Havana Cuba photography and travel tips

I recently had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit Cuba. A week before the trip Josh from Leica Store Miami called to say he had a new Leica M11-P available for me if I still wanted it. Of course I said “yes” and the next day the FedEx arrived with my new camera. I had recently purchased the new 35mm Summilux with close focus capability from Josh and now with the new M11-P it seemed I had the most modern version of a classic Leica setup. So I decided to take only one camera and one lens to Cuba, my brand new Leica M11-P with the 35mm Summilux lens. Read on to see why this is my favorite camera and lens combination for general travel, some thoughts on how to deal with focal-length anxiety, that fear that you will miss a great shot if you don’t have every focal length in your camera bag, some general travel advice for going to Cuba, and what happened when we were mugged on the last night of the trip.

*Tourists drive along the Paseo del Prado in Havana in pre-embargo cars from the 1950s*

Here are my top five reasons why the Leica M11-P and the new 35mm Summilux close focus lens is my favorite combination for travel.

1. Battery Life

The new battery on the M11 series is a game changer for Leica M shooters. When I took my M10-R out for a day of exploration I was always worried about battery life. It felt like I was going back in time to the early days of DSLRs when it was required to have a few backup batteries. Battery life has never been a concern on my Canon R5. So it was a shock to have to worry about battery life again when I bought my M10-R. Fortunately the M11 series solves that in a couple ways.

First, the higher capacity battery combined with the new electronics in the M11 system does a much better job at efficiently using the available power. As long as I didn’t over use live view I found that the battery would still have enough charge for use in the evening after exploring and shooting photos all day.

*Heading out for a day of adventure in Havana, Cuba*

Second, the USB-C charging port on the bottom of the camera makes it easy to plug in and recharge during rest stops. I carried a small charging brick and cable with me and plugged in the camera during coffee or lunch breaks just to top off the battery. And if you are going to be away from the grid it is easy to carry a compact 20,000 mAh battery that can recharge the camera and your phone. By the way, I recommend no more than a 20,000 mAh battery, this is the largest capacity that is allowed to be carried on to US airplanes. You can get larger batteries, but they are not certified for air travel. Here is the battery that I use and it is on sale at Amazon https://amzn.to/4f7HFvR

2. Creative Possibilities at f/1.4

Traditionally fast f/1.4 lenses were required to capture low light scenes. Combine the f/1.4 Summilux with the sensor on the M11 series and it feels like having night vision. The lighting in Havana is generally sparse and low intensity. So having this combination of lens and sensor allowed me to get clean photos in extreme low light situations.

*Teens roller skating in the evening on the Paseo del Prado, Havana, Cuba*

But that is only half the story. I like shooting wide open during the day in order to bring focus on a detail or person instead of the background. With prior M bodies a neutral density filter was required to be able to shoot at f/1.4 during full daylight. The M11 series introduced an electronic shutter. I keep my camera set to “hybrid mode”. This means that if the camera needs a faster shutter speed than the mechanical maximum of 1/4000 second it will automatically switch to electronic shutter to give speeds up to 1/16000 second. This can be a little disconcerting the first time it happens because you wont hear a shutter sound when pressing the shutter release. But it does allow taking photos in bright daylight at f/1.4.

3. Flexibility of 60 megapixels

I am still amazed that I can walk around with the compact Leica M body yet have the resolving power of what used to be exclusively medium format. In the photo “Hotel Montserrat” there is so much detail that every apartment window tells a story. It will be hard to tell on screen resolution, but when I printed this out at 24” x 30” the image draws the viewer. It’s simply stunning. And stunning also that this was a handheld shot using built in Leica perspective control.

The other aspect to having 60 megapixels is that I can crop into a shot and still maintain enough resolution for a large print. So in practical terms it means that I essentially also have a 50mm on the camera at all times. This knowledge comes in handy when taking portraits. I can purposefully leave a lot of space around the subject and then crop in tighter later on to get the desired composition.

