How many films ?

Juliana

My dear friends

I'm a photo freak, I carry my cameras everywhere I go and I'm going to india.
I think India is a great country for taking great pictures, so my question to you is:

HOW MANY FILMS SHOULD I BRING WITH M FOR A 3 WEEK JOURNEY, TAKING IN ACCOUNT THAT I'LL BE TAKING 3 CAMERAS WITH ME?

Thanks a lot

Juliana

seventies'hippy

Hi Julian,
If you're into photography in as big a way as it seems, Then you just won't be able to carry enough film, India must be one of the most photogenic countries on earth with a kodak moment around every corner.Of course you can buy more film in India, Someone else is probably more up-to-date on the cost of a roll.
But why not just go digital, that way at least you'll have no wasted shots, If you can't carry enough memory cards for 1000'ish pictures Then there are ways to download/transfer etc at internet cafes or photo shops, There is a thread in the forums section here on IM which covers lots of photography questions,& well worth a dig around.

Merchant

It is helpful to think about how many rolls per day you envision, bearing in mind that you won't necessarily shoot every day--you'll be on a plane or asleep or something. It's always good to carry more than you think you will need, but film is heavier than it seems it should be.

30-50 rolls seems about right. I always carry about 50 for a two-week trip but I never shoot that much, even when I am shooting heavily. Not every day is a shooting day--even when I want it to be!

volga_volga

not a film but a digital question. how many of you travel with a spare camera battery?

mine would cost GBP 30 and i am still thinking whether i want to buy it given that i may never use it. on the other hand, if something happens to my camera battery in the mountains...

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pkalra

you should be able to buy most brand/type in all major cities. May be if u r going into Delhi u can stock up at couple of wholesellers in chandni chowk. The shop is on left side on main chandni chowk road when u enter from Red Fort side.

volga_volga

thanks pkalra. r u talking about buying film or spare camera battery?

PS i am asking on the assumption that i won't be able to buy the new battery (Pakistan Northern Areas)

guerik

I brought a charger for my digital, but next time I'll bring a spare battery for my film camera. I saw film on sale but couldn't find a lithium battery to save my life...

getgopi1

Last time I went to India I made sure that I took a 2-pin adapter/converter (voltage in India is different that it is here in the US) for my laptop. I left that adapter there with a friend of mine. When I go to India in November, I plan to use that adapter to charge my digital camera battery as necessary. I bought the adapter for USD 3.00 at Radioshack. I have a single 256 MB SD card that can hold about 210 high resolution pictures. At night, I will transfer the pictures of the day into my laptop

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- Gopi

Wanderer22

Another thing to consider is film processing. Do you try and have it processed in India or bring it back home? Film is vulnerable to high temperatures and humidity not to mention airport X-rays. I've used lead lined bags in the past to protect from X-rays, but this may cause it's own problems as the airport security people will likely want to peek inside. Why so many cameras Juliana? Are you shooting different film types in different bodies. Be aware that customs may record serial numbers to insure that you re-export and don't sell in India. My first trip I took two valuable cameras plus several lenses and it was too much. Felt like a pack animal and worried about security. Subsequent trips were with one camera and a couple extra lenses. Unless you are a pro photographer who specializes in travel photography you may have more fun and less worry if the load is lighter.
Wanderer22

PS. Volga... Get a spare battery! Nothing is a bigger annoyance than having a battery die at an inopportune time. Plus it's small and light.

getgopi1

I just hope my battery won't conk out. As Wanderer says, one camera is adequate for prosumer type of photography. You don't want to be bogged down when you travel in a crowded country like India.

volga_volga

OK i got the hint.

btw i went on a research tour of London classic camera stores last Saturday, in search of a portable yet inexpensive rangefinder... after having tried a few within GBP300 i realised i either need to give up this idea or buy a brandnew but splash out. i decided i'll wait until i go to russia to buy some new leica copies...

i also had a chance to try my childhood toy, Kiev 4. the store guys did have a good laugh

pkalra

volga_volga

I was talking about film, for extra battery I would say it would be safe to get bring one with you, Also be careful about battery performance in extreme cold , as yuo mentioned mountains


rgds