traveling and shooting film? | my advice & travel camera kit

[@composeexpose8009]

When I feel the need to pack more I try to remember that NASA only took one lens to the moon.

[@mattdayphoto]

Haha, damn! That’s checkmate right there. 👏

[@toulcaz31]

There is a good chance they were not planning to shoot street photography, candid portraits, travel photography or architecture there :D

[@paulfield6815]

They also left a Hasselblad up there

[@ikaros4203]

NIKON :)

[@ricardoleao_music]

Good point

[@DanFrizzell]

I took a road trip this summer from Chicago to Los Angeles on what’s left of Route 66, and took seven cameras: three film, three mirrorless, and an iPhone. Along those 2500 miles, least 90% of my photos were made with only three cameras - one digital, a medium-format film camera, or the phone. Everything else - every one of them a camera I love - was dead weight that I had to schlep in and out of motel rooms every morning and every night and worry about when I was more than 10 feet from the car during the day. Wish I’d seen this video and taken it to heart before the trip.

[@morrisbagnall2690]

I got the idea of 'pack then pack lighter' when started doing long trips on my small motorbike back in the beginning of the 80's. Kept it going since then. These days, when I take the car, I pack the Agfa Isolette II folder; the Pentax ME Super and the Olympus EM1 MkII with the 12-40 and 40-150 lenses. If I have to leave one out it's the Pentax because I love medium format. If I'm on the bike, I'll take the Oly with the 12-40 and the Agfa. If I'm hiking, I'll take the Oly and 12-40 and the Yashica Minister 700.

[@TheFilmFellow]

Spot on Matt. It’s always been one 35mm camera with a 50 on it for me for traveling. With film itself I usually do color.

[@mattdayphoto]

Nice and simple! Love that.

[@healthid]

I totally agree on keeping it simple. However I did once travel with a Wista 4x5 camera to Alabama because I knew I wanted to make some portraits of folks who live there. The camera was a real conversation starter and opened doors, so it was worth it. On the film I shipped the holders and film along with a changing bag to the hotel, and then shipped it all back home when the trip was done.

[@ChairmanZhongXiNa]

When you spend hours trying to learn how to explain to the security guards why film can't be x-rayed in 4 different languages.

[@jasonscott6171]

My advice if you have too many cameras is to bring a maximum of 2 formats (try to stick to 2 cameras + if you want a point and shoot). Cuts down on the unnecessary gear you'll be lugging around such as lenses, film etc and it forces you to think what shots you plan to take. Also for airports, try to take out your film from the camera if it is possible before the security check. While they may hand check film, I've had instances where they would not for the camera and wanted to either open it or x-ray it. If you can either shoot it all before, or take out the partial roll you can just skip all the hassle and just get the film hand checked.

[@m-baka]

I spent 5 weeks in Turkey, some rolls of my 35mm went through the x-rays 8 times that trip. 15 rolls, only 2 frames had light fogging on it.

[@MoisheLettvin]

Couldn't agree more with this advice. I'm currently in the middle of a multiweek road trip -- I brought 3 cameras (a DSLR, my RZ67, and my Mamiya 6); my Mamiya 6 is my default/daily camera, and to your point it's the one I've used for 95% of the photos I've taken so far. The others are "nice to have" but since I'm driving I can carry lots more stuff anyway so the downsides aren't as big. If I ever get back on a plane it'll be only with the Mamiya 6.

[@michaelbornman9313]

I've been having a ton of fun with my Canonet QL17 and some Kodak Gold. I think an m6 is the logical step up, but that's probably a few years in my future haha

[@mattdayphoto]

Nothing wrong with that! I ran my Minolta for years as my one and only film camera.

[@l_ngpham]

How is the QL17 by the way? I've been looking for an all purpose camera that I can carry around with minimal effort

[@Wileyinthestreets]

@@l_ngpham I have a ql17 and it’s a pretty easy going camera. Sharp enough lens and simple and easy. I didn’t get the ql17iii, it’s just the normal 17 and got it for $50. Save the money and get the regular one

[@michaelbornman9313]

@@l_ngpham I love it! I use it for memories mostly, it just gets out of the way and I can still be a part of whatever is happening.

