One RF camera and one lens?

[mrtoml]

Merry Christmas, everyone. I hope you are having a relaxing holiday.

I was watching Ted Forbes on how to improve as a photographer recently:



From around 2 minutes in he talks about some advice he got from Ralph Gibson. Essentially RG said to use a rangefinder and a 50mm lens exclusively for a year. Ted tried this and talks about his experiences.

I wonder if anyone here has tried a similar approach and what their experiences were. Did it work? Was it too frustrating? Was it liberating in some ways as Ted Forbes suggests? I have a lot of gear and I am thinking of trying to impose some restrictions on what I take out on trips. Not necessarily going to this extreme, but not taking so much gear all the time.

 

[wlewisiii]

Mike Johnston - The Online Photographer Blog - has been promoting One Camera One Lens One Year for a long time. I've done it back in the days when I had a Kiev & a collapsible 50/2 prewar uncoated Sonnar. It can be a very valuable exercise.

Over at Cameraderie we do one month long challenges of One Camera/One Lens/One Photo Every Day that are for the same purpose. The discipline of using a lens you might not otherwise use - I _like_ the 50mm and am very familiar with it, I'll probably use my 21/4 for the next one - is very enlightening.

My usual daily carry is a either a rangefinder (Leica M 240 or Nikon S2 ) with 50 mounted and wide & tele in the bag though odds are only the 50 gets used, D810 with my 28-105 on it or my Rolleicord. Really only the zoom sees much change of focal length. Funny how that works 🤣

 

[lynnb]

My first quality camera was an OM1 with Zuiko 50mm f/1.8. I did not buy an additional lens for a year (when I bought the OM Zuiko 200mm f/4 and 28mm f/3.5). That year was well spent, learning to see the 50mm FOV. It enforced a discipline in the way I looked.

 

[JohnWolf]

I’m doing this now with an M2 and 50 Summarit 2.5. I‘m two months into it. Also using one film - HP5+.

I usually shoot with a 35 but wanted to try a 50. I don’t feel limited at all so far. I just look a bit further out ahead than I would with a 35.

The one thing I miss somewhat is the better zone focus capability of a shorter focal length. But in undertaking this initiative, I hope to move away from up-close street photography and try other subject matter, for which I feel the 50 has been better for me. I’m enjoying the process very much and am eager to see how it progresses.

John

 

[Richard G]

Mike Johnston of ‘The Online Photographer’ blog had a OYOCOL lesson in his recommendations. (One year, one camera, one lens.) A film Leica and 50 Summicron. I’ve come close about ten years ago, unlikely the full year, with a new M5 which mated well with the 50 C Sonnar. Before that it was the same lens on an M6. I’ve had an M2 since 1977 and I’ve long realized I never really needed another camera or another lens than my original 50.

It is certainly not frustrating to go with the one camera and lens. It is my habit for months at a time. It is not an imposition. The trouble is that C Sonnar is so seductive it was more about that lens than its focal length. Until that lens I had not really thought much about the properties of individual lenses beyond the obvious of its focal length or widest aperture.

The educative power of removing options which distract, has to be matched by a more serious intention to make use of the restriction, or rather the freedom. I’m not in that mode at the moment.

From what I’ve seen of your shots I’d find it hard to see how you would improve further. Looking forward to seeing if you do.

 

[mrtoml]

Thanks for the replies so far. I just thought it was an interesting idea, but have not really seen any very concrete examples of how the process actually improves the photography, or in what particular aspects. However, I often find when I take gear on trips I have several lenses and usually only end up using one zoom (say in the standard 24-70mm range) and many of the shots are at the wide or the long end so almost like a 2 lens kit.

