S.E. Asia • To 4x5 or not to 4x5?

[Chris C]

Hey team.

This is just more of a curious discussion around traveling with a large format kit as opposed to traveling light, especially in South East Asia.

I'm heading off to Myanmar in May and I'm really having a hard time getting my head around taking my 4x5 kit or going light and taking a 645. Either way I know I'll regret the decision at one point (gloriously big negatives, perspective control versus much lighter kit, speed of getting places) so I'm just opening this up for any of you who have travelled around S.E. Asia with a LF kit, or just gone anywhere overseas with one.

How do you come to this decision? At the moment I think it's going to come down to a coin toss, but it would be interesting and informative to hear first hand experiences around the subject.

[eddie]

i have spent a lot of time in SE Asia. 90% of it was with my 35mm and rb67. i brought my 4x5 once. pinhole 4x5 twice. if you plan to move slow....like i do then bring it. i set up in yangon for like 4-5 days in a row on one street and i had a line of people waiting for me to shoot a portrait. awesome. i shot in markets with my RB. etc etc.

if you are traveling a lot and fast then no.

bring one speed film. 3 holders. one or two small lenses. changing bag. two empty film boxes (one for back up or to send your film home half way through.) this should keep the size and weight down a bit. forget color and B&W or different speeds. too difficult/heavy.

pm sent with much more useful myanmar info....:)

eddie