Frida
Established
I always enjoy hearing these kinds of stories. I almost never used anything but a 35 on my D700 when shooting weddings last year. Did the job just fine.
Do any of you have only one camera by choice?
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I always enjoy hearing these kinds of stories. I almost never used anything but a 35 on my D700 when shooting weddings last year. Did the job just fine.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
Hell no. Why would I be dumb enough to limit what I can do like that?
Moto-Uno
Moto-Uno
Could you imagine if this was all that was on the menu?
I guess if we all came back as lemmings........
Regards,Peter
I guess if we all came back as lemmings........
Regards,Peter
Rodchenko
Olympian
I was going to post something which is related, but tangential to this, so I'll save that.
Like many here, I suffer from GAS. Back in the day, I had two SLRs, two FSU rangefinders, at least one Minox, and always a medium format or something quirky like a Werra. I come from an engineering background, so I love good mechanical design. And I love to 'play' with cameras even when they have no film in. I want to know the cameras very closely so I don't have to stop and think while shooting. That is more difficult with the extensive menus on digital cameras, but I suppose it can still be done, though I have to think about how to get to the effect I'm after.
It's important to get to know your machine closely in order to get better results. That said, I had a partner who was an artist, and barely had an idea how her camera worked, but got fabulous results. She just had a brilliant eye.
For someone starting out, it's a good idea to stick to one camera so there are fewer variables to allow for in getting to understand the medium. But then I think it's important to try lots of different cameras to see what suits you, so having a variety in the bag (they're no use on the shelf) is a good idea, as you can portray the same scene in different ways.
Having said that, there's a value in slimming down and focusing again, once you know what suits. I think I could ne happy if I had to just use my 35SP forever on. It'd be a shame, but it pushes my buttons for aesthetics, rf, size, lens speed and focal length etc. It can't do macro, which I'd miss. And, of course, there's no telephoto, which is a shame, but not the end of the world. I have an SLR for both of those conditions, and that stays in its bag a lot of the time. If that were my only camera, the bulk (and it's only an OM, so relatively small), I think I'd be going out without a film camera sometimes, which would never do. After all, the best camera for any scene is the one you've got in your hand. The one at home in a drawer's going to do no good at all
I wish I had the discipline to use just one camera, but I don't. To be fair, that's not just my choosing, since, with a new baby, I feel a (joyful) obligation to do the documenting, though I've never been great at family photos, nor people generally. But maybe I can take one camera for a month at a time and see how i get on. After all, the $40 challenge cameras (see? I can't even stick to one for that!) are getting a lot of clicks right now.
One camera, one lens? Sure, if that's what suits you. It leads to a close knowledge of your kit and an understanding of the limits and how you can push those in creative ways. I admire anyone who produces more than snapshots with just one body. But it's not quite for me. Not just yet.
Like many here, I suffer from GAS. Back in the day, I had two SLRs, two FSU rangefinders, at least one Minox, and always a medium format or something quirky like a Werra. I come from an engineering background, so I love good mechanical design. And I love to 'play' with cameras even when they have no film in. I want to know the cameras very closely so I don't have to stop and think while shooting. That is more difficult with the extensive menus on digital cameras, but I suppose it can still be done, though I have to think about how to get to the effect I'm after.
It's important to get to know your machine closely in order to get better results. That said, I had a partner who was an artist, and barely had an idea how her camera worked, but got fabulous results. She just had a brilliant eye.
For someone starting out, it's a good idea to stick to one camera so there are fewer variables to allow for in getting to understand the medium. But then I think it's important to try lots of different cameras to see what suits you, so having a variety in the bag (they're no use on the shelf) is a good idea, as you can portray the same scene in different ways.