[@lemon58421]

I Italy, Spain and some other countries in Europe they don’t accept film hand check ! No choice ! Xray machine or not enter the terminal !😕 so I travel all the times with stress for my films…and medium format films no problem ! It’s full plastique so just put in your pockets of your jeans 😁

[@CalumetVideo]

It all depends on what one is going to shoot. For traveling, usually pack my Nikon F5 with a 70-200mm zoom with Ektar 100. For street it’s Leica IIIf with Elmar 50mm or a Nikon F3 with 35mm or 50mm using Kodak Tri-X or Portra 160. If I’m shooting landscape or Architecture it’s definitely, the Bronica SQ with a 50mm with Ektar 100 or Tri-X, or the 4x5 Tachihara Large Format using either a 90mm, 150mm or 250mm lens with Tri-X 400, Velvia 50 or Provia 100. Portraits, I use the Bronica SQ with the 105mm or 150mm lens and Portra 160 film. It basically comes down to different tools for different jobs. I find for most jobs, the “normal” lens is my most used lens.

[@benmiller537]

Simple kit: F100 with a 35-135mm f3.5-4.5 and my Voigtlander Bessa II If I'm feeling ambitious I'll toss in an 85mm 1.8 and grab a Rolleicord for the 6x6 option. When I shoot large format I'll take my 4x5 with both lenses I have (150 and 210, 4 frames bnw, 4 frames of color (usually 2 portra 160 and 2 portra 400), and either 2 or 4 frames of glass dry plates. Because it's light and small, I bring the Voigtlander Bessa again and I'll usually grab my Z6 with a 35 for the digital option/double check my light meter readings.

[@ccoppola82]

Good advice. I enjoy carrying a 2 lens kit. Depends where I’m going but I usually start the kit with either the M6 and a 50 or 35. To the 35 kit I add a 75. To the 50 kit I add a 28. Seems to cover all bases. I’ve actually found the telephoto to be far more useful than I would have expected.

[@alexisstember]

Literally my biggest struggle. I start my packing list months in advance of a trip, and the only thing on the list is cameras which it takes me that long to narrow down to a sensible travel kit.

[@Jamie12375]

Never have been able to get a hand check anywhere but in the US. I mostly travel in Europe and I‘ve long given up on asking for a hand check. What I do now is to keep the camera separate from the film because they always want to scan the camera again (big medium format cameras) so at least the film doesn’t get scanned twice. So far I‘ve never had any damaged film (knock on wood) but I still don’t like to do it.

[@parthasur6018]

I take my Rollei 35S loaded with Portra 400 and my Rollei 35T loaded with HP5. The 40 mm lens on the Rollei is just perfect. Zone focussing with distance set to infinity, speed 125, f5.6/f8/f11 and follow Capa's advice "If your photos are not good enough then you are not close enough" . You need to get close and fill the frame with the 40 mm. The Zeiss Sonnar on the 35S is just phenomenal with color (I wish I could afford to shoot slide film ☹️ with the Sonnar). By the way this channel is just so informative - like Analog Insights my other favorite channel. Best wishes.

[@erichartke4331]

When I went to Iceland I took my Nikon F100 with a 35-70 for colour and Yashica T4 for black and white and it was a good plan.

[@walkingmanvideo9455]

I travelled to London and Paris and could have taken my 1dx or a7iii. Instead, I took my lumix zs100. Small, full frame and fitted in my pocket. So glad I didn’t bother with the large bodies.

[@zkcessnaguy]

Nikon F80 with the 50mm f1.8D is a pretty small, lightweight 35mm option., with the added bonus of being cheap as chips.

[@mattdayphoto]

Killer compact setup!

[@photog12345]

This video is very timely for me. My wife and I are heading up to Maine in October and I was gaming out what camera gear I should bring. After watching this video, I think I go with a Fujifilm X100, and an Olympus Stylus Epic, and 10 rolls of BW film. The X100 for Fall colors and the BW film for everything else. I can keep all this in a small bag that I can carry with me all the time..

[@gregmcknight5183]

Commenting so the algorithm pushes your videos back to my feed

[@annafeyrerova8178]

Once I took just Canon A-1 with 28mm lens for what was supposed to be one week trip… Ended up for two months just with this setup and it was very freeing!

[@derribos]

In Europe, Security refused all the times I asked to handcheck the film. They put it through the X-ray. Looks like in USA the treatment is different.

