Planning out your lenses

[jagwar.jim]

Hey everyone,

I have a question for you all. Do you plan out your future lenses? If so, how far in advance?

I currently have a 35mm, and would eventually like a 50mm, but then I'm not sure whether to go wide (15mm) or long (90mm). It got me taking about how people plan their lenses.

Thanks!

 

[sreed2006]

Planning is not one of my strong suits.

Sounds like a great skill.

I do have my "some day" lists, and act on those when the opportunity arises, but that is the extent of the planning.

 

[Griffin]

What's a future?

 

[Pickett Wilson]

Depends on what you want to shoot. If you shoot primarily people I'd go longer, rather than wider for my next lens. But it's a pretty personal choice. The basic kit is often 35, 50 and 90 for the RF. Can't go wrong with that combo.

 

[kshapero]

Planning? It's on my list of things I plan to do.

 

[johannielscom]

Never plan out future lenses.

I've planned out a look to my photographs and have acquired lenses to suit that look.

In the past I have tried Sonnars but they did not suit me enough. Now, I shoot two Summiluxes and a 1950 Jupiter-9 2.0/85mm that agrees with Leica. They have coma when used wide open and sharpen up real good when stopped down. In effect those lenses are two-in-one. The wide angle is a really sharp 3.4/21mm Super-Angulon, which does interesting things with the plain of focus when used wide open.

This set of lenses allows me to shoot both sharp and dreamy with the smallest kit. I have an M2 and a Ricoh GXR-M to use them on. Film and digital, color and B&W, all is covered like this.

 

[xxloverxx]

I start from either 35 or 50 then alternate 1 step either way. E.g. if I start out with a 50, I'll get 35 then 90 then 24/25/28 then 135…at least, that's how I plan on doing it. I have loads of F-mount lenses in every focal length from 28 to…400?, then Jupiters 8 and 12 and Helios 103, and then I decided I'd just go with LTM for the foreseeable future so I have a 50 and 25 —*35 next.

Right now my plan is just to go forth with LTM since it seems to have the most lenses and can be adapted to M (for if I ever manage to afford one).

Mostly I worry more about capturing the moment than particular characteristics of the lens, so I plan to get one of each focal length that attracts me before getting different designs of the same FL.

It's also hard to afford multiple lenses of the same FL when your other interests include fountain pens, computers, watches, and interesting/weird gadgets. So I have 3 fountain pens, 3 computers, 2 watches and a few gadgets. One day I'll buy a nice condenser mic. Before or after a 35mm or a Rolleiflex, or after?…and I've been looking at Esterbrooks for a while…sigh.

 

[Marc G.]

I mostly plan after testing...

I knew 35mm was too wide for a standard for me. so I started with a 50, which was the right decision

afterwards it was easy to plan ahead... 28 and 90 seemed the perfect complement.

at the beginning I planned to far ahead. thought about going wider than 28 but until now I never needed something wider

the safest bet is to carefully decide about the standard lens, which will of course be the most important in your kit

afterwards you add according to your needs

some thoughts might go into the direction that having the desired focal length might prove useful when you one day might need it. but this just leads to too much gear you lug around and thinking too much about lenses rather than taking pictures with the one you have on your camera right now.

e.g. a 15mm is an extreme focal length. the more extreme the lenses get the less use they will see over the years. just ask yourself whether that would be worth it for you.

I feel pity for all the lenses who gather dust on shelves because they dont get used

 

[thegman]

Don't plan, just does not seem to be a point. You buy the lens you need/want at the time. Often that is very different to what you think you want. A year or so ago I was coo-ing over a Leica MP, now I'm more likely to not use 35mm at all, and just shoot medium format.

 

[jsrockit]

I plan my lenses based on needs / wants only... whatever I need to get what I want to get done, done.

 

[jagwar.jim]

It's is really interesting. It's really good to see both sides coming out on this, ones who plan ahead, and those who go for the immediate need.

I especially like this:

Never plan out future lenses.

I've planned out a look to my photographs and have acquired lenses to suit that look.

Plan the look of the photos. That's actually probably much more important than the number written n the side of the lens.

 

[Frontman]

For rangefinder cameras, I like 21mm, 35mm, and 50mm lenses. Rather than one body and three lenses, I carry three bodies, each mounted with a particular lens.

For my Nikon F, I use a 20/2.8, 35/2, 50/1.2, and the 105/2.5.

I also have the X-Pro with the 35/1.4 and 28/2 lenses, I am waiting for the 14/2.8, and then I will be somewhat satisfied.n

 

[semi-ambivalent]

I plan my lenses based on needs / wants only... whatever I need to get what I want to get done, done.

Yes, but it's the 'wants' part that gets so many folks in trouble... 😀

s-a

 

[hipsterdufus]

When I bought my M3, I knew that I would buy a 50mm and 90mm lens, since they matched the framelines. When buying a Leica, just get at least one lens for every frameline. 😛

 

[jsrockit]

Yes, but it's the 'wants' part that gets so many folks in trouble... 😀

s-a

True, and I'm being a bit of a hypocrite. 🙂

 

[Paul Jenkin]

"Fail to plan, plan to fail"

As lenses tend to be the most expensive items I buy (and I like to keep hold of them longest) I tend to analyse what I tend to shoot and thenconsider what glass I need and what options exist within budget. Then it's down to availability and the opportunity to "try before you buy" as it's impossible to know whether you'll get on with a lens before you've used it in the field....

Mind you, I'm pretty boring like that and I prefer not to waste money on stuff that I neither need nor use.

 

[oftheherd]

It's is really interesting. It's really good to see both sides coming out on this, ones who plan ahead, and those who go for the immediate need.

I especially like this:



Plan the look of the photos. That's actually probably much more important than the number written n the side of the lens.

It is important I think. In my case years ago, with SLR, I read the books and magazines, and knew I just had to have a bevy of telephotos. Then I discovered that many of the photos I wanted required wide angles. More importantly, I discovered that I 'saw' wide more often than telephoto. I use whatever I need that I have, but I seem to need wides more than telephotos. YMMV.

 

[nikon_sam]

I don't really plan but when I find a lens that strikes my interest I research it, find images made with one then go shopping...see what they are going for...if I find one at a decent price then I have to decide if I deserve it or not...<<<That's the hardest part of it all...
The last lens I bought was the Mamiya-Sekor 145mm Soft Focus...got it off the auction site, was the only bidder and won it...great price...it's a beautiful lens...