Do you only use a single lens with your interchangeable lens cameras

mtnbkr · Dec 16, 2007

It occurred to me the other day that while both of my main user cameras were SLRs and could take a variety of lenses, I only use one lens most of the time. For the Nikon N80, I have a Nikkor 24mm, 50mm, and 70-210mm. For the OM1, I have a Zuiko 50mm and Vivitar Ser1 70-210mm. My "go to" lens for both cameras is their respective 50mm lenses. For both cameras, I think I would be just as well served by a 35mm or 40mm lens, but I went with the 50mm because they're usually faster (f1.8 vs 2 or 2.8).

I started thinking about this when I found myself looking at the Voigtlander Bessa R3M while thinking how nice it would be to have access to all those Leica, CV, and FSU lenses. My next thought was that I'd probably end up with whatever lens I bought at the same time as the body and maybe one other, if that. It was brought up again when I read Mike Johnston's article in this month's B&W Photography.

Do any of you find yourself only using or owning a single lens for your interchangeable lens cameras?

Chris

rkmiec · Dec 16, 2007

when i had my f5 i used my 85 1.8 most of the time.i liked the speed and 85 mm was how i saw images.i had a 24-120 lens but i didnt care for it much.it had its uses though.i also had a 180 2.8.this was by far my favorite lens it just didnt get as much use as 85.it was a little big for walking around.i always found myself with a very heavy camera bag around my shoulders but only seemed to open it up when i needed another roll of film.in hindsight i guess i never needed to bring the bag all the time.lol.

Ian Grant · Dec 16, 2007

Yes for 20 years I've only owned one lens an f2 50mm Summicron for my Leica M3 and so that's what I use, and I've shot a lot of images with the combination.

Ian

AZLF · Dec 16, 2007

Yes.
Minolta X-700 28-200 mm
Minolta 7000 28-200 mm
Leica IIIa 50 mm Summar

Pinholemaster · Dec 16, 2007

For one of my Leica M6 bodies, only the 35mm f/1.4 has been on the camera. It never comes off. The other lenses switch on and off the second body.

For one of my Minolta CLE bodies, only the 40mm f/2.0 has been on the camera. It never comes off. The other two lenses switch on and off the second body.

With my Nikon F100 bodies, all my lenses switch on and off. I do find that I tend to have the 17-35mm on one body mostly, while the second body gets the 70-200mm. But I'm not wedded to that combo.

Richard Wasserman · Dec 16, 2007

My 35mm camera is a Leica M6 for which I have 4 or 5 lenses by various makers. I have gotten to the point where I usually just use the 35mm f/1.4 all the time as it fits the way I see perfectly. However if I am traveling and this is the only camera I'm bringing I will add a 75mm lens just in case I need something longer.

Richard Wasserman

jmal · Dec 16, 2007

I only use a 50mm on my FM2n. I am going to buy a 28mm at some point in the near future because I often find myself needing more in the frame than I can get with the 50mm. There are so many situations where I just have no room to back up and end up having to compromise by cutting something out of the photo.

Ian Grant · Dec 16, 2007

My wife decided that my 17mm Tamron was the only lens to use on her Pentax KX, and for days insisted on using nothing else. Luckily she realised the error of her ways now she uses my Pentax 28mm instead

Ian

singram · Dec 16, 2007

I am in the middle of a "getting back to basics" film based shooting mode. I've been using a 35mm body and a 50mm lens. Sometimes limiting your equipment makes your photography stronger, because you have to work a little harder at it . Plus, the camera bag is a joy to carry - body w/lens, light meter and film!

steve

Photo Engineer · Dec 16, 2007

See the 'spouse' thread.

My wife used to carry my spare lenses for me when we went hiking.

PE

bdial · Dec 16, 2007

At the end of the Large Format workshop I attended this spring I found myself thinking "why have do I have any lens besides the 210?" as a I barely touched the other two I had with me. For my 35, a 35-105 zoom is on the camera most of the time, though maybe a zoom doesn't quite qualify as one lens.
Hauling lenses is certainly a double-edge sword, you aren't necessarily forced to bypass pictures that can't be made to work with what you have on the camera, but stopping, changing lenses, and the mechanics of dealing with them is a huge interruption to your flow.
I agree with Steve, that limiting your equipment makes your photography stronger.

bruce terry · Dec 16, 2007

mtnbkr said:
Do any of you find yourself only using or owning a single lens for your interchangeable lens cameras?

