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 06/17/2005 02:07:33 PM · #1
I'm now down to three pretty portable lenses, but having only one lens, the right lens, would be better.

Here's an exercise/survey meant to see how people would decide about what lens to carry when you can only carry one lens. I would love to be able to make the right choice in various situations, and be happy with it, and have a very light load.

So in thinking about each scenario below, consider what you would bring if you could carry only one lens. To keep this from simply being an ideal world exercise, you must own the lens you propose to carry.

1) You going to take a 5 mile hike in the woods. There are lots of streams and tall trees. A few small gulches.

2) You are hiking up a mountain trail. You will eventually be above the treeline. There are lots of streams and tall trees.

3) You are going on a riverboat cruise. You are interested in all sorts of scenic and passenger pics.

4) You are going to a parade to celebrate 'whatever'.

5) You are going to a big city to walk around and take pictures.

I realize this depends on what kind of pictures you like to take. But if you care to think about and answer this, tell me, from your perspective, what one lens would you bring in each case (and why)?

Now, if you could carry a second, which one?

Finally, the straightforward question: when you travel in general, how many lenses do you carry (and which ones)?

Hope this isn't a totally stupid exercise, but at least I would interested in what people say. I know you could just pick your largest zoom range, but while it might be the most flexible, it might not bring the best pictures back (since it might be a compromise on the low or high end).

06/17/2005 02:17:15 PM · #2
1. Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens
2. Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens
3. Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens
4. Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS Image Stabilizer USM Autofocus Lens
5. Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens

So I guess I would love having just these two lens. :)
 06/17/2005 02:19:14 PM · #3
1) Sigma 12-24 - To fit the trees in the frame.
2) Canon 28-135IS - For the zoom range. Perhaps not wide enough for the woods part and not long enough for when above the treeline.
3) Canon 28-135IS - IS is useful
4) Canon 28-135IS - Decent amount of reach.
5) Sigma 12-24 - Just for the wide angle.

If I could carry a second lens, then it would be either the Canon 28-135IS or the Sigma 12-24, either one, so that I had the pair.

When I travel (the longest distance I travel is normally to work), I take almost all my lenses, as they live in my backpack with the camera. That would be: Canon 28-135IS, Sigma 12-24, Canon 50mm 1.8 and Sigma 80-400 OS. The 70-200f4 stays at home, as it will not fit into the backpack.

Dang... beaten to it by SDW

Message edited by author 2005-06-17 14:21:41.
 06/17/2005 02:19:29 PM · #4
1. 10-22mm
2. 10-22mm
3. 10-22mm
4. 70-200/2.8L
5. 10-22mm

(Out of my bag of: 10-22, 18-55, 50, 85, 28-70, 70-200)

Message edited by author 2005-06-17 14:20:27.
 06/17/2005 02:24:32 PM · #5
4) 70-200mm 2.8 IS -My 4 y/o son took part in a Memorial Day parade with his gymnastics class, and I walked ahead and took a bunch of photos. It was perfect to get nice dof on just him, and also to get a bunch of candids. Other people in the parade think you're with the press too and pose for you.
 06/17/2005 02:25:51 PM · #6
I'd use my Tokina 24-200mm lens for all of those.
I would also have a Sigma 12-24, Sigma 105 macro and Minolta 75-300 which I would swap regularly when I saw something interesting. I'm pretty fast now at swapping my lenses. Can't wait till the 5D comes out and I can buy a 2nd body.
 06/17/2005 02:26:02 PM · #7
Originally posted by SDW65:
1. Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens
2. Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens
3. Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens
4. Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS Image Stabilizer USM Autofocus Lens
5. Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens

So I guess I would love having just these two lens. :)


Wouldn't we all!! Maybe this could be a good photograph for the Fantasy World challenge... the world where I have all the L glass I want! ;o)
 06/17/2005 02:26:10 PM · #8
1. EF 500mm f/4L IS
2. EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS
3. EF 35mm f/2
4. EF 35mm f/2
5. EF 35mm f/2
06/17/2005 02:48:33 PM · #9
I tried to use just my 28-200 on several hikes and such and found I missed a lot of shots that way.

