What lenses do you take with you?

[fernanrl]

Hi,

I really don't know where to put this message...so I hope I am doing it in the right place (otherwise, please, move)

The question is: What lenses do you usually take with you, lets say, in a day trip? I like to take wide lenses since I love architecture and landscapes, but I tend to take more than I need "just in case".

Since most of you have all sort of lengths (sometimes even same focal different brand) what is your rule of thumb when picking up lenses?

...just curiosity. Regards,

Fer

[Attila]

I try to imagine place before I prepare my gears, if I was there before to take photos this is easy. If I have no clue generally I take a film camera with 20 or 24 mm lens. One digital body with following lenses:

50mm f1.4
85mm f1.8
180mm f2.8
300mm f4.5
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Olympus E-1,Bessa L,Bessa RF,Olympus OM2n,Nikon FA,Yashica Eletro 35 GN,
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl Zeiss Jena:Flektogon 2.8/20mm,4/25mm,2.4/35,2.8/65mm,4.5/4cm Tessar, 8/500mm Fernobjektiv
Pancolar 1.4/55mm,1.8/50mm,1.8/80mm,Tessar 2.8/50mm,Biotar 2/58mm,1.5/75mm,1.5/7,5cm
Carl Zeiss: Sonnar 2.8/135,2.8/180mm,Tessar 4/135mm
Nikon: 3.5/20mm,2.8/28mm,1.4/35mm,1.4/50mm,1.2/50mm,2/50mm,1.8/105mm,2.5/105mm,4/200mm macro,4.5/300mm
Pentax: Pentax 1.2/50mm,1.8/85mm,4/200mm
Helios: Helios-40 1.5/8,5cm,Helios-44-1 2/58mm,Helios-44-2 2/58mm
Olympus OM: 3.5/18mm,3.5/21mm,1.4/50mm,3.5/55mm macro,2.8/135mm,2/90mm macro,35-70mm,60-250mm
Meyer: 4.5/35mm Primagon,Primoplan 1.9/58mm,1.9/75mm,2.8/100mm,Orestegor 2.8/135mm,4.5/40 Helioplan
Leica: 4/100 Macro Elmar,2.8/90 Elmarit last version
Please visit my Ebay shop to support my reviews !

[Nesster]

I tend to go with just one lens and learn to see with it for the entire day. Sometimes I'll take two, or two different cameras, and switch somewhere along the way... but I'm sticky and won't swap lenses often.
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Camera Fetishism:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nesster/sets/72157601067248451/

[poilu]

I agree with Nesster
When you work with a prime, you see the exact scene with your eyes and don't lost time to frame trough the viewfinder
Like Attila say, it help a lot to have already been to a place to select lens
24mm (=36mm) is a nice focal lens but it miss the thin dof
but for landscape and architecture it's nice
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Have a nice day

[LucisPictor]

I only take one lens. I just close my eyes and reach into my big bag and whatever lens I grap, that's the one I choose.









No, just kidding. Many guys here know that I tend to bring too many lenses by far.

I normally have in my bag:
- 17 or 20mm
- 24mm
- 28/35mm
- 50/55mm
- 80/85mm
- a tele lens (105, 135, 200)

So that means two bodies and six lenses (sometimes more). Far too many, indeed.
One body with the 24mm and the other one with the 80/85mm. The other lenses to change.

