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
today was an anomaly since more than one lens left the house.

that being said, I started out with a 28 since I havent shot it in forever but once I switched over to the 50mm it stayed on the camera and the 28 sat, forgotten, in my jacket pocket.

I suppose if I were going somewhere with people I might consider taking a 50 as a supplement to a 35mm though.
 
I generally carry 2 bodies mounted with different lenses, typically 50mm and 28mm. It is easier (and faster) to simply grab the camera with the lens I want, rather than changing lenses. If I want to carry only one camera, I take my Hexar AF, or my FM3A with a short zoom.
 
For me, it depends on the subject I'm planning to shoot. Very often I take the camera along the whole day with only one lens attached, usually 35 or 50. But if I go out on a more serious shoot, I will take everything.
 
Interesting. More people are voting for just one lens. Weird, because I can safely assume that most own more than just one lens. Why bother, if only one is needed?
 
Lately it has been two bodies/two lens. On occasion carry a third lens, and on the rare occasion a fourth on those indecisive days.
 
I will go out with one camera one lens if it is local easily repeatable. If I am away I take a second camera or third maybe one extra lens or two but most of the time the spares stay in the bag. Except where I am working on one project and have taken/will take all of them on a particular camera. When walking around city streets I get in to a groove (think Miles Davis) with one camera and don't want to break it.
 
When I go out for a few hours, I have a place or area in mind.
And I also have a Perspective in mind (Wide, Normal, Tele, or Macro)... So after I think about a few areas I want to return to, or find new ones, I pick a lens... I may bring a 2nd lens, but, may not use it either. I pick from these 4..... in a 35mm FOV....
28mm, 40mm, 110 (55mm Micro Nikkor), 170mm (85mm f/1.8 fixed f/stop).

EDIT:
But my 2 Go To Lenses are my 14 and 20 (28/40) on my m4/3... my film is a fixed lens RF with a 38mm f/2.8, So one lens with that :D
 
One lens normally. Yesterday I could have kicked myself for not bringing the 90mm along as company for the 35mm. Met a pair of inquisitive minks, that came that little bit not close enough to make much of an impact on a frame shot with a 35mm.
 
Unless I am going into a photographic situation that is known and controlled, (and I know exactly what to expect, and I've made up my mind on the best lens to use in this situation based on this information), I would take At minimum, a normal lens (50) and a wide angle (28) just to be prepared.

If I'm just going out, where photography is not the primary objective, I'll take just one compact camera with lens. But the question posed was about achieving ones photographic vision, which implies a dedicated photo excursion.

As always, YMMV and that's okay.
 
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...

Me too; one lens on each camera works very well for quick photography during travels. Temptation is to add a small third lens for very wide angle images.
 
One lens - a 50 specifically (for me) + a compact pocket zoom digital camera if I need/want a zoom. - Much smaller than a DSLR "zoom lens", covers other focal lengths, fits with no issue in a pocket of a sling bag or in a shirt pocket. Bases covered, "combersomeness" minimized.
 
35 (actually, the Biogon-C is closer to 37), and 21. Most often just one, other times both.

On other occasions I'll carry an M6 with the 35 Biogon and a Nikon FE-2 with the 85/2 AIS. The FE-2 is a dedicated platform for the 85, an excellent lens that is faster, smaller and lighter than the 105/2.5. The FE-2 is always loaded with ISO400 film rated at 800, to keep the shutter speeds fast. The 1/4000 top shutter speed & and aperture-priority AI of the Nikon make it an ideal platform for this lens/film combination, allowing total control over aperture in good light and limiting camera shake under all conditions.
 
My most successful trip I took a 21mm f4, 50mm f1.5 and 135mm f3.5. Gave me a huge range but was a lot to carry. Swapping the 135mm out for the Canon 100mm 3.5 will make it more reasonable to take these this set out regularly.

If I'm going light I may just take a 35mm or 50mm.
 
FrankS said:
Interesting. More people are voting for just one lens. Weird, because I can safely assume that most own more than just one lens. Why bother, if only one is needed?
Click to expand...

Frank: I had that same thought and sold my 21mm, 40mm and 75mm a few months ago because I never put them in my bag. then my bag had 28mm, 35mm and 50mm lenses. But the bag stays in the car when I am shooting. I actually only carry one body with one lens and a pocket full of film. The 28mm is normal and the 35mm, an f2.0, got used only if I know I am going to be in a low light situation. The 50mm almost never got used.

Two months ago, I had my bag with everything in it stolen. I reassessed my needs and ended up with a 28mm (Biogon, my favorite) and a 40mm Nokton. Now I go to shoot with just the 28mm unless it is inside and I use the f1.4 Nokton.

edit: I am normally walking for 4 to 8 hours when I am out photographing. The bag gets in my way and becomes heavy. That is why I have learned to use one lens all day.
 
This depends a lot on what I want to photograph and what I can carry. If I have a lot of pockets (in winter) I'll carry several lenses. Often I carry my trusty OM (with a tele lens) and my ZI with a 35 or 50 and a 21 or 28 in my pocket as a for wide angle. But just as often I will have only the ZI, usually with the 35. I tend to debate between "take everything, just in case" and "35 mm is perfect for all occasions".
 
I find that 35mm (focal length, not film size) is enough for anything that comes my way.
So I only need one body for that.

And a backup, usually Ricoh GR1s, just because it has a permanent residence in my Domke's side pocket.
 
Voted one lens because I really lazy about changing lenses, so I usually pre-visualize what I may encounter based on the situation(s) I will enter, 50mm or 35mm depending. Sometimes if I'm in a new surrounding I'll scan the area with one lens, then return with the other mounted.
 
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