I usually carry:

28-200
24-70
80-400
maybe the 19-35 depending on the hike
and now I have my 105mm i will cary.

Its a heavy load, but I will get the shot I want. Plus I have a wife now who can cary a lens or 2 for me :)

James
 06/17/2005 03:03:01 PM · #10
100-400L IS on all counts - second lens would be 24mm macro
 06/17/2005 03:16:31 PM · #11
24-85 f2.8 w/ 2:1 macro is what I would bring everywhere. Second would be something long in 200 or 300 range with VR(IS).
That is until I get my hands on 24-120 f3.5 VR

Nick
 06/17/2005 03:28:07 PM · #12
For all the 18-70mm as a walk around. It is a great lens for general use. Wide enough but a bit short on the tele side for nature.

For nature at leas a 300mm reach is the minimum.

My 2ยบ lens is a 70-300mm D ED.

I would love to have a 24-120mm VR as my walk around and a 105mm macro to do some unusual photos.
 06/17/2005 03:37:20 PM · #13
I always carry:
Sigma 12-24 4.5-5.6
Canon 24-70 2.8
Canon 70-200 2.8 IS

And very seldom have I ever wished I had any other lenses. Except, maybe a longer lens than the 70-200, but then I would be unhappy about having to lug it around.
 06/17/2005 03:45:02 PM · #14
Tamron 18-200 3.5 - my all-purpose lens.
 06/17/2005 03:57:42 PM · #15
Originally posted by SDW65:
1. Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens
2. Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens
3. Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens
4. Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS Image Stabilizer USM Autofocus Lens
5. Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens

So I guess I would love having just these two lens. :)


Ditto.
 06/17/2005 05:05:37 PM · #16
1) Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC EX HSM (on order)
2) Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC EX HSM
3) Nikon 18-70 DX AF-S
4) Nikon 18-70 DX AF-S
5) Nikon 18-70 DX AF-S/ Sigma 30mm tie
 06/17/2005 05:19:43 PM · #17
I never only carry one lens unless i'm at my house and can go inside to change it really quick... and even then I usually carry 2... Cargo pants are very useful for carrying 3 lenses (one on body) if the lenses all fit in your pockets.
 06/17/2005 05:26:14 PM · #18
yup ... this looks about right

Originally posted by doctornick:
Originally posted by SDW65:
1. Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens
2. Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens
3. Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens
4. Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS Image Stabilizer USM Autofocus Lens
5. Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens

So I guess I would love having just these two lens. :)


Ditto.
06/17/2005 06:27:52 PM · #19
1) Canon EF 17-40mm L f/4 (a good, versatile lens wide enough to capture the locale described here. I'd expect poor light and would lug a tripod as well. If I expect birds or game here I'd take the EF 70-200 L f/2.8 as well)

2) Canon EF 17-40mm L f/4 (I wouldn't really expect tall trees above the tree line - on the way there, perhaps... My second choice would be, again the 70-200, for game/birds and/or selective landscape shots)

3) Canon EF 17-40mm L f/4 (the 17-40, because I'd expect to shoot subjects predominantly from close proximity, i.e. passengers, crew, rigging etc. It will also do for scenics. A big white lens would be a little too ostentious).

4) Canon EF 70-200mm L f/2.8 (I've been in this conundrum before -wide or long? -I'd go long for fill-the-frame candids and the bokeh. If it's crowded and I can't expect to get close enough, I'd consider a 1.4 converted with it).

5) Canon EF 50mm f/1.8. (Ah, my chance to use a normal lens! The 17-40 would be wider, but f/4 might result in some noise, when I increase the ISO. Also, the 50mm (f/1.8!) would force me to interact with people, which is a good thing. Foot-zooming prepares some subjects differently than a frame-by-zooming approach, which everyone is so used to).

