I hate big lenses...

kkdanamatt

kkdanamatt

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...well, not really. But when I'm about to hit the streets, here's what I take with me:
  1. 21/4 Skopar (tiny screw-in lens shade)
  2. 25/3.5 Canon (very deep-set, no lens shade needed)
  3. 35/1.8 Canon (rather deep-set, so no lens shade for me)
  4. 40/2 Summicron (thin, collapsible rubber shade is ideal)
The R-D1 and the CL bodies complete the outfit.

I always have a 28mm C/V finder on board for approximate framing of the 21 on the R-D1 and the 25 on the CL. The framing is not perfect, but it works well enough for my style of street shooting (I wear glasses).

All of this equipment was bought here on RFF during the last couple of years.

The 21/2.8 Elmarit, 50/1.4 Summilux, and 90/4 Elmar-C complete the kit, but they get used mostly indoors. Pictured next to these "Big Guns" is the tiny 25mm Canon lens, for size comparison.

I highly recommend using small lenses on the street, as they attract little attention and are a delight to carry, even all day.
 
if that were my set

if that were my set

I'd trade in the last 3 for a good clean Canon 28/2.8 lens.

kkdanamatt said:
...well, not really. But when I'm about to hit the streets, here's what I take with me:
  1. 21/4 Skopar (tiny screw-in lens shade)
  2. 25/3.5 Canon (very deep-set, no lens shade needed)
  3. 35/1.8 Canon (rather deep-set, so no lens shade for me)
  4. 40/2 Summicron (thin, collapsible rubber shade is ideal)
The R-D1 and the CL bodies complete the outfit.

I always have a 28mm C/V finder on board for approximate framing of the 21 on the R-D1 and the 25 on the CL. The framing is not perfect, but it works well enough for my style of street shooting (I wear glasses).

All of this equipment was bought here on RFF during the last couple of years.

The 21/2.8 Elmarit, 50/1.4 Summilux, and 90/4 Elmar-C complete the kit, but they get used mostly indoors. Pictured next to these "Big Guns" is the tiny 25mm Canon lens, for size comparison.

I highly recommend using small lenses on the street, as they attract little attention and are a delight to carry, even all day.
Click to expand...
 
My Leicas NEVER get noticed. Try go out with a Nikon RF camera... then you'll see all the wannabe photographers creeping out of the woodwork wherever you go! 🙂

I mean... if the size of your lenses is what gets people's attention, I disagree. My Nikon lens is rather small.
 
I go by the formula of doubling the focal length with each lens. 15mm, 28mm, 50mm, 105mm.
OR
15mm, 21mm, 35mm, 105mm.

Those middle two are the ones I shoot most. If I take two bodies, one is an M8, one is an M4. Then I leave the 15mm at home. This just keeps the weight farther down instead of having a few lenses with focal lengths close together. Then I get into the conundrum of "which 35 do I take? Which 50 do I take?" But life could certainly be worse.

Phil Forrest
 
people probably mix M-body similar sized entry level SLR with kit zoom. and nothing wrong with that 🙂

I take M8 with 15, 28 and 75 on travel.
 
I hate big lenses too...

I get paranoid that people are thinking that I'm compensating for "something" 😉
 
I don't really like how big lenses look on a camera, but I've got to admit that the can-of-soup-sized Zuiko 12-60 SWD is one of the most convenient and best-performing lenses that I've ever used. It's just astonishingly competent and versatile. Super-fast and silent focus, splashproof, 24-120 equivalent, doesn't vignette much, almost no geometrical distortion from 30 eq. up. Wide-open, it delivers Nyquist-limited MTFs nearly to the corners over the 30-70mm FL range, and it's still darned good at smaller and bigger FL. And, on an Olympus body, you get 2-4 stops of usable IS, across the board.

The E-620 + 12-60 weighs about the same as an M6 + 35 Summilux ASPH. It certainly seems bigger in use, but the capabilities of this setup more than justify its mass and volume.

On the M, though, the diminutive ZM Biogon-C 35/2.8 is one of my favorite-ever optics, the 50 Heliar collapsible seems more appealing by the day, and I'm very close to springing for a C-V 15mm because of its truly awesome size:capability ratio.

Tiny is definitely good, but it's only one of many important parameters. Generally, I'm carrying the M6 with a small lens and B+W film because of the looser style that this setup encourages.
 
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I hate big camera's, at least big 35mm cameras! I know you're speaking of rf lenses but as for a love/hate relationship I always hated the EOS Canon's made during the 90's. I love my retro looking AE-1p & Pentax spotmatic. & speaking of big lenses here is a blast from the past! A Spiratone 400mm on my AE-1 program.
4764700489_8b0603ab92.jpg
 
I thoroughly enjoy my 400mm F5 Telyt on my M's. And also the 280mm Telyt, the 200mm Telyt, the 135mm Elmarit, and even the 90mm F2 V1 Summicron.

All are quite useful. 🙂
 
kkdanamatt said:
...well, not really. But when I'm about to hit the streets, here's what I take with me:
  1. 21/4 Skopar (tiny screw-in lens shade)
  2. 25/3.5 Canon (very deep-set, no lens shade needed)
  3. 35/1.8 Canon (rather deep-set, so no lens shade for me)
  4. 40/2 Summicron (thin, collapsible rubber shade is ideal)
The R-D1 and the CL bodies complete the outfit.

I always have a 28mm C/V finder on board for approximate framing of the 21 on the R-D1 and the 25 on the CL. The framing is not perfect, but it works well enough for my style of street shooting (I wear glasses).

All of this equipment was bought here on RFF during the last couple of years.

The 21/2.8 Elmarit, 50/1.4 Summilux, and 90/4 Elmar-C complete the kit, but they get used mostly indoors. Pictured next to these "Big Guns" is the tiny 25mm Canon lens, for size comparison.

I highly recommend using small lenses on the street, as they attract little attention and are a delight to carry, even all day.
Click to expand...

I also dislike big lenses for street work and I am currently using either my 40mm CLE Rokkor F2 or my Elmar 2.8.

Having said that I also dislike carrying more than one lens as it enables for a more seamless rapid transition in between shots. If you look at the history of agencies like Magnum you will find that most members who approach street work will favor only one or maybe two lens at the most. So, I agree with you to a point.

I think that it is not necessary to carry both a 21/25 and a 35/40. When you look at those pairings they are too close to one another in focal length. I would suggest perhaps dropping one lens from each group, because by the time you have figured out which of your four lens that you intend to use the shot will have disappeared. If you keep things more simple then it will enable you to concentrate on the shot or alternatively 'potential' shot. If you use your feet you will find that a 35 can quickly become a 40 if you move closer.

Anyway, I hope this helps.
 
gb hill said:
I hate big camera's, at least big 35mm cameras! I know you're speaking of rf lenses but as for a love/hate relationship I always hated the EOS Canon's made during the 90's. I love my retro looking AE-1p & Pentax spotmatic. & speaking of big lenses here is a blast from the past! A Spiratone 400mm on my AE-1 program.
4764700489_8b0603ab92.jpg
Click to expand...

Ah, Spiratone. I still have and use my Spiratone 18mm lens I bought about 1975. I also have a Soligor 400mm of the ilk you showed. Size has put me off zooms above 150mm. Even the 80-200mm Vivtar TX.

But size, in RF? Try the Mamiya Super Press/Universal 50mm or worse, 250mm. That 250mm needs two men and a boy to carry. No tripod worthy; Rent-a-crane is a telephone number I keep handy.
 
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