Are Two Lenses Enough for My Trip?

[Richard K.]

Hoping to go to DV, JT etc. in February. Taking 10x12 Chamonix camera and a couple of lenses - a 300mm (equivalent to 35mm on a 35mm camera) and 480mm (equivalent to 57mm on a 35mm camera). Would YOU also take say a 210 (equivalent to 25mm on a 35mm camera) as well? What selection would you take for what format? Thank you! :)

Also, should I bring my guitar, ukulele, or both?...:rolleyes: :D

[Merg Ross]

Looking back over the period that I used 8x10 exclusively, only two lenses were in my kit, a 300mm and a 475mm. Later I added a 185mm, however used it sparingly, not being a big fan of the wide angle look.

[Richard K.]

Thanks Merg. Yeah, I too seem to like the 35~65 (on 35) aspect most...

[Jim Noel]

I have been going to DV for over 25 years. I always have a wide angle with me as well as a couple of long lenses.
The last several years most images have been with a 12" Dagor on a 7x17 camera.

[John Kasaian]

A trombone. Definately trombone!

[Richard K.]

||||||||The last several years most images have been with a 12" Dagor on a 7x17 camera.||||||||||||||

Which is equivalent to 210 on 10x12...hmmm....

[aduncanson]

One cautionary tale. This weekend I had a chance to get away and make a few exposures. I had little time to put together my kit and so just grabbed the tripod and bag that I generally have ready. Along with camera, loaded film holders and a spotmeter, it held a lightweight two lens set. After shooting just one hour and exposing 4 sheets of film on two set-ups, I found that neither of my shutters still had functioning slow speeds. Now, one of the two I knew was getting flaky, but the other was a surprise.

[Robert Skeoch]

If you have the space I would take the wide angle as well.
-Rob Skeoch

[Richard K.]

Hey Rob, you're invited to be part of the Canadian contingency of Richard's Desert Trip III in February, 2013!! The train even stops in Burlington! :)

[ljsegil]

PM sent
LJS

[William Whitaker]

What did you use for desert trips I and II? What did you miss? What was excess?

Personally, I think two lenses should be adequate. I also feel comparing 10x12 to 7x17 is a stretch (maybe literally). Having had and used both formats, they seem like completely different animals to me.

[BrianShaw]

A trombone. Definately trombone!

Actually... that's how I swing. No mattter what format camera I take I always bring a "normal" and a "longer than normal". I don't get much use out of wide angles when I bring them.

p.s. Where is DV and JT?

[Brian C. Miller]

p.s. Where is DV and JT?

DV = Death Valley, California (http://www.nps.gov/deva/)
JT = Joshua Tree, California (http://www.nps.gov/jotr/)

And the San Gabriel mountains are visible, once in a while, from Los Angeles. (When my dad first moved there in the early 1960s, he didn't know there were mountains there for over two months.)

Oh, yeah, about the lenses: Take one lens, but send it for a CLA before you go. Then have fun and don't worry, be happy!

[eddie]

p.s. Where is DV and JT?

Death valley and Joshua tree? Cali.

[William Whitaker]

A trombone. Definately trombone!

That would be like a zoom lens... :)

[BrianShaw]

Cali.

:eek:

[brianam]

Richard, are you traveling by car or flying down?
If you're driving the entire way then you have plenty of room for another lens in that big steel camera bag with wheels. ;)

And even if you're flying, then you might want the wide angle to do that classic (cliche?) shot of the mysterious tracks at the Racetrack. :)

another thought: if you're taking another back for the Chamonix (5x7 maybe?) then you suddenly have additional FL's from the same lenses. (at the cost of additional film holders obv.)

[Vaughn]

I feel the two will be enough. Anything longer than the 480mm (600mm?), while fun, starts to add up weight, lots of bellows extention in the windy desert, and makes our arms way too short to adjust the front while looking on the GG. I do have a 600mm (24") and a TR that converts to 28", but they are not permanent residents of my 8x10 pack (the permanents are the 210mm, 300mm, and most times the 19"). Only the 300mm is in a shutter, so the others are more difficult to use once I get out of the redwoods. I have a 250mm (Fuji f/6.7) in a shutter that will soon be put on a board and start living in the 8x10 pack...if that covers 10x12, that would be a fun lens to add to your mix.

