Film is less complicated than digital for travel?

[raid]

I like using my M8 and M9 when I am close to home. I was planning to take with me the SWC with its fixed 38mm lens, plus the M9 with a 35mm or 50mm lens.

Then I learned about the need to have a laptop and external drive for back-up, plus several memory cards. I also learned that dust spots may require the cleaning of the sensor, done preferably in a dustless room.

This all sounds rather complicated for overseas travel with a wife and two kids. I am now in Washington DC, and my only camera is a Tower 35 with a 50/2 Nikkor and a CV meter II. It is such a pleasure to take photos with this camera.

It may be more enjoyful to use an old Barnack for the old streets is Tuscany. I could leave behind the laptop and drive and cards and charger and batteries.

I would then carry film with me.
What do you think?

[Eric T]

I don't know about the M9 but my M8's sensor has always been a magnet for dust. Other mirrorless cameras (such as m4/3rds and Fuji X-Pro1) have good dust removers so this is no longer a problem for me. Also, memory cards are less bulky than film. One of my 32 Gb cards can hold thousands of photos. To me, the only downside of digital is the need for extra batteries and a charger.
You can travel light either way so long as it is mirrorless. I enjoy film as well. (I just wish I could scan a little better.)

[NeeZee]

well, i don't own a digital camera and usually take my iiif and an xa when i travel, but i'd guess that even with 2 current memory cards you can take more pictures than with the rolls of film you realistically take with you and i don't really get the backup thing - if you lose an exposed roll of film it will have the same effect as a lost or erased or whatever card. oh, and with film the dust comes in when scanning

Apart from that: film is way cooler of course!

[Tom33]

Yup. Film is less complicated in accouterments, although it can be more complicated in technique.

A worthy trade for me.

[Zonan]

Agree Nothing like coming home from a day's outing and getting out the laptop, cable, card reader...downloading and backing up the files, charging the batteries, etc VS putting your feet up and discussing the day's/next day's activities!

[charjohncarter]

Ahaa, I'm with you. Even airlines don't ruin your film now, film for me out of the country. Barnack plus my CVII if I'm daring.

[Rogier]

We are preparing for a 2 week trip to Myanmar. For film its indeed easy. For the one digital camera (besides the iPhone) I have to pack not only spare battery's but also a spare charger. Just in case that one gets blown by power spike... Rather than taking a laptop with back-up drives and all the jadajada. I simply bought a hand full of 16GB SD cards and a case.. Still...

[raphaelaaron]

Well, then there's the cost/time of processing the film, scanning it, etc.

They both have their strengths and weaknesses, in my opinion. But yes, if by less complicated, you mean while out and about shooting, then I would agree.

[maddoc]

Originally Posted by Tom33

Yup. Film is less complicated in accouterments, although it can be more complicated in technique.

A worthy trade for me.

+1. Carrying lots of rolls of film is a challenge but an empty battery or in the charger forgotten battery (happened once to me ... ) isn`t nice either ...

[NeeZee]

Regarding the backup thing also consider that it's probably more likely to screw up film developing (yourself or - even more likely - the lab) than losing your files. I'm an amateur film photographer and losing photos due to some kind of failure just happens sometimes (i'd almost say it's part of the fun). If I were a pro shooting digital I'd probably be into that backup stuff as well...

[kxl]

I usually travel with both film and digital. For digital backup, I sometimes bring my old Hyperdrive portable storage drive, although these days, an ultra small notebook is more useful. Also, where possible, I upload my digital files to my website.

I get what you're saying Raid, but my issue with primarily shooting film on a major vacation is the time that it takes me to develop everything; whereas, I can at least view (if not post-process) all my digital vacation photos as soon as I get home. To cite an example, I shot over 80 rolls of film while on vacation last March, and I still have about 20 that I have not yet developed. Life just gets in the way sometimes.

[Pablito]

Mostly a moot point if you have to travel with a computer anyway. I'd say it's just a personal choice. It helps to have an 11 inch air, which is actually smaller than a lot of magazines.

[Godfrey]

I disagree.

Digital camera: carry enough storage cards to last the trip without deletions. Carry a charger and three batteries. That's it. If I want to review and/or post photos while traveling, carry iPad, its charger, and camera connection kit. No worries about X-ray damage, 3000 exposures on three dime sized plastic widgets, done.

By contrast, film: carry SWC plus one back, and 10-20 rolls of film. Add light meter. Add filters. Add second back if you're going to shoot a lot. Optional, carry iPad and charger to tell everyone about all the great shots I was getting assuming the X-ray inspection at the airport doesn't destroy the film. 20 rolls of film is 240 shots: That alone is larger than the accessory kit of chargers and batteries and connection kit. And costs double what the three 32G cards for the M9 costs.

It's a silly debate. Carry whatever camera you want to take pictures with, and whatever other equipment you need to use it effectively.

[raid]

I am sure that I will change my mind again before the trip. Both types ofphotograph have a cost or pain.

It may be silly, but it is a thought. Maybe it is not silly.

[kosta_g]

do it. shoot film. i do not regret dropping digital for travel. so what - you have to carry some film. it's light and easy enough to store. Swc and the barnack/tower. good times

[CK Dexter Haven]

I always travel with a laptop anyway, so it's not an additional burden. You could try to find a photo shop at the destination that can dump your memory cards and burn them to CD/DVD. Or, just take enough cards that it's not necessary to dump them. A few cards still holds more images than the amount of film you're likely to shoot.

All of that is simpler than dealing with TSA and foreign inspection officials and trying to explain in various languages that you don't want your film to pass through x-ray machines multiple times during your trip.

[icebear]

Originally Posted by Godfrey

I disagree.