Having said that, there's a value in slimming down and focusing again, once you know what suits. I think I could ne happy if I had to just use my 35SP forever on. It'd be a shame, but it pushes my buttons for aesthetics, rf, size, lens speed and focal length etc. It can't do macro, which I'd miss. And, of course, there's no telephoto, which is a shame, but not the end of the world. I have an SLR for both of those conditions, and that stays in its bag a lot of the time. If that were my only camera, the bulk (and it's only an OM, so relatively small), I think I'd be going out without a film camera sometimes, which would never do. After all, the best camera for any scene is the one you've got in your hand. The one at home in a drawer's going to do no good at all
I wish I had the discipline to use just one camera, but I don't. To be fair, that's not just my choosing, since, with a new baby, I feel a (joyful) obligation to do the documenting, though I've never been great at family photos, nor people generally. But maybe I can take one camera for a month at a time and see how i get on. After all, the $40 challenge cameras (see? I can't even stick to one for that!) are getting a lot of clicks right now.
One camera, one lens? Sure, if that's what suits you. It leads to a close knowledge of your kit and an understanding of the limits and how you can push those in creative ways. I admire anyone who produces more than snapshots with just one body. But it's not quite for me. Not just yet.
Rodchenko
Olympian
I should mention that, just as, with my bikes, I dream of having (and almost had, in my Orbit Silver Medal) one bike which can go on tour, keep up with the fastest on the commute, do the shopping, manage day rides, tow the baby trailer etc, so I have a quest for the camera which will do everything for me. Years back, I used to daydream of a Minox with a crf and a 24x32mm image size. Never happened; never would. But daydreaming harms no one.
mdarnton
Well-known
I tend to stick with one body and two lenses, a 50 and some sort of wide W/A (usually 21/24mm), which doesn't get much use. I never even bother to carry anything longer, or more, even on trips.
I get in a "seeing" groove that way, and don't need the camera in front of me to frame and stalk the picture, and the results, for me, are a lot better that way. I usually only put on the 21mm when I'm trying to think myself out of a box in a situation by forcing myself over to a different point of view. HCB is basically my model, in a lot of respects (not cropping, too), even though I'm not a street shooter.
When I want to carry even less, it's often just a 35mm on the camera. Though that's not my favorite viewpoint, I can make it work. I never got along with zooms, either--too many choices. My favorite body is the cheapest one that's in the most miserable condition, so that I don't have to worry about it. In recent years I've been carrying a Nikon FG with a broken wind lever quite a bit. This isn't about being cheap--I have six other mint FGs in the vault at work, and between my Nikons and Leicas I have ten 50mm lenses. GAS has a place in my life, but not for taking pictures. 🙂 But since I carry a camera everywhere, 100% of the time, I pick the one I'd miss the least.
I keep my work photography in a separate box, and for that it's mostly a digital Nikon and macro lens, though my most recent cell phone does great macros, so it gets used more than the Nikon these days.
I see a lot of photos where I think peoples' results would be helped and tightened up a bit by some limitations and discipline.
I get in a "seeing" groove that way, and don't need the camera in front of me to frame and stalk the picture, and the results, for me, are a lot better that way. I usually only put on the 21mm when I'm trying to think myself out of a box in a situation by forcing myself over to a different point of view. HCB is basically my model, in a lot of respects (not cropping, too), even though I'm not a street shooter.
When I want to carry even less, it's often just a 35mm on the camera. Though that's not my favorite viewpoint, I can make it work. I never got along with zooms, either--too many choices. My favorite body is the cheapest one that's in the most miserable condition, so that I don't have to worry about it. In recent years I've been carrying a Nikon FG with a broken wind lever quite a bit. This isn't about being cheap--I have six other mint FGs in the vault at work, and between my Nikons and Leicas I have ten 50mm lenses. GAS has a place in my life, but not for taking pictures. 🙂 But since I carry a camera everywhere, 100% of the time, I pick the one I'd miss the least.
I keep my work photography in a separate box, and for that it's mostly a digital Nikon and macro lens, though my most recent cell phone does great macros, so it gets used more than the Nikon these days.
I see a lot of photos where I think peoples' results would be helped and tightened up a bit by some limitations and discipline.
Frida
Established
I've had up to three bikes at once. I currently have one and am happiest with that. However, I'd prefer a different bike as my only one (a flat bar road bike) instead of my road bike. I used to have a flat bar road bike, but it was stolen, and I haven't opted to replace it since. Maybe someday...