A 210mm that covers would be fun to have along. But in a world of infinite photographic possibilities, you will find enough images with just the 300mm and the 480mm.

Vaughn

[Richard K.]

I think I have enough room to bring a 210; can't hurt. I also have a 250 Fuji but find that I'm not using it as much so may sell it.

Yeah a 210 (24 on 35), 300 (35) and 480 (57) will make a nice trio for 10x12. Will probably bring 8x10 reducing back and a bit of colour film as well. Thanks all!

Oh, and I may bring both the Uke and the mini Martin...:D

[Brian Ellis]

What's JV and DT?

[Brian C. Miller]

What's JV and DT?

This is going to be like the running joke in the letters pages of the Groo comic book, right? "What's mulch?" :eek:


DV = Death Valley, California (http://www.nps.gov/deva/)
JT = Joshua Tree, California (http://www.nps.gov/jotr/)

[Fred L]

so lemme get this straight...probably be some fine scotch. the desert. and a ukelele. this could be the makings of an epic steel highway trip

[Richard K.]

so lemme get this straight...probably be some fine scotch. the desert. and a ukelele. this could be the makings of an epic steel highway trip

:D :D :D

[cjbecker]

What ukulele do you play? I am also a uke player.

[Richard K.]

What ukulele do you play? I am also a uke player.

I'm mainly a guitar player (Martin D-18 GE, a 12 string Yamaha, a Martin LX travel, Rickenbacher Liverpool and a Fender Tele). I got interested in learning the Uke when I heard *Israel Kamakawiwo'ole sing Over the rainbow. The Uke I bought then was a Kelii tenor which, unlike many, is actually made in Hawaii, of Koa and has a very nice sound. I've since acquired a '59 vintage Martin tenor - beautiful sound! What do you have? :) Fellow forumers, if you haven't heard this man sing yet, maybe you should :) ...link below.

*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I

[Steven Tribe]

Please note that there are many none N. American readers of this thread who worry about Richard's travels, based on previous experiences, who have no idea what DV and JT are. Certainly not States. I hope DV doesn't mean Death Valley?

[Fred L]

I'm mainly a guitar player (Martin D-18 GE, a 12 string Yamaha, a Martin LX travel, Rickenbacher Liverpool and a Fender Tele)...



and all along I thought having too many LF cameras was your problem Richard ;)

[Richard K.]

Please note that there are many none N. American readers of this thread who worry about Richard's travels, based on previous experiences, who have no idea what DV and JT are. Certainly not States. I hope DV doesn't mean Death Valley?

Steven and others, my sincere apologies; I was just being lazy and colloquial! Now, as to the RUMOUR that I actually got LOST!?!?!:confused: This rumour, I believe,was initiated by an evil genius who resides somewhere in the picturesque Hudson River Valley, who is known for his big brass ....lenses! The bland truth - I got delayed by a day in Chicago because Mother Nature decided to do all of winter in one day; then as I reached Flagstaff and somehow managed to drive to DV, er, Death Valley, I was horizontalized by the flu and was incommunicado for a few days but perfectly aware of where I was. I actually lived in Arizona for 4 months while on a sabbattical years ago and got to know the area (Arizona, Southern California, Southern Utah, New Mexico) quite well. I bet I've even been to a few places some of the locals still haven't :) eg. Cabeza Prieta (but not the whole Camino del Diablo!), Chiricahua, etc. OK that was the TRUTH! NOW will someone come with me on Desert Trip III? :D

BTW Why do you hope that DV doesn't mean Death Valley?

[Richard K.]

and all along I thought having too many LF cameras was your problem Richard ;)

Hey Fred, I'm down to ONE LF camera,a 10x12 Chamonix (but with 8x10 and 7x11 backs). I have just the acoustic guitars at home. My son has the electrics with him out of town at school! :)

[BrianShaw]

Ha ha ha, no worries here. I've lived in California for most of my living days and I didn't recognize those acronyms. What's more... I have no idea what that "Cali" phrase means!