[@rayonline78]

Your comments were spot on. I've travelled quite light but one time with family and I carried a Nikon D600 digital and a F100 for 35mm color slide and Fm2n for 35mm bw film. I ended up leaving all but 1 camera and 1 lens in the hotel. Occasionally I took out 2 or 3 cameras with me at a planned out shoot like observation point sunset but coming home I thought it was a waste. Identical shots in film and digital, color and bw. I prefer the smaller Fm2n than my F100 and my lens with it is a 35mm f2 I guess it's the poor man version of yours. I enjoy low light photography and wanting to break away from the tripod therefore I am struggling with film where digital can perform with high iso. I carry a 35mm but when I have more time a ultra wide zoom and maybe maybe a 85mm. I've since have a Fuji Xt1 pre-owned.

[@RYANPARKPHOTOGRAPHY]

Thanks for sharing. I use leica m3 and 50mm for travel and maybe 35mm lens as well. Compact but all manually controllable!!

[@mattdayphoto]

Something about the manual control in a small kit is the perfect balance of effort from the photographer but still staying low friction. 👌🏻

[@RYANPARKPHOTOGRAPHY]

@@mattdayphoto exactly! Thanks Matt, your episodes are always inspirational and enjoyable!

[@analog_presencing]

Matt your advice came at a perfect timing; was still in doubt which lenses to bring just before leaving for a trip tomorrow,. Now it feels good to stick to what I am comfortable with at the moment. Brought all the options down my most used and trustworthy 50mm f1.5 Zeiss Opton Sonnar T lens with my 70 yr. old 35mm Zeiss Contax IIa rangefinder and KEKS Lightmeter (great tool!) shooting B&W as ever. All fits in a very small bag.

[@suzannelopez9896]

The timing of this is impeccable! Lol My friend had to talk me off the ledge of taking too many cameras on the weekend get away we just left for.

[@popopolar]

I have one of my iso 800 film through xray at the airport for a several time and it has foggy effect on my photographs. After that I always ask for a hand check.

[@mattdayphoto]

Sorry to hear that! After it happens once, most people never trust them again.

[@neilpiper9889]

I just take an Olympus Af1 infinity which has an incredibly sharp 35mm 2.8 Zuiko lens with Portra 400 for color and a tiny teeny Ricoh 8.1 megapixel GR digital camera with its fixed 28mm 2.4 equivalent lens for black and white. The Ricoh is always in my pocket and can be used for colour if needed. I pack the tiny Japanese charger and a spare battery.

[@ratgirl13]

I just take my Sony RX 100VII. The dongle and iPad and travel light. If a film camera the Canon Canonet QL17 and some film. I enjoyed your video.🙂💕

[@mattdayphoto]

Oooh, that’s a good combo for digital. Super small and portable.

[@okok72277]

I usually bring a pocketable point & shoot & a medium format camera, either a TLR or a foldable 645 camera, again very pocketable

[@5Shakalaka]

I usually take a small 35mm with black and white (Olympus xa2 or Minolta x700 with 35mm) and one medium format with color film (mamiya 645 or Rolleiflex). The medium format stay inside or in the car unless I really want to take time for photography

[@wafa1253]

My ideal travel kit would be like yours Matt. M6 + 35mm cron with color or B&w film. But digital would be canon R with the nifty 50. Maybe take a zoom if I know i’ll need the reach.

[@adamsrice]

I've never had an issue when traveling with film. Anything up to 400 ISO, maybe 800, has been fine through the scanner. Just be pleasant and ask TSA to hand check 800+ ISO film, letting them know the scanner will ruin it, and thank them multiple times so there is less hesitancy next time someone asks that person to hand check.

[@LennyG2006]

Unpack your bag when you get home. Someone broke into my house and grabbed my bag, it was practically gift wrapped for them. They got 90% of my gear. I was not happy.

[@johndavidlevy7]

I'm one of the many people facing eviction soon and I've sold some cameras and given a few away as well. I have quite a few I'm bringing with me on my uncertain migration. I decided the criteria was to not double up on any formats. 1 6x7, 1 6x6, 1 35mm, 1 Polaroid. And a point n' shoot. I'll probably be shooting through my instant film for a while though to save money.

