What lenses for traveling with 35mm?

[Vilk]

Take only 50mm lens. Light, compact, and you will not lose time thinking which lens to use now...

I usually travel with 28-50-105 and never miss any other lens. But then, I have also travelled with 50 alone... and never missed any other lens!

Anyway, just like there is personal style and sensitivity and interest, there are different kinds of travel, so every post in this thread is really talking about something else. For example, I typically hike some 15 miles a day in my travels, so even that 105 can get close to going over the cliff sometimes.

Don't forget a backup box--film machines are beginning to show their age.

 

[Araakii]

What lenses work depends on the person and the type of work that's produced. If you don't know what lenses to bring, that means you don't really know what you are doing with photography.

 

[Vilk]

...just for fun of discussing it.

okee, i'm in: the need to use "different angles" is inversely proportional to the photographic value of the scene

 

[Hatchetman]

Are you familiar with William Eggleston? There's a great documentary about him, a British TV production, and he has this 'promise' to himself to never shoot the same thing more than once, because he ends up being too confused in choosing what to print if there's more than one negative of each - i.e. which is best.
I'm not saying you're wrong with your 'different angles' (this is subjective, after all), but I thought I would provide a counter argument to your idea, just for fun of discussing it.

I think I'm generally on board with Eggleston's theory. Shooting the same subject with different lenses sounds pretty boring to me. I rarely switch lenses when I'm out and about. But I often change lenses before I pack my bag. It just makes life more interesting to work with different tools.

Also I still do slide shows for the family. Close-ups, landscape, people, I like to mix it up for the audience. It's all good, I was just pointing out one aspect.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

okee, i'm in: the need to use "different angles" is inversely proportional to the photographic value of the scene

Unless you want a view of the dinner table and are afflicted with a 105mm lens....

 

[baachitraka]

One lens for overall coverage and an another lens for detailed/close up coverage. 28/35 or 85/135 will do great job for you.

 

[Vilk]

Unless you want a view of the dinner table and are afflicted with a 105mm lens....

and what's the photographic value of a dinner table?

i was talking about switching angles, not being stuck with one specific angle

 

[perkeleellinen]

Years ago I did inter-rail around the Continent and took an F3 with the 16mm fisheye

Wow, did you ever touch another fisheye again after?

Surprisingly it's still one of my favourites.

 

[narsuitus]

35mm f/1.4
85mm f/1.8
180mm f/2.8

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11336821@N00/7011397917/

 

[semi-ambivalent]

Bullshit.

 

[semi-ambivalent]

What lenses work depends on the person and the type of work that's produced. If you don't know what lenses to bring, that means you don't really know what you are doing with photography.

Apologies, I forgot the identifying quote.

Bullshit.

s-a

 

[cliveh]

As has already been said 50mm only and you can then concentrate on control of perspective and composition.

 

[OldBodyOldSoul]

For me, going out with just one lens works really well when I know where I am going and have my mind set on that particular focal length. Even better if I know what I will be looking for. However, if I am traveling to a new place I don't know much/enough about, I take at least three lenses with me, usually more. Once I am familiar with the place and know what to expect, it's easy to pick one lens (or two, or three) and not miss others. So... more or less standard answer - two in the 20-35 range, a 50ish, and something longer (85-200). Two bodies sounds good too, especially if there is a serious risk of someone important asking to hold the camera for more than 5 seconds.

 

[Hatchetman]

As has already been said 50mm only and you can then concentrate on control of perspective and composition.

A question for the puritans...are we allowed to use color film?

 

[cliveh]

A question for the puritans...are we allowed to use color film?

Definitely not.

 

[darkosaric]

A question for the puritans...are we allowed to use color film?

No. If you want color - you use lith printing, toning or color ink in bromoil .

 

[E. von Hoegh]

No. If you want color - you use lith printing, toning or color ink in bromoil .

No; you color the print yourself, then make sure you don't get caught with it.