I have realised that when I only have a fixed lens rangefinder cam with me, I shoot more picture than with all those lenses...
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There are two kinds of people in the world: those who divide the world into two kinds of people, and those who don’t.
"Schnäppchenjäger" | "KAPCTEH" | "Karusutenu" | "Carsten" | T-shirt?
Cams in use: EOS 40D, EOS 350D, EOS 50e, EOS 500, Spotmatic SPII, EXA I & 1c, Zenit EM; Oly 35RC,Minolta Hi-Matic E & F, Ricoh 500RF, Yashica Electro 35 GS, FED-3b and some others...
Lenses in use: Asahi Pentax: 2.8/28;3.5/35;1.4/50;1.7/50;2.8/105;3.5/135;28-80 | Canon (AF):1.8/50;17-85;75-300 | Former GDR: CZJ Flek 4/20; Pentacon 3.5/30; Pentaflex 1.8/50; CZJ 2.8/50; CZJ 4/135; Pentacon 4/200 | Fujinon: 43-75 | Hanimex: 3.5/23; 4/100;80-200 | Hoya: 25-42;80-205 | Leica: Elmarit-R 2.8/35 | Mamiya: 1.8/55 | Minolta: 1.7/50 | Nikkor: 2.8/24;2/35;2/50;1.2/55;1.8/85;3.5/135 | West German: Ludwig 2.9/50; Meyer 2.8/100; Will 4.5/105; Schneider 3.5/135;Enna 3.5/135; Zeiss 4/135;Isco 4/135; Enna 4.5/240 | Olympus: 3.5/28;1.4/50;3.5/135 | Rikenon: 1.7/50;35-70 | Rollei/Voigtländer: 1.4/55;1.8/50 | Russian: Peleng3.5/8; Zenitar2.8/16; MIR2.8/37; Volna2.8/50; Industar2.8/50; Industar3.5/50; Industar3.5/5cm; Helios2/50; Helios2/58; MIR38 3.5/65; Volna2.8/80; Jupiter2/85; Kaleinar2.8/100;Tair2.8/135; Jupiter3.5/135; Jupiter4/135; Telear3.5/200; Jupiter4/200; Tair4.5/300;RF: Jupiter2.8/35;Industar2.8/53 | Sigma: 28-85;28-105(AF);17-70(AF) | Soligor: 28-105;35-200;70-220 | Tamron: 2.5/24;2.5/135;60-300;70-210 | Tokina: 28-105;80-200;12-24(AF);70-210(AF) | Vivitar: 3.5/17;2/24;2/28;2.5/28;2.8/28 | Yashica: 2/5cm | Other Japanese: Cosina3.8/20; Albinar2.8/28; Porst1.8/35; Beroflex 8/500; Spiratone28-200; Maginon70-210
Green are the lenses I shoot the most.
More? http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=65

[Richard_D]

[F16SUNSHINE]

My choice is like Attila says. If you know where you are going plan for the location. There is not much reason to take a 300mm on a street shoot or a fish-eye to a birthday party (although it could be fun). I usually care a RF with a 25mm and 40mm. And a reflex with a 50mm and a 85/100mm. Often I just carry the RF with the 40. It is all a matter of what is going on
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Current Kit
Canon 5D, 40D
Contax 4/18, 1.4/50, 1.4/85, 2.8/85, 2/100, 3.5/100, 2.8/180, Rollei HFT 1.4/35, 1.4/85, Zuiko 2/21, 2/24, 2/28, 2/35, 2/80, Yashica ML 3.5/21, 2.8/24, Helios 40 protype, Trioplan 2.8/100, Tair 11A,
Epson R D1(s), Bessa L, Bessa R2m, Leica CL, CV 4.5/15, 4/25, 1.4/40, Zeiss ZM 2/35, Yashinon1.8/50, CLE 4/90, Zeiss Opton 4/135 T, Electro GT, Electro GX, Electro CC

[Shiladitya]

Fer, I think the location matters as rightly said by Attila. But if it is unknown then it entirely depends on your shooting preference. I always have three bodies ready with a 24, 50 and a 135/200 and just chill. Having said that, the best photographs that I ever got was not a product of thinking too much about which lens to use but to find scenes and subjects that would be suitable for the lens in my hand

Enjoy
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Camera: Nikon F4s, Nikon FG, Nikon FE2, Pentax ME Super, Pentax MZ5, Exakta Varex IIb
Lenses: Nikkor- 2.8/55 Micro, 1.4/50 AIS, 1.2/55 Pre AI, 2.8/24 AIS, 4/200 AIS
Pentax K: SMC 2/50, 2.8/24, 3.5/135, 4/200 & 4.5/80-200
Exakta: Pancolar 2/50, Pentacon 3.5/30

[Puplet]

Normally two or three - 35mm, 50mm, and then a telephoto depending on where I'm going (85mm, 135mm or 180mm). My Ricoh GX100 and a 135mm make a good combination.

[fernanrl]

Hi,

Yup, since I am going to do some walk arounds in Madrid and my neighbourhood (I am planning to do a couple of photo-reports) I was thinking to take a 20 mm, 35 mm and my vivitar 85-205 with just my 30D and swap lenses when needed. What do you reckon?

Regards,

Fer
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My blog: http://www.fernando.org.es/

...what if I woke up one day and I knew how to take photos... How wonderful!!!

