[Leica] Re: Inner Mongolia

[lrzeitlin at optonline.net (Lawrence Zeitlin)]

On Jan 8, 2007, at 9:07 PM, Nelson wrote:

> I am planning a trip to Inner Mongolia (within China) this coming  
> February.
> This will be my first time and I don't know what to expect.  Does  
> anyone
> from the list been there?  What sort of equipments are best suited  
> for this
> trip?  MF or 35mm?  Should I shoot Color or BW, slides or  
> negatives?  I will be travelling with some pros/serious amatuers,  
> so obviously we will be bringing a lot of equipments, so weight and  
> portability is not an issue.

I've never traveled to Inner Mongolia but I have spent a lot of time  
working and photographing in India, Nepal, and Southeast Asia. My  
basic suggestion is keep it simple. Take equipment you are familiar  
with, preferably mechanically operated Leicas or SLRs, a few lenses  
and a backup body. The last thing you want to worry about is the  
operation of unfamiliar gear. While China is now a technologically  
sophisticated country, if a camera breaks in Inner Mongolia, I doubt  
that you will be able to get it repaired over the weekend. I would  
take a lot of color print film, the slowest speed film you can live  
with. It is far more resistant to poorly maintained airport x-ray  
equipment. You can always make pretty good B&W prints from color  
negatives, not so the other way around.

Weight and portability is always an issue. The camera and lenses left  
in a hotel room or on the bus doesn't do much for picture taking. Let  
the other guys worry about schlepping equipment while you are taking  
a lot of pictures. Finally, take a quality pocket camera as an  
ultimate backup and to have one with you all the time. I used to  
carry a Rollei 35SE but since I largely converted to digital, I carry  
an even smaller Canon Digital Elph. It is the last of the tiny Canons  
that takes a CF card. A 2 GB card will let me take 1000 pictures at  
the camera's high quality JPEG setting. Besides the digital media is  
immune to airport x-rays.

I understand that despite Global Warming, it is very cold in Inner  
Mongolia in February. Dress warmly and practice operating your  
cameras with gloves. Finally, don't get so caught up in equipment  
anxiety that you forget about enjoying the trip.

Bon voyage,     Larry Z