The conundrum of cameras and lenses

maddoc said:
I find it quite challenging to grab one camera + one lens, one or two rolls of film and trying to make the best out of my given choice. 🙂

EDIT: Choice of film is more challenging than choice of gear, IMO.
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Fortunatley Fuji and Kodak have been listening and are taking steps to aleviate that situation! 😛
 
Rance, It's a daily challenge as I generally need to choose between my seven Canons,each with personalty all its own. Then there's the lens selection 6 or seven-no eight 50's, 4 35mm's ,a Soviet 85mm and then the Canon 135mm. - -- --- or the Bessa R! I do try to only change the lens on a body after a roll is changed. When I look at the collection I sometimes think "maybe I should have heeded that advice I read years ago", ONE CAMERA ONE LENS" , NAhhhha
 
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Paolo Bonello said:
What do you do?

I mean - you have more than one camera body and lens. Most likely different brands or at the very least, different specs.
So you need to choose a camera and lens/s for an afternoon outing and you're faced with a conundrum every single time you pack your bag.

So what conundrum do you face constantly?

For me it's my OM2n or 2s vs the Yashica GX or CC or GT or GSN for a leisurely afternoon photowalk. Even when I have decided which body (Oly or Yashica) I still have to pair down to which model. I don't carry both because the second body I carry is normally one of my P&S cameras, of which I'm faced with yet another conundrum, the Tiara, the Klasse, or the Nikon AF. I will admit I tend to know which P&S I want rather easily but even so I find it almost impossible to leave the klasse at home because it's my best P&S.

Don't even get me started on lenses for the Oly's. I also don't like carrying a lot of gear, filters, tripods or different lenses but I own a fair selection of each.

Just seems whenever I go to walk out the door I nearly break into a cold sweat for the pending decisions. OK, that's exaggerating but nonetheless I really think I'm going to have to sit down and think it through seriously once and for all and draw the line or write my own guide about which cameras and lenses I prefer using for what situations and possibly even let some gear go - for my own peace of mind. I think I buy gear for peace of mind that I will be prepared for anything but the conundrum imposed by all this gear is having the reverse effect. Ironic!

So tell us your conundrum? It would be good to hear that I'm not alone.
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I'm really going for simplicity myself. I have gone through the equivalent of GAS (which I assume means Gear Acquisition Syndrome) with fountain pens and watches and ultimately ended up selling almost all of both, and I thought I'd just go right to the endpoint with cameras if I possibly could (although I suspect it may be a losing battle.) Anyhow, right now I have four rangefinders: a Canonet, a Yashica, an M3 and an M6, and two M mount lenses (Voigtlander 40/1.4 and a Summicron 50/2.) I'm really trying to be austere about it so mostly I just take out the M6 with the 50, on the theory I'm better off making using the camera as intuitive and instinctive as possible. I feel like it makes it easier to concentrate on the picture if the user interface is as transparent as possible, as my IT friends would put it.

There are probably shots I miss due to the liimitations of the M6/50mm lens/400 film formula but they're mostly low light shots where the NEX-5 with a fast 50mm prime I have is a better choice anyway. There is something very refreshing for me, after lugging around a heavy DSLR and lenses for years, about the one camera, one lens path.

Jack
 
FrankS said:
I view this choice as a pleasant, positive thing.
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I concur. Being that i always have one camera on me (at least, counting the Able iPhone) I still subscribe to two theories:

1: "A Camera is an instrument that teaches people to see without a camera" - Dorothea Lange

-and-

2: The best camera is the one you have on you.

Two+ rangefinder Oly's, a Pen F Gothic, Konica Auto R, Bessa R, Yashica 24, Nikon FM2, Canonets, Electro 35's (3 working, 5 awaiting repairs)...I even love the Bencini Koroll 120, it's pocket-sized and dreamy-soft on the celluloid, so to speak...choose away, even Leica M, there's a reason I own them.
 
JackForster said:
There are probably shots I miss due to the limitations of the M6/50mm lens/400 film formula . . .
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I don't know, Jack. I hear that a lot but don't think about it much personally. Creativity comes from limits after all, and field of view is a good one I think. You have a "normal" lens there, so you're pretty much ready for anything. You can probably get the shot.