[Attila]

35mm is not necessary in my opinion if you have a 20mm lens. Tele should ok for details.
_________________

Olympus E-1,Bessa L,Bessa RF,Olympus OM2n,Nikon FA,Yashica Eletro 35 GN,
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl Zeiss Jena:Flektogon 2.8/20mm,4/25mm,2.4/35,2.8/65mm,4.5/4cm Tessar, 8/500mm Fernobjektiv
Pancolar 1.4/55mm,1.8/50mm,1.8/80mm,Tessar 2.8/50mm,Biotar 2/58mm,1.5/75mm,1.5/7,5cm
Carl Zeiss: Sonnar 2.8/135,2.8/180mm,Tessar 4/135mm
Nikon: 3.5/20mm,2.8/28mm,1.4/35mm,1.4/50mm,1.2/50mm,2/50mm,1.8/105mm,2.5/105mm,4/200mm macro,4.5/300mm
Pentax: Pentax 1.2/50mm,1.8/85mm,4/200mm
Helios: Helios-40 1.5/8,5cm,Helios-44-1 2/58mm,Helios-44-2 2/58mm
Olympus OM: 3.5/18mm,3.5/21mm,1.4/50mm,3.5/55mm macro,2.8/135mm,2/90mm macro,35-70mm,60-250mm
Meyer: 4.5/35mm Primagon,Primoplan 1.9/58mm,1.9/75mm,2.8/100mm,Orestegor 2.8/135mm,4.5/40 Helioplan
Leica: 4/100 Macro Elmar,2.8/90 Elmarit last version
Please visit my Ebay shop to support my reviews !

[ChrisLilley]

Big difference between 35 and 20, especially on a crop cam. I would certainly argue for something in the 28-40 range as well as a moderate wide.
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Camera (ˈkæ mə rə), n. Device for taking pictures in bright light
There are 10 kinds of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don’t. Key: Ai-P, Ai, Ais, Ai'ed, pre-Ai
Camera: Nikon D40, DK-21M eyepiece, ML-3 remote MF lenses: Nikkor 20mm f/4 non-AI | Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 AiS late model | Арсенал (Arsenal) Мир-24Н (Mir-24N) 35mm f/2 | Cosina Voigtländer Ultron SL II 40mm f/2.0 | Nikkor-S.C 50mm f/1.4 non-AI | Nikon 50mm f/1.8 E | Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 AiS | Vivitar Series 1 (Kiron) 70-210 f/3.5 | Zoom-Nikkor 80-200 f/4.5 Ai | Nikkor 135mm f/2.8, Ai'ed 1976 model | Арсенал (Arsenal) ТЕЛЕАР-Н (Telear-n) 200mm f/3.5 | Nikkor 300 mm f/4.5 Ai (full equipment list)

[Laurence]

In the past, up until getting into this forum, I've used just the lens that came with the Yashica Mat. Sometimes also, I would use the Pentax 645 and the 55mm Pentax A lens, and the Pentax A 75mm lens.

Now I have several M42 lenses to use with the Revueflex 3003 film camera and the K110D digital camera. However, I usually just take one lens with me, and have been sort of "switching" between wides and normals and zooms. Still trying to find out if I really need more than one lens at a time. With the one lens scenario, I find myself "zooming" with my feet!

I guess I'm so used to having just a single lens (such as in the Yashica Mat) that it feels comfortable (to me).
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Cameras in Use: Yashica Mat 124 w/ Yashinon 80/3.5, Revueflex 3003 w/ M42 lenses, Yashica Electro 35 w/ Yashinon 1.7, Voigtlander Bessa R w/ APO Lanthar 90/3.5, Contaflex 126 w/ Zeiss Pantar, Tessar, Sonnar, and Distagon

[glockman99]

I generally have my (compact) Tokina SX-Z 70-210mm f/4-5.6 lens on my Nikon F3HP, as that is my favorite lens. I also pack along my Nikon 43-86mm f/3.5 AI lens with my F3HP.

With my (black) Nikon FA, it's usually my Tokina RMC 35-105mm f/3.5-4.3 macro lens, along with my Vivitar Series 1 70-210 f/2.8-4 lens.
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Dann Fassnacht
Aberdeen, WA USA

glockman99@hotmail.com

The cameras I use are: Nikon F3HP with MD4, (black) FA with MD15, N90s with MB10...All 35mm film cameras.
The lenses I use are: Nikon, Tokina, & Sigma.

[LucisPictor]