About the camera...

[Pickles]

So I have a few questions about bringing cameras on the road. I've got a good number of cameras lying around in storage at various friends' houses and it's been killing me, not taking photos. I'd love to bring them all along with me, but that would up the weight of my pack from about 40 lbs to about 50 or 60 pounds with all the gear, not to mention that they wouldn't fit. So I've got to pick one.

As far as what camera to bring, I prefer shooting film and have 4 film cameras:

Holga (pro: it's light. con: nothing really. except light leaks, but I like light leaks.)
Canon AE1 (pro: it's cheap. con: it's cheap.)
Pentax K1000 (pro: it's a brick. con: it's a brick.)
Mamiya C220 TLR (pro: it's awesome. con: it's fragile. and expensive.)

I've seen a few people on gear threads say to bring a disposable camera, but I'd really like to have something I can actually shoot good shit with. Any advice?

Also, I've been debating how to carry the thing. When I'm hucking my pack over barbed wire fences and into puddles and off trains going 30 mph, I'd rather not have to worry about totaling my camera in the process. I have a soft case that would fit the pentax, the holga (not that the holga really need protecting) or the canon and a leather case for the canon (somewhere) but the TLR (which would be my first choice) I have nothing for. I can sew, so I'm thinkin a oil cloth slip lined with... something. Maybe cotton padding and fleece or wool to keep the camera from freezing and shit? Then stick that in a tupperware container?

If there's anyone out there that has experience packing cameras, any words of wisdom / horror stories / dos and donts would be much appreciated.

Cheers, Alyssa

 

[MrD]

I have brought my nice SLR camera on short trips before, i have a good padded carrying bag for it/equipment.
Yet to have any problems or complaints.
I am planning to taking it on a much longer, much colder trip.
The only alterations I am making is only to wrap the breakables in a t-shirt in the bag, just for extra protection.
Also good to bring along a nice weather proof bag to put the camera in, just in case of wet weather.

An alternative to a larger camera is to get a small quick shot.
I have been using one for a short time now and it has done me well.
I have a small case to keep it in on my belt and it has worked wonders.
Over all i think that it is WELL worth the hassle to bring along a camera.
Go for it!

 

[Pickles]

Thanks for the tips MrD! Maybe if I take the foam out of my soft camera bag, I can fashion one for my TLR. There have been times in the past when I have debated whether or not to bring a camera when it had a chance of being damaged, and never have I regretted bringing one. The pictures are always worth it. I'm stoked to get out again and start shooting

 

[Gypsybones]

yeah I talk my SLR everywhere and just put it in the soft case and between clothing.
I shoot with digital though cause its way cheaper than film, and I don't wanna have to choose between film or food/booze.

 

[Pickles]

Good point... I was actually just thinking about that. Especially cause 120 & 220 film is fuckin expensive and kinda hard to come by. I've got a digital too, I may end up just sticking with that for the moment. Plus, I've lost rolls of film many times before and it's not fun to deal with. I have an Alice pack and actually just lost my first aid kit box with 2 rolls of film in it. I don't even remember where I shot them, which is almost worse. Yeah, as much as I love film, fuck it. Too complicated for right now. What do you guys do about uploading photos? Just put em on flikr and shit or do you have hard copies of them somewhere?

 

[madewithpaint]

having a camera on the road is always fun but i've had mine jacked before so i'm hesitant on carrying one around now

 

[Pickles]

Oh fuck. Yeah that's slightly discouraging. Where were you when this happened?

 

[madewithpaint]

i was stranded in sacramento. i blame it on my dickhead brother for trusting some guy he just met to watch our crap while he went to do drugs and i was busy making some extra money for gas.

 

[bicycle]

Take the holga..

 

[LarZ]

In an ideal world I would take the TLR (I miss mine so much) but they can be really fragile and a bitch to carry around. I too suggest the Holga. They're way easy to come buy, pretty janky already, and light.

I've never had any large problems, theft or breaking at least. It started raining on me once when I didn't have a jacket or a pack nearby, but I just took off my shirt, wrapped it in that and ran to my bag. (I guess that's something about my priorities, haha.) I guess in the end it comes down to what you're willing to deal with and what you're willing to compromise.

Personally, when I travel I carry my waay too expensive Canon DSLR. I know it's probably (definitely) a horrible idea, but as a photographer I would feel naked without it. I keep it on my direct person at all times, don't let anyone use it, and pretty much treat it like it is a small child or pet that doesn't need feeding. I also try to upload my images onto a web server when I can, just in case. (something like a simple free storage server, not flikr, if you care at all about the quality of your images.) It has some niks and scratches on it but works fine. If it is going to hinder my agility or cause problems or the weather is too bad to shoot in I take the lens off, put all the caps on and wrap it in a hand towel or t-shirt and put it into my pack. Eventually something is bound to happen and I'm sure I'll be crushed, but until then I still deal with it. I'm not suggesting this by any means, but it works for me... or it has so far.

Regardless, happy shooting : )
Larz

 

[GutterGrayse]

I'd suggest getting a cannon and just keeping it where it won't get squashed.

 

[Tad]

holga's are so cool! I wish I had one, they take the neatest pictures. though I'd say the best thing for traveling is a digital camera; they're small, can hold a boatload of photos. of course, the quality isn't (aesthetically) that good. I have my camera more for capturing moments/people than for high-quality photos.

as far as keeping it from getting stolen: always carry it on you! if you leave your pack anywhere, take the camera with you.

 

[eataapple]

after getting my Nikon SLR jacked in Texas by a truck driver( that was a learning lesion for me to say the least) now i just pack my little cannon powershot camera as it takes o.k pics for being a pocket camera also takes o.k video to, other then that i would just keep your camera with you if you leave your gear at a squat, but i would for sure take a camera on all travels just to have a little fun.