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Re: [OM] Lens Choices for Travel

Subject: Re: [OM] Lens Choices for Travel
From: Richard Schaetzl <Richard.Schaetzl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 16:34:12 +0200
Ross Waite schrieb:

> In April and May next year, I hope to take my first ( and maybe only)
> overseas trip, accompanied by my wife & ten year old daughter.

Great tip

>  as I expect I will encounter very different subject matter,
> lighting and weather conditions to what I am used to in Australia. 

In April-May you might encounter every type of weather (even snow on the
mountains) one day it might be overcast  was dripling rain and the next
day (sometimes at the same day) bright sunshine, so you and your
equipment should be prepared.

> (At home
> I concentrate mainly on nature/landscapes etc., and almost always use a
> large tripod.  On the trip I will be hoping to capture the fantastic
> architecture, interiors of the Cathedrals & other historic buildings,
> Village, Town & City-scapes as well as the usual countryside & coastal
> scenics.)  I would like to get my equipment choices right (obviously
> without taking more than I can comfortably carry with all the other travel
> necessities), as I will probably never have a second chance.
> 
> My plan at this stage is to take my OM-4 body, 21/3.5, 28/2, 40/2, 85/2 &
> 200/5,

Excelent lenses and excelent choice. All have the same filter thread and
there is a number of "fast" lenses, you will need this, in spring the sun 
might not shine everyday and you want to take photos of interiors as well.

> plus a light tripod with a small Manfrotto ball head fitted with a
> Uni-Loc quick release mechanism. 

You might consider to take a small table tripod with you. Like the small Leica,
Minolta TR1, Manfrotto or Hakuba table tripod. Many places
don´t allow the use of flash or tripod but this small tripods are very
often accepted.
Yesterday I had the oportunity to try out an carbon tripod. Incredible how 
light 
weight they are, exactly what someone need while traveling. Unfortunatly, they 
are 
are quite expensive, so my personal carbon tripod has to wait until the prices 
have become more realistic, carbon tubes are not that expensive, just check in 
an wind surf shop. 

> Other options are:
> 
> - substitute my 35-70/3.5-4.5 for the 40/2. (sacrifice speed for
> flexibility of composition)

You have an 28mm and an 85mm add an 40mm, what more flexibility someone
needs. Speed can not be substituted.

> - substitute a 70-210 (which I would have to buy) for the 200/5 ( no real
> loss of speed but maybe greater flexibility?)

Sacrifing quality? Why not adding an 2x Olympus converter for your 200mm
lens? Usefull for the "comporessed tele look through the streets a lá
Feininger.

> - substitute a 135/2.8 

Wrong filter thread.

> (which I would also have to buy and may be hard to
> come by) plus my Kiron 1.5x TC for the 200/5  (gain in speed plus an
> intermediate focal length, but sacrifice quality at 200mm when using the
> 1.5x TC)

I would rather buy an Olympus 2x converter.

> - include my 35 shift  (may be useful for the architecture, but may not
> really be wide enough for a lot of situations).  I would be prepared to lug
> the extra weight of this lens if someone convinces me it will be really
> useful.

If you are used to use this lens take it with you , I wouldn´t change my
photographing habits while traveling.
The shift might be handy for this around the corner photos to eliminate
unwanted person on the image.

Generaly you should travel as light as possible, heavy gear might
handicape you more than it will improve your posibilities. Don´t let you
spoil the day by to much stuff your lugging around. My experiance is, as
more stuff I´m carrying as less pictures I take, simply because I´m
tired.

> Also any thoughts on film would be appreciated.  I am thinking of
> standardising on 100 speed, perhaps Sensia 2 or Provia (or maybe the new
> Provia 100F if it is released by then.)

I would use the film im familar with.

>  Many of the British landscapes I have seen
> in the mags have been shot on Velvia. I don't particularly like this film
> for Australian conditions - a bit over the top, but maybe I could be
> convinced to take some.  

Yeah, when the light is already intense, contrasty and the colours saturated, 
Velvia looks like plain kitsch. 
Under overcast, cloudy weather conditions this might be different, the clouds 
work as gigantic diffuser evenly spreading the light, which results in a very 
contrastless illumination. No shadows at all, very flattering light for 
portraits, but an dull ilumination for other photographic tasks. Here the 
extra high contrast and increassed saturation of the Velvia (or E100VS, 
Extra Color) might improve results.
In such cases you might also use an CR3/81C filter to remove the blue cast 
the clouds render.

> (Problem is its slow speed

Kodak has an new oversaturated ASA 100 film.

> which may mean an
> extra body - 

Extra body is always a good idea, but for the meantime you could help 
yourself with midroll change of the film.

>one for the Velvia and one for a higher speed GP film. This
> would start to make my backpack very heavy.)

Less weigth than an unneccesary zoom lens.
 
> I plan on taking 2 filters - polarising (cir) & 81A.

In my opinion an 81A often offers not enough warming, an 81C/CR3 is 
preferable.

>  Is a ND grad (Cokin
> style) worth taking along?

Definitly, helps to preserve detail in the sky.

> If so, can anyone recommend a brand that doesn't
> give a colour cast? (The rather cheap one I have gives a noticeable magenta
> cast.)

You should check them before buying, it´s dificult to produce colour 
neutral grads basing on dye.

> Finally, if any locals would like to e-mail me off list regarding
> interesting or scenic places that are worth a visit, on or off the beaten
> tourist track, that would be great.  (We will be travelling independently,
> probably by car.)

You need to be more precise, what is your itinerary?

Regards

Richard



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