Yes. Always have. Fewer complications, more challenge.

fschifano · Dec 16, 2007

For 35mm, I find myself using a 50mm lens about 90% of the time. My usual walk-around kit is a "classic" Nikon SLR body and a trio of lenses encompassing the 24 f/2.8, 50 f/1.8, and 85 f/2. Add in a few rolls of film, lens hoods, and filters (all 3 lenses take 52mm filters), and I'm good to go. The entire package is small and light enough to carry around for more than a few hours of street walking, and comprehensive enough to do what I need.

matti · Dec 16, 2007

With my M6 I only use the Summicron 50 now. I always think I should change to the Summicron 35 but never actually do it. I bought a 85 mm Jupiter to try out for portraits, but didn't yet. Always the Summicron 50... Before I got that I did actually change between tree lenses, one 50 mm Jupiter and two 50 mm Industar...

/matti

Blighty · Dec 16, 2007

Depends what I'm doing. Mostly, I use the 50mm 1.4 on the F5, but when I'm out on the fells with the F80 I exclusively use the 50mm, 'coz it saves on weight. If I did need to take a second lens, it would probably be an 85mm.

Lee Shively · Dec 16, 2007

More and more, I use 50mm on 35mm cameras and the 75mm and 80mm on medium format cameras.

I can remember the time when I avoided using standard focal length lenses--too "normal". Now I am less interested in lens effects.

marsbars · Dec 16, 2007

For my everyday use I pretty much use my 50-mm 1.8. It just works. But lately I have found myself using my 135 2.8 an awful lot. I switch between them both about equally. I do have a 24-mm 2.8 but I haven't found much use for it as of late. But in my defense I have only had it a month. But I would have to say that the 50 mm lenses I have, I have 3 different ones. Get the most use. I abhor zoom lenses for the most part. If I could afford one that was a fast as a prime and as clear then I would use them.

spiralcity · Dec 16, 2007

I use my 50mm quite often. I go to my 24 when I need to capture a nice landscape or big interior.
I also use my 100mm E lens quite oten when shooting portraits or just candid people pictues.

So my main lense are- 24mm - 50mm - and 100mm.

trip_wt · Dec 16, 2007

One is a genius....

This will probably be lost on all but the young'uns here, but:

"Gee Brain, what lens do you want to shoot with tonight?"
"Same lens we shoot with every night, Pinky, the standard lens that came with the camera."

Yeah, most of the time the 50mm lens just stays on my SLR. If I need something sligtly wider I tend to use the xa or xa2 which I carry in my pocket, it's faster than switching lenses!

unohuu · Dec 16, 2007

i like the 85mm on the F100 and 50mm on the F4.

Photo Engineer · Dec 16, 2007

trip_wt said:
This will probably be lost on all but the young'uns here, but:

"Gee Brain, what lens do you want to shoot with tonight?"
"Same lens we shoot with every night, Pinky, the standard lens that came with the camera."

Yeah, most of the time the 50mm lens just stays on my SLR. If I need something sligtly wider I tend to use the xa or xa2 which I carry in my pocket, it's faster than switching lenses!

Pinky and the Brain. Yer datin yerself kiddo.

Our children used to watch that!

PE

David Brown · Dec 16, 2007

mtnbkr said:
Do any of you find yourself only using or owning a single lens for your interchangeable lens cameras?

No.

PatTrent · Dec 17, 2007

Mostly, yes. For many years, despite having Canon, Nikon, and Hasselblad systems (i.e., numerous lenses), my favorite mode was to use the basic "normal" lens for a particular camera or to use a fixed-lens camera. I only used the other lenses when I had no other choice. Several years ago I traveled around the USA for 3 months in my motor home, and the only camera I took with me was a fixed lens camera; I just didn't want to bother hauling all the gear associated with even one camera "system."

By the end of that trip, I still didn't regret that decision. It really changed my attitude about what's really necessary. Sadly, though, I still suffer from GAS. So I guess I like buying/owning all those lenses, but not using them.

narsuitus · Dec 17, 2007

mtnbkr said:
Do any of you find yourself only using or owning a single lens for your interchangeable lens cameras?

Chris

No! When I think I only need to carry one lens and one body, I take a fixed lens camera with me.

Anscojohn · Dec 17, 2007

With different 35 mm systems, I have always preferred fixed focal length lenses and my most-used lens was always a medium telephoto. Over the (many) years: An 80mm 2.8 Tessar on my Practikas; 105 2.8 Takumar on my Pentaxes; 105 2,5 Nikkor on the F2; 100 2.8 on the Oly Oms; an 85 2,0 on the Ukrainian Kiev 35 mm; and a 90 mm 4.0 on the Leica M6. I like doing landscapes and portraits and like the kind of perspective those type lenses give.
John, Mount Vernon, Virginia USA

Do you only use a single lens with your interchangeable lens cameras

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