Help a long-term traveler with MF needs

[sflxn]

Some long-term travel may be in my near future.  I am considering finally getting a MF camera for this trip.  I have read so many articles and blogs stating that critical sharpness can only be obtained with utmost technique, prior testing of camera-lens combo, and a heavy tripod.  Combined, they're a buzz killer for long-term travelers overseas.  Is it really that much harder to get sharp street photos from a MF camera while hand holding than with a DSLR?

Has anyone traveled with a MF camera in tow in their camera bag for long periods of time?  The Hassy and Mamiya seem more delicate than the top of the line Canon and Nikon.  I wonder how they would hold up over a long period.  Also, I would suspect those big files would torture a small laptop such as a Macbook Air or Sony Vaio Z.  Any thoughts?  My instincts tell me that for this type of travel, a D3X may be the best route.  When I get back home, I can get that MF system and make small trips back to places I want to see again.

[Dick Roadnight]

Some long-term travel may be in my near future.  I am considering finally getting a MF camera for this trip.  I have read so many articles and blogs stating that critical sharpness can only be obtained with utmost technique, prior testing of camera-lens combo, and a heavy tripod.  Combined, they're a buzz killer for long-term travelers overseas.  Is it really that much harder to get sharp street photos from a MF camera while hand holding than with a DSLR?

For pictures of streets a Sinar F3 is light and mirror-free.

For commissioned work you need consistently sharp pictures, for speculative street photography, if they are not all sharp, it is not so important, and you can turn up the ISO if you need DOF and short exposures.

[ondebanks]

Is it really that much harder to get sharp street photos from a MF camera while hand holding than with a DSLR?

As long as you're shooting in good light, I don't think it's inherently harder. But if you have to crank up the ISO past 400 in order to keep the shutter speed relatively high, the 35mm DSLR with its lower noise CMOS sensor has the advantage - the best MF backs have a readnoise of 13 electrons; the best 35mm DSLRs have a readnoise of 2 electrons. This allows the DSLR to capture sharp (fast shutter), clean shots at ISO 1600 or 3200; while nearly all MFDBs won't even go past ISO 400 or 800 and so you're forced to use a slower shutter speed and risk camera shake. And also, there's no such thing as IS (image stabilization) in MF, so your holding/support technique matters all the more with longer focal lengths.

[ced]

If the budget is no issue go for one of the 2 A's  Arca or Alpa with Schneider or Rodenstock lenses and hang a Leaf on there.
They are light and compact and can be shot from the hand or resting on anything stable.

[sojournerphoto]

Some long-term travel may be in my near future.  I am considering finally getting a MF camera for this trip.  I have read so many articles and blogs stating that critical sharpness can only be obtained with utmost technique, prior testing of camera-lens combo, and a heavy tripod.  Combined, they're a buzz killer for long-term travelers overseas.  Is it really that much harder to get sharp street photos from a MF camera while hand holding than with a DSLR?

Has anyone traveled with a MF camera in tow in their camera bag for long periods of time?  The Hassy and Mamiya seem more delicate than the top of the line Canon and Nikon.  I wonder how they would hold up over a long period.  Also, I would suspect those big files would torture a small laptop such as a Macbook Air or Sony Vaio Z.  Any thoughts?  My instincts tell me that for this type of travel, a D3X may be the best route.  When I get back home, I can get that MF system and make small trips back to places I want to see again.

What are you doing that you need MF. I like to travel light, so Zeiss Ikon (or Leica M9) or micro 4/3 would be the obvious contenders. Othrwise a dslr (5D2 etc) or mamiya 7 to scratch the MF itch.

Of course, you may need MF and, if so, please excuse my comments.

Mike

[sflxn]

What are you doing that you need MF. I like to travel light, so Zeiss Ikon (or Leica M9) or micro 4/3 would be the obvious contenders. Othrwise a dslr (5D2 etc) or mamiya 7 to scratch the MF itch.

Of course, you may need MF and, if so, please excuse my comments.

Mike

It can potentially be a year worth of travel around the world (yes, I know I am lucky).  My thought is that it's not every day that someone can travel the world.  I want to make sure I get the best images I can.  I love visiting Unesco sites and off the beaten tracks.  Add on top, my long interests in MF, and it seemed (at first) to be the perfect reason to marry the two desires together.

