Wow! This thread escalated. I usually like to quote everyone who has replied so let me try and do that after I say at first....
Digital is not an option for me. Not now, not ever. If film dies, so does my photography. That's nothing against those who shoot it, nor am I anti digital, just for my own stuff, it has to be film.
Interesting thread, I've been equally split pretty much every time we've gone away. With two kids, we end up taking way more than we really need anyway (mainly tablets/chargers/phones/games etc) so I do my best to limit the photography kit I take, although don't always do a good job of it! We're going to Florida again in April so I've been thinking about my kit ahead of that and will probably take;
Sony A6500 / 2 lenses - Digital kit because I think big holidays with the kids still benefit from the instant content of digital, as well as simply enjoying using it and low light is a lot more forgiving/flexible than film (when using the same film indoors and outdoors).
Olympus 35RC - I took this last time we went to Florida, along with some Velvia and Cinestill. Weirdly, I'm actually re-scanning the Velvia right now on my new-to-me V700 to compare the results with previous scans! It's a great little 35mm, pocketable, reliable metering and a sharp lens. Basically feels like having a point and shoot which gives me the uniqueness of slide and Cinestill which digital doesn't match.
Olympus OM4Ti - I didn't have this when we went last time so I'm currently debating between it and the 35RC. Realistically, the 35RC does everything the OM4 does in a smaller package so I'm not 100% sure it adds anything over it.
Instax Camera - At the moment, I don't own an Instax so this is an outside possibility. I've got a Neo90 that I took last time after I'd repaired a cracked gear before we went. Unfortunately, it shredded the same gear during the first pack of film so was dumped back in the bag but the few images I took on instax did give their own unique style. I'm considering getting an Instax printer rather than another camera so I can still get the aesthetic on Instax without carrying another camera.
As much as I'd love to take a Chroma and shoot some 4x5 slide, I don't really think it's a realistic option for a family theme park holiday so I think 35mm will be biggest format I take! I'd hoped to get my 6x12 panoramic SLR printed and tested before we go away but that's not going to happen between now and then, maybe for the next one :0)
That a lot of gear! I would be interested to see your results from the V700. I considered selling mine as I just can't get the results I see from other people. A failure of me rather than the hardware, I admit but still, a failure none the less.
I bought a Voigtlander Bessa R3a last year before I went on holiday. Took the R3a and my Bronica ETS with 3 lenses. I love medium format and much prefer it to 35mm, so the first couple of days I carried the ETRS and lenses around the city everywhere we walked. After those two days my shoulders were killing me and carrying lots of gear around really sucked the fun out of being there. After that I left the ETRS in the hotel and took R3a with just the one lens (40mm Nokton). It was great, just carrying a small rangefinder around. I've always taken lots of gear "just in case", but now I'm converted to packing light when possible. Plus having one lens is great for creativity as you find ways to make it work with the subject.
There is something really special about medium format, but personally it can be a bit much to carry around. No point in travelling with a MF camera if you're too achey and tired to use it.
That last paragraph is precisely what made me start this thread. Thanks, Carl.
For travelling with 35mm, Nikon FM series. The aforementioned Steve McCurry's cameras of choice for a period, including Afghan Girl.
Medium format.... for me it's not worth the hassle, the associated costs and space needed for the film are too high to make it worthwhile. For me, anyway.
Good point. Precisely my thoughts at the moment.
This is definitely true for myself too. As much as I love shooting medium format and feel that, for the kit I have, I prefer the look of 120, it just becomes too cumbersome to carry all day for the holidays we currently go on. Once the kids are older, and if just myself and my wife go away, I can see me taking larger kit but for now I've got a bag of expired 135 Portra 160 in the fridge and will be taking a handful of it with us in April.
Again, same train of thought as me at the moment with regards to 120, particularly the 67!
You're going to hate this but my go-to travel combo for the past 7 or so years now has been a 35mm camera (usually a Leica M4 or Hexar AF) and... a Rolleiflex. Last trip I went on I just brought my Rolleiflex and used a digital Ricoh GR for snapshots, which helped a bit since I could dedicate more space for a single type of film instead of wondering if I had brought enough 35mm and 120. IMO you can't beat the Rollei from a space/weight/quality perspective, wherever I can fit my Nikon F3/FM3/Leica M4 I can usually put a Rollei in there instead.
I have been toying with the idea of ditching all the medium format and going to the extremes, i.e keeping 35mm and 4x5/8x10, but I got all my MF kit at good prices and being able to get close to LF quality in a package I can shoot almost as quickly as a 35mm body.
Dammit! That was one of my options. The Leica M3 and maybe a Rollei 3.5F. Thanks for nothing! HA!
I think that you need to think about what you are going to do with the photos when you are back home.
A lot of people talk about 35mm in a way that makes it seem that it is fine for 6x4 prints but nothing else. The advantage of MF is of course the quality of the negative and the resolution you can get from it. But a quality scan of 35mm can be printed at A3. I'm very new to film photography, but I've done it with one of my own negatives that I scanned at home on a Plustek 8100 and had it printed at A3 to see what it is like. If you get up with your nose on the page you can see it slightly lacks resolution, but from 12 inches away it is perfect. Anyone reading this already knows this I'm sure.