[@paulbjorngaard6958]

Perfect timing being that I just booked a flight to California to see friends I haven't seen in two years. Some mild panic about what I would see and want to photograph. Looks like the Bessa and the 35mm make the cut. .....or maybe the Yashica Mat-124 G.....

[@kevlarnegative]

For travel and walkabout I have one rule. If it doesn't fit to my peak design 5l sling it stays home. That's it. I'll usually carry my M6 with a 28 and/or 50 and a Sony rx 100m7.

[@JP1050x]

I have a similar light setup. If it doesn’t fit in my 3L peak design, I’m not taking it. I have my Contax S2 +35/2.8, and Sony RX100 packed in mine with 2 extra rolls of film and 3 extra batteries.

[@kevlarnegative]

@@JP1050x Nice to know I'm not an odd ball. Have fun and happy shooting 😊

[@EdmundKBoateng]

Next month I’m flying to Ghana for 3months and I will be bringing with me; 4x5 Chamonix w/ a 150 lens, my RB67 Pro SD w/ 90mm , Mamiya C330 Pro S w/ 80mm , and 2 135 film cameras. I chose these cameras each for a reason. Of course I will be having a lot of film or less lol and will be bringing that on me which means a lot of pleading for a hand Check. Hopefully I meet TSAs in good moods lol. Thanks for sharing

[@JasonWilliams-sb8zs]

Atlanta in the house! Love some keh. Outstanding video Matt.

[@norbertmuehlberger4791]

For urban areas i prefer two lenses 20 and 85 mm, polarizer and a yellow filter for my F5 - last but not least a lot of HP5's.

[@justinconnaher8868]

Fantastic advice-pack light, then pack lighter! Thanks Matt!

[@mattdayphoto]

Thanks for watching!

[@justinconnaher8868]

@@mattdayphoto Thanks for doing it! I’m packing for a trip next week to Denali National Park and have obsessed over what film/cameras to bring for a long time. Keep it simple is the advice I needed. 👍

[@maxwellwellmax878]

I usually dont take my film cameras when I travel, I think I'll start taking my f100 or my Contax N1 next trips, 1 body one lens.

[@joturchetphotography1968]

Oh the constant dilemma! Thanks for sharing your take on it Matt. Personally I've at long last cracked it ...... OM2n and 50mm with Rollei 100 & Ilford HP5 and my Pentax Espio 928 point and shoot with Kodak ColorPlus 200. Happy travels!

[@DannyOKC]

A guy who worked at B&H told me that the Domke film bag is NOT for putting your film through the X-ray machine, because, as you said, if the TSA screener can't see through it, they'll just jack up the intensity of the X-ray. What the bag is for is all the radiation and such flying around in the sky. So best practice, from everything I've read and heard, is to get the hand-check in the clear plastic Zip-lock, and then, after the TSA screening and before boarding the plane, shove that Zip-lock into the Domke film bag for the flight.

[@mattdayphoto]

Yup! That’s a good call!

[@Shopeefy]

Sony Xperia 1 Mark is the best in the camera business because he uses the best Zeiss lenses at the moment

[@jordangiuliani2456]

I like to travel super light and my point and shoot gets the job done

[@toulcaz31]

This is the never ending photographers' quest :D

[@Tadeas_Plachy]

When I go trough my archive, best photos I captured when I traveled with 1 camera with 1 lens (well, I can handle 2nd lens...). Less is more.

[@mattdayphoto]

Yep! Same here!

[@JP1050x]

I’ll be traveling with my Contax S2 +35/2.8, and my Sony RX100. I’ve travelled with lots of gear before and it’s just not as fun as traveling light. Another good minimalist setup, would be a Ricoh GRIII and an Olympus XA4, both small 28mm FOV cameras. Yep, it can be risky traveling with nice gear, like with what happens with Joe & Willems pelican cases not long ago. 😢

[@BIbiVstf3sx]

what a timing!! i am leaving tomorow on a trip and packed 2 camera, 4 lenses... my guest is that ill be using the 50mm ALL the time lol sony a7ii and batis 25+ 55 f1.8 // canon f1n and fd50f1.2L + fd85mmf1.2L.... oh and a point and shoot :)

[@flavioserci6046]

About a trip and photography? I think the best option is to be alone!

