Multiple lenses of the same focal length

[Roger Hicks]

Well, yes, several of us have them, but how much do we switch? And why? When I'm going away for any length of time -- basically, out for any more than half a day or a day -- I'm not going to carry (say) three 50mm lenses, two 35s and two 21s. This is why I got rid of my 35 Summicron (I use the Summilux far more) and my 50/1.2 Canon and 50/1.5 Nokton (I use the C-Sonnar far more) and why I wouldn't buy a 35/1.2 Noctilux, though if I didn't already have a 35 Summilux, I might.

Sure, each lens has its advantages. The 35/1.7 Ultron has far less coma than my pre-aspheric Summilux, for example. But the Summilux is 1/2 stop faster and has better ergonomics, so that's the one that goes with me. I can't help feeling that if we use this lens for that subject, and that lens for this subject, we are often attributing more to the lens than to our own skill -- the latter being what we need to develop.

Do others carry multiple lenses of the same f.l. when travelling? If so, how often do they change them? And how do they carry them/handle security with the ones they're not carrying?

Cheers,

R.

 

[ray*j*gun]

In LTM I have been carrying my "Brian Sweeney" converted 1.5 Sonnar plus my 1.5 CV Nockton. Usually I will not change within the same roll but I find the 2 signatures good enough for most image goals.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

I own multiple 50's, but rarely bring more than one on any trip. Generally I stick with my adapted CZ Sonnar 1.5, but if I'm going out at night, or shooting with really slow flim, I'll bring the Nokton 1.1.

 

[ferider]

Have them in kits, in what I feel fits together (see my signature). Once I'm out, I don't carry duplicates or worry about signature. When looking at the result I enjoy it though 🙂

 

[bmattock]

Do others carry multiple lenses of the same f.l. when travelling? If so, how often do they change them? And how do they carry them/handle security with the ones they're not carrying?

I also have a few lenses in similar focal lengths, but I seldom carry more than one of any particular prime lens. I may carry a prime and a zoom that overlap, but otherwise, no.

Since I have multiple 50mm lenses, for example, I decide either based on some particular strength that I imagine one 50mm to have over another, or perhaps I wish to see how a particular 50mm will handle a particular situation. I have been known to make a decision based on what I suppose will be the prevailing conditions (ie, faster lens for lower light conditions), or I may even choose a particular lens based on nothing more than weight (I have a Sears 50mm f/1.4 that is a whopper compared to my Pentax SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4).

Of course, I may also decide based on maximum utility for my uses that day. For example, if I carry my K200D (digital) and my Pentax ZX5 (film), then I will tend to carry a prime 50mm in P/K mount along with the kit zoom, just because it will work equally well on both with a minimum of fiddling about with adapters. One lens, two bodies, good to go. In fact, last Saturday, that was just about what I carried (except it was my K200D and *ist DS, both digital).

As to 'traveling', well, I seldom do that anymore except by car or rail, and of course I tend to take what I wish. I try to avoid air travel these days; I despise what the airline / security industry have become and I have no desire to board an aircraft anymore. I wish them all a pleasant bankruptcy.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I also have a few lenses in similar focal lengths, but I seldom carry more than one of any particular prime lens. I may carry a prime and a zoom that overlap, but otherwise, no.

Since I have multiple 50mm lenses, for example, I decide either based on some particular strength that I imagine one 50mm to have over another, or perhaps I wish to see how a particular 50mm will handle a particular situation. I have been known to make a decision based on what I suppose will be the prevailing conditions (ie, faster lens for lower light conditions), or I may even choose a particular lens based on nothing more than weight (I have a Sears 50mm f/1.4 that is a whopper compared to my Pentax SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4).

Of course, I may also decide based on maximum utility for my uses that day. For example, if I carry my K200D (digital) and my Pentax ZX5 (film), then I will tend to carry a prime 50mm in P/K mount along with the kit zoom, just because it will work equally well on both with a minimum of fiddling about with adapters. One lens, two bodies, good to go. In fact, last Saturday, that was just about what I carried (except it was my K200D and *ist DS, both digital).

As to 'traveling', well, I seldom do that anymore except by car or rail, and of course I tend to take what I wish. I try to avoid air travel these days; I despise what the airline / security industry have become and I have no desire to board an aircraft anymore. I wish them all a pleasant bankruptcy.

Dear Bill,

Well, yes; but I don't wish to carry multiple focal lengths in my bag, or leave them in my car or hotel room, which is why I asked the question specifically about travelling.

I'm sure we all try to avoid air travel but (for example) it's a long drive to India from here, including journeys through several countries I'd rather not traverse.

