As I mentioned in my previous post, my family and I just returned from a magical trip to Italy. I knew I wanted to capture this epic family trip and contemplated which camera to take. I ended up taking four cameras with me. I thought I would show you how each camera is different and each has a strength that others may lack.

I, of course, took my Mamiya 645. She is my baby, and I can’t imagine not taking her on a trip. The Mamiya 645 doesn’t have a light meter or autofocus. For one image, I must see the shot, meter, set the aperture and shutter speed, focus, and shoot. And that is exactly why I love the Mamiya- it is truly a practice. I must see, study, and be still to capture an image. However, because this was a family trip and it takes so long to take one image, I only shot one roll with her. I still don’t regret it. It was a fun afternoon out with the kids, and they were so delightful as Andy and I metered and focused away.

I also took my Yashica T4. I talk more about this camera in a previous post. It is light, has an excellent lens, and is super easy to use. This camera is one that I usually have in my bag at home. It is a point-and-shoot film camera with a Carl Zeiss lens. It has auto metering, focus, and flash! I love how the flash isn’t too harsh and captures those dark moments with a lovely glow. Because I could hand over this camera to family members- I feel like more pictures of each other were taken, and I was able to be in many of our film photos. We even use it for selfies!

I was a little brave and took a new camera, a Contax T2. I say brave because it usually takes me a roll or two to learn a camera’s intricacies. I enjoyed this camera. Like the Yashica T4, it also has autofocus, metering, and a Carl Zeiss lens; however, you can have a little more control of the image. You can shoot in aperture priority, making it great for people like me who love capturing the details while still being small and light. For a hike one morning, I almost took my Mamiya. After some thought, I decided on the Contax. It felt like a good compromise- lighter but still capable of beautiful images. I am definitely still learning this camera and look forward to knowing it better.

The fourth camera is my iPhone. I feel like this is a camera most of us have, and we should honor it as such. Nothing beats a camera that you can fit in your pocket and shoot in any light. Because I am so used to film, I love that I can take 20 images of something and choose the best one. And, of course, the family selfies.

Do you have a favorite camera that you love to travel with?

~Staci Lee