HELP what lens should i take??

[usccharles]

ok before i start, i'm really trying not to brag about my lenses, so please don't flame me :)

i have a 3 week vacation coming up and i don't know what to take and i want my load as light as possible

15mm heliar
28/2.8 asph
35 summilux
50 summilux
75 summicron
75 summilux

those are my choices. i've decided to take my Rd-1 and carry it as a permanent wide-angle body with my 15mm heliar. so i have wide covered.

now i only want to take two lenses for my M8. so basically one on the body and one extra.

i'm going to be in the city for half the time. mostly out in the afternoons/evenings because its so dang out during the day, so alot of indoor/available light shooting. but my other half of the trip is camping out in the desert/beach, lots of drinking, fireplace chitchatting, hiking, etc...

pick two lenses for me to take!! seriously it should be no big deal but its all i think about when i wake up and i seriously had a dream about which lens to take last night and if someone doesn't help me soon i'm going to go gonzo!

i only want two lenses. i'm carrying some P&S film cameras too and its just too much if i carry more.

thank you~! :)

[erikhaugsby]

35 'lux and 75 'cron.

The 35 will be a nice standard complement to the 15 (21) on your RD-1, and the 75 will take care of the long end for those scenics in the countryside.
I say take the 75 'cron over the 'lux due entirely to size--there's a huge difference between the two in weights and I can't assume that you'll be needing f/1.4 much with a lens that long.

My two cents.


edit: I really envy your lens collection. I'm glad that you've found glass you like, regardless of what I said to you ever so long ago. :)

[AlexanderR]

I would take the 50 'lux and that's it. Since there's a crop factor on the M8, you might want to take the 35' lux instead of the 50 for a 'normal' field of view.

If I were traveling with two bodies (film) i'd put the 35 'lux on one, and the '75 cron (due to size of the '75 lux) on the other and be done.

[furcafe]

Since you have so many lenses, I would hope that you know your own photographic preferences (& I don't see why being on vacation should necessarily change anything) better than any group of strangers, but my 2 cents:

Don't bother w/2 lenses, just take the 35/1.4 & be done w/it. With the crop factor, it becomes a normal lens & it has enough speed to handle indoor shooting.

[cmogi10]

28/2.8 and the 75/1.4

Easy! =D

(Everyone will probably disagree with me, but it's preference right? And I've spent a lot of time with the 28 and I think it supplements the 75 lux perfectly)

[usccharles]

35 'lux and 75 'cron.

The 35 will be a nice standard complement to the 15 (21) on your RD-1, and the 75 will take care of the long end for those scenics in the countryside.
I say take the 75 'cron over the 'lux due entirely to size--there's a huge difference between the two in weights and I can't assume that you'll be needing f/1.4 much with a lens that long.

My two cents.


edit: I really envy your lens collection. I'm glad that you've found glass you like, regardless of what I said to you ever so long ago. :)

thanks for the comment eric.

i'm actually closest to your idea right now. just considering between the 35lux or the 50 lux. but your 75 cron comment is dead on with my thinking too. i love my 75 lux, actually my favorite of all the lenses, but i'm going to be out and about with my friends and i think i would prefer the smaller cron with the smaller size.

cheers~

[usccharles]

Since you have so many lenses, I would hope that you know your own photographic preferences (& I don't see why being on vacation should necessarily change anything) better than any group of strangers, but my 2 cents:

Don't bother w/2 lenses, just take the 35/1.4 & be done w/it. With the crop factor, it becomes a normal lens & it has enough speed to handle indoor shooting.

i wish life was so easy!! :bang:

thank you for the comment. i really want to do what you say, instead for me i would take the 50lux instead of the 35 lux.

but seriously, each lens is so different for me and each lens will drastically change the way i shoot on my trip. i will love any one that i take but its just getting to making the final decision thats killing me... i just want to hurry up, pick my lens, shove them in my bag, get on a plane and not think back.

but thats three more day sfrom now :bang:

i have also thought about just taking one lens, but you know... its a long due vacation and i want to carry atleast one alternative in my bag.. :)

[Doug]

Here's another suggestion to take the 35 'lux only and leave the rest behind. Concentrate on that field of view, and your compositions will fall into place without the nagging consideration of some other field of view. Perhaps not as "versatile" but I bet the photos would be better.

[furcafe]

I hear ya, but per Doug's sage advice, I think that using 1 lens can liberate you. Bringing multiple lenses (even 2) in addition to the 15 on the R-D1 will simply push your current indecision into the future . . . where it will explode during the worst possible time, IMHO, during the trip. If this is a solely or primarily photographic vacation, then it wouldn't necessarily be a big problem, but it doesn't sound like that's the case here.

I was mostly joking about your having "so many lenses." I probably have many more lenses & cameras than you (& surely more than my talent deserves), but 90% of my photography is in the 35-50mm range (in 35mm format). Unless I'm trying to achieve a certain special effect, I only go wider when I'm almost certain I'll be in situations where I won't be able to back up enough w/the 35/50 & only go longer when I'm almost certain I won't be able to get close enough. Otherwise, I "zoom w/my feet" &/or work the angles w/the lens I have.

Sure, if I'm shooting a paid assignment or something, I might bring other lenses to expand potential coverage, but on vacation, no way. Even on a photo-heavy trip, I tend to stick to 1 focal length to free my mind up to focus (pardon the pun) on much more important things: subjects, compositions, colors, &, most important of all, the light. Indeed, if I bring an extra lens, it's usually 1 of the same focal length, but w/a different character (uncoated v. coated, etc.), speed (f/1 v. f/2), &/or size/weight. If I'm bringing extra equipment @ all, it's more likely to be another body or camera so that I can use different films & formats, both of which (to me) have a greater influence (when combined w/the light) on the character of a photo than focal length.

