Cutting down

[Bill Pierce]

At one time the rangefinder was main tool of the photojournalist. Long lenses went on to reflex housings which in turn went on to rangefinder bodies. Close up and macro lenses went on to bellows which went on to reflex housings which in turn went on to rangefinder bodies.

Today that basic news tool is a DSLR. 2 bodies, 2 zooms and you have the basic news kit. The rangefinder has become the small, always with you, only rarely left behind, personal camera for a lot of us. And that means that regardless of the fact that you own a several bodies, lot of lenses, meters galore, flash units, table top tripods, e.t.c.. you only carry one camera with a lens over your shoulder and perhaps another lens or misc. gadget in your pocket.

For me that means an M8 with either a 35/1.2 Nokton or a 35/2.5 Skopar. What's in my pocket depends on my mood that day. Sometimes it's an incident meter. Sometimes it's another lens somewhere between 28 & 75mm (or the 28-35-50 Tri Elmar). Maybe it's an old Vivitar 283.

Sometimes I feel strangely uncomfortable not carrying a big bag of gear. Force of habit, I guess. But the amazing thing is that the personal pictures haven't gotten any worse for these equipment limitations. And the personal pics are still often more interesting than the "professional" pictures.

Anybody else cutting down? And, if so, what's the main lens? And maybe you can solve a mystery that still baffles me. What's the best thing to have in your pocket?

Bill

 

[back alley]

can't honestly say that i am cutting down but i do often head out with one lens, used to be a 35 but lately the 25 seems to be the lens of choice.

best thing in my pocket? dog treats!

joe

 

[lkgroup]

I'm trying to cut down, this year I met my new years resolution for 2007 of selling more cameras than I bought.

I although i did buy several new to me cameras I think my total was 11 more cameras sold then bought. But the problem is the few cameras I bought cost more than the 15 I sold.

Is that cutting back?

leo

 

[photobizzz]

I just recently took the step into rangefinders and being an eternal "boy" in a man's body makes me want all the toys. I do have that DSLR kit, and I think it has it's place but when I came back to Iraq from R&R I left it at home. I am in the process of paring down my kit, and while I cannot afford a Leica body, I have switched to a Bessa R3A and am in the process of minimizing the lenses I have. Hopefull I will end up with a 90/75/50/40/21 setup. I may actually cut out the 75 I have to simplify even more. I really enjoy not having to carry a backpack to tote my equipment around. Eventually everything will fit in the little Naneu Pro Lima bag I have.

 

[suckerpunch]

this year i sold my cl, my m3, and my m6.
i now only have a mp w/35mm cron, and 90 tele elmarit that goes with me everywhere.

and the best thing in your pocket is $$$$ from the sale of the less used cameras...

 

[projectbluebird]

I hate carrying around a bag full of lenses and accessories. I started shooting with only one lens, because that's all I could afford. These days I have several lenses, but I find that I usually leave the house with a 50 on my M3. The summilux, if I need the speed, or the summicron if I don't.

I try to keep my pocket full of film. Sometimes I'll throw in a roll of something I don't use very often, just to keep things interesting.

 

[photogdave]

I bought more gear last year to cut down. I like to have a camera with me when I walk to work but I also have to carry my lunch, book, wallet etc. So I bought a CL with the 40mm Summicron to minimize space. I also picked up a Horizont swing lens pano camera because it fits in my jacket pocket and is cheaper than renting an XPan every time I want to shoot panos.
When I go out to really shoot I choose a lens I want to work with and put it on the camera and go. Sometimes I will carry my Domke with a different lens and a meter in it, and my Stylus Epic with color film.

 

[visiondr]

I only have two lenses and only want three (a very wide or a faster 50). I really like traveling light; M4, 50 Elmar-M, 35 Biogon ZM. Frequently I carry only one lens on the body and that's all. It's liberating in a strange sort of way. Think EF Schumacher: "Small is Beautiful". It FORCES you to see with the lens you have. That means better pictures for me.

 

[nikon_sam]

Right now I'm not looking for another body, format or type of camera...I'll be happy if I find a wide angle for the Mamiya m645 (the only item on my list of things to get this year) I'm having so much fun with this camera shooting some Neopan 400 and printing...
I need to scale down on some of the gear I have that I know I will no longer be using...these are mostly cameras I bought and used for many years, some were given to me, a few were bought because the price was right...
I do tend to carry more than enough equipment and have to force myself to scale it down BUT even having said that I can be happy with just my Nikon F2a and a 50mm mounted on it...
As long as you have a camera you can take a picture...
If I happen to have my normal shooting gear on me I can put a body, lens and flash (if needed) together to get the exact shot I have envisioned...IF I'm just carrying one body/one lens I have to adjust my shot to my equipment BUT I will walk away with something that works...
The best thing I can have in my pocket is another roll of film...

