One camera, one lens, one year

[Pfreddee]

I would like to try the one lens, one camera, for one year. For those of you who have tried it,

a.) Did you use a Leica or something else? I'm thinking about using my Contax IIA for the camera. (Mike Johnston of The Online Photographer recommends a Leica.)

b.) What did you do with your other camera(s) for the year? I don't plan to sell them, but I don't think sitting unused for a year will be good for their innards. Is occasionally exercising them cheating?

c.) Or is the whole exercise too anal?

Thank you to all who reply.

With best regards.

Pfreddee(Stephen)

 

[tunalegs]

If you're going to use one camera for a year just be sure its a capable, reliable one - your Contax should be fine.

Your other cameras will not be bothered by sitting alone for one year. Five years? Maybe.

 

[Doug]

You could think about your goal, the purpose for the exercise; what do you hope to accomplish? The limiting may be beneficial, perhaps in surprising ways, or not.

I would choose a camera I like to use, because it will be used a lot.

Also I would make the commitment for a more limited but extensible time so it doesn't turn into a matter of ego. Say, make it "one camera, one lens, one month" and see how it goes. If all goes well, extend to three months, etc, celebrating at each accomplished goal. 🙂

Eventually it might turn into "one camera, one lens, one lifetime" at which point you could consider selling off your unused gear. 😀

 

[Pfreddee]

Thank you, Doug! I hadn't thought of it that way.

With best regards.

Pfreddee(Stephen)

 

[Scheelings]

I think its a good idea.

By limiting yourself, it forces you to grow as a photographer and to approach a scene with only the tools you chose. It may well cause you to use new methods or see things differently. It will also enable you to truly master your chosen combination.

My wife's cooking has vastly improved since we moved to Istanbul because she's forced to work with a much more limited range of ingredients. Now she must improvise and approach recipes not native to this land with a different mindset.

 

[Fixcinater]

I shot a 52 weeks project with a DSLR. I had only a 50/1.8 and near the end got a 24-70 but it definitely helped me with a few things:

Familiarity with the camera operation, and grew into my preference for aperture priority and manual modes over everything else
Disliked zoom lenses
Grew to know exactly what sort of framing I would get with given subject distance
Improved my understanding of how a sensor reacts to lots of different situations, and how to make the best out of any given result (RAW file for me)
It was hard a lot of weeks to make something worth looking at. Being in school and working full time now I can't imagine trying to produce that quantity of work with any sort of quality. Sure it's not a big time investment to get those easy shots, but if you want to actually say anything with the photos...not as easy to stick those into the odd hours available.
Started my dislike for AF lenses
Gave me the confidence to go into any situation with any combination and know I can make something of it, even if it isn't what is commonly required equipment for the task at hand.
Furthered my intrigue for the photographic problem of making something more dramatic and interesting than what was actually there. This is still (and will always be) one of the hardest things to do with a camera.

I say go for it. You're interested, dive in. Make sure your camera is solid and then burn film. If I were to do another long term project like this I would have a tough time justifying using anything other than an M3 and one of the 400 speed films out today. Sure the Contax would work and is a great camera but if you want that full experience as described by Johnston, then you gotta do it.

Sounds like you have enough other gear you could get into a user Leica setup if you moved the other bits. Canon 50/1.8 or J-8 plus a beater but serviced M2/M3 would be under $1K for sure, I've got $600 into mine which was easy to find once I thinned out the SLR lens herd a bit.

 

[zuiko85]

The One Camera, One Year project is easy, I've "started" mine many times.

Sigh, just no discipline I guess.

 

[Jaymz007]

Let me know how it goes...
I am thinking about doing the same thing.

 

[OurManInTangier]

Unless you happen to love Leica cameras, have one and love to use it I see no reason whatsoever that a Leica is necessary for this at all. Its just as easy to do it with a Nikon F, Olympus OM or any other manufacturer, film or digital shouldn't matter a jot either.

I'd simply choose a camera body that you're comfortable with and that is in good enough condition to last the period you need without having to go in for repair and then choose your lens. Again one your comfortable with or one that is new to you to help tighten up your ability to pre visualize by the end of the set time period.

I find this a very useful exercise for my hobby photography. At work I need the scope of various focal lengths and this can permeate into all aspects of your photography - by scaling back whenever I can you become intensely focused and use your feet and imagination/creativity as much as the kit. Its also very good for your back 😀

I'd be intrigued to know what focal length you are thinking of.

 

[nickthetasmaniac]

I would like to try the one lens, one camera, for one year. For those of you who have tried it,

a.) Did you use a Leica or something else? I'm thinking about using my Contax IIA for the camera. (Mike Johnston of The Online Photographer recommends a Leica.)

b.) What did you do with your other camera(s) for the year? I don't plan to sell them, but I don't think sitting unused for a year will be good for their innards. Is occasionally exercising them cheating?

c.) Or is the whole exercise too anal?

Thank you to all who reply.

With best regards.

Pfreddee(Stephen)

Hi Stephen,


I've gone through the process twice now. The first time (a few years ago) I used a Voigtländer Nokton 25/f0.95 on a Panasonic GH2, and then more recently with a Ricoh GR (V). For both cameras, I wasn't particularly anal about the process. I shot occasionally with other bodies and lenses, and didn't stick to a strict 365 day period. I used the GR for about 9 months and in the end I actually shot exclusively with the Voigt for about two years...

