Am I mad to take a film camera to Southeast Asia?

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DownUnder

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In the next few days I'll leave for another journey to Southeast Asia - this time for four or five months, visiting countries I've already been to (and photographed extensively) but with more time spent in less touristy parts of Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Sarawak. I want to get off the beaten paths and explore inland before mass tourism erodes what remains of the old traditional ways, as has happened in so many other Asian countries and sadly, is now changing just about everything about life in places such as Indonesia.

On past journeys I've taken as my photo gear arsenal, mostly Nikon DSLRs (a D90, one of my two D700s and my latest, a D800) with lenses ranging from 20mm to 85mm. My two most used lenses are 28mm and 85mm, then 60mm macro.

This time I'm seriously considering (am at about the 95% decision stage) a film camera or maybe two cameras instead. My latest choice is one or two Contax G1s, a 28mm, 45mm and 90mm, with UV filters and hoods. Also about 40 rolls of film, mostly B&W, as it's what I happen to have a big lot of in my home film freezer.

\if I feel the need to shoot more color, I can still pick up stocks of fresh color neg film in places like Singapore (my preferred stopover when I fly to and from most of my destination countries) and one or two photo shops in Kuala Lumpur on my way to Sarawak.

One big plus for me (I'm 72 now) is the kit even with two G1s is small and compact and easily fits in a padded camera bag in my backpack.

But then a big minus is I'll be shooting film and not digital, so no more instant gratification of being able to check on the spot and verify if my results are okay or not. I have to admit this is a major 'down' for me - tho' I console myself by saying I can always return and reshoot most things if my results are less than optimum in quality terms.

Some of my film dates to 2009 and 2010 but has been frozen since purchased new. Most dates to 2012-2015 when I finally bit the analog bullet hard and stopped buying 35mm film. (Please don't get me started on my 120 film purchases, I'll just say I have enough for eight more lifetimes!).

If I feel the need for a digital, my partner will be joining me in February or March for a month on the track, and can always bring my D800 and a couple of Nikkor lenses. So it isn't a cold turkey situation...

I do wonder if I have gone slightly mad in making this decision. I will add that I intend to process all my film in my home darkroom when I return to Oz in mid-2020, meantimes my exposed film will repose safely in the refrigerator of a friend in Singapore. So fewer risks, other than heat and dust when I'm on the road.

Am I living in a fool's world and just an old relic of a bygone film age? One or two local friends have politely hinted at this. Others are supportive and have made comments along the lines of "go with your heart on this".

As always, I am interested in and will value your good advice on this.
 
I have and continue to travel with film, mostly 400 speed (some slower), all B&W. I complement the film camera with a small digi for color.
 
ozmoose said:
In the next few days I'll leave for another journey to Southeast Asia - this time for four or five months, visiting countries I've already been to (and photographed extensively) but with more time spent in less touristy parts of Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Sarawak. I want to get off the beaten paths and explore inland before mass tourism erodes what remains of the old traditional ways, as has happened in so many other Asian countries and sadly, is now changing just about everything about life in places such as Indonesia.

On past journeys I've taken as my photo gear arsenal, mostly Nikon DSLRs (a D90, one of my two D700s and my latest, a D800) with lenses ranging from 20mm to 85mm. My two most used lenses are 28mm and 85mm, then 60mm macro.

This time I'm seriously considering (am at about the 95% decision stage) a film camera or maybe two cameras instead. My latest choice is one or two Contax G1s, a 28mm, 45mm and 90mm, with UV filters and hoods. Also about 40 rolls of film, mostly B&W, as it's what I happen to have a big lot of in my home film freezer.

\if I feel the need to shoot more color, I can still pick up stocks of fresh color neg film in places like Singapore (my preferred stopover when I fly to and from most of my destination countries) and one or two photo shops in Kuala Lumpur on my way to Sarawak.

One big plus for me (I'm 72 now) is the kit even with two G1s is small and compact and easily fits in a padded camera bag in my backpack.

But then a big minus is I'll be shooting film and not digital, so no more instant gratification of being able to check on the spot and verify if my results are okay or not. I have to admit this is a major 'down' for me - tho' I console myself by saying I can always return and reshoot most things if my results are less than optimum in quality terms.

Some of my film dates to 2009 and 2010 but has been frozen since purchased new. Most dates to 2012-2015 when I finally bit the analog bullet hard and stopped buying 35mm film. (Please don't get me started on my 120 film purchases, I'll just say I have enough for eight more lifetimes!).

If I feel the need for a digital, my partner will be joining me in February or March for a month on the track, and can always bring my D800 and a couple of Nikkor lenses. So it isn't a cold turkey situation...

I do wonder if I have gone slightly mad in making this decision. I will add that I intend to process all my film in my home darkroom when I return to Oz in mid-2020, meantimes my exposed film will repose safely in the refrigerator of a friend in Singapore. So fewer risks, other than heat and dust when I'm on the road.

Am I living in a fool's world and just an old relic of a bygone film age? One or two local friends have politely hinted at this. Others are supportive and have made comments along the lines of "go with your heart on this".

As always, I am interested in and will value your good advice on this.
Click to expand...


I travel with a Leica, a Rollei, and quite a bit of film.
 
Take a film & digital camera that shares the same lens mount. For example a Nikon DSLR & Nikon FM. Maybe a wide angle zoom on one camera and a tele zoom on the other. You end up carrying only two cameras and two lenses and can switch lenses as needed.
 