I might try the one lens exercise for a month or two rather than a year to see what impact it has in the short term. I am thinking M10 and 50mm ZM Planar. The original Johnstone article seems to place an emphasis on film and making prints. I am just going to have a look at his 'digital variant':

https://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2014/11/one-camera-one-lens-one-year-the-digital-version.html

 

[Godfrey]

You have to let go of what you think you know about making photographs and accept something different for exercises like this to affect you positively. If you're used to always having a couple of lenses with you and changing up to suit a scene frequently, and see this as a constraint, you might find the benefit small. And whether other people see a difference in your work depends on what your work has been like before ... Only you will be able to determine if the exercise benefitted you, really.

I do this zen often as i most usually only carry one prime lens when i go out shooting. I have to see in that context and not be thinking "I wish I had some other lens." all the time.

G

 

[wlewisiii]

You have to let go of what you think you know about making photographs and accept something different for exercises like this to affect you positively.

I once had a Canon Rebel XS and the kit zoom that came with it was hideous. The body was also pretty limited but I didn't really notice because that lens was really just that bad. After we got back from our trip to adopt our son in Vietnam I started buying real, if older, cameras (a long journey that lead me here) Along the way I refused to even consider zoom lenses. They were all poisoned by the stench of that Canon kit lens.

Fast forward to earlier this year. I was snooping through some postings here and at Cameraderie and started asking questions. Sonnar Brian answered a few of them. I looked at E-Prey and found a steal, I mean, a deal and got a Zoom-Nikkor AF 28-105/3.5-4.5 D. That's a delightful walkabout zoom with a perfect range, fast enough to be useful, yet not too heavy and exquisite optical characteristics. I love it. But I had to let go of my prejudice against all zooms to find it.

It lives on both my D810 & F4 most of the time.

 

[oldwino]

Gibson has also proclaimed that for him, now using a digital M, that 75 is his preferred focal length. So the 75 is the new 50. Or I guess you can just choose which one you would rather use for a year, based on the camera...

 

[oldwino]

I once had a Canon Rebel XS and the kit zoom that came with it was hideous. The body was also pretty limited but I didn't really notice because that lens was really just that bad. After we got back from our trip to adopt our son in Vietnam I started buying real, if older, cameras (a long journey that lead me here) Along the way I refused to even consider zoom lenses. They were all poisoned by the stench of that Canon kit lens.

Fast forward to earlier this year. I was snooping through some postings here and at Cameraderie and started asking questions. Sonnar Brian answered a few of them. I looked at E-Prey and found a steal, I mean, a deal and got a Zoom-Nikkor AF 28-105/3.5-4.5 D. That's a delightful walkabout zoom with a perfect range, fast enough to be useful, yet not too heavy and exquisite optical characteristics. I love it. But I had to let go of my prejudice against all zooms to find it.

It lives on both my D810 & F4 most of the time.

This was the lens, on my Df, that finally broke my prejudice against zooms. It is really a nice lens, not "great" by today's standards, but really good nonetheless. And very versatile.
I do find it shows its age on 24mp sensors a bit - lacking a bit of "bite" - but is nice on the Df's 16mp. And on my F4.

 

[Rayt]

I started photography at a time when camera kits came with a 50mm f/1.8 not a slow midrange zoom. Years later I got a 24mm and appreciated what creative opportunities it offered. Took a while to figure out how to put things in the foreground to make a decent photo. Couldn’t have done that without a 50 as reference. It wasn’t until I started dark room printing did I understood exposure, contrast and lighting. I would say a beginner should shoot with nothing but slide film with a manual camera.

 

[sojournerphoto]

I’ve done this and, as per Godfrey, still very rarely take more than one lens with me. Today I took a 35 and Zeiss Ikon, unusually with colour film as it was a family Boxing Day trip out🙂

Mike Johnston’s point about prints is quite important I think. You need to look at what you’ve made, for some time and without too long a break. This also, slightly, means more care in the digital version, as you need to be able look through and select a few to print in a meaningful time. Digital can lead to ‘too many pictures’ syndrome.

He also proposed one film and one developer - again, removing options to focus on learning from what you make with what you’ve got.