 

[waynecrider]

My 2 lens carry is a 35 and a 50. If I were in tight city streets I'd make it a 24 and a 50. If I needed some macro capabilities I'd make it a 24 and a macro zoom.

 

[BrianL]

I vote for somthing in the 35 to 40mm range ad the 90-135 range. I am very partiial to 40mm and 90mm amd most of my fixed lens cameras are 40mm as well as having a 40mm for my slr and interchangeable rangefinder. I prefer to 90-105 range for a somewhat longer lens especially for portraits and strret shooting. 135 id too narrow for my liking when walking the streets. My has a 105 anf interchangeable rangefinder a 90. Now, admittedly, I have an excellent doubtler for the slr so I can use the 40 and get almost to the 90 or 210 with the 105. The key with these is to get the best you can, firgt thinking they can be had for cheap.

 

[Tim Gray]

The way I shoot, 50, 28, and 21. You could chop that down to 50 and 28 easily and I'd still be happy. I'd also be mostly happy with just 28. Or even just 21 if my 21 was faster than it as (it's only f/4.5). The couple times I've brought along a 90 (in a 28/50/90 set)... I used it sparingly but got to the point where I stopped bringing it.

Others might like just a 50, but I'm much more comfortable with 28. So assuming you are like me, I might consider going with just the 28 and 50. If the 28 isn't your main squeeze, then maybe the 20 and the 50. And if you want three lenses but don't care for wide as much, the 28/50/105 (or 20/50/105). It really depends on your preferences, which I don't know. I would recommend keeping it to two lenses, three tops if they are small.

 

[wblynch]

A question for the puritans...are we allowed to use color film?

Well, I am certainly allowed.

But then I am neither PURE nor TAN !

 

[semi-ambivalent]

Thanks everybody for their experiences. I have some time before we go and this might morph but I think I'll go 20 - 28 - 50 - 105. I might drop the 20 unless the wife says she's expecting interiors, then I'm stuck with it. But it's small so no big deal.

Although the 28 is my "main squeeze" I've been shooting a very old 35 f/2.8 and really liking it, so maybe I just adapt my eye to whatever glass is on the box. This is very important because it gives credence to the 'one lens, one camera' thing mentioned here. Something Zen about that, but I don't go on big trips much anymore so I'll do a CYA on this one.

s-a

 

[narsuitus]

... I think I'll go 20 - 28 - 50 - 105. I might drop the 20 ...

I could easily go with the 28 – 50 – 105.

In my case, they would be the:
28mm f/2.8
50mm f/1.4
105mm f/2.5

If I knew I would be shooting macro in addition to portraits, I would take a 105mm f/2.8 macro instead of the 105mm f/2.5.

If I knew I would need something a little longer than the 105mm, I would take a 135mm f/3.5 instead.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11336821@N00/6095358701/

 

[film_man]

When I want to go light and walk a lot it is 20/50/100 for me. If I want really light 20/50 or just the 50. Taking more is just a constant battle of what to use and 20/50/100 is sufficiently different to know what you'll use and why.

I used to go 28/50/100 but I kind of started to like the 20, if you want wide then go WIDE!

 

[LJSLATER]

I just got back from a road trip to California.

I brought a single F2 body and the following lenses:
18mm /f4
50mm f/1.2
135mm f/3.5

Most of the shots I took were through the window of the moving car; I think 50mm is the perfect focal length for this, and a larger-than-necessary hood helps. I didn't try using a polarizer. I used the 18 for maybe two shots of a destroyed house and I didn't use the 135 at all. The 50 was fine for walking about Hollywood (can't go to SoCal without visiting Amoeba) but a 35 would have worked too, although I don't even currently own one and I don't feel like I'm missing out.

I did leave the motor drive home and missed it the whole time. The MD1 is damned heavy but I sometimes think it was made for me; it fits my hands and shooting style perfectly.