I posted this on DPR this morning, but it dies tomorrow so post it here too.
Tomorrow Teresa and I fly to Rome for 10 days where we just walk around and shoot (and eat ... and drink), then 2 weeks in Jordon where we will hire a driver to get to the main sites. Then to Israel (maybe - if the mess stops in time) and then to Crete and maybe Morrocco. Or maybe back to Sicily instead. I shot there for a month a year ago. We will be gone (God willing) 6 to 8 weeks. I book everything as we go and right now, only the Rome apartment is booked. So I can adjust according to whim and I do it this way every Spring. Spring in the Med is the best time and the tourist crowds are far less than Summer, where I would have to book everything a month out).
What am I taking? The GFX 100s, GFX 50r (converted) and Leica Q2.
But what lenses am I taking? I usually take 7 or 8 GF lenses. This time? Three.
The 20-35, 45-100 and 100-200. I'm zooming from 20 to 200 and that's all.
The 23, 30, 45, 50, 32-64, 110, 120 and 250 stay at home in the closet.
How am I packing it because all the camera equipment goes on the plane and I can't afford a gate check. The three lenses go into two Peak Design Everyday 30L Backpacks (one for each of us), along with my 15-inch laptop. The three camera bodies go into the Peak Design Everyday Messenger. The RRS small travel tripod and monopod goes into the checked bag.
Batteries? A pain. I have three different batteries (100s, Q2 and 50r) that require three different chargers, so I use three small Nitecore charger mounts that have no cords or cables or internal charging capability and they have informative LCD readouts. They are small dead mounts that connect via standard USB-C cables to my separate 100W charger that has 4 USB ports. (That charger charges our two phone, laptop, two tablets, razor, 3 cameras, ear buds, Garmin watch, and Kindles - 4 at one time).
The Nitecore chargers are about half the size of the stock chargers and don't have cables. They are just dead mounts that you can connect to your separate USB C Power Delivery / Qualcom charger (that we all should have now). That way I'm not packing three stock chargers with big power cables.
I also pack a small Domke canvas shoulder bag and in it will be one GF zoom and the Q2. I will have that bag with me at all times. The Peak Design bags are for getting the gear on the plane in small packages that won't be gate checked. Teresa will also have a PD Everyday Messenger (smaller 20L) on her back going on the plane with her stuff and one of my lenses in it.
Bottom line: I'm going all zoom and only 3 of them. This is made possible by the new 20-35 that kills the 23 and 30 for a trip like this.
You know what? I might just toss the 45 in Teresa's backpack when she is not looking. Might be nice to sometimes walk around with nothing but the 45 on.
Greg Johnson, San Antonio, Texas
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