Life really can be easy (or @ least easier). Stop banging your head & remember the old adage: beginners obsess about equipment, amateurs obsess about composition, but masters obsess about light.

i wish life was so easy!! :bang:

thank you for the comment. i really want to do what you say, instead for me i would take the 50lux instead of the 35 lux.

but seriously, each lens is so different for me and each lens will drastically change the way i shoot on my trip. i will love any one that i take but its just getting to making the final decision thats killing me... i just want to hurry up, pick my lens, shove them in my bag, get on a plane and not think back.

but thats three more day sfrom now :bang:

i have also thought about just taking one lens, but you know... its a long due vacation and i want to carry atleast one alternative in my bag.. :)

[wlewisiii]

Good grief... that list is such over kill I can't even begin to imagine trying to use those lenses for the uses you express a desire for...

Ok, in town, I'd say take the 28 (I'd prefer pre-asph myself, but then I shoot Canon LTM so I like a wee bit lower contrast ;) ) & the 50 given the crop of the M8. That would give a near normal & short tele to be a companion with the wide you already have set up. I'd also bear in mind using that 15 on the M8 due to that crop as well given shooting in tighter locations.

The idea of a single lens is best though - I'd say the 35 as it, IIRC, comes out as near normal on the M8's crop. A single lens is liberating in a way that's almost impossible to describe.

Hope this blather is of some use. Good luck & better light!

William

[usccharles]

beginners obsess about equipment, amateurs obsess about composition, but masters obsess about light.


whoa..

thats an awesome quote.

thanks

[mfogiel]

What you are missing, is the equivalent of a 25 -28mm max, so on your M8 it would be 18-21mm. Take the 28 and the 50, the 28 is so small you won't even notice you have it... :-).

[thomasw_]

just the 35/1.4....less is more.

[furcafe]

You're welcome. Now I shall go back to meditating & stroking my Foton . . . er, my long wispy beard. :p

whoa..

thats an awesome quote.

thanks

[chuckcars]

Take the 35 lux and leave the rest at home. It will make for less stress while increasing your ability to see the sights around you. Not to mention keeping your sensor more dust free. If you feel the need to get closer to a subject, then - get closer.

[ywenz]

35 lux and the 15mm heliar.. don't bring a telephoto. it's bigger and less useful on vacations

[DWeston]

Another vote for 35mm lux and 75mm cron....

[Ben Z]

i have a 3 week vacation coming up and i don't know what to take and i want my load as light as possible

Been there, failed that :D


15mm heliar
28/2.8 asph
[35 summilux
50 summilux
75 summicron
75 summilux

those are my choices. i've decided to take my Rd-1 and carry it as a permanent wide-angle body with my 15mm heliar. so i have wide covered.

I'm also an RD1+M8 owner, but I would take a different tack. The 15 is not only a lot wider on the M8, but vignettes much less. Personally I will use the RD1 only as a backup if the M8 malfunctions, and in your case take the 15 (~21), 28 (~38), and 50 (~66 on the M8, 75 on the RD1).

[usccharles]

AAAAGHH!!!

you guys are driving me more nutts!!!

j/k heehee

thanks for the comments all of you

i'm leaning towards the 50 lux and 75 cron for now and the 15mm on the RD-1 OR on my Hexar instead. that would be kinda cool too. haven't taken out the hexar in a while and then the 15mm will actually be 15mm!

leaning towards the 50mm instead of the 35mm because i went on a business trip for 2 weeks through europe recently and only took the 35mm. enjoyed it very much, but for this trip, i want to give the other lenses some time. 50mm had been my favorite on the m8 for quite a while now, and with the 75 cron, i definately want to do some discreet street shots in the city.

i'm considering taking the 28/2.8 now too since its so small i can just stick it in a side pocket somewhere...

ahh hell, i'm sure my minds going to change by the time i leave work again...

[erikhaugsby]

A 50 and 75?
Those are some long lenses for street shooting...

But I am with you on the size of the 28--it'll fit just about anywhere.

[usccharles]

A 50 and 75?
Those are some long lenses for street shooting...

But I am with you on the size of the 28--it'll fit just about anywhere.

yeah i know, but i'm really getting into shooting people out in the streets, and the 75 puts a nice distance between me and the subject.

the 50, i donno, i just really enjoy the frame line it creates these days. prefer it much more than the 35 lines. so i figure why not just take what i'm used to using now and i'll have the small 28 to cover my ass for anything alittle wider.

and i know i'll use the 15mm a couple times, a nice wide shot of the beach, camping area, desert, etc etc.

:)

[MartinL]

I envy your lenses. If it were me, I'd save weight by leaving the dedicated wide body and take the whole batch (just the one 75). Spend some time (OK, maybe some money if need be) and get just the right small bag or pockets so you can quickly remove, cap, and replace lenses (a skill you probably already have).

I surely don't "get" the mystique of taking just one lens.
Smoke 'em if you got 'em. :D

Martin (speaking from near-total inexperience)

[Likaleica]

The 28 and the 75 Summicron. Nothing beats the 75 for landscape, including cityscape in my opinion. I have the same dilemma, only I want to limit it to one lens. I'm thinking 50 Summicron on an M8.

[Never Satisfied]

Leave your wife home and take the lot, but if she insists, just take the 50mm lux, you'll have both ends well covered and if you want you can swap lenses and bodies to change the crops, the 50mm on your RD-1 is a 75mm.

Cheers and enjoy your trip, Andrew.

[eon]

On my last trip, 1 week long, this is what i brought:
M8
VC15mm
M28/2,8 Asph
M75/2 Asph

/Erik