Shooting film on assignment: what lens would you bring (only one)

[Rayt]

If it like Mary Ellen Mark's Falkland Road then a 28mm will do everything

 

[ChrisLivsey]

Never mind the lens and camera what about the BAG 😉

 

[michaelwj]

This is like asking what type of shoes, underwear, shirt, pants, or socks would you put on. Hopefully one would have have the experience to know what lens to bring whether it's film or digital. If you don't, this would be a great experience for you. One that you could learn from.

In case you're wondering, the correct answers to the above questions are;
Runners,
Clean,
T,
Jeans,
Long.

And to the OP, 28.

My reasoning that if its not a hypothetical situation and you need to ask then you're not going to survive. If it is a hypothetical situation then the 28 is perfect for the hypothetical I'm thinking of. Ditto for my clothing choices.

 

[Paul Jenkin]

Subject to the above comments and caveats, my Nikon F6 + 14-24mm f2.8 (or 28-70mm f2.8) Nikkors would be about the only realistic option - but which of those lenses would depend on what I was being asked to shoot and where.

 

[Georgiy Romanov]

If someone give me assignment right now I take Leica M4 + 35mm lens with lens hood and 800ISO film. Why? When people saw lens hood they think that you a professional and my chrome clunky camera makes me looks like old dog professional 🙂

Fuji Klasse 28W is my second primary film camera. Because it black and wide. My other side of the moon when I want shoot quietly and not to shout that I'm a photographer.

Georgiy.

 

[struene]

For me it would be an current 35/2.0 on a modern m-mount rangefinder, No matter if Zeiss or leica. Film would be the universal portra 400.

Tendencies go to a leica lens due to the focusing knob and a zeiss or voigtländer body, due to better ergonomics (i can´t really hold the leicas long in the right hand only) and the possibility of timeautomation with the ae lock button, too.

schöne Grüße,

Johann

 

[pvdhaar]

One camera, one lens and film, and I don't know beforehand what the assignment is?
I'd take my Nikon F90X and 35-70/2.8..

The F90x has fast autofocus (especially with the 35-70), a short shutter delay, and does some 4 to 5 FPS, so I can react fast, while the finder is good enough for manual focus as well. The 35-70/2.8 lens is sharp, sharp, sharp, already from f2.8 and brutally so at f4; and being 35 to 70 it's flexible enough for environmental and close up portraits. There's a 1:4 macro setting at 35mm, so that can do in a pinch. The constant aperture allows easy flash calculations for an external flash (heck, I'd smuggle in the sb800 to cover that as well)..

 

[jojoman2]

Sorry if the parameters of my question were unclear. It isn't a blind assignment. I'm not asking what lens would you pick to cover any and all assignments. I wanted to pose a hypothetical question to make you all think creatively on how to best reduce your kit to the bare necessities 🙂

I want to hear about the kind of work you do, and see what you would bring if you could only have one lens on a film body. That's what I was asking.

I would bring my 35/2 (I have an m4 body). I have a limited kit in my zeiss 25, 35, 50 and rolleiflex 3.5f. I'm typically hired to shoot in tight situations with variable light and need a variety of shots ranging from architecture, group shots, portraits (though not closeups). I'm anticipating photographing modern dance and theatre productions (relatively low light) in the near future, so I was planning on using my Rolleiflex with 3200 film and potentially picking up a 28mm lens for my m4. I may put that off until I can pick up a .58 leica body to go along with it though. My dream is to work as a photojournalist, but for now I'm enjoying myself shooting film with my current subject matter.

So to conclude: what lens would you bring for the work you normally do, only one fixed length lens, and in this hypothetical world you are shooting a film body.

 

[jsrockit]

It depends on the space and content. Usually a 35mm lens is what I bring if I need one lens to do everything.

 

[rbsinto]

Do I also have to stand on one foot whenever I'm shooting?
My thought process for this assignment is as follows:
The Assignment Editor is an idiot, so I'll leave this foolishness to someone else to bother with.

 

[a.noctilux]

After 30 years (more or less) of trying to "cover the world", I have one set now that would do (or not, that's not important for me anymore):

Leica M-A (... it's only a couple of months old) with Tri-Elmar-M 28-35-50.
with a "ton of films" of course.

Arnaud

 

[leicapixie]

I once did a Fashion shoot for a magazine.
I carried a spare lens, in a leather holder, in pocket.
Spare film in jacket pocket.
A wonderful shoot, one of magazine's best!
The Editor watched as models and i worked the streets and stores, where clothing came for.
I was asked where is rest of "GEAR" ?
I was NEVER hired again by them.
"They" wanted to see lots of equipment..
OH! The question!
It does not make sense.
It depends on assignment.
A sport event, nature, wild animals, portrait, news, documentary,
large violent manifestation, child' birthday!
Photographers should always be prepared.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Do I also have to stand on one foot whenever I'm shooting?
My thought process for this assignment is as follows:
The Assignment Editor is an idiot, so I'll leave this foolishness to someone else to bother with.

Seconded!

Cheers,

R.

 

[BillBingham2]

?...
I was asked where is rest of "GEAR" ?
I was NEVER hired again by them.
"They" wanted to see lots of equipment...

More and more decision makers want to see you work their way. Anything different could not possibily get the job done.

It is a good question to get you thinking about other people's approaches.

B2

 

[BrooklyNYC]

I would bring my Zeiss 50mm F2 with my Leica M7. I would choose this combo because it's what I'm most comfortable with and get the most artistic results with.

 

[narsuitus]

You are on assignment as a photojournalist and can only bring one lens. You are shooting film, not digital. You need results in a fast paced dynamic environment. What focal length lens do you bring?

First Choice: 24-70mm f/2.8 Nikkor auto focus lens on a Nikon F4 or F5 SLR body

Second Choice: Rolleiflex with 80mm f/2.8 lens provided the twin lens qualifies as one lens

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Personally I would choose the Rollei but I'd be more interested in hearing about what you chose, how it went, and whether you'd do the same next time. Hypotheticals tend to be unappealing to me, sorry.
Cheers
Brett