*“La Vieja”, La Catedral de la Virgen María de la Concepción Inmaculada de La Habana*

A short digression on focal-length anxiety

Wait a second, you might say, I went to a foreign country, one that is known for being rich in photographic possibilities, and I took only one camera and lens? And a prime lens at that? What about all the shots I missed because I didn’t have the right focal length? Let’s discuss.

Twenty years ago I was in my prime as a photojournalist. My standard kit was two Canon 1D Mark II bodies, one with the EF 16-35mm f/2.8 zoom, and the other with the EF 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom. I also usually carried the fast EF 50mm f/1.4 and EF 24mm f/1.4 in my bag for very low light or creative shots. (When you have an assignment to shoot a crowded nudist colony for a family-friendly newspaper the f/1.4 lenses come in handy to really blur the backgrounds! But that is another story.) With this kit I could shoot pretty much anything, except professional baseball and football where I would get a loaner 400mm. They key thing was that I had to get the shot, no matter the circumstances. I even hiked across a 15,000 foot pass in the Andes with this kit. I was younger then, and the weight didn’t bother me as much as it would now. And this is important, I had a clear pre-vision of how I wanted the photo essays to look: establishing shots with wide angle, medium shots to set the scene, detailed shots with the telephoto, and often close-ups with the wide angle that also showed background for context. This was a specific editorial style that worked well in newspapers.

Nowadays I mostly take photographs for myself. And compared to my previous life, I no longer like the extreme perspective of ultra-wide angle lenses nor the heavy compression of telephotos. I now prefer to maintain a natural look which for me keeps my preferred range between 28mm and 50mm. So if I need to choose only one lens, it’s the 35mm. Not quite as wide as the 28mm, so I might have to back up a bit, and I can get the 50mm look by cropping.

*I had to back up to the far edge of the plaza to get the entire church in the shot with a 35mm lens*

But here is the thing that is most important for me. Having just one prime lens on the camera actually frees me up to only “see” in that perspective. I think that I have become a better photographer by only using one focal length. Doing so trains the brain and eye to pre-visualize compositions, and this allows me to be ready to get “the decisive moment” because I am focusing more on my surroundings and less on my equipment choice.

It’s a common refrain that great art is often the product of limitation. I firmly believe that for every shot you “miss” by not having the right lens, there are going to be several more “wins” that you can get by not having to be preoccupied with what lens is on the camera.

And as a safety valve, I can always pull out my phone if I need a telephoto or ultra-wide shot. Sure, it’s not going to be the same quality as my Leica. But I often will use my phone to get a shot I couldn’t get with the 35mm and use that photo in my social media stories. No one notices.

4. The close-focus capability of the new 35mm Summilux

Traditional Leica M lenses had a minimum focus distance of 70 centimeters. This was due to the rangefinder mechanism, the 70cm is the closest it was designed to work. I found this really frustrating. All my Canon lenses have a much closer minimum focus distance. With the introduction of either Live View or the Visoflex viewfinder, Leica M users had the ability to focus without the rangefinder mechanism. When Leica introduced the 35mm f/2 APO lens they added the ability to focus as close as 30 cm. Now they have brought that capability to the new 35mm and 50mm Summilux lenses. And I think it is great.

Having the close focus option allows me to capture more detail shots. This adds a nice dimension to photos, whether florals, close-ups of people, or interesting scenes such as the cigars and raw tobacco arranged on a table. In addition, Leica did a great job implementing this feature. There is a resistance point at the 70 cm focus distance, so when using the lens with the rangefinder it feels and operates like normal. But then when you need to focus closer, it is easy to flick on live view and rotate the focus tab past the resistance point to get to closer focus distances. It’s a very elegant solution.

5. Stealth

There are two areas of “stealth” to consider: being less visible as a photographer in order to get better photos, and safety. I like that I can walk around a crowded city and have only a small, black, unassuming camera and lens around my shoulder. The only system I have that is smaller is my Ricoh GRIII which can slip into my pocket. As we walked around Havana, I noticed the other tourists, many of which had a digital camera with big zoom lens around their neck and an obvious photo backpack full of gear. I just felt a lot more relaxed and casual with the Leica at my side. And yet, I was always ready to get the shot that I wanted. And most of the time I think that people really did not pay any attention to me.

