One lens or several (for an outing)?

One lens or several (for an outing)?

  • I do my best work when I'm using just a single lens.

    Votes: 165 70.2%

  • I need two or more focal lengths to realise my photographic vision.

    Votes: 70 29.8%
  • Total voters
    235
ChrisN

ChrisN

Striving
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Apr 6, 2005
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Do you work best with a single lens at a time (for an outing of several hours for example), or do you need two or more lenses at different focal lengths to be able to realise your vision?
 
I will generally have a couple lenses with me, but I seldom change my lens while I'm shooting. The act of switching lenses out kills my... mood? momentum? If there's a zone I get in, thinking about switching lenses will kill it. A second body with a different focal length lens, I'll do that.
 
If I'm going somewhere for a few hours but the point is to accomplish a specific errand or task I'll bring one lens and a few rolls of film. If I'm going somewhere for a few hours in order to take photos I'll bring 2 or 3 lenses.
 
Also I'm not a friend of lens changing in the field.
I feel most comfortable with 2 lenses - 2 bodies.
 
hteasley said:
I will generally have a couple lenses with me, but I seldom change my lens while I'm shooting.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's me - once a lens is on the camera I very seldom change unless I really have to to get the shot. In an ideal world I would have two bodies...... :)
 
Of course the question is loaded with 'best' in one option and 'need' in the other, so its not very scientific if people are worried about not appearing to be 'best'.

But I said more than one lens, my brain is big enough to cope, my eyes can see more than one option for a scene, I like to have the best choice available to me on the day :D

Steve
 
ChrisN said:
Do you work best with a single lens at a time (for an outing of several hours for example), or do you need two or more lenses at different focal lengths to be able to realise your vision?
Click to expand...

I am most comfortable with a camera / lens in hand (no strap) and pocket full of film plus spare battery. Even a small bag seems to get in my way.

An advantage for me is that I am always ready to shoot. No time for a subject to dwell on being photographed while I pull the camera out of the bag or retrieve it from the end of the strap.

Being a one lens sort of person, that means I never use anything longer than 50mm or wider than 28mm. That is not a problem for me.
 
I voted 1 lens, in reality when I'm in a new place for a few days I like to go out one day with a lens, next day with another, usually 35 and 50.
robert
 
When I shot with SLR's I would always find myself saying "well I might as well bring this lens... and this one" and then end up with a large bag full of gear that I would rarely use while out.

Switching to rangefinders I've gone with a less is more philosophy. A lighter camera, and one lens is all I bring out now. I just adjust my shooting style accordingly. However even in taking the extra little bit of time to adjust takes far less time than changing lenses are recomposing.
 
haempe said:
Also I'm not a friend of lens changing in the field.
I feel most comfortable with 2 lenses - 2 bodies.
Click to expand...

+1

I am finally at that point with now having two Leica bodies.

Otherwise generally I tend to carry two complete cameras. I don't mind the added exercise. Photography, carrying two cameras, and lots of walking keeps me young.

Also one camera is always in my hand ready to shoot.

Cal
 
What is an outing?

Walking down the the street? Going to a fair? Going to an air show? With the first two, one lens might do. With the airshow or similar outing, there are so many opportunities, one lens won't cut it with the possible exception of a zoom lens. Of course that assumes the camera you are carrying is capable of using a zoom lens.
 
robert blu said:
I voted 1 lens, in reality when I'm in a new place for a few days I like to go out one day with a lens, next day with another, usually 35 and 50.
robert
Click to expand...

I kinda did the same thing on vacation in Spain. I had 35mm f2 for the day. I also took a 50mm f1.4 for walking around in the evenings and night. Worked well for me.
 
I can get away with just one, but I generally have a 50 and a wide lens (28mm on my leica, 24mm on my Nikons), unless i'm using my x100 in which case i'm stuck with one lens.
 
If I carry two cameras then I have a total of 3 lenses. If I carry one camera than a total of (2) 90 % of the time, (1) 10%.
 
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