Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!
SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

Choosing Between Your Standards...
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:17 pm    Post subject: Choosing Between Your Standards... Reply with quote
I was wondering what everyone does when they have to consolidate their lens bag down to only a few focal lengths. For a while I only had a couple of standards to 'deal' with so I could always take them all. But thanks to 'bug' I've acquired a few more. How does everyone decide? Does everyone opt for the all-purpose shooter (I mean if your subjects may be uncertain/unplanned)?

More specifically, I know many people in this forum own the Industar 3.5/50, the Helios 44-2 2/58 (or any of the Biotar derivatives), and the CZJ Tessar 2.8/50 preset chrome. Besides the obvious "available light factor" what would make you choose one over the other? Are their particular subjects that would offer an advantage/disadvantage to a lens from this list?

Thanks in advance
~Marc


PostPosted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
My choices are completely determined by the subjects that I am going to photograph and the environment I am going to work in.

So if I go to shoot live action in medium-to-low daylight, like it is the case with my Carnival series, I need a particular set of lenses. When I know I have more available light, I know I can use something different.

Knowing the environment is crucial. If you have already photographed in one place, you already know the focal lenghts that will work best from this or that shooting point. Often even a small difference can be crucial. Many times standing on one shooting point, I found that, say, a 100mm lens was a bad choice and a 85mm lens was perfect.

If you don't know the location, you need to take with you a wide and versatile arsenal of lenses, if you plan to shoot with primes. If you are a zoom shooter, you can avoid the problem by always taking with you two basic zooms plus 1-2 very fast primes for low light.

-


PostPosted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 12:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
At the moment I'm running a daily Tamron outfit, with the 28/2.5, SP28-80 and SP70-210.

Shortly, pending arrival of adapters, I'll be running something like this...
Viv 19mm
A 50/1.4 just in case it's needed.
Tam 28-80
Tam 70-210

This will be my basic kit to be added/subtracted to as needs and moods arise. I've decided to build around a Tamron kit as it will be utterly transferable to whatever make of body I buy next with no hassle.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 12:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
My choice is depend from planned subjects + at least one 50mm f1.4 + 200mm lens.

As usual I am going out with new lenses for testing to mflenses.com, sometimes not for testing just enjoy photography this is rare opportunity, my number one favorites are if no planned subjects.

Micro-Nikkor 200mm f4
Carl Zeiss Sonnar 135mm
etc.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 9:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I normally take ony one or two lenses. I don't need more. Laughing Wink

Orio wrote:
My choices are completely determined by the subjects that I am going to photograph and the environment I am going to work in.
...
Knowing the environment is crucial. If you have already photographed in one place, you already know the focal lenghts that will work best from this or that shooting point.
...
If you don't know the location, you need to take with you a wide and versatile arsenal of lenses, if you plan to shoot with primes...


I think Orio has hit the nail.

That is the main reason why I take so many lenses with me. Mostly I do not know where my "tour" is leading me, so I do not know what to expect.

Anyway, I still exaggerate and bring too many... Confused


PostPosted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
LucisPictor wrote:

I think Orio has hit the nail.
That is the main reason why I take so many lenses with me. Mostly I do not know where my "tour" is leading me, so I do not know what to expect.
Anyway, I still exaggerate and bring too many... Confused


Yes, you may need one 50mm lens, but you don't need 3 of them Twisted Evil Razz


PostPosted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
Yes, you may need one 50mm lens, but you don't need 3 of them Twisted Evil Razz


Only if you want to "testshoot" them. Razz


PostPosted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Marc wrote:
what would make you choose one over the other?

I am hobbyist and that's make things easy.
I don't have to bring back good shots so I choice lens more to try them.
Of course experiences count and some lens will stay home more often than others if they are inappropriate.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 11:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio is right (as usual) Very Happy

In my case, it depends on two things: the subject and the bag.

I take a bag and fit the camera and lenses until it's full. I take the lenses that I think are the most appropritate. If I am doing portraits, it will be a 85mm. If I am doing landscape, it will be a 20mm. For low light, fast lenses, etc.

I try to fit always a 50mm. If have little space, the tiny Industar goes in. Very Happy
Last time I had in my bag a Pentacon 2,8/29, a Jupiter 9 and a Sonnar 3,5/135. It was a BBQ party, so I did group portraits (Pentacon) and couples/single portraits (J9 or Sonnar) I didn't miss any lens. By the way, it was a film camera, so it was Full Frame. On a crop camera I would have chosen a 20mm, a 50mm and a 85mm.

If I had to choose just a few lenses and stick always with them, they would be a 28, a 50, a 85 and a 135. That makes 3 and a half lenses (the Industar 50-2 doesn't count as 1 Twisted Evil )


PostPosted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 12:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hmmm... 6 lenses is the least I bring down the number to.
Unless I really want to "test" myself and then I might only bring one, honestly!
Not very long ago, I have only brought the Elmarit 35 to a city walk, just to force me not to change lenses. Or remember the Zuiko-28-walk or the Voigtländer-55-walk...


