need your thinking caps

[back alley]

some rambly thoughts first...my 'plan' was to have 2 p cameras and 2 bottom loaders with similar lenses to make up 2 complete/seperate kits.
one just a bit 'older' than the other.

i thought it was a good plan.

but i've screwed that up by buying another p and thinking about selling the canon lll.
having 3 kits seems really excessive.

i also realized that 50mm just feels wrong to me. and i have 2 50mm lenses.
i'm thinking i 'should' have at least one, just 'cause.

so, maybe sell my current 50's and buy a 50/1.4 (?) and that would be my 'fast' lens, along with the 35/2 (kinda fast).

any thoughts?
feel free to ask questions on the remote 😉 chance i'm making no sense here.

joe

 

[taffer]

Well the 50/1.4 seems to be definitely a 'go for it' lens... I think you won't regret, unless you need a collapsible lens for something, which I think it's not your case...

Same for the III if you already think you have enough with the IVSB. P+100/3.5, P+35/2, P+50/1.4, IVSB+28/3.5...

Sounds good to me 🙂

 

[ray_g]

... P+100/3.5, P+35/2, P+50/1.4, IVSB+28/3.5...

That's gonna be one heavy bag 😉

 

[back alley]

after lugging way too much gear to new york, i'm putting away the m classic bag and using the tiny tamrac or maybe the small billingham for now.

one camera with 2 lenses total, that's the mantra for now.

so ray, whadya think, sell the 50's?

joe

 

[FrankS]

How did you get on with the bottom loaders, Joe? I found that after getting an M body, the IIIf was just too fiddley.

I'm about to have 3 M bodies (2,3,6) kind of like your 3 P's, and in lenses: 25, 2x35, 40, 5x50, 85, 90, 135mm.

 

[ray_g]

after lugging way too much gear to new york, i'm putting away the m classic bag and using the tiny tamrac or maybe the small billingham for now.

one camera with 2 lenses total, that's the mantra for now.

so ray, whadya think, sell the 50's?

joe

Here's what I suggest:

Get a Bianchi leather belt plus a matching pair of Bianchi hip holsters. P + 35/2 in one, P +50/1.4 in the other.

28mm and 100mm each in a leather ammo bag on the belt, in the small of your back.

Tri-X in film canisters lined up in a bandolier on your chest.

MP3 and headphones playing the theme from "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" as you prowl the streets. :angel:

 

[ray_g]

one camera with 2 lenses total, that's the mantra for now.

so ray, whadya think, sell the 50's?

joe

Seriously, I would sell the 50's and get a 50/1.4 as you plan.

One body, two lenses: Joe you are a 35 kinda guy. That means the 35/2 on the P, + the 100/3.5. Most tele shots (portraits) tend to be deliberate, so you can easily switch lenses.

Two bodies: The cowboy setup in the post above, but in a bag 😉

 

[back alley]

well ray, ya answered everything EXCEPT my question! 🙂

frank,
i actually like the bottom feeders. not really hard to load but still can't do it on the run like with the p's.
i realized that with the iv sb i could use the 28 w/ finder but also use it with another lens also. the lll really is best suited for external finders only, so the iv sb is more versatile. i may keep the lll...don't know yet.

my quandary is with the 50 mm lenses. i like the idea of the collapsible and the sharpness of the 1.8 but not the focal length so much.
with a 1.4 i get speed and sharpness and a 50 if i need one.

i would buy the one alan has for sale but he only uses paypal and i don't have an account so i'm s.o.l., pity...

joe

 

[FrankS]

So you're not getting Alan's 50 f1.4? I passed on that because you expressed interest.

 

[back alley]

Seriously, I would sell the 50's and get a 50/1.4 as you plan.

One body, two lenses: Joe you are a 35 kinda guy. That means the 35/2 on the P, + the 100/3.5. Most tele shots (portraits) tend to be deliberate, so you can easily switch lenses.

Two bodies: The cowboy setup in the post above, but in a bag 😉

ah, ya beat me to the post.

i'm thinking 2 p's with a 35 on each (2 & 2.8) along with the 100/3.5
third p with the 50/1.4 and maybe the 85/2 in another bag.

joe

 

[back alley]

So you're not getting Alan's 50 f1.4? I passed on that because you expressed interest.

paypal frank!

i don't use it and now i'm sunk!

there will be another...

joe

 

[ray_g]

Or a navy blue collectible Bessa T with matching trigger winder 😉

 

[back alley]

not really my cup of tea...

have you another 50/1.4 though?

joe

 

[ray_g]

Yep, and I am very much attached to it.

 

[ray_g]

Like you plan, it's my fast 50, after I sold the Nokton

 

[FrankS]

Actually I'm down to my last few dollars of PayPal. They give you an amount to spend before they require a bank account or credit card and I'm just about at that limit. Now that I've got everything I want, I won't need PayPal anymore.

Joe, if I had a large enough amount of money left to spend via PayPal, I would offer to buy the lens for you (you could send me a check) but unfortunately, like I explained, I'm down to a few dollars. Perhaps someone else with an active PayPal account will offer to help?

 

[Biggles]

Keep two identical P bodies. Sell or trade the most beaterly of the three Ps, and similarly dispose of the III. Keep one of the fifties, as well, or better yet, trade/sell both to get a killer "standard" lens. A 50mm (in 35mm format) is the dark blue blazer of lensdom- a good one in the clothes cupboard is never a bad idea, even if you're a jeans and T-shirt kind of guy. The need will arise. Also, a really good lens (like a decent blazer) tends to get itself used out of sheer aesthetic brilliance.

Long term? Keep the two identical bodies, with one always recently CLA-ed. Plan toward building-up up a full complement of one of each lens appropriate to your picture-taking habits, the best example of each you can afford or justify. You like wides? Buy the absolute best fast 35mm lens you can screw into a P. You just need one- lenses don't go south anywhere near as often as bodies do. And, even if you don't plan on using it, sock away one uncompromising, totally merciless fifty.

 

[back alley]

thanks for the thought frank.

biggles, i pretty much have all that i need for lenses except that one fast sharp 50.
the 50/1.8 is sharp and pretty fast but the 1.4 is calling to me.

my 35/2 is sharp and kinda modern looking while my 35/2.8 is sharp with lower contrast so a bit older looking. (photo wise, that is)

i have a fast & sharp 85/2 and a slow and sharp 100/3.5

and recently added a 28/3.5 - still evaluating it.
all canon screw mount lenses btw.

will soon have 3 p canons and 2 bottom feeders.

crazy,
joe
joe

 

[Biggles]

Two bottom-feeders? Gak! Purge!

Sell the bottom-feeders, the 35 f2.8, both 50 f1.8s, and the most scratched-and-dented of the Ps. Pile the money on the kitchen floor, roll around in it for an afternoon, then go buy a fricking Leitz Noctilux or vintage screw-mount Nokton!

(Erm, I assume Canon Ps take Leica screw-mount lenses.)

Seriously, sir. Quality and condition over quantity, any day.

 

[back alley]

i love the 35/2.8, it's a keeper.

i only use canon screwmount lenses on my canon bodies.
i want to keep the iv sb bottom feeder at least.

don't want a leitz and all the p's are in good shape or better

i have quality and it seems quantity also...

but i think i just might sell the 50's.

joe