The other element is related to money. The combination of the Leica M11-P and 35mm Summilux is an expensive camera setup. The body is $9200 and the lens is $6000. That means I’m walking around town with a $15,000 camera setup hanging off my shoulder. I’ve travelled the world as a photojournalist and as a tourist. One thing I try hard to avoid doing is being seen as a stereotypical tourist. This can be a real challenge in poor areas. This is doubly true in a poor country like Cuba, where decades of communist oppression have wreaked havoc on the spirit of the people and the economy. So while I’m not going to apologize for using a camera system that would be unobtainable for most people, I do prefer to keep a low profile out of respect for the people I am interacting with. The Leica M11-P, sans red dot, and 35mm lens simply do not draw attention. Unless someone really knows camera gear, they are more likely to think it is an old film camera if they even notice at all. And that is a good thing. I want to focus on my interactions with people, not on the gear.

And then there is the safety dimension. We were mugged on our last night in Havana. It was late, the streets were dark, and the four of us were walking back to the apartment after a late dinner. Up until we reached the apartment my friend walked in front, our wives were between us, and I was in back, scanning the street and alleys for threats. I never saw them coming. We had just turned the corner, and as we approached our front door I let my guard down for a second. As we went to unlock the door two assailants ran up at full speed, knocked my wife to the ground, and ripped away her small purse. She was bruised up pretty bad from hitting the pavement. We were all shaken by the suddenness of the attack. Once we were back in the apartment and attended to wounds, I started to survey what was stolen. My wife lost 100 Cuban pesos, or about 40 US cents at the black market rate, an old pair of Apple Air Pods and lip gloss. I still had my camera around my shoulder. I’ll never know for sure if they didn’t notice the camera, or targeted only my wife since they could get away without a fight, but the experience reinforced the idea that it helps to have a less visually assuming camera system in dangerous areas.

So there you go. The Leica M11-P and 35mm Summilux would be my first choice if I had to pick only one camera and lens to use for the rest of my life. Fortunately that is not a choice I have to make. My Canon R5 with the 100mm macro is essential, as is my Ricoh GRIII. Not to mention my other Leica lenses. But for me, the rangefinder with the 35mm comes as close to perfection as I can get.

About travel to Cuba

For many decades citizens of the United States were prohibited from traveling to Cuba. Recently things have opened up a little bit. Now US citizens may travel to Cuba for a variety of approved reasons, but not for tourism. We traveled there as part of a humanitarian misson to provide assistance to the Cuban people.

Getting to Cuba is easy, Southwest has a number of daily flights from Florida. Getting around in Cuba is another thing altogether. You can’t expect any of the comforts we take for granted. You need to ensure that you bring all the toiletries, medicines, and accessories you need. There is no corner drug store you can go to to get supplies. In fact, we brought a few bags of necessities such as Tylenol, toothbrushes and feminine care products to distribute to people in need. (Which is everyone other than the government communist party bureaucrats.)

I highly recommend hiring a local guide for your entire stay. A local guide can steer you to good restaurants, help arrange a driver and navigate the treacherous roads (drivers often wait hours in line for gasoline), and show you around town. It’s not so easy to do these things yourself in Cuba. There is no Uber to call. And most likely you won’t have cell service and Wi-Fi is spotty at best.

Cuba is a beautiful country with beautiful people. But it is also a country that has astonishing decay and poverty. In many parts of the city people walk in the middle of the street lest a building collapse as they walk past. Every time we took extra food “to go” after dinner we ended up handing it to someone who was in need of a meal before we got back to our apartment.

My recommendation is to pack light, carry minimal camera equipment, and leave any expensive watches or jewelry at home. You also will want to bring a few small flashlights and headlamps because the streets are very dark at night and power is often rationed. I brought a few of these https://amzn.to/3WnnXVv