Film is challenging though as there is only so much sensitivity there and you're kind of stuck with your iso unless you're carrying an extra camera, which, um, you seem to have. 😛 I'm rarely frustrated by the lens choice, but sometimes I kick myself for the wrong film. I'm going out tomorrow morning and there is still a half roll of Delta 3200 in there, so I'm going to finish it but it's really not the best choice for where I'll be.

No stress. 😀

Jeff
 
jawarden said:
I don't know, Jack. I hear that a lot but don't think about it much personally. Creativity comes from limits after all, and field of view is a good one I think. You have a "normal" lens there, so you're pretty much ready for anything. You can probably get the shot.

Film is challenging though as there is only so much sensitivity there and you're kind of stuck with your iso unless you're carrying an extra camera, which, um, you seem to have. 😛 I'm rarely frustrated by the lens choice, but sometimes I kick myself for the wrong film. I'm going out tomorrow morning and there is still a half roll of Delta 3200 in there, so I'm going to finish it but it's really not the best choice for where I'll be.

No stress. 😀

Jeff
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Haha best intentions aside the cameras do seem to be proliferating 😉 in my own defense I should say that three of them are my wife's from her college days. Nice ones too. I think you are right; it's more a film than a lens issue for me right now as I am pretty happy with a 50mm focal length. I have noticed that it is also much less expensive to buy faster film than a faster lens 😀 . Ilford 3200 is a bit grainy but I really don't mind and it does open up the night a bit.

Jack
 
Hello all. Interesting thread indeed. Carrying loads of gear has always been an issue for me, well at least once I started making a living from photography.
Starting out with a tiny ME Super was fine, but little was I to realise that whilst in the store, I somehow became infected with gear acquisition syndrome.
Anyhow, after buying and selling a number of cameras during my amatuer phase, once I started shooting professionally I eventually settled on two Hasselblads and two Canon Eos 1 film cameras. With lenses this was a lot of gear. Enter the digital Era... Once again lots of purchases (all Canon), the final setup consisting of Canon 1Ds3, 1D3 and 6 L's. No Blads... load halved.
Now, having just closed down my studio which I operated for the last 12 years I made the decision to dump most of it.... just sick of the bulk. I kept the 1D3 and 24-105. 100mm macro and that is all. However....... I did add:
Leica M6 Millenium
Leica M9
24 2.8
35 2.0
50 2.0
75 2.0.
Only time I use the Canon is if I get the odd job. The Leica gear fits into a tiny Artisan & Artist bag and I can easily take it everywhere. Love the Leicas and they weigh nothing. Back to basics 😀
 
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All that stuff(gear)!

All that stuff(gear)!

Paolo Bonello said:
What do you do?

I mean - you have more than one camera body and lens. Most likely different brands or at the very least, different specs.
So you need to choose a camera and lens/s for an afternoon outing and you're faced with a conundrum every single time you pack your bag.

So what conundrum do you face constantly?

For me it's my OM2n or 2s vs the Yashica GX or CC or GT or GSN for a leisurely afternoon photowalk. Even when I have decided which body (Oly or Yashica) I still have to pair down to which model. I don't carry both because the second body I carry is normally one of my P&S cameras, of which I'm faced with yet another conundrum, the Tiara, the Klasse, or the Nikon AF. I will admit I tend to know which P&S I want rather easily but even so I find it almost impossible to leave the klasse at home because it's my best P&S.

Don't even get me started on lenses for the Oly's. I also don't like carrying a lot of gear, filters, tripods or different lenses but I own a fair selection of each.

Just seems whenever I go to walk out the door I nearly break into a cold sweat for the pending decisions. OK, that's exaggerating but nonetheless I really think I'm going to have to sit down and think it through seriously once and for all and draw the line or write my own guide about which cameras and lenses I prefer using for what situations and possibly even let some gear go - for my own peace of mind. I think I buy gear for peace of mind that I will be prepared for anything but the conundrum imposed by all this gear is having the reverse effect. Ironic!

So tell us your conundrum? It would be good to hear that I'm not alone.
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Paolo, After having many outings ruined by painful shoulders and finally facing the fact that my wife had no desire(Bless her heart) to be my camera bag porter, I have now adopted a strategy. I now carry one camera+lens and sometimes a small fit in the pocket RF backup. I have found that I never change a lens when "out" and if I did the "moment" would have past. But hey!!! maybe your shoulders are stronger than mine or your significant other doesn't only wants to carry their OWN gear. Learning what to or not to take is a learning process for each of us. Have fun, use film, do the best you can . Red
 
Choosing a camera and lens combination has never been confusing, difficult or a funny riddle, much less a constant.