[Richard K.]

Ha ha ha, no worries here. I've lived in California for most of my living days and I didn't recognize those acronyms. What's more... I have no idea what that "Cali" phrase means!

So you haven't been to AB or driven around the SS (BB is an interesting stop there). :rolleyes:

[Robert Oliver]

I just got back from DV, and seems like I used wide angles more than usual on this trip for two reasons...

the amazing skies and the constant wind....

[BrianShaw]

So you haven't been to AB or driven around the SS (BB is an interesting stop there). :rolleyes:

Richard... I was actually contemplating joining you on your trip to Death Valley, but now I'm not sure we would ever connect. ;)

[Richard K.]

Richard... I was actually contemplating joining you on your trip to Death Valley, but now I'm not sure we would ever connect. ;)

Anza-Borrego Salton Sea Bombay Beach :)

[Steven Tribe]

OK you are running a parallel thread which made everything clear!
I was thinking about snake venom - but perhaps all the local doctors have a supply at hand and syringe ready!

[Richard K.]

OK you are running a parallel thread which made everything clear!
I was thinking about snake venom - but perhaps all the local doctors have a supply at hand and syringe ready!

In all of my desert travels, I've been lucky enough to see a rattle-snake ony once - as I was setting up (taking down actually) a shot on a dirt path in the Superstition Mountains outside of Phoenix. No ill feelings were exchanged, perhaps just a wary eye on each of our parts...I should point out that *he was a good 100' away and stayed that way....

*I wasn't about to actively confirm my assumption of gendre!

[Edward (Halifax,NS)]

If I were travelling halfway across the continent or more, I would bring every lens I have. I would use the trip as an excuse to buy a new field camera as well. The $700 would be small change compared to the cost of a cross continent trip. Anyway, it is better to have the lens and not need it than to need it and not have it.

[Richard K.]

If I were travelling halfway across the continent or more, I would bring every lens I have. I would use the trip as an excuse to buy a new field camera as well. The $700 would be small change compared to the cost of a cross continent trip. Anyway, it is better to have the lens and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Thanks Edward, that's the conclusion I too came too. My problem is that my 200mm lens is a Grandagon..I love her...she is beautiful...but...she's so heavy (appropriate Beatles song in the background)...a friend is sending me his newly bought 210 SSXL (which HE finds too heavy and doesn't really need) which I may buy instead and sell the Grandagon or keep the Grandagon and sell the SSXL for him (he's not a computer person). I suspect I may keep the Grandagon for sentimental reasons even though the SSXL may be better after I test them...

[Edward (Halifax,NS)]

What's JV and DT?
Joshua Valley and Death Tree?

[Edward (Halifax,NS)]

Thanks Edward, that's the conclusion I too came too. My problem is that my 200mm lens is a Grandagon..I love her...she is beautiful...but...she's so heavy (appropriate Beatles song in the background)...a friend is sending me his newly bought 210 SSXL (which HE finds too heavy and doesn't really need) which I may buy instead and sell the Grandagon or keep the Grandagon and sell the SSXL for him (he's not a computer person). I suspect I may keep the Grandagon for sentimental reasons even though the SSXL may be better after I test them...

Do you have a smaller wide angle lens that would work with the 8X10 back? I assume you are taking the other backs for your camera.

[Richard K.]

Do you have a smaller wide angle lens that would work with the 8X10 back? I assume you are taking the other backs for your camera.

No, I've managed to declutter (our kids have moved out and we're moving into a condo in a year or so) to just *3 lenses and I love them and I don't want to add to them. I AM taking the 8x10 back for some colour work but the 2 or 3 lenses will work on that too! I think I'll take all 3; it's not that much of a hardship! :)

*not counting a few brassies I have for playing with!

[Richard K.]

Joshua Valley and Death Tree?

Yes, sorry, didn't mean to be cryptic.