Very good advice, everyone. Many thanks!

I did mean to add in my original post, but forgot in the last-minute rush of doing the usual 1,000,000,000,001 must-do's everyone who travels is faced with, that my two G1s have been thoroughly checked by a qualified repair person in Melbourne, and found to be in top working condition. Fresh batteries also installed, with a spare set in the pack.

I favor the risk of traveling with only film gear this time, mostly due to the added weight of carrying two camera sets - at 72 I no longer have the energy I did even 12 months ago, and lighter is definitely better. Am going this time with 12 kilos of baggage in one medium rolling case and a rather too heavy shoulder pack. Also a small but very sturdy backpack which I have put in the rolling case.

Anything I need on the road I can (usually) pick up cheaply and easily in most places I will be visiting, except of course film.

On the other hand, when I was last in Asia (in Malaysia) in October this year, I was pleased to find that many small photo shops now keep a small stock of (mostly color neg) films, due to greater demand. So there is hope for 'film dinosaurs'.
 
I hope this doesn't sound rude but at 72 I think you'll know what will be a tricky shot and will be able to (say) bracket the shot or use (fill in) flash and so on.


So, I'll wish you Bon Voyage.


Regards, David
 
If I had the opportunity to take this trip, I would ONLY shoot film. Something that doesn't require a battery and something that doesn't mind water would be my choices.
However you travel, enjoy your adventures!
Phil Forrest
 
Ozmoose, traveling with only film cameras is part of the fun. The delayed gratification helps you enjoy the moment more, I feel, both during and after the trip.

As an aside, who is the qualified camera tech for Contax G's in Melbourne? I might need him/her one day.
 
I travel with film all the time. Just came back from a 2-week trip to the southern-most tip of the American continent, Ushuaia in Argentina, with 30 rolls of FP-4. I politely asked for hand check and even though I took 8 flights, the films were never X-rayed. On previous trips, my films were X-rayed up to 5x and no fogging. I believe up to 8x is save. Since your trip is longer, I suggest getting the film developed there. So yeah, no problem taking film on travel.
 
Personally, I'd rather travel with a digital camera than film for practical reasons. SD cards are a lot smaller and less susceptible to damage due to heat and moisture.

I spent 18 months traveling with my M8... I had a small box with a dozen or so SD cards that I treated like film. I.e., I'd shoot with a card for a while and then take it out and write-protect it. In went another card and I'd keep going. Every few weeks, I'd transfer the images to a laptop as an extra level of backup. Eventually, I'd wrap back around to the first SD card, reformat it and start again.

Also, I lived in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for a while. Never shot with or developed film there, but I think you could only process film (reliably) in metropolitan areas like PP, BKK or HCMC.
 
This sounds like a great trip, and film would be a superb way to capture it. Contax G all the way, baby!

For peace of mind, take a small but high quality digital camera for snapshots and video, something like a Sony RX100 something, Panasonic LX10 or TZ200. I don't know what kind of photography you do when light is low, but IMO digital is going to give more reliably usable images in very low light. And video is something that the G1 simply can't do. Unless you've got a smartphone with good video, take a digital camera. Also, regular digital/smartphone images will help with figuring out time and place of your film images.

As usual, don't use lead film bags because the airport scanners will just turn u the rads and fry your film anyway. Ask for hand check if you can. Keep all film in large plastic ziplock bags so it is instantly accessible and visible.

I don't think I could go to a colour rich place like Southeast Asia without colour negative film. Buy whatever you like and can afford while over there and shoot those glorious colours.

Having said all this, the last time I traveled overseas with film was 2008. Contax T3, and I bought a Zeiss Ikon with ZM Biogon 28mm while traveling. Got some great images, although my primary camera was the Canon 30D and Fuji F30 for snapshots and video. I keep thinking about traveling with film again, but for my workflow and shooting habits, I just can't do a film-based trip.
 
ozmoose said:
at 72 I no longer have the energy I did even 12 months ago, and lighter is definitely better.
Click to expand...
Suggestion:

If I were you I'd take a pocketable point & shoot film camera. Some have such great lenses that nobody (not even you) could tell the difference to one of the most expensive rangefinder or SLR. Film is very forgiving and the fact that you can't look at the pictures while on travel will give you more time to enjoy the trip.
 
I say go for it!

Ask for hand check of film leaving Oz. I just did for recent trip to Japan. Just say you are underexposing by more than 2 stops if they say only over 800 asa is at risk.

I travel with two film bodies and a lens each. Next trip will be one body and one lens.....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I can't see why film is the problem. HCB went to this region, with film only.
But last thing I would consider is aged and not good in reliability reputation G.
My advice, take fixed focus, battery only for flash, plastic P&S as backup. It will works even under rain with batteries removed.
 
Ozmoose, talking about airport scanners, I noticed a few weeks ago that Melbourne T4 has installed "3D scanners" for hand luggage, which I take to be the new CT scanners that are reported to fry any film. The newspapers say that the rest of Melbourne airport will be rolling out these new scanners, so watch out and ask for hand inspection of your film.
 
By all means do it.

If you want to develop your own film, it would be better to develop it during your stopovers in Singapore (you can get supplies fairly easily). Much less risky than bringing home the whole batch.
 
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