The only time (and hence not constant) it's difficult, is when I go on a trip or vacation, and trust me, that is never funny. Confusing, yes, but not constantly.
 
It gets confusing because I have a lot of gear competing for my quite limited time behind the lens but It is getting easier since starting this thread. I have begun looking at my cameras and lenses and asking myself 'what does it do particularly well? and the inverse of that question. With this rather simplied categorization of my equipment the 'decision lock' is getting easier to overcome. Having said that, indecisiveness creeps in again when I am unfamiliar with a lens or camera. Like a new purchase of old equipment.
My goal now is to get more familiar with what I have and stop aquiring more camera bodies with the intent to use them. Fine if it's just a collection piece but not another camera competing for my time.
 
I'm too old to carry lots of gear. Besides, lots of gear means choosing which camn mean missing shots. I just spent time in Paris using only a Bessa R4A, 25mm f/4 Colour Skopar and Tri-X. I did use the Hasselblad but could not walk far to get some shots and it was just one occasion.
 
My problem is wanting to use what I already have as well as what I might have recently bought.

I started with just one digital camera that went absolutely everywhere with me. I loved being able to use it for everything, but it had limitations that I could only solve with more capable cameras.

I eventually found myself carrying four compact cameras on a trip overseas. That was just silly.

For about a year I tried to work with a digital compact (Canon G7), a rangefinder (Zeiss Ikon), and a DSLR (Canon 30D). At first I only carried the G7, but missed the image quality of film. So the Ikon came along every day, and the 30D stayed at home unless I was taking 'serious' pictures.

But one fateful night my girlfriend of the time whispered to me, 'do you want to get your camera?' And I'll be damned, I did not have my 30D and 30/1.4L to take advantage of the candlelight and endless possibilities, only my Canon G7. I was so disappointed. So the 30D started to come with me everywhere, too, just in case the whisper came again.

Then the bag got too heavy.

DSLR and two lenses, two or even three compact digitals, maybe a film compact thrown in there. Way too heavy. Buy a 5D Mark II and use that with just one lens, and I'm happy for a while. Then another compact comes along. And another. Bag starts to get heavy again.

Buy a M9, DSLR stays at home and the bag is so much lighter. M9 and three lenses. No, make that three lenses AND one on the body. And a couple of compacts. Bag is heavy, choices are harder to make due to variety.

Buy a Ricoh GXR, the M9 starts to stay at home, and the bag is light again. Get a M-mount module, more lenses start to ride along, too. Bag gets heavier again.

Now I'm toting a Fuji X10 and either a GXR or M9. I know that I have to have a digital compact like the Ricoh GRD III, which can go in a pocket and not even be noticed. But even a vaguely heavy bag is beginning to annoy me now. Today it was the Fuji X10 and the M9 and 50mm Summicron. That was it.

There are days when I think back to using only one digital camera with a small zoom range. No need to change lenses; able to do landscapes, portraits, macros and movies all in something that fits in my pocket. The problem is that now, nothing does all of that and gives me the image quality and shallower depth of field I want. As cool as the X10 is, it is not DSLR quality. Not by a long shot. And so it goes.

I will simplify as much as I can without compromising flexibility or image quality. But that is darn hard for me to do.
 
Archiver said:
There are days when I think back to using only one digital camera with a small zoom range.
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That's right. I'm on film, but solution for carry-around camera is same - 24/28-56mm zoom. No control over speeds or aperture in case with film camera (no problem on digital) but it's my range of focal lengths, my size and weight.

I can take a bag with lenses and tomato masher flash when I know I will need them, but obviously it's not daily package.
 
well for me, I carry 2 M's, leave one at home, 4 lenses, all in a very small Artisan & Artist bag.. very managable.
Compared to the days of carrying around a truckload of Hasselblads and 35 mm as I used to..... this is nothing.

I weighed my 1D MK3 and 24-105 and the two M's with lenses attached. The Canon weighed more than the combined Leica set up.
 
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