Back to my opening question, do you want to print them massive or hang them on your wall? Or are you going to get a photobook printed and post them on instagram? More than likely the latter, and for that 35mm is perfectly adequate. There is no reason why you couldn't make those wonderful pictures you linked to with a 35mm, square format aside.
You own a Leica I think? If I owned one that is all I would be taking along with 30 rolls of film, especially if you favour only one focal length. The weight saving would be such an advantage for me. Are you going alone or with someone?
I am with you with regards to the printing. I have actually just sold a few 10x10 and one 12x8 prints. The 12x8 was from a 35mm lab scan. So they do get printed at a decent size sometimes. I DO like to have the option. I am not into pixel or print peeping. You won't find me getting into those discussions any more, not for many years now. You're right, I have an M3. I purposely didn't mention some of my gear in the original post so I could get others opinions. Thanks.
Olympus 35RC
Agfa Isolette folding 6x6 or similar.
Olympus XA2 in pocket
I am going the other way - selling my 35mm gear and only keeping the F3 which I adore and probably will not use much to keep it mint. I bought a Rolleicord VB which is as light and compact as a 35mm SLR and don't have to worry about lenses; this is my walkabout camera now and my Rollei 6003 is my 'top IQ' camera - it is easily the best film camera I have ever owned.
Rolleicord prices are fantastic compared to the 'flex' and quality is as good.
I have an F3/T and the first test roll is away for dev right now. A roll of Velvia 100. When the results come back, I think that will help my decision. Although, I honestly think if it had to be one 35mm body, it would be the Leica.
I'd take the minolta dynax 9 for 35mm and the mamiya 7 for MF.
For lighter travel I'd probably use a 35mm range finder like the yashica electro or my dinky minox clone. Latter lives in a coat pocket so it would be taken by default anyway
I have Rollieflex Automat but I don't think I'd take it as I'm not great with a WLF or manual everything. The Mamiya has A mode so that's just that little bit less complicated for my pea brain to cope with.
Thanks for sharing.
I have done a holiday where I took both 35mm and a Bronica ETR & prism & grip, and despite being in my 20s, that was a really heavy bag to lug around!
Unless super-high image quality is essential, I'd take a couple of 35mm bodies, great lenses covering the range you want and a mix of slow and faster films for bright & dull conditions. Make/model unimportant really, although it would be better for the bodies/lenses to be from the same system 'just in case'.
That's one of my thoughts, too. M3 with 35mm Summicron and F3/T with 50mm.
Agreed that MF kit can be a burden after lugging all day, on holiday or not!
However, so can 35mm gear depending what lens or lenses you take.
Without a doubt 35mm is typically the most practical in so far as what small, lightweight outfits are available and then one can rattle off 36 exposures at a time before having to change a roll of film.
Last time I went away I took the M4 with just a 35mm lens and a yellow filter.
Having said all that, I would happily go away with just the rolleicord and nothing else.
Tbh I doubt it weighs much different to the M4, nor would it take much more luggage space.
LF is something different, but even that, especially with modern outfits like the Chroma, Intrepid etc that weigh next to nothing is not a mammoth amount to carry for the average fairly fit individual.
An intrepid at 1kg with a small symmar 50mm lens, yellow and grad filter, a DDS ( two at most), darkcloth, loupe, film changing bag and a 5x4 film box to store exposed film. …...what's it gunna weigh, 3kg ish ??
Ok so one needs a tripod but for a holiday, does it really have to be that solid hefty thing typically used when at home..... with care ( in windy conditions etc) one could get away with a so called travel tripod which would pack small and be lightweight.
Depends on what you want to shoot and more importantly what you're going to be happy with when you return home.
Are you going to look at results and think wow what a corker of a shot, if only it was on MF ??
Or are you going to wander about on holiday wondering why on earth you chose to struggle with carrying so much bulk and weight.
There is no set answer....It's an individual choice but based on the pros and cons of each format.
That's what I am trying to weight up at the moment. How would I feel. But then I have some 35mm shots that I really like but then I see some of the MF ones and can't make up my mind! Too much gear is an actual problem. A first world problem, I admit, but a problem none the less.
How about a 35mm 'medium format' camera: your Xpan? Could be the best of both worlds.
If you want a lighter MF travel camera, I can highly recommend the Mamiya 6. It's very compact with a 75mm lens and bellows collapsed. The built in light meter also reduces your packing requirements. It even has a battery storage compartment in the body cap!
I also think the Rollei TLR option would suit you if you definitely only want one standard lens. I'd also go for the Rolleicord Vb. Practically the same image quality as a 3.5F (you only see the difference in the very far corners at normal print sizes), but in a lighter, slightly more compact package. And at current prices you won't be worried about carrying it overseas with all the knocks and scrapes that can entail.
Apart from when I've used the Xpan, I almost always regret travelling without MF gear. It's fine until you get home and start printing MF and 35mm negatives side-by-side.
Ah crumbs. The Xpan is something I go back and forth with the idea of selling. I haven't used it much but love the format, just not sure I can get the most from it.
Again, that last sentence you wrote is why I am torn what to do. I almost had a massive clear out of everything except the Leica to just shoot that for a while but couldn't bring myself to do it.