FrankS
Registered User
I'm not ususally a one camera/one lens guy. I feel better prepared if there are at leastr 2 or 3 cameras in my bag. I've got several different kinds of camera kits that I use depending on my mood or the kind of photography I anticipate doing.
1) Leica screwmount: 2x IIf bodies with 35 Summaron f3.5, and 50 Elmar f3.5
2) Leica Mmount: 2x M2 bodies with 35 Summaron f2.8, and 50 col. Summicron f2. There is a 90f4 Elmar that I rarely use.
3) OM SLR: OM4 with 1 or 2 OM1's, 28, 35, 50, 100, 135mm lenses
4) Nikon F3hp: 2 or 3 F3's with 28, 35, 50mm lenses (includes fast f1.2 and micro 55f3.5 50's)
5) older Nikon kit: F, FTn, FT3, same lense as above
These are my basic 35mm kits. A Leica CL with CV21f4 lens is added if wide angle is desired. A Hexar RF with CV40f1.4 is added if low light conditions are anticipated.
Any single camera with a lens can be used all by itself when I do feel like just using one, but that is usually an OM2 or Pentax MX..
I'm missing a 28mm lens for the RF cameras, and a 20 or 21mm lens for the SLR's.
1) Leica screwmount: 2x IIf bodies with 35 Summaron f3.5, and 50 Elmar f3.5
2) Leica Mmount: 2x M2 bodies with 35 Summaron f2.8, and 50 col. Summicron f2. There is a 90f4 Elmar that I rarely use.
3) OM SLR: OM4 with 1 or 2 OM1's, 28, 35, 50, 100, 135mm lenses
4) Nikon F3hp: 2 or 3 F3's with 28, 35, 50mm lenses (includes fast f1.2 and micro 55f3.5 50's)
5) older Nikon kit: F, FTn, FT3, same lense as above
These are my basic 35mm kits. A Leica CL with CV21f4 lens is added if wide angle is desired. A Hexar RF with CV40f1.4 is added if low light conditions are anticipated.
Any single camera with a lens can be used all by itself when I do feel like just using one, but that is usually an OM2 or Pentax MX..
I'm missing a 28mm lens for the RF cameras, and a 20 or 21mm lens for the SLR's.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Dear Frank,
We have, as we have discussed in the past, somewhat different views about this.
I hate carrying a ton of different kit around. In 35mm it's MP + M9, 35+75, with up to about three other lenses in the bag. Sometimes I'll add a Nikon F and 200/3 Series 1. In 120 it varies more, and I may carry two systems, e.g Alpa (wide) Linhof (longer). In large formats I have a ridiculous number of cameras and normally carry just one with two or three lenses. But I try always to avoid carrying two sytems unless I REALLY think I'm going to need them.
I really should get rid of some of the kit I don't use: two or three Nikon Fs, a couple of 4x5s, Pentacon Six, and, and...
Cheers,
R.
We have, as we have discussed in the past, somewhat different views about this.
I hate carrying a ton of different kit around. In 35mm it's MP + M9, 35+75, with up to about three other lenses in the bag. Sometimes I'll add a Nikon F and 200/3 Series 1. In 120 it varies more, and I may carry two systems, e.g Alpa (wide) Linhof (longer). In large formats I have a ridiculous number of cameras and normally carry just one with two or three lenses. But I try always to avoid carrying two sytems unless I REALLY think I'm going to need them.
I really should get rid of some of the kit I don't use: two or three Nikon Fs, a couple of 4x5s, Pentacon Six, and, and...
Cheers,
R.
Dave Wilkinson
Veteran
Sounds a little 'sparse' and inadequate to me - maybe time to spend some cash?
rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
I don't really "work" out of a camera bag--I have one large one to bring my stuff back and forth from one house to the other, and I rarely carry more than one camera at a time.
So my kits are pretty minimal:
RF kit: Bessas and a motley assortment of LTM lenses that I typically pick one body and two lenses(one on the camera, the other in my pocket).
SLR: Canon EOS and three zooms--19-35, 28-105, 100-300--and one prime Canon 50/f1.8. I may add a macro lens to that set later this year. For now I use the LTM lenses as my macro set.
MF: Rollei TLR.
And I have a small assortment of accessories that I can use with all the stuff: a couple of tripods, and some good cable releases.
And there is another pile of stuff that doesn't fit into the above categories: 1/2 frame and pinhole cameras, the Kodak Pony 135 I got only to use flash bulbs with.
Rob
So my kits are pretty minimal:
RF kit: Bessas and a motley assortment of LTM lenses that I typically pick one body and two lenses(one on the camera, the other in my pocket).
SLR: Canon EOS and three zooms--19-35, 28-105, 100-300--and one prime Canon 50/f1.8. I may add a macro lens to that set later this year. For now I use the LTM lenses as my macro set.