Cheers,

R.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I try not to duplicate focal lenghs when I travel. In fact, I have one body carrying my 'lux 35mm lens, and another with my Elmarit 28mm. Long glass (90 and 135mm) come with, and sometimes I will burn one roll with a long lens, just to get myself out of my confort zone.

However, for my next trip across the Atlantic (whenever that be), I intend to take my metered Leicas AND my M3 system (with two fifties and a collapsible 90mm). I intend to take it with every other day... just to use it and enjoy it more often.

 

[Photon42]

I thought it would never happen to me - having more than one lens of a focal length. It started when I bought the Nikon AIs 1.2/50 second hand and couldn't really convince myself of selling the plastic AF 1.8/50, as it was so lightweight.

Now I've got two 50s (f/2.8 and f/1.4) and two 35 (f/2 and f/1.2). As long as I use them from time to time, it's ok for me. I never actually took along more than one lens of a given focal length. At least, not until now 😀

It's mainly about footprint and fitness for a given purpose. If the Nokton would have the size of the Biogon, I wouldn't probably have the latter.

But when I think about it, it's much worse with cameras ... 😱

 

[Gary E]

I never carry duplicate FL's as I will not leave them in the car or hotel safe. I usually put them into one of three kits (a travel near kit, travel far kit and travel overseas kit). The near kit includes the heavier 90 cron and usually a 50 or the 40, the travel far kit usually a VC 21 and 40 or 50, and the overseas kit only sees the VC21, 40 cron-c and 90 elmar-c. For some reason, I only find myself using the VC 21 or any FL wider than 40 when I'm further away from home (maybe there are more narrow streets and alleys overseas?). Actually I don't have any thing between 21 and 40. Maybe it's high time that I look for that 24/25/28 that I think I'm missing in the travel near kit. 🙄

 

[thomasw_]

Roger => I found my copy of the summilux pre-asph 35 to have some of the worst ergonomics of any leica lens I have used, with the exception being the old Elmar 50 and 35 with which one could be driven to drink if changing apertures a little too often. Being a large guy with big mittens, just accessing the pre-asph's aperture dial is a chore. You don't find it so? Also I disliked the standard shade, finding flare to be a problem when using it with a series vii filter; but using the 12526 hood -- which works better in terms of flare and is less imposing in the VF -- still creates the extreme sport of aperture dial access, as it is even harder than with the standard hood. Not even to mention the jury-rigging one must do with the 12526 hood if filter use is desired; chnaging filters started to give me leery memories of using a Elmar with a filter and wanting the alter the DoF, and thus the agony of accessing the aperture dial behind the filter. I think it must be horses for courses.

I own 2 35s, 4 50s and 1 75. When on a trip I will take 3 lenses. I pick them based on LOOK, anticipated LIGHT and the LENGTH of the excursions.

If I am shooting daytime/outdoors in mountain scenes, the choices will be different than if I am shooting around town at night. The big boys with f1,2 or f1 capability come out to conquer the night. --That being said, a typical day trip will involve a one lens 50mm kit or a 35/75 kit.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Roger => I found my copy of the summilux pre-asph 35 to have some of the worst ergonomics of any leica lens I have used, with the exception being the old Elmar 50 and 35 with which one could be driven to drink if changing apertures a little too often. Being a large guy with big mittens, just accessing the pre-asph's aperture dial is a chore. You don't find it so? Also I disliked the standard shade, finding flare to be a problem when using it with a series vii filter; but using the 12526 hood -- which works better in terms of flare and is less imposing in the VF -- still creates the extreme sport of aperture dial access, as it is even harder than with the standard hood. Not even to mention the jury-rigging one must do with the 12526 hood if filter use is desired; chnaging filters started to give me leery memories of using a Elmar with a filter and wanting the alter the DoF, and thus the agony of accessing the aperture dial behind the filter. I think it must be horses for courses.

I own 2 35s, 4 50s and 1 75. When on a trip I will take 3 lenses. I pick them based on LOOK, anticipated LIGHT and the LENGTH of the excursions.

If I am shooting daytime/outdoors in mountain scenes, the choices will be different than if I am shooting around town at night. The big boys with f1,2 or f1 capability come out to conquer the night. --That being said, a typical day trip will involve a one lens 50mm kit or a 35/75 kit.

Dear Thomas,

Must be just practice: I've been using the lens since about 1980. Or maybe it's the fact that I considered a medical career, and am (or was -- I've not tried in 40 years) extremely good at delicate dissection.