PostPosted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 12:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I recently spent a week in San Diego and took only two primes with me - 20mm and 40mm. Mainly this was because the whole camera kit had to fit into what space remained in my laptop bag (single bag carry-on limitations) but also I wanted to try and do without the AF zoom (24-120).

I got some okay photos but also missed some good shots because my longest fl was 40mm. Birds and seals, mainly.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 1:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I only take with me 5-6 lenses when I go to events.
For everyday photography, it's never more than 1-2 lenses.

-


PostPosted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 2:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Unless I'm going somewhere specific I just choose a single lens on a whim and wander round with that.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 6:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
last week I had the yash ML 28 and 35mm Ziess 50 1.4 one of the 135mm usually the zebra pentacon and the Tamron 70-210 (now broken Crying or Very sad )


PostPosted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 6:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
hacksawbob wrote:
... the Tamron 70-210 (now broken Crying or Very sad )

What has happened? Shocked


PostPosted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 7:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Farside wrote:
At the moment I'm running a daily Tamron outfit, with the 28/2.5, SP28-80 and SP70-210.

Shortly, pending arrival of adapters, I'll be running something like this...
Viv 19mm
A 50/1.4 just in case it's needed.
Tam 28-80
Tam 70-210

This will be my basic kit to be added/subtracted to as needs and moods arise. I've decided to build around a Tamron kit as it will be utterly transferable to whatever make of body I buy next with no hassle.


OI relate to that - my adaptalls have served me well - some for nearly 20 years across different marques and from 35mm to digitakl. Without my 70-210 I'd feel naked!

Also must have either f2 50mm Pentax A or 1.4 Takumar and something for the 'wide' end which is actually 'normal' on the 1.5 crop factor K10D?


PostPosted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Quote:
What happened?
I was changing the f stop and I must have pushed in the tamron release button so the lens unscrewed and dropped on the floor... of chichester cathedral, I managed to get my foot out to deflect the fall but it still fell with quite a noise in the qiuet church. The Optics look fine but the aperture is stuck fully closed.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
hacksawbob wrote:
Quote:
What happened?
I was changing the f stop and I must have pushed in the tamron release button so the lens unscrewed and dropped on the floor... of chichester cathedral, I managed to get my foot out to deflect the fall but it still fell with quite a noise in the qiuet church. The Optics look fine but the aperture is stuck fully closed.

Oh no! I can imagine how that feels! Sad


PostPosted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 11:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
hacksawbob wrote:
Quote:
What happened?
I was changing the f stop and I must have pushed in the tamron release button so the lens unscrewed and dropped on the floor... of chichester cathedral, I managed to get my foot out to deflect the fall but it still fell with quite a noise in the qiuet church. The Optics look fine but the aperture is stuck fully closed.


Ouch! Dasafugger.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 7:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
hacksawbob wrote:
Quote:
What happened?
I was changing the f stop and I must have pushed in the tamron release button so the lens unscrewed and dropped on the floor... of chichester cathedral, I managed to get my foot out to deflect the fall but it still fell with quite a noise in the qiuet church. The Optics look fine but the aperture is stuck fully closed.


Sorry to hear that, Bob. If the optics seem ok, I would try to fix it myself. You've got nothing to loose.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 9:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
hacksawbob wrote:
so the lens dropped on the floor... , I managed to get my foot out to deflect the fall but it still fell with quite a noise


This sounds familiar Crying or Very sad


PostPosted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 10:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
hacksawbob wrote:
Quote:
What happened?
I was changing the f stop and I must have pushed in the tamron release button so the lens unscrewed and dropped on the floor... of chichester cathedral, I managed to get my foot out to deflect the fall but it still fell with quite a noise in the qiuet church. The Optics look fine but the aperture is stuck fully closed.


It's sickening, I feel for you. Stuck apertures sometimes free up when you tap them.


PostPosted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 6:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Depends on the camera....
With my Oly E-1 it would be the Oly 14-54.
Just being back from a short trip to Luxembourg I tried to do it sometimes with only 1 lens.
Best solution:Pentax A 2.0/35
2nd: 1.4/50 - depending on needs.... I got my new Zeiss Planar ZK 1.4/50 with me...
Sometimes I really like to take just the Zenith 2.8/16 with me... - some other day only my 3.5/135.

Smile Paul


PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 4:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
For trip tp UK (limited space) I took Nikon D200 and Canon 40D with nikkor 20/4, Voigtlander 90/3.5, sigma 15-30 and nikkor 35-70/2.8. All in nikon mounts. I knew I would be doing mainly city and building pictures. Weather was awful so picture taking was very limited anyway. I like the discipline of operating within focal limits and these seemed the most appropriate all-round lenses.


patrickh
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
Page 1 of 1