[@yetanotherbassdude]

I think Sebastiao Salgado's said he switched to digital because he lost a load of rolls to an airport x-ray machine, so it's definitely worth being careful about. Apparently keeping some Delta 3200 in your film bag is a great way to make sure you can qualify for a hand-check with airport security if they're saying "high ISO film only". Still always a risk though, so might also be better to buy and even develop film locally after you've landed, though that's a *lot* of extra hassle. Ah the joys of film photography, eh?

[@Rsv4rr-r]

Hand check in the USA because they are required to do it, in the rest of the world I bring a lead bag I believe its made by Domke or Hama at any rate its about 7.5 lbs and feels like the shield the give you to protect yourself with when you go to get an X-Ray at the hospital, I’ve never had a problem when my film is in this bag. I always ask for hand check anywhere I go in the hopes that airport security will be reasonable if not they see a big black square and end up doing the exact same hand check they do in the US, as far as turning up the X-Ray machine I’ve seen the dip shit security guy crank up the the machine and show me the faint outline of my film cans, there was nothing wrong with my film when I developed it I mostly shoot Tri-X.

[@_jprater]

Also, this angle is very nice

[@mattdayphoto]

After trying a few videos on the exposed brick in my current office, I’ve decided I hate it. Hahaha. This is just me sitting at the back of my desk. Probably gonna spin it around and keep this as the “main” angle for filming.

[@asherhodara389]

The new CT scanners at some airports will 100% fog your film even if it only goes through once.

[@VivaEZLN1]

Hey Matt, I'm trying to find the video where you talk about where you store your Polaroid photos, but can't find it. Can you let me know what it's called?

[@AeromaticXD]

I try and travel light, but sometimes it’s like hard to choose. Like I gotta have my backup 35mm camera

[@dreamjphotos]

Very good talking points! Love this video. Pretty sure I used to be one of those photographers who don't know how to pack light when it comes to gear haha

[@markskitzo]

Travelling back with exposed sheet film is tough. Because the boxes have been opened some TSA agents want to reopen the box to check what's in there. That could potentially expose the undeveloped film to light and ruin everything. I've taken to mailing the film back to the lab before flying out of the location.

[@thebiblioholic]

Isn't there a risk that the mail will get x-rayed. Especially if it will be traveling on passenger flights?

[@markskitzo]

@@thebiblioholic I ship it ground in the USA. I probably wouldn’t shoot 4x5 internationally.

[@lewisday2239]

I've asked for a handcheck at Heathrow airport and they would only do the 800iso and above films. They refused to do the rest and stuck through the x-ray machine.

[@NunoAlmeidaPhotography]

Great advice Matt. Well done.

[@oliverlison]

I always travel with 40lbs camera gear and leave the clothes at home... . . . . . .. ... and now the truth I travel with 40lbs camera gear plus 40lbs clothing. I try to fly buisness when ever I can get a cheap upgrade. Otherwise I need to check it into the haul which is never a good idea.

[@itscroc_]

Well, I had absolutely no idea about the x-ray thing for film and I went through airport security twice with some and (actually my only) rolls of film in my bag and now I'm pretty anxious all the rolls got ruined... Yikes lol

[@JP1050x]

For normal film under iso 800 speed, you should be fine as long as it wasn’t scanned with the more powerful CT scanners. They’d probably have signs posted though warning you that’s it’s a CT machine. The normal less powerful scanners are fine. I’ve had a bag of iso 100-400 film scanned around 20 times in one trip with no negative effects.

[@itscroc_]

@@JP1050x Well I only had 200 speed film so hopefully I'll be fine. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@maetaro5297]

Have you had any luck actually getting it hand checked? Every time I ask they refuse to do it sadly.

[@J_chiave]

LIVE HEAVY//TRAVEL LIGHT

[@mattdayphoto]

Vol. 4 ❤️

[@calvinchann1996]

Minimal would be Q2 and Q2 Monochrom in a Peak Design 5L Sling.

[@thomasjames7644]

28mm, sometimes a 50mm as well.

[@shaniluipanitashani8916]

I always ask for a hand check but have had bad luck with airport security. In Madrid and Lisbon it was a huge problem. They said it wasn’t aloud unless i had a permit from the government….???? Bit excessive but ok. Leaving Poland it was also a huge problem, the security there seemed very on edge about the whole thing, I really felt like I could get thrown in jail. In the US I’ve only had bad luck leaving Fort Lauderdale. They insisted on having it go through the xray. I get very anxious during travel so i really suffer through security jajaja. But luckily none of my film has ever been damaged. Still I always insist on a handcheck and try to be as nice as possible.