MF: Rollei TLR.
And I have a small assortment of accessories that I can use with all the stuff: a couple of tripods, and some good cable releases.
And there is another pile of stuff that doesn't fit into the above categories: 1/2 frame and pinhole cameras, the Kodak Pony 135 I got only to use flash bulbs with.
Rob
Becoming
Established
Not yet, but I'm working on it.
I've got a good idea of the kit I'd like to put together but it's taking an age to save up for it:
Bessa R3A + 40/1.4 + 75/2.5
Bessa R4A + 21/4 + 28/2
Mamiya Universal Press + 100/3.5 + 6x9 back
I doubt I'd ever feel comfortable taking all of it out with me at once.
I'd always take one of the Bessa's with a couple of lenses and the Mamiya when I'm out to shoot. If I'm just going from A to B I'd probably just carry a Bessa.
Oh and there's always a Olympus Mju-II in the pocket
I've got a good idea of the kit I'd like to put together but it's taking an age to save up for it:
Bessa R3A + 40/1.4 + 75/2.5
Bessa R4A + 21/4 + 28/2
Mamiya Universal Press + 100/3.5 + 6x9 back
I doubt I'd ever feel comfortable taking all of it out with me at once.
I'd always take one of the Bessa's with a couple of lenses and the Mamiya when I'm out to shoot. If I'm just going from A to B I'd probably just carry a Bessa.
Oh and there's always a Olympus Mju-II in the pocket
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FrankS
Registered User
Hi Roger. If one can tolerate digital then it makes gear choice easier because of the colour/B+W conversion ability. I prefer the look of B+W film.
Dave , nothing was bought new, just years of careful buying/selling/trading.
Dave
, nothing was bought new, just years of careful buying/selling/trading.
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Dave Wilkinson
Veteran
I've been reading here - this weekend that it's being phased-out!
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Dear Frank,
Well, I have extra backs for the Linhof and Alpa (colour and mono film) and with the Leicas I have a colour body (M9) and a film body (MP). Mostly I dislike mono conversions from digital.
Cheers,
R.
Well, I have extra backs for the Linhof and Alpa (colour and mono film) and with the Leicas I have a colour body (M9) and a film body (MP). Mostly I dislike mono conversions from digital.
Cheers,
R.
back alley
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roger, i don't think frank carries all that gear in any single trip.
back alley
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I've been reading here - this weekend that it's being phased-out!
it's a pity really...
FrankS
Registered User
Joe, correct. 5 different kits.
Film being phased out? Oh no! The sky is falling.
Film being phased out? Oh no! The sky is falling.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Well, he did say "at least two or three cameras". That's not all of his kit, sure, but still it's too much in my book. I normally carry at most three cameras.
Cheers,
R.
back alley
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i carry 2 cameras max. i prefer one camera with 3 lenses, including the one on the body. also, my biggest lens is very small and light.
FrankS
Registered User
back alley
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sorry frank, i could never do that. the idea of different formats on one trip, and more than 2 cameras would make me crazy. i would feel like a pack horse.
FrankS
Registered User
No worries, everyone is different.
For that trip, which was a big deal for me and one where photography was an important consideration, I figured why own good gear and leave it at home.
One camera, the Contax Tvs was dedicated to colour. The Hexar RF and IIf were backups to eachother and so I did not have to change lenses too often.
The MF cameras were for times when there was time to take a picture of something that would pop in MF. One had B+W film (used 20 rolls of HP5) the other had colour neg film (didn't finish that roll) and was backup to the other MF.
Luckily no failures, not like that fellow who was travelling and had his one and only camera (OM1) lock up, though fortunately he got it going.
For that trip, which was a big deal for me and one where photography was an important consideration, I figured why own good gear and leave it at home.
One camera, the Contax Tvs was dedicated to colour. The Hexar RF and IIf were backups to eachother and so I did not have to change lenses too often.
The MF cameras were for times when there was time to take a picture of something that would pop in MF. One had B+W film (used 20 rolls of HP5) the other had colour neg film (didn't finish that roll) and was backup to the other MF.
Luckily no failures, not like that fellow who was travelling and had his one and only camera (OM1) lock up, though fortunately he got it going.
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Dave Wilkinson
Veteran
Over here we get our hernias fixed for free!
back alley
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here too!
.
.
cjm
Well-known
For about the past year my "kit" has been an M2 with a 50mm lens and a Ricoh GRD. I don't like carrying a camera bag so this works well for me. The M2 goes in my hand and the GRD in a pocket.
FrankS
Registered User
Just to clarify, my kits are for travelling or for a dedicated photo-taking day. My daily carry is just 2 cameras: a decent slr in a briefcase and a P+S in a pocket. For errands around town, just one, usually a Hexar AF. Sure, I'm a gear head, and I take photos too.
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