One lens is much too restrictive, for me.
The other day, when I went hiking and shot that waterfall with a 300mm, I specifically was looking at photos from Google Maps and decided to bring the longer lens anticipating that usage. So, it is true that knowing what you are looking for is important. I would never leave the house w/o my favorite 90mm lens though. Usually I bring 58/90/150, then occasionally a long lens or sometimes a shorter one, especially if I have my 6x12 back.
I have been carrying a 75, 90 and 210. Been thinking of 75, 150 and 300.
Zone VI 8x10, typically with 2 to 3 lenses, two Fuji Ws (300mm and 250mm) and perhaps a 210mm or a 19" (or even 24") process barrel lens. I might occasionally trade out the Fuji W 300/5.6 for a Fuji W 360mm, but it is a big hunk of glass I use with the 11x14. 5 to 6 holders, occasionally 7. Pentax Digital Spot. Ries A100/250 head -- that's 17 pounds over my shoulder, pack about 45 lbs for a combined weight of around 60 pounds (comfortable well-made pack...internal frame travel pack). Add a few pounds of water if I am in a dry climate (Death Valley) and a few energy bars.Originally Posted by Corran
The 5x7 travel kit I took car-camping in southern Chile for a month was probably around 25 to 27 lbs. The pack, a Tamrac Extreme Series was not light, but stood up to heavy rain and rough conditions nicely. Two lenses (180 and 210mm). The tripod/head is about 7 lbs. When I took off hiking, I would leave about 7 pounds in the car -- changing tent, extra film/film holders (a total of 8), cleaning supplies and small tools. My 4x5 travel kit can get down to a touch over 20 pounds. Same tripod as with 5x7, but the camera plus 150mm lens weighs 2.5 pounds. 6 to 8 holders.
Backpacking and day hikes can be a bit less for both 4x5 and 5x7, as I will carry the camera on the tripod and work out of a shoulder bag (usually one lens). This eliminates the weight of a dedicated camera pack. My 8x10 pack below:
PS -- what's nuts is watching me scrabble around the rocks of the Checkerboard Mesa area of Zion with the Ries, and the 11x14 w/ one lens and two holders in a pack! I have not weighed that set-up, but with one lens and 2 holders, it seems comparable to the full 8x10 set-up.
"Landscapes exist in the material world yet soar in the realms of the spirit..." Tsung Ping, 5th Century China
That puts into perspective the difference in weight for 8x10 vs. smaller formats.
I'll have to weigh my kit next time I put it all in a bag. My kit is usually my Wehman w/o the top clamshell (not needed for most normal / short lenses), along with Nikkor-SW 120mm, Graphic Kowa 210mm, and Nikkor-M 300mm. I don't usually bring that many holders, and sometimes I'll use a very lightweight tripod that wouldn't be acceptable in windy conditions but works fine for most places I shoot at. If I add another lens or two (Nikkor-M 450mm and Nikkor-T 720mm) it starts to get really heavy, and I definitely have to bring my big tripod for the long lenses. I don't go far, with that much.
I do not go far either these days, but I generally wander for much of the day (late starts/early finishes), and one can end up in some strange places just wandering. It can be a surprising long and tired walk back out to the van once the light dies or I've exposed the last sheet with me. A cold beer in the icebox urges me on.
Another lifetime ago it seems, my wandering extended farther than now. On a 5-month bicycle trip in NZ, I wandered up this mountainside with my 4x5. The day before, unplanned, I wandered up the volcano in the distance. No trails. A mere lad of 32. I am about 300 feet lower than the top of yonder volcano. I just went on Google earth and from the photo, worked out right where I stood. I started at 3500 feet and got up to about 7000 feet here...maybe 5 miles. There is still another 1500 feet of mountain above me (also a volcano), but it is mostly snow so I made my way side-mountain over to the ski resort and hiked back via the road. I celebrated New Years Eve 1986/7 with a bottle of beer at the campground.
"Landscapes exist in the material world yet soar in the realms of the spirit..." Tsung Ping, 5th Century China
Do you tilt the bed down to remove any bit of the camera from showing up in the frame with 120 Nikkor? That’s so wide!
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What a trip !!
'Twas! I had hitchhiked around NZ with a new 4x5 for 3 months 5 years earlier. Camera had a major light leak and it was difficult getting to where I wanted to photograph by thumb. So over the next 5 years I saved enough money to buy a new bike, panniers, new lighter camera/lens, plane ticket and spending money to try it again (the expense of a car was out of the question) -- I was making about $10k a year as a wilderness ranger, so it took awhile. Over the 6 total months, I exposed 70 sheets of 4x5 and got a 20 print portfolio, though now I would reduce it to 12 prints (I have gotten picker in my old age!)
"Landscapes exist in the material world yet soar in the realms of the spirit..." Tsung Ping, 5th Century China
Nice, I would love to do a road trip like that, I plan on many once I retire. For now I will settle for week long trips of camping and exploring as vacation time permits.
Nice. I am starting to really want to see how well I do with the 8x10.
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