50mm on 35mm format is actually a pretty good choice as, also articulated by Mr Johnston, it can look like a mild wide or a mild tele depending on where you stand! It’s still my preferred focal length in reality- although I do periodically force myself to use something different for a predetermined period of time.

Mike

 

[agentlossing]

I've never done it for a full year, and I tend to bounce around focal lengths. A 50mm for a year sounds really limiting, which is the point, but I am too afraid I would miss some opportunities. But I've extensively used just the Panasonic 20mm f1.7 (40mm equiv) on M4/3 cameras, and the Color Skopar 35mm f2.5 on a Voigtlander Bessa.

I could drop everything else and use my perfectly matched Pentax-M 50mm f1.7 on my black MX, but that would be... crazy! Right?

 

[Evergreen States]

I imagine I could do this with minimal difficulty because I pretty much only shoot with a 50 or 35 when I go out, but I'd have to: 1) pick a single camera to stick with and 2) overcome the anxiety that I'd be missing out by not switching to the other lens.

If anything, the true struggle out of my comfort zone has been to stick with longer or wider focal lengths.

 

[JohnWolf]

Thanks for the replies so far. I just thought it was an interesting idea, but have not really seen any very concrete examples of how the process actually improves the photography, or in what particular aspects. However, I often find when I take gear on trips I have several lenses and usually only end up using one zoom (say in the standard 24-70mm range) and many of the shots are at the wide or the long end so almost like a 2 lens kit.

I might try the one lens exercise for a month or two rather than a year to see what impact it has in the short term. I am thinking M10 and 50mm ZM Planar. The original Johnstone article seems to place an emphasis on film and making prints. I am just going to have a look at his 'digital variant':

https://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2014/11/one-camera-one-lens-one-year-the-digital-version.html

My intention in doing it this year is not to improve my photography. It’s more about eliminating or reducing gear-consciousness for a while and going deeper into the picture-making process. As part of the project, I’m dedicating at least one full day each week to a new local photo adventure. At the moment I’m shooting at least a roll a week and printing one pic from each roll. So for me it’s an effort to more fully engage with the pleasures of picture-making.

I considered doing it with my M10 but decided on film and bought the M2 for the project. I shot the M2 and 50 for a month before committing for the year. I love the combination.

John

 

[santino]

Gibson has also proclaimed that for him, now using a digital M, that 75 is his preferred focal length. So the 75 is the new 50. Or I guess you can just choose which one you would rather use for a year, based on the camera...

I could live with a 75 too. The most important part for me is to be able to see a lot outside of the framelines (therefore ironically the M3 is not the best camera for me to use with a 50).

 

[Deleted member 65559]

As a professional mountain climbing and ski guide, photographing on the go, and carrying other equipment, I can't carry the proverbial kitchen sink & don't have the luxury to think about which lens to choose. I've used Fuji 6x9, Pentax 67,Mamiya 6MF, & Leica rangefinders. You learn to look for photographs that work with the equipment you have. I find working simply very mentally relaxing.
I'm planning another trip to the Dolomites in September and this this trip i'll likely take a Leica CL the small Canon 28mm, as well as my Perkeo ll. I prefer printing from the larger negative. In any case, one or the other camera will be in the car, hotel, or rifugio.

 

[pvdhaar]

I could live with a 75 too. The most important part for me is to be able to see a lot outside of the framelines (therefore ironically the M3 is not the best camera for me to use with a 50).

Same story, but for 50mm on an M4. Shooting with a 35 gives more freedom, but the area outside the frames is somewhat smaller than I like for anticipating what comes into the frame.

 

[Godfrey]

i'm not so sensitive with respect to seeing outside the framelines, perhaps because I nearly always keep both eyes open when I'm shooting.

G

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Same story, but for 50mm on an M4. Shooting with a 35 gives more freedom, but the area outside the frames is somewhat smaller than I like for anticipating what comes into the frame.

I feel your pain. I'm a left-eye shooter...so i've found using an accessory finder with both eyes open gives me lots of space to see that's going to come into frame