[@PhilKnall]

Jeez, that over packed setup sounds heavy 😅 size and weight are always my top priorities. Even scaled back from the Mamiya7 to the 6 because of that... More often than not i leave the digital camera at home these days. My setup is normally my Leitz/Minolta CL or Olympus XA, and my Fuji GS645 or Mamiya6. Everything else gets very limited use. About hand scans, I've been unsuccessful on several occasions, in Korea (looked like they couldn't imagine such a thing), several times in Europe, and Qatar.

[@ulrikchristiansen]

I have written the Copenhagen Airport twice and they insist that I bring a darkroom bag myself, so that they can check my films in that bag...! I still lack an answer to how they are going to assemble the canisters again for 35mm...and are they going to unroll my 120 rolls?... seems like in this case, film is not an option unless I go for a scan. Maybe I should just bring iso 100 film then.

[@chisler26]

Om2 with a 35-105 👍🏻

[@lukeisafinename]

All of this advice. Just all of it. Especially the bit about packing lighter! I took a roadtrip out west a few weeks ago, and uh, yeah my bag was about 20 pounds. Didn't even use half the cameras I brought 😑

[@george_edward_]

push them for the handcheck... when i was in germany they insisted I didn't need it and it crushed a lot of my film :(

[@paulfield6815]

The Rockwall Skatepark Project

[@ridealongwithrandy]

Good stuff Matt, however, I travel by mini SUV for my Southern California desert adventures. I have 3 small backpacks, one is Nikon film with lenses, one is Olympus MFT with lenses, and then another with misc film cams, and Olympus big lenses. Then just throw in a tripod and I have all that I could possibly need to suit my whims. There has been so many times when out and about I say to myself "darn, what a beautiful eagle flying there, too bad I don't have a big lens". My bags are small, and traveling by car, no matter. Now if I were to fly somewhere, all your points are spot on. Cheers!

[@kevinhawthorne5257]

Good video

[@lockezhang9834]

Ever since I got my contax t2 I never took anything else with me for business or casual travels.

[@chrisloomis1489]

Yes:Less is more , 40mm works fine.

[@sebvz89]

One 35mm camera, one 35mm backup camera and one medium format camera

[@Fatiimaaaaa]

Can anyone tell me what’s that “bag” that Matt talked? The one he said he usually use to put the film inside while traveling, to the x-ray not ruin the film. I didn’t know about that and I want to take that precaution because I’ll be traveling my first time and I didn’t know about that.

[@nls-io]

Just a transparent ziploc bag. It does not protect the film at all. You just hand this to the security agent.

[@Fatiimaaaaa]

@@nls-io yeah, cause when I search for it I was like ???? Where this can protect the film from the x-ray???? But thank you!!

[@nls-io]

There are some aluminium based bags that will protect the film but you’ll hand up with the agent searching it manually as well as they can’t see through with the X-Ray.

[@Fatiimaaaaa]

@@nls-io so basically we can’t do something to protect the film, that’s it?

[@GasWorksISO]

Which camera, which lens, which film, which girlfriend…..tough decisions.

[@_jprater]

ALL OF EM #FTA

[@robertriley1991]

I want Mat Day to be my life coach

[@OscarMartinez-fu6jn]

Is that not the better excuse to buy a big camera bag to take everything you probably wont use lmao

[@olympus2OM]

Nobody needs really large format. It seems more like narcism, addiction, representation need i don't know, you name it. Large format is so ridiculous. The most users on youtube here have no idea what they are doing with large format. Except wasting valuable film. It this matter they are experts. Large format needs for sure many years of hard practice to come along with. But most new users gave up early when the first enthusiasm is gone.

[@bahstonirish]

Last week I was on a trip and packed way too many cameras. I plan on going to the Easyriders Rodeo in Chillicothe this weekend coming up. I was going to go with two cameras, a D700 with a 45mm lens, and D810 with the 70-200mm. (I leave my film cameras at home for bike and car shows) Now I think I am just doing the D810 combo, and hoping that by not having too many options I can just focus on shooting. Maybe I will pack a film camera to shoot outside the event, but that starts a slippery slope.