I only live once, and although money is always an issue, I have some leeway on this front.  Of course, I can spend a ton of money and get bogged down with ergonomics, fragility of the camera, critical sharpness, etc and end up miserable the entire journey.

[Dick Roadnight]

What are you doing that you need MF.

Unfortunately, you have to ask yourself if you want to:
travel,
travel with a camera, or
take high-quality photographs while traveling.

I suggest that you take a top-of-the-range compact camera as well as a MF system.

I went round the world before I got MF and I took a Nikon system and a Rollie 35 FF compact.

Click to see Topic "Quality Compact to complement MF"

[Ken Bennett]

Getting the "best images" is meaningless without knowing what you plan to do with the photos -- basically, why do you want to do this? Traveling around the world for a year is a wonderful opportunity, but it's totally different than going to a single location and shooting, say, advertising photos of a major resort center.

Do you want to sell the photos as stock? (Anything you shoot has already been shot a thousand times and is widely available often for free.) To sell huge fine art prints in a gallery? (Might require MF gear. Will likely require huge time investment in each location. Not a bad reason, though.) To illustrate your travel blog? (Use a cell phone or p+s camera.) To document the lives of people around the world? (Also a good reason, but probably better shot with more discreet gear.)

Is this trip solely for the purpose of photography? If so, then it's a job, and carrying the appropriate gear is fine. Or is this trip more for personal reasons, and photography is a smaller part of it? In that case, I would worry that a huge camera system would become a liability -- you will have to constantly worry about the security of your camera, and probably have to carry it with you everywhere. In that case, a digital MF system might be a bit large. (Also, what happens when your camera needs repair?)

If I had to travel the world for a year, and money were no object, I would get a pair of M9 bodies and a handful of lenses, a bunch of spare batteries and memory cards, and just shoot. For the kind of photography I enjoy -- basic photo-J stuff, people, portraits, street -- it's the perfect system. I can carry the whole kit with me in a small backpack or bag, and a travel tripod will easily handle the load for nighttime shooting. A 13 inch notebook computer will let me edit as I go, and I can upload to Photoshelter as a backup.

Given that, for me, money is always an object, in reality I'd take my GF1 and the 20mm lens, and buy a G1 and a couple of the zooms, and just use the m43 kit for this sort of thing. But again, that's for my kind of photography, not yours.

Good luck. This is a great opportunity for personal and professional growth. Hope you enjoy it.

--Ken

[Jack Flesher]

Your biggest technical issue will be storage for files, the next will be reliable power for recharging batteries.  After those, everything else can be accommodated. The issue then comes back to exactly what you want to return home with: the biggest and best files possible for a print exhibition or a lot of great images to remind you of your travels, sharing those memories with others and maybe printing out a few of the best up to 15"x20"? 

If the former, it can be done and you'll get a variety of good ideas here.  If the latter, then do yourself a favor and get one of the good micro 4/3rds kits -- I prefer the Panasonic GF1 and G2 -- and three or four lenses, 4 extra batteries and a slew of SDS cards. That entire kit will cost you what one decent MF zoom lens will cost.  And all of which will weigh maybe just a tad over what that same zoom lens will weigh. The entire M4/3 kit will inside a Domke J803 bag with room to spare for snacks, water bottle and travel guide; you'll get three MF lenses tops in the same bag and will need a large shoulder bag or more likely a backpack. We haven't even started to discuss tripods...

[EricWHiss]

Something like a mamiya 7ii would be a great travel companion and yield high quality images hand held but of course its film.    I don't really see a nikon d3x being much lighter than some MF camera systems, however its going to be significantly more versatile since you'll be able to shoot indoors and at night handheld -  high ISO, image stabilization and auto focus will be features you'll be appreciative of.     If you prefer the MF route maybe look for a system that has leaf shutters since these can typically be shot hand held at lower speeds. 

[Christoph C. Feldhaim]

.... I only live once, ....

Shoot film, preferably b/w and forget digital if you want to make something that lasts.

At least - if you take something with exchangeable backs try to have at least a film option.

EDIT: Not entirely true - see 2 posts below - my fault to have a misunderstanding
in a recent call with Mamiya Germany:
(E.G. a Mamiya DF/PhaseOne still takes Film Backs from Mamiya.)

