods, large packs with large cameras (for instance, my son shoots a Nikon Z8 on a Small Rig L bracket) with much larger lenses. By the second week, and after they had seen some of my output, they were admiring my small kit and asking a lot of questions about various focal lengths, etc. No converts to Leica M, however I think they were initially surprised to see what I’d brought along as my primary shooter, and by the end of the trip viewed it no differently than their own kits.

Regarding weather, it was variable – some clear days, some rain (from drizzle to biblical), some snow (actual white-out conditions on the next to last day), both wet and dry, and a lot of wind. Air temperatures ranged between the low 20Fs to the low 40Fs. While I didn’t abuse the M10R (or the lenses), I also did not baby it, nor did I treat it any differently than my partners treated their camera systems. At one point or another each of the lenses and the body got quite wet. When back at the van I’d dry it off with the micro-fiber cloth I brought along for just that purpose (thank you LUF for making that suggestion!) and kept on shooting. I’ve been back about two weeks and based on nearly daily use during that time, all is okay. 

Nor did I worry too much about changing lenses in the wild. For sure, never while it rained or snowed. For very windy conditions, if I felt I really needed to change focal length, I turned my back to the wind and performed the lens swap at the speed of a well seasoned Indy 500 pit crew. Again, so far, no issues.

Prior to the trip I agonized about whether or not I should bring along a backup camera. In the end I brought along the remnants of my Fuji system, an X-E4, XF 16-80 f/4 and four batteries. Over the course of the trip I shot, maybe 200 images with it. Most of the time it lived in the bag in the van. That said, my son brought along his Nikon Z6 as back up and I used it a lot (I had an M to Z adapter with me). When we stopped the van to hike to a shoot, I didn’t bring my pack with me. The kit was small enough that I could mount a lens and carry another one (or two) in a jacket pocket. On those occasions when I also carried the tripod, the filters were stuffed in shirt pockets. I love the small size of the system. Where the Z6 (about the same size as the Leica) proved its worth was by adapting the 90mm to it. I could easily carry the two camera/lenses, one hanging on either side, and the tripod and I was good to go. Much lighter and more agile than my buddies. And the Z6 let me shift to DX mode so that the 90mm became a 135mm (without the compression). Not the best resolution for sure but through the magic of LR Classic and the Topaz suite, those DX images look just fine. And if I am being honest with myself, the Z6 was a blast to shoot!

A few lessons learned:

1. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is awesome! I haven’t counted how many images I shot with it, but that number is not insubstantial. Optical from 13mm to 120mm. Small sensor for sure, but those RAW Max files are 65MB! And they process just fine in the software I use - PS/LR, Topaz, Capture One and Silver Efex Pro. For my upcoming 18-day DIY trip to Scotland, my iPhone will be my designated “back-up.”

2. Wide angle. Ice caves, tight canyons, and northern lights (we enjoyed two spectacular evenings of lights over Myvatn Lake!) begged for a lens wider than 25mm.  Next time I’ll bring along my tiny CV 15mm f/4.5. 

3. Long lens. The 90mm wasn’t enough to produce those wonderful, long tele compression shots. For Scotland I plan to add a 135mm Tele-Elmar to the kit. Not real long, but it will do. Of course, the down side is the increase to the kit in weight and volume. Choices.  

4. The 90mm, and to a lesser extent the 50mm, really shined at 3x3 and 3x2 pano shots. 

5. And speaking of the 50, I used it much more than I had expected. As several folks pointed out, Icelandic vistas are huge. Many times, the 25 was just too wide. For those times, the 50 was perfect.

6. Batteries lasted longer than I thought they would. Though I brought along four, I never used more than two in one day. The spares lived in the pocket of my winter pants staying quite warm. Also, the Leica could be easily tucked into my jacket to keep it out of weather and to stay a bit warmer. Perhaps that helped with battery life. 

7. One wall outlet adapter was not enough. Next time I’ll bring two.

8. And, next time, I’ll spend more time in Reykjavik and Akureyri!

Shooting all day, every day, for two weeks in Iceland with my son was incredible. We’re already discussing returning at some point to see the Highlands and the Westfjords.