When I travel, I carry all my lenses and equipment, two bodies (so I don't have to change lenses all the time), tripod and all.

Message edited by author 2005-06-17 21:39:35.
 06/17/2005 08:14:42 PM · #20
First, these are the lenses I own:

- Sigma 12-24mm f4.5/5.6 EX DG
- Sigma 28-90mm, kit lens with macro
- Canon 50mm f/1.8 II
- Sigma 70-300mm, kit lens with macro

1) You going to take a 5 mile hike in the woods. There are lots of streams and tall trees. A few small gulches.

Seeing as how I'd only have one choice I would choose the 28-90mm. While the 12-24mm would fit in the tall trees and give me some nice shots, I would like a little extra zoom in case I ran across some critters (deer or whatever). Also, the 28-90mm would let me take macros of flowers, moss, etc. I could always take several shots and stitch them if I wanted a wider view as well.
.

2) You are hiking up a mountain trail. You will eventually be above the treeline. There are lots of streams and tall trees.

Again, I would choose the 28-90mm with reasons stated above.
.

3) You are going on a riverboat cruise. You are interested in all sorts of scenic and passenger pics.

28-90mm. It would give me enough zoom to get candids (I don't normally shoot candids, but assuming I did) and would give a wide enough angle for scenics.
.

4) You are going to a parade to celebrate 'whatever'.

28-90mm again. Same as above. I have the 50mm f/1.8 but I don't shoot candids and I wouldn't feel comfortable getting in someone's face to get a shot of them. It would be awkward for me. However, if the event was closer to dusk or on a gray, cloudy day, I would consider the 50mm for the speed.

5) You are going to a big city to walk around and take pictures.

I go to NYC several times a year and I use the 28-90mm most frequently. The telephoto isn't very useful (for me) in the city because everything is so close together and you can't get back far enough to use the telephoto.
.

Now, if you could carry a second, which one?

If I could carry a second lens it would be the 70-300mm for #1-4 and the 12-24mm for #5. The 12-24mm in the city is quite fun!
.

Finally, the straightforward question: when you travel in general, how many lenses do you carry (and which ones)?

Just FYI - my "traveling" and short trips consist of traveling by car, going to the city, and hiking short trails (2 miles and less) in the Finger Lakes National Forest and along the local gorges and waterfalls.

I ALWAYS take everything with me. All of my lenses, memory cards, filters, tripod...everything. The questions above were difficult because in reality I never have to choose. I take it all and then I know I'll have what I need. I like to shoot a variety of things near and far so the wide angles allow me to get the waterfalls and the telephoto lets me get the birds, deer, and other wildlife. I only have the Sigma shoulder bag that came with my kits lenses. If I keep my camera around my neck, everything fits in there fine (the 12-24mm without it's orig. case). Most often, I carry that Sigma bag and the 12-24mm (in it's own case) inside my backpack, though. It's just a normal L.L. Bean backpack. Nothing fancy. I don't do any mountain climbing or anything so I don't have to worry much about my equipment rolling down the mountainside. :-) I would love a new camera bag but can't decide on one and don't feel like paying $100-150 right now.
.

Hope this isn't a totally stupid exercise...

Not at all. Quite interesting, really! Good idea to post this.

- Jen

Message edited by author 2005-06-17 20:16:04.
 06/17/2005 08:25:59 PM · #21
For now on I only carry two lens:
Sigma 18-50mm Ex f2.8
Canon 70-200mm F4L

I think this cover all situations except for real wild life photo, specially birds.

Message edited by author 2005-06-17 20:26:12.
 06/18/2005 05:59:49 PM · #22
1 and 2 = Sigma 50-500 Ex

3,4 and 5 = Nikkor 24-85 f/2.8-4

or just take both. Throw in a 50mm f/1.4 and you have it all. A monopod could also double as a walking stick in the high country or an added security device while on city streets.
 06/22/2005 11:05:47 AM · #23
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