Or get a Hassy V. Or Contax 645.
Or - if you get Nikon - Get an additional F6 Body .....
/my 2 cts

[jimgolden]

dont bother with MF for a trip like this. 5Dmk2, 24-70 2.8, maybe a few fast primes and tele-extender OR GF1 with 20 1.7 and a zoom. MF is gonna be a BIG PITA to haul around and they are more fragile and finicky. Your gonna want a camera around your neck the whole year, I wouldn't want it to be my H3Dw/80mm...

Personally, 5Dmk2 is the greatest all around camera to date. reasonable size with a 50mm on it and you can carry it for days w/o fatigue. 22MP will make beautiful 16x20 @ 300DPI no problem and larger with some extra post time. slap a 1.8/1.4/1.2 and shoot at 2.8 and you get your "3D" BS that people rave about with MF.

I bought a GF1 recently and love that camera as well. 20 1.7 is really nice, has a retro RF feel and roughly the same size, viewfinder a must for me tho. 2 shortcomings - DOF cant get very shallow and I'd like it to be more buttons, less menus.

FILM: M7II or Fuji GA645zi - the Fuji is pretty amazing (sharp, zoom, smaller than 5D) and can be had for under $800. you really wanna deal with all that scanning tho? totally annoying wether you do it yourself or have someone do it...

of course, these are my humble opinions on the topic.

ENJOY this amazing trip!!

[ondebanks]

E.G. a Mamiya DF/PhaseOne still takes Film Backs from Mamiya.

No, the DF cannot shoot film; only the Mamiya AFDIII and earlier can. Phase One, in logic that they still have not justified, decided that "open system" means "closed, forever, to film". GRRRR!!! 

[Dick Roadnight]

The DSLR-fans will love me for this, but go mirror-free... and take an M9 or two and, for serious landscapes, townscapes etc. take a Hassy 60Mpx back on a Sinar f3 with a few Apo-Digitars and a Mac Book Pro.

[ChristopherBarrett]

Dick, you're joking right?  The F3 is nearly 12 pounds!  If I didn't have my Rm3d and really wanted a super compact MF travel solution, I'd totally go with the Alpa TC... but seriously, for this kind of trip the D3x seems ideal.  Way more rugged, decent file size, good dr, great high ISO, exponentially longer battery life... yada yada ya.

-CB

Just pulled the trigger on the 12 Core...I'm a friggin giddy school girl!

[Dick Roadnight]

Dick, you're joking right?  The F3 is nearly 12 pounds!  If I didn't have my Rm3d and really wanted a super compact MF travel solution, I'd totally go with the Alpa TC...
-CB

I thought the F3 was very light and compact compared to the P3, and I was expecting to be getting an F3 for backpacking,,, partly as most of the components (including mounted lenses) are interchangeable with my Sinar P, P2 and P3... but if you were going to take one view camera on a trip (even a day trip up a mountain) there are lighter options.

¿Are you confusing the F3 with the P3?

[tho_mas]

I thought the F3 was very light and compact compared to the P3, and I was expecting to be getting an F3 for backpacking,,, partly as most of the components (including mounted lenses) are interchangeable with my Sinar P, P2 and P3... but if you were going to take one view camera on a trip (even a day trip up a mountain) there are lighter options.

¿Are you confusing the F3 with the P3?

according to the Sinar site the P3 and F3 weigh the same: http://www.sinar.ch/en/products/cameras
There is a "F3 SL" that is lighter. It might be a good solution for you personally as you already use Sinar & Hassy. But for the OP it doesn't make sense. If MFD in conjunction with a tech camera at all, it would make much more sense to take one of the handholdable small cameras (Alpa, Cambo, Arca Swiss and the like). And preferably not with a Hassy back as it needs external power supply.

[Dick Roadnight]

according to the Sinar site the P3 and F3 weigh the same: http://www.sinar.ch/en/products/cameras

This seems extremely odd, as the site says:

"The compact Sinar f3 is the ideal lightweight view camera for shooting on location"

...and much of the weight in the P3 in in the fully geared standards, which you do not get in the F3.

¿...anyone seen Edwin recently?

[ChristopherBarrett]

Yeah, they must have screwed up the site.  Their F series is traditionally non-geared and far lighter than the P's, couldn't possibly be that heavy.  Still, I never liked the F's and thought the Norma was a nicer design.  I don't think either is well suited for a MFDB, though... especially not if you want to shoot a 35mm or wider lens.

Time for more coffee and retouching.