Thanks again for the helpful comments!  

[TheLaird]

G

1 hour ago, JRWhite said:

 

My son and I recently returned from a 15-day (March 1-16) Ring Road adventure in Iceland. As it was the first time to Iceland for the two of us we elected to join a photo workshop operated by a local company. The workshop included one other paying customer and our guide. Two of the best weeks of vacation I’ve ever enjoyed. Iceland was spectacular. I brought home 4,300 images and have been slowly culling ever since. The many responses to my request for information in advance of the trip were very helpful in guiding my final kit selection. So let me first thank you for those responses...thank you!

My kit consisted of an M10R with the ZM 25mm f/2.8 Biogon, the CV 50mm f/1.5 Nokton and the CV 90mm f/2.8 APO Skopar. Accessories for that system included a total of four batteries, the Type 020 Visoflex (my goodness, that piece of kit was money!) and a handful of filters. The filters included 3/6/10 stop NDs and a CPL. All the filters were 46mm (the largest lens was the ZM 25mm) with appropriate adapters to fit those filters on 43mm threads (CV 50mm) and 39mm threads (CV 90mm). I also brought along my heavy-duty tripod/ball head (both from Robus) and was very happy I did. The only downside was that the tripod was so big it didn’t fit in my checked luggage. However, no issue with Icelandair as they just counted it as the carry on (I carried it in the included case) and my small, Lowe-Pro Flipside camera pack as the personal item. As pointed out by most, wind was an issue at times, and the more stable tripod was the way to go. However, even with that stability I’d estimate that about half the time I used the tripod, due to wind, I was in an Asian crouch with tripod at a low extension and I was looking down through the Visoflex to focus and compose (again, the Visoflex was money). 

The other three guys on this trip (to include my son) carried, in addition to their own large tripods, large packs with large cameras (for instance, my son shoots a Nikon Z8 on a Small Rig L bracket) with much larger lenses. By the second week, and after they had seen some of my output, they were admiring my small kit and asking a lot of questions about various focal lengths, etc. No converts to Leica M, however I think they were initially surprised to see what I’d brought along as my primary shooter, and by the end of the trip viewed it no differently than their own kits.

Regarding weather, it was variable – some clear days, some rain (from drizzle to biblical), some snow (actual white-out conditions on the next to last day), both wet and dry, and a lot of wind. Air temperatures ranged between the low 20Fs to the low 40Fs. While I didn’t abuse the M10R (or the lenses), I also did not baby it, nor did I treat it any differently than my partners treated their camera systems. At one point or another each of the lenses and the body got quite wet. When back at the van I’d dry it off with the micro-fiber cloth I brought along for just that purpose (thank you LUF for making that suggestion!) and kept on shooting. I’ve been back about two weeks and based on nearly daily use during that time, all is okay. 

Nor did I worry too much about changing lenses in the wild. For sure, never while it rained or snowed. For very windy conditions, if I felt I really needed to change focal length, I turned my back to the wind and performed the lens swap at the speed of a well seasoned Indy 500 pit crew. Again, so far, no issues.

Prior to the trip I agonized about whether or not I should bring along a backup camera. In the end I brought along the remnants of my Fuji system, an X-E4, XF 16-80 f/4 and four batteries. Over the course of the trip I shot, maybe 200 images with it. Most of the time it lived in the bag in the van. That said, my son brought along his Nikon Z6 as back up and I used it a lot (I had an M to Z adapter with me). When we stopped the van to hike to a shoot, I didn’t bring my pack with me. The kit was small enough that I could mount a lens and carry another one (or two) in a jacket pocket. On those occasions when I also carried the tripod, the filters were stuffed in shirt pockets. I love the small size of the system. Where the Z6 (about the same size as the Leica) proved its worth was by adapting the 90mm to it. I could easily carry the two camera/lenses, one hanging on either side, and the tripod and I was good to go. Much lighter and more agile than my buddies. And the Z6 let me shift to DX mode so that the 90mm became a 135mm (without the compression). Not the best resolution for sure but through the magic of LR Classic and the Topaz suite, those DX images look just fine. And if I am being honest with myself, the Z6 was a blast to shoot!