Digital camera: carry enough storage cards to last the trip without deletions. Carry a charger and three batteries. That's it. If I want to review and/or post photos while traveling, carry iPad, its charger, and camera connection kit. No worries about X-ray damage, 3000 exposures on three dime sized plastic widgets, done.

By contrast, film: carry SWC plus one back, and 10-20 rolls of film. Add light meter. Add filters. Add second back if you're going to shoot a lot. Optional, carry iPad and charger to tell everyone about all the great shots I was getting assuming the X-ray inspection at the airport doesn't destroy the film. 20 rolls of film is 240 shots: That alone is larger than the accessory kit of chargers and batteries and connection kit. And costs double what the three 32G cards for the M9 costs.

For travel I would not carry a laptop for downloading purpose only but for internet access, checking travel schedule etc.. If you have an I phone or similar, you don't need it at all. Spare SD cards and you are fine.

As for the dust: I have no M8 experience but I have not had any dust issues with the M9. I do switch the camera off when I switch lenses. All my lenses are w/o caps in my bag and I do switch between them quite a bit. In half a year and 4500 shots I had to clean dust only once. And this I did at my dining table. So I guess every hotel room shot be fine as long as you switch off the fan or AC.
Don't worry too much. You'll most likely have more dust on you negatives than on your sensor. Just at the monitor it's easier to spot at 100%.



It's a silly debate. Carry whatever camera you want to take pictures with, and whatever other equipment you need to use it effectively.

I agree here (with Godfrey) +1.
A couple of SD cards take much less space and weigh less than a x-ray safe bag full of film. Spare batteries are a must but I doubt I would carry a spare charger. It (the Leica M charger) is 110 to 240 V, 50 to 60hz so it works globally.
I would limit the amount of lenses I take for the M, everything wide angle is covered by the SWC. And yes I'd take both cameras if you want to use the SWC at all. On the other hand just the M9 should do the job, but only the SWC is too limiting.

[kshapero]

I travel with my M3 and a 50mm Cron, film and my iphone (for the light meter) and a charger for the phone. That's about all the high tech I can handle.

Nice shot on a day's outing.

[SolaresLarrave]

To me, it's half a dozen of one and six of the other. In my last foray abroad, I took my D700 and two lenses, in addition to my Nikon S2 and abour half a dozen rolls of film. The digital shots worked for those who wanted immediacy (since I was in a study abroad trip, some university authorities liked to see them), but my B&W film shots were for my own enjoyment. Sure, I was traveling with a laptop and several cards, but I forced myself to download the photographs the day I shot them, and then back them up in my computer and a separate USB drive. Did I like it? Not a whole lot. Nothing simpler and safer than storing my exposed film in a safe place (where I would not forget it by accident).

However, the next time I travel (which wont' be part of a study abroad program), I'll take my film gear and my film rolls simply because walking about with the D700 and the honker of a lens that is the AF-S 24-70 does not appeal to me. I can take a Leica body and an additional lens with, along with some eight rolls of film, and shoot away without a worry.

BTW, regarding the TSA... I've always traveled with ISO 400 film. It's fairly tough and can take up to three passes through an X-ray machine. And if I want or need anything faster, I can always underexpose it and overdevelop it (only if it's transparency, I know).

It's just what I like. Who knows? I may have to change my mind (meaning, either my wife or circumstances will demand that I travel with the digital behemoth) but in the meanwhile, that's my intention. In fact, I know I'll take with one of my M5 bodies.

[batey_1020]

Im traveling in 3 weeks time. Will be my first trip taking film only but my partner will have a little olympus ep-2. Im looking foward to taking the M4 35, 50 crom and a 90. All that fitting in a bag 1/3 the size of my old backpack carting digital SLR gear. Im sure i will miss the DSLR this trip but i also think using film for a trip will teach me a lot more then having the option of my old digital kit.

When i do travel with digital however i stopped taking a laptop and purchased a lot more smaller SD cards. A few years back i had a 32 gig card that was almost full, lock up on me and lost 85% of a trip cause i didnt have a laptop to back up. Lesson learnt.

[nightfly]

The ONLY time I shoot digital is when I travel mostly because I generally don't care about vacation photos and my wife wants to see them and make a photobook with them and doesn't have the patience for me to develop and scan.

I've traveled with my Leica and with a Mamiya 6 and a Rolleicord (not at the same time) before but honestly besides glaciers in Patagonia with the Mamiya 6, nothing I've shot particularly excites me. I do better work with film at home.

I can basically go a couple of weeks with a GRD III and an 8 gig card and rarely charge the battery or fill the card. Don't bring anything to view the photos with and just batch edit when I get home.

That or a Yashica t4 and that's all.

[batey_1020]

Originally Posted by nightfly

I can basically go a couple of weeks with a GRD III and an 8 gig card and rarely charge the battery or fill the card. Don't bring anything to view the photos with and just batch edit when I get home.

I like the idea of that. Last time i did a longer trip (1 month) with a laptop i found myself sitting in a hotel room for an hour or two every night editing. It would be different if it was a photog trip.

[Dylan Hope]

Film - deal with it later
Digital - deal with it on the trip
I'm forgetful so film is the way for me

[Colin Corneau]

I've done both, in overseas trips to Asia.

Film is less complications.

With digital you need currency converters, storage, backup storage, and of course forget about anything magnetic.

Film - well, you pick up and go.

I'm not taking sides, I like both. But I know which one I like better.

[tunalegs]

Travelling around the U.S. digital is certainly more convenient. Travelling overseas, film may be a hair more convenient due to not having to recharge batteries - but it also depends on what film you may be able to find. I'm not one to pack dozens of rolls when travelling.