We leave in two days for a trip to Mexico. I hardly know what clothes I’ll pack, but I’ve already decided on camera supplies, but I am second guessing a few things. I want to take lots of photos, film and digital, but also don’t want to miss out on adventures because I’m lugging around a giant pack. I do think making sure I take lots of film photos, I’ll have to stop and enjoy nature and sights and sounds while taking my time to line up a good shot. With my digital, it’s usually much quicker.
Contents:
Sony NEX with Canon FD adapter
Canon AE-1 (after seeing how great the photos turned out the past two weeks, I’m really excited to use this guy! Having the A-mode will also cut back on time so I don’t hold up the crew I’m traveling with.)
Lenses: Canon FD 28mm f 2.8, Canon FD 50mm f 1.8, and FD mount 135mm f2.8 (I chose all primes because they’re my best lenses. Zoom lenses can lack quality, but be more convenient, however, I’m choosing to make sure I get good photos with nice glass this trip.)
Color Film: 1 roll each of Kodak Ektar, Kodak Portra 160, Lomo 400, Fuji 200, and Fuji 400 Superia
Black and White film: 1 roll each of Kentmere 100 (I’ll probably push to 400, since I love that film pushed!), Ilford FP4 Plus (125), Ilford HP5 Plus (400)
I’ve grabbed 52mm thread uv filters for each lens (mostly to protect the glass, and I’m so lucky each lens is the same thread!) and also have a warming filter, CPL filter, 25A red filter, and 8 yellow filter and am considering taking my ND grad filters. All of it seems so easy to pack, yet I’ve filled my bag maybe too much. The unit in my bag is Velcro’d in, so I can easily take out the compartment and place it in another bag. I’ve definitely got everything I need, as minimalist as possible, with a few extras I think I might need.
The easy thing to think about is how useful the 50mm lens is and how that will be my main lens. Switching from filter to filter is easy, but lens to lens would get out of hand. (I like to think I over-analyze as well as over-pack.)
However I decide to pack, I anticipate not knowing which film to shoot, which grad filter to use, and I’m sure my husband and friends will have a laugh at how over-prepared I am. But, it beats getting home and realizing I have no way of showing how a creative and weird mind saw Mexico. 🙂
What does your bag usually contain? Do you grab every odd and end to complete your kit or do you leave most at home and just enjoy?
Happy shooting!
Retro Glass Photos 
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