First, my disclaimer. My film days are long over. I went digital in 2009, and altho I’ve kept all my lovely old film cameras, at my age I’ve no wish to go back to my analogue days. Been there, done that, now long gone. Goodbye, not missed.

Brutal, I know. But.

Okay. Now my (entirely personal) recommendations.

Log into your EBucket account and find either (1) a Panasonic Lumix GF1 (12 MP, an inexpensive optional electronic viewfinder) with the 14-41 or (2) a Nikon D90 (12.something MP, optical viewfinder) with the 18-55.

Either will cost you less than $100 (IF you are really lucky) or more likely, about half as much again, usually with a lens or (in the case of that GF1) an electronic viewfinder, rather a piece of c*ap but it does what it’s meant to do and if it comes with the camera, well and good).

With any of these digi-babes in your travel bag, you will never, ever look back again. Trust me on this, I’m old enough to be one of your ancestors…

As a far-off (3) choice if you have a bit more dosh to tspend, a Fuji XE2 (16 MP, electronic viewfinder, many Fujnon lenses, more expensive but a top-end digi-camera) and get the legendary Fujinon 18-55. Or alternatively an 18/2.0. My zoom cost me $125 and the 18 was $200, expensive yeh but a real prize for what it does.

It my age (let’s agree on “69 and all that”) I no longer want to carry heavy cameras My days of lugging a Nikon D700 or D800 are done with. I once took leave of my senses and went to Asia for six weeks with a Nikkormat EL and four Nikkors, a Rollei TLR and a Linhof 6×9 with two film backs and three lenses. Also a Linhof tripod. I’m amazed my back held up the trip. I used the NIkkormats 90%, the Rollei 9%,and Linhof for the rest. The latter was sold the week after I got home and never missed. A gorgeous piece of period German engineering, but. But.

My choices when I set off to Singapore, Malaysia, Sarawak and Brunei next month, will be tmyNikon D90, an 18-55 and a 40/2.8 micro. I bought the D90 for AUD $80, kit lens included. Seller threw in a Hoya UV, a Hoya circular polarizer, a Toshiba 32 GB USB stick made from REAL METAL, three used Sandisk 32GB cards and a nifty Hama GS31 table top tripod. Yes, I know, there are living saints out there. I lucked onto one. Bless him a gazillion times for his generosity and kindness. (Since you asked, the 40/2.8 micro cost AUD $225.)

The Lumix)was given to me by a friend. Like the D90, it’s a ‘prosumer’ of its time (IRRC both date to around 2009) and has plenty of bells and whistles to amuse me. I’ve used mostly the 14-42. The 45-whatever zoomie I got with it stays in my bag. If I meet an orang-outan in Sarawak next month I may take it out and do a few portraits of it.

I won’t go into the virtues of the XE2. They speak for themselves. Very few are available used online, most people who have one usually won’t part with them. XE2s, XE3, lots. XE4, don’t go there. Expensive, not as good as. XE1s, maybe. I’ve not used one, so I’ll give it a “maybe'”

Of this trio, for ‘keepers’ good enough to be potentially sold (which to be honest is more about the abilities of the photographer than the equipment) the D90 scores highest for me. I’ve sold architectural images taken with this and the 18-55 to book and magazine publishers. (I no longer do stock imagery for reasons I’ll write about in a future article fhere, if people are interested.)

The Lumix CAN make salable quality images with some effort and a little common sense applied to one’s photography, but I reckon it’s best at online postings. For full page magazine spreads, the D90 is your baby.

The XE2, well, most Fuji cameras don’t suit me, excepting this beaut little XE2. Optically, the Fujinon lenses are nothing less than superb. The cameras, well, tfor me he jury’s out on those. Especially the XT range. But I’m digressing. A thousand pardons…

Enough said. Opinionated? Who, moi? Maybe. Old enough to be. Voice of experience and all that. Disagree with me if you want to, we may get into some interesting conversations between ourselves this way. But please, clearly state your reasons. Information is what it’s all about…

DANN in Australia.

Very cool. I took a two-week trip to Ireland earlier this month and really struggled with what gear to take. My A7R4 was beckoning me, with a Metabones adapter and a couple Canon EF lenses. I loaded everything into my bag and carried it with me all day like I’d be doing on the trip, and realized that wasn’t going to be much fun. I scaled back to my Leica M240, three M lenses, and my trusty Ricoh GRII. I was happy with that kit but I think I’d have been just as happy with your choices.