A few lessons learned:

1. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is awesome! I haven’t counted how many images I shot with it, but that number is not insubstantial. Optical from 13mm to 120mm. Small sensor for sure, but those RAW Max files are 65MB! And they process just fine in the software I use - PS/LR, Topaz, Capture One and Silver Efex Pro. For my upcoming 18-day DIY trip to Scotland, my iPhone will be my designated “back-up.”

2. Wide angle. Ice caves, tight canyons, and northern lights (we enjoyed two spectacular evenings of lights over Myvatn Lake!) begged for a lens wider than 25mm.  Next time I’ll bring along my tiny CV 15mm f/4.5. 

3. Long lens. The 90mm wasn’t enough to produce those wonderful, long tele compression shots. For Scotland I plan to add a 135mm Tele-Elmar to the kit. Not real long, but it will do. Of course, the down side is the increase to the kit in weight and volume. Choices.  

4. The 90mm, and to a lesser extent the 50mm, really shined at 3x3 and 3x2 pano shots. 

5. And speaking of the 50, I used it much more than I had expected. As several folks pointed out, Icelandic vistas are huge. Many times, the 25 was just too wide. For those times, the 50 was perfect.

6. Batteries lasted longer than I thought they would. Though I brought along four, I never used more than two in one day. The spares lived in the pocket of my winter pants staying quite warm. Also, the Leica could be easily tucked into my jacket to keep it out of weather and to stay a bit warmer. Perhaps that helped with battery life. 

7. One wall outlet adapter was not enough. Next time I’ll bring two.

8. And, next time, I’ll spend more time in Reykjavik and Akureyri!

Shooting all day, every day, for two weeks in Iceland with my son was incredible. We’re already discussing returning at some point to see the Highlands and the Westfjords.

Thanks again for the helpful comments!  

Great post. I was there in 2022 just after COVID and did south and south west coasts. Also on a tour with ZOOM Photos. 

I took my Fuji GFX with 32-64 and 100-200 lenses. The longer reach was certainly needed to bring in some of the more remote scenes or to isolate parts of them. I would say most of my shots were around about the 50mm range. A couple of people have OM-1 and I had thought about taking that setup instead as I have it for sport and wildlife. The weather sealing of it was really needed as we had the worst snow/blizzards they had had for over 20 years. Airport was shut as the winds were too strong. 

If I was going back, and I might do, I would take my Q2 and Om-1 with my 12-100 (24-200 in 35mm terms) and that would suffice for sure.

[LocalHero1953]

1 hour ago, JRWhite said:

7. One wall outlet adapter was not enough. Next time I’ll bring two.

Or one adapter, one mains power cable and one of these.

Edited April 2, 2024 by LocalHero1953

[jaapv]

I’d be eaten if I did that… you can’t do sports, wildlife, birds, architecture, macro, etc. I’m sure I am forgetting about ten other disciplines. 
Your lens and camera choice is dictated by your subjects. 

[jaapv]

1 hour ago, letitz said:

If you're an M shooter though, your subject is people and people in the world

There are more things in heaven and earth, Letittz Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. 
https://the.me/henri-in-africa-the-leica-monochrom-as-a-travel-camera/

I have used M cameras eight times for extended wildlife safaris, regularly for Macro, even for photographs of the moon. 

[jaapv]

4 minutes ago, letitz said:

Of course you can use them for anything. They're cameras. But the M rangefinder wasn't built for sports wildlife moon photos etc 

Really?  Why has Leica been building Visoflexes since before WW2 then? What reason did they have to produce the Leica Rifle? Did they have any reason to make Telyt-V lenses? 

[jaapv]

Personally I would take the CL with the 18-56 and 55-135 plus a Voigtländer 10 or 12. 

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[LocalHero1953]

I guess most people who go to Iceland are thinking of landscape, not people. I certainly was when I went with my M. And a 90, 35, 28. No regrets either.

Edit: who (other than @letitz) said that Leica Ms were really designed for people photography?

Edited April 3, 2024 by LocalHero1953