 

[Ororaro]

I cut down because I was sick of having this huge camera and being able to shoot 4000 images in one single 30 minutes outing. What a waste of talent and vision those DSLRs are.

In my pocket? Probably a roll of film.

 

[Welsh_Italian]

My problem is that in cutting down, I end up with more equipment! :bang:

One of my favourite "go anywhere" cameras has to be my Olympus XA-2 but it's not the fastest lens (3.5). So I bought an old Olympus Trip 35 with a 2.8 lens which is really nice.

But then sometimes I want a faster lens and more flexibility which means I take my Fed 2 with J-3 and J-12 lenses. But then I miss being able to process the pictures as soon as I get home so my digital comes out. Of course, I need a range of lenses which means taking everything with me, and I throw in the tripod in case I come across a great scene that really needs to be taken carefully.

But then I also throw in another camera like my old Fed with B&W film because it's fun to use and might just get a picture with a quality that I can't get with the DSLR.

But while walking around with this stuff, I start thinking, "wouldn't it be nice if I had just brought my XA-2"...

There really is no winning unless someone comes up with a film-based DSLR with a range of interchangeable lenses that all fit into a matchbox. Oh, and has an integrated tripod that folds up into the size of a sugar cube. And can also switch between medium and 35mm format (and maybe large format at a push).
:bang:

 

[jpiseminger]

About 1989 I read an article in PopPhotog about how great the 50mm lens is and how much you can do with it. I've kept that article and reread it often. So to keep things simple I like to head out with one body (sorry, guys, but it's usually a basic SLR) and a 50 in some form: 50 straight, or sometimes a 24-70 zoom. The discipline of working with one lens or just one focal length seems to give my picture making a boost.

Best thing to have in your pocket? Enough change to put in the parking meter!

 

[mfunnell]

What's the best thing to have in your pocket?

Bill

Film 😀 (I know, not really applicable in your circumstance.)

My standard RF kit fits in a small pouch and has a 2nd focal-length lens+hood, brush, lens cloth, 0.6x ND filter (or two), spare batteries and film. It fits on a belt and isn't too bulky. That's if the camera is in the hand. Sometimes I take a larger over-shoulder pouch which fits camera and main lens as well as the other stuff.

And sometimes its just the M3 with Elmar M 50/2.8 (and VC II meter), with spare film in pocket.

...Mike

 

[jack palmer]

In the last few years I've sold everything , my Pentax and Nikon gear and now have only an MP, 50mm Summicron and 90mm Elmarit-M. The only other lenses that I'd like to acquire is a 35 and 24mm.

 

[Gid]

Most of the time its an M8 or RD1 with a 35 - either 35 skopar or 35 UC Hexanon. Rarely take more than one camera or lens. In my pocket - spare battery and memory card.

 

[Rapscallion]

Carrying around a full kit is losing its appeal, unless I have a specific job in mind. Lately, it's been a RF camera with a 35mm 2.8 lens.

 

[oscroft]

I do have quite a lot of gear, but I'm another of those who usually go out with just one camera (usually with something between a 28 and 50 attached), and sometimes a second lens (somewhere between 21 and 75) in my pocket.

The other thing that's always in my pocket is a warm hat.

 

[Mike Ip]

I suppose I am cutting down. I stopped using my Noctilux in favor of a Summicron. Does that count? The summicron is easily 1/3rd the weight of the noctilux.

 

[oscroft]

One of my favourite "go anywhere" cameras has to be my Olympus XA-2 but it's not the fastest lens (3.5).

Whenever I'm out not taking photos, I usually have my XA or XA4 in a bag or pocket. The 35/2.8 on the XA is an excellent lens, but I also love the 28mm on the XA4 - it can be quite hard to decide which one to take 🙂

 

[BillBingham2]

I cut back years ago to a M6, 21/35/90 kit from the BIG-BAG-O-SLRS.

Today my RF kits are either a M4-P 15/40/105 or a S3-2000 25/35/50/105. Flash wise I still love the old 192/292 for size and power, always hand held off camera. With the exception of a Nikonos III and F2 Photomic, I'm selling off almost everything else hoping by mid year to be back on my feet enough to by a D300 for a 24/50/180 kit.

My everywhere Bessa L/25 combo has been replace by a Ricoh GRD. That's what's in my pocket everywhere these days. Great continuation of a wonderful line of cameras. It's sooooo small and the lens is VERY GOOD. Takes AAA batteries if I forget to charge her at night. I'm learning to use the controls to take the shots I want to. I think I will be there in another month or two.

B2 (;->