The Voigtländer experiment especially was probably the most significant period of growth for my photography. It was the first time time I'd really explored the manual aspect of shooting, and the first time I'd committed to a prime. As others have mentioned, I think the process of becoming very familiar with the characteristics of both a particular lens and perspective is hugely beneficial. I certainly came out of it with far less interest in acquiring 'gear'.

From a practical point of view, I'd chose a set up that is capable, reliable, interesting, and most of all, something you enjoy using 🙂

 

[AlexBG]

Lend out your other cameras or put them in a taped up box in the loft right out the way forcing you to use the one camera. If you lend them out to people get them to do the same as you and keep up to date sharing pictures and ideas.

 

[tunalegs]

If anybody REALLY needs to test their photographic ego... I'll send them a camera. It's fully manual, practically working, really ugly and... if you can take good pictures with it you deserve to brag about your photographic prowess.

Maybe there should be a prize if one sticks to it. 12 rolls or one year, whichever comes first? Hmmmm :|9

 

[Texsport]

An XPan with a 30mm or 45mm lens would make it simpler, as would a zoom lens.

Texsport

 

[Pfreddee]

My lens of choice is a 50mm f/1.8 - 2.8. I'm now thinking of using my Nikon FM2n as my camera of choice.

With best regards,

Pfreddee(Stephen)

 

[goamules]

I like 15 cameras, 52 lenses, 52 weeks better.

 

[michaelwj]

I would like to try the one lens, one camera, for one year. For those of you who have tried it,

a.) Did you use a Leica or something else? I'm thinking about using my Contax IIA for the camera. (Mike Johnston of The Online Photographer recommends a Leica.)

b.) What did you do with your other camera(s) for the year? I don't plan to sell them, but I don't think sitting unused for a year will be good for their innards. Is occasionally exercising them cheating?

c.) Or is the whole exercise too anal?

Thank you to all who reply.

With best regards.

Pfreddee(Stephen)

Hi Stephen,

I did it purely though financial restrictions.

I used a Leica M6, with a CV 35/2.5 almost exclusively for about 18 months. I had to sell my other gear (Nikon digital kit with a few zooms and primes) to pay for the M6, so there were no other cameras to neglect. I did occasionally borrow a camera or lens (one for an RFF camera round, and a few times from a generous friend) but in total it would have been only about 3 weeks out of 18 months.
I think the exercise can be good. I learned a lot, and now know that camera backwards - moving the shutter from 1/250 to 1/125 fells different than from 1/125 to 1/60 for instance (its a longer but softer movement from 1/125 to 1/60 FWIW). It really is intuitive now in a way that my previous camera never was.
Now the big question - would I impose it on myself again if I didn't have to? I'm not sure. I would go for a short time with only one camera/lens, maybe a month or two, maybe on a two week holiday? I think that shorter bursts may eventually give the same end, and it is nice to use different gear for different purposes.
So to sum up, go with what Doug said. Start with one camera/one lens/one week and see how it goes. An intensive week with one setup might be very liberating, or you may hate every second of it!

Good luck what ever you choose to do.

 

[airfrogusmc]

For my personal work it's an MM and a 35 lux FLE and that has been it for over two years.

Those are the tools that truly fit the way I see and the way I work.

 

[Frida]

I would like to try the one lens, one camera, for one year. For those of you who have tried it,

a.) Did you use a Leica or something else? I'm thinking about using my Contax IIA for the camera. (Mike Johnston of The Online Photographer recommends a Leica.)

b.) What did you do with your other camera(s) for the year? I don't plan to sell them, but I don't think sitting unused for a year will be good for their innards. Is occasionally exercising them cheating?

c.) Or is the whole exercise too anal?

Thank you to all who reply.

With best regards.

Pfreddee(Stephen)

I haven't tried it formally, but I feel better when I keep things around me simple. When we shot weddings, I shot exclusively with a D700 and 35/2. After leaving weddings, I shot virtually exclusively with an SD1100 except for a few times when I'd pull out a D3000 and 35/1.8. Now that we've bought an X100s, that's going to be what I use exclusively. I've never been fond of having multiple cameras.

So if I were doing this formally, I'd do it with our X100s. The other cameras (we currently have the SD1100 and an old Lumix FZ7) just sit unused. The SD1100 will probably live in the car as an emergency zoo camera.

I don't think it's too anal. To me it's natural to pretty much just use one camera for everything.

 

[bence8810]

I only have an M3 and a 50 f2 Summitar and doing just fine.
To me having no choices is just easier.

Good luck to you with the experiment!
Ben

 

[dee]

In the 70s I had just a manual SLR and 50mm which taught me a lot about considered snapshooting .
Recently , I would take just the M8 with 35mm CV to London .
i prefer the nom 45/50mm , not so much into the 35mm many favour .
Obviously , I faced the same limitations but there were not so many shots which I regretted capturing .
There is now a nagging anxiety about taking just the Sony a35 or A 290 with just the 35mm f1.8 incase I miss something . It just needs persistence to work through this .
dee