How much do you use just one focal length?

T

Tim

Guest
Have just been sorting through some of my recent photos to post some in the gallery here, and I've realised that probably 80% of the shots I am happy with are taken with one lens. And thinking a little more, that lens is probably on the camera most of the time - I only occasionally change lenses.

Wonder if this is just me being comfortable with that combination? Or my eyes/mind look at the scenery about that way? :confused:

It's not that I don't have other lens options, it's just that even when I'm carrying them I seem to only rarely use them. Usually I can get the shot I want by walking around until it fits the lens on the camera.

This is just musing, and discussion starting. Not sure if I'm making any particular point here. :angel:

Oh, the focal length I am talking about is for me a 35.

hmmmmmmm. :(

Tim
 
I definately shoot mostly with one lens. I just recently added a second body and a 21/4 Color Skopar to my bag so that has changed a little, but on my most recent trip most of my shots were with my 40 Rokkor, 75% I would say.

Why, I think that it is a desire to capture what I am seeing. Since most of my shots are of my son, and at a close proximity, I need a slightly wide view to show my normal vision. For other subjects though, at a more comfortable distance, I think that the 40 or 35mm lenses are too short.
 
I use 35mm lenses exclusively nowadays. The choice is dictated by the type of photography that I indulge in (documentary and street). I find 35mm lens is very easy to use and focus forgiving when photographing fast moving people.
 
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Between my (former) Leica CL and my new Canonet GIII, most of my shots are taken with 40mm. 40 is a nice compromise between 35 and 50.

But I do "lens days". I get up and say, "today is a 90mm day" and put on the 90mm and shoot everything with it. Maybe the next day it's a "21mm day". I need to do this exercise to keep stretching my understanding of these lenses. I enjoy these outings using a single lens and my shooting with them is improving. More importantly I'm developing a better instinct for what kinds of subject matter work well with them.

But in general, I use the 40mm.

Gene
 
I think there's value in getting to know one lens thoroughly, to get the most out of it. And it helps to learn to "calibrate" your view of the world to that angle of view (and then learn a couple other angles too).

I've been using the 28mm (and other-format equivalents) a lot recently. But in general I have found the 35-45 range extremely useful, and have this focal length or its equivalent for all my cameras.

18mm for the Pentax 110, 25mm for Olympus Pen FT, 35 'Cron, 35/2 SMCT for Pentax M42, 40 M-Rokkor, 40 Ultron for Pentax-K, 42 on the 35RC, 43 Pentax-L for Leica thread, 60 on the Fuji 645, 65 for Bronica RF, and 75/2.8 Aspheric for Pentax 67.
 
But I do "lens days". I get up and say, "today is a 90mm day" and put on the 90mm and shoot everything with it. Maybe the next day it's a "21mm day".

Now that would be too restrictive to me! Last Sunday I took the Rokkor 40 out on the CL and also the Jupiter 85 on the Bessa R. I'm glad I made the decision to bring both cameras and lenses. I could just feel things stir inside me when I needed the 40 or saw an opportunity for the 85. If I had had only the 40 I might have had only a few moments thinking a longer lens would have been nice. But if I had had only the 85... I would be frustrated all day long, kicking myself why I didn't bring the 40. :)

Same with B&W film. I just need colour film in my camera. I know I can always turn it into monochrome afterwards. But with only B&W film I would really have to push myself to shoot, and force myself to look for scenes that would look good in B&W.

Anyway, now that I have that 40 Rokkor I find myself often composing with the 50mm framelines! But when shooting from the hip I'm glad I have the 40 as it gives me a wider margin of error, both angle-wise and DOF-wise. When I come to think of it, that 40mm focal length isn't such an odd idea after all. :)
 
i also often go out with only one lens, usually the 35.
sometimes i will head out with only the 75.

i rarely wish that i had the other lens with me as i just look for 35 pics or 75 pics. kinda like programming the old computer (noggin) for certain processes.

soon (hopefully) i intend on heading out with just the 50 on a regular basis as i get to know my 'new' camera. sure the other lenses would fit it but that just does not fit into my plans.

as for film, i really don't like colour very much. i'm fine with looking at other's colour shots but my mind doesn't 'see'/think in colour at all. i'm never thinking, gee i wish i had colour with me. in fact i don't normally buy any colour film, never carry it.

joe
 
The '50 and '85 get most of the work these days, the 135 filling in the gap. I intentionally took the 35 F2.5 Nikkor-W out with the S3 this weekend on a walk through Leesylvanias's woods. One minute after mounting it on the S3 in place of the 105 a white-tail fawn crossed the path and "froze" when it saw me. Didn't freeze long enough to get the 105 back on! From now on TWO BODIES for those woods. At least I got a shot with the 35. If it comes out it will be here.

If I head out with one lens, it is on a fixed-lens RF. The interchageable-Lens cameras, SLR's and RF's, always go out with a normal, portrait-lens, and longer lens (135 for the RF). Sometimes a wide-angle, 35 for the RF and 24 for the SLR.

Read the "Leica Manual" by Morgan and Lester and any book by Walther Benser, especially "Better Colour with Walther Benser". Long out of print, but will demonstrate what classic gear can do.
 
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I like my 50mm a lot. It gives such a nice view. However, I usually use the 100mm. It has always done so well for me. I really like its "normal" view.

No, I am not posting in the wrong thread. I am talking about my Mamiya Super Press 23. :D
 
I like a lot the 35, sort of 'matches' the way I see things and I like the way it forces me to 'get closer'. Also, there are some very compact 35 designs out there that make a great small outfit together with a RF body.

And as for film, my last color one was with the Isolette this month and until then I'd been doing only B&W for some months. Didn't miss color at all, but I found that expired Portra 160 VC roll forgotten in a closet :D
 
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