My wife and I currently have between us (I think, and dealing with Leica-fit only, including loaners) 1x15, 1x18, 3x21, 1x24, 1x28, 3x35, about 6x50, 1x65, 1x75, 3x90 and 1x135. Carrying all that lot would be silly. Sure, I take your point about mountains and towns, but what if I am crossing the Pyrenees (long lenses) to the towns of southern Portugal (ultrawides and low-light)? For me, for film, it's a maximum of 5 lenses, with the extremes (15mm and 135) optional: 15mm (tiny and weighs nothing), 21mm, 35mm, 75mm and (for the mountains) 135mm. For Frances it's likely to be 1x18 and 1x50 (a different 50). She may take a 90 as well.

Then there's the M8/M8.2: 1x15, 1x24, 1x50, 1x135.

But as you say: horses for courses.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Andy Kibber]

I don't think I've ever owned multiple lenses of the same focal length in the same system. I can see the point of having a large fast lens and a small slow one, but I just stick to medium-sized, medium speed lenses. 🙂

If I did have have multiples, I certainly wouldn't carry them with me when traveling.

 

[Al Kaplan]

Back when color meant transparencies I had some shoots where I was shooting both B&W and color. I had two different vintages of 35/2 Summicrons, a 90mm f/2.8 Elmarit, and an 85mm f/2 Nikkor.

These days I have a 40mm Summicron-C replacing one of the 35 'Crons. For the most part I didn't choose based on the rendering of a lens.

 

[Austerby]

I only have multiples of 50mm lenses and enjoy selecting just one of them to take with me, usually a different one each time. The nice thing about 50's is that they're all fast enough (apart from the Elmar f3.5) to be useful across many situations.

My next overseas trip is to Stockholm in December and I think I'll take my old Summicron collapsible and some Neopan 400 with the M3. It will be grey and mstly dark but the Christmas markets and Lucia day festivities will be bright and fun.

 

[alexz]

Interesting topic, just in line with my current GAS direction...🙂
I own and use my 50mm Cron, but figured that a considerable amount of my shooting experience is low light, in-doors, events, etc...and in such situations I already encountered the cases more then once wishing having a stop faster 50mm lens...that leads me wishing for either 50mm Lux ASPH or probably Hexanon 50mm/1.2 in addition to the Cron which will not be retired by that.
Unless I'll learn to push Tri-X 2 stops with safe development...

 

[youngmrcurtis]

The only case of two lenses of the same focal length in my collection, are the 50/2 hex and 50/2 planar. I do bring them both travelling with me, usually accompanied by my 35mm as well. The choice of lens when it comes to the 50s is really down to the scene and the film I'm shooting with. I think the signatures of both lenses varies enough that either can drastically change the scene. I mostly go with the hex for portraits, or people shots, and most of my black and white stuff too. I prefer the planar for street shooting, especially at night and in bars and the likes.

Another point though, I usually bring two bodies unless it's a particularly short trip, and in those cases, I'll mount each lens on a body with film to suit it, so no swapsies required unless the 35 feels better.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

For a trip, I usually pack two 50's, one built for speed and one for a compact size. Usually it is the Canon 50/1.2 for speed and a Sonnar to be compact. Bring two bodies, one with a 35, and drop an Elmar 9cm f4 in for a telephoto. Does not take much room, and is light.

 

[oscroft]

The only time I've ever taken two lenses of the same FL traveling, it was my two CV 35s - the tiny 2.5 and the 1.4 SC.

They're really very different lenses, and I prefer to use the very well corrected 2.5 for colour slides, and anything vaguely architectural, etc.

I prefer the 1.4 for black and white (it's hard to describe it, but the character is unique - to me anyway, cos I've never used the Summilux that it is based on), for street shooting, and obviously for low light shooting.

So if I'm on a planned trip to a specific site, I'll use the 2.5, but just wandering round town I'll use the 1.4.

Best,

 

[wgerrard]

I hate carrying stuff, so no focal length duplication for me. I carried a CV 21, the Nokton 35/1.2 and a Planar ZM 50/2 on a UK trip last month. Think I used the Planar twice.

On air travel: I agree that it is an unpleasant and often demeaning experience. Sometimes, though, you can't get There from Here unless you fly.

 

[brachal]

I tend to take two bodies when I travel, one for high-speed and one for low-speed. As a result, I'll usually end up with two 50mm lenses. One is always my Jupiter-3 (fast lens), and the other will be something slower ... an Elmar, Industar-10 or 61. Usually the low-speed body will have a wide-angle on it, but I like having a 50 for it just in case. I never pack more gear than I can carry with me in a Domke F2, so security isn't something I worry about.