As someone who used zooms for newspaper and editorial work, I am now retired from paid shooting. I decided I did not WANT to carry around a big DSLR with a zoom on it. I enjoyed them when I needed them but, in retirement, I thought I would try something else. My first photojournalist idol was Henri Cartier-Bresson who, for most of his career, used a single camera and lens. Why? Because that is the way he "saw" his images. So I decided to try to follow in his path. It has been a challenge and, after seven years, I am still struggling on occasion to "see" that way. I tried several different cameras but settled on a pair of Fuji X100S bodies, one with the WCL converter and one with the TCL converter. Why the X100S instead of the X-Pro/X-E series? The X100 series uses a leaf shutter but has a built-in 3-stop ND filter that allows me to shoot wide open without overexposing in sunlight. The one I use the most is with the TCL giving me that 50mm FOV like Cartier-Bresson. Like many others have said, "whatever floats your boat." This is not a one size fits all endeavor so one gets to do what one wants.
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Ambro51
Collector/Photographer
Yes this is a basic principle well laid out in past “books” on learning cameras and how they work. Zoom lenses have been snakebit n the minds of many with the (at times) poorer performance of the lower priced commercial zooms that dominated the mid to late film era. Retail store off brand cheap stuff. Soooooo in seekrng Holy Grail results many were let down.
Ricoh
Well-known
Yes, I realised that.
Another issue with zoom lenses: There’s a tendency (for some individuals) to zoom in, zoom out, zoom back in again and then out a bit. In other words the zoom doesn’t aid thoughtful composition.
If you know your prime well, as you should, you know where to stand for a particular composition. You’ve set your focus and exposure, then raise the camera to frame, and maybe tweak focus if you’re not using zone, then trigger the shutter.
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
How about Canon L 28-70 f2 L RF lens?
Leica made f1.4-f2.8 for Panasonic.
Sigma makes 18-35mm f/1.8 zoom.
Most primitive zoom lenses are made by Leica for M mount. Bunch of tri elmars. Slow and overpriced for absolutely no reasons, rather than photog been lazy or to prevent dust on no dust reduction sensors.
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
HCB used 35, 50 and 90 lenses. Where is known picture of him with M3 and turret finder.
He had up to three cameras with him. One M3 on him, another in the small camera bag and he would have third one in the jacket pocket if he would have assignment in color.
HCB only had one camera in childhood and very early pre-Magnum time. He went to Africa with some French camera and negatives came pooped.
Magnum HCB traveled with cameras, lenses and assistant.
rodgersfoto
Member
Same But Different
Same But Different
Chris-
We often photograph the same Midwest subject matter. While it's always informative to view your work, it is your way of working. Your way is not my way and my way is not your way. The subject may be the same but each of our different personalities are reflected in a choice of equipment and resulting composition.
Your results are neither better or worse than my choices In like manner, my results is neither better or worse than your choices.
What is important is that the results honest to the person that produced them.
fotorr
Same But Different
Chris-
We often photograph the same Midwest subject matter. While it's always informative to view your work, it is your way of working. Your way is not my way and my way is not your way. The subject may be the same but each of our different personalities are reflected in a choice of equipment and resulting composition.
Your results are neither better or worse than my choices In like manner, my results is neither better or worse than your choices.
What is important is that the results honest to the person that produced them.
fotorr
raydm6
Yay! Cameras! 🙈🙉🙊┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘ [◉"]
I love this!
Dogman
Mentor
I just shoot it and crop if necessary. Zoom or prime lens, no difference to me.
f.hayek
Well-known
HCB used 35, 50 and 90 lenses. Where is known picture of him with M3 and turret finder.
He had up to three cameras with him. One M3 on him, another in the small camera bag and he would have third one in the jacket pocket if he would have assignment in color.
HCB only had one camera in childhood and very early pre-Magnum time. He went to Africa with some French camera and negatives came pooped.
Magnum HCB traveled with cameras, lenses and assistant.
Thank you for undoing the myth.
The single-camera story is repeated too often.
I'm a prime user that once in awhile plays with a zoom. You do know that you can look down at your zoom lens, choose the focal length before bringing the camera to your eye, and then compose just like a prime lens right? You can use zooms exactly like a few primes. If you choose to look through your viewfinder and zoom back and forth, that's a user decision not a problem with the lens.
Ricoh
Well-known
In principle, yes, but I’ve not used a zoom as you’ve described. Is that the way you choose focal length?
robert blu
quiet photographer
I'm a single lens user, prime lens. But I understand what Chris explains and why others like to use a zoom.
But I add another variable in this discussion: with the high MP cameras arriving now in the market how about shooting wide and crop later ?
I'm simply curious to know your opinion and if it can be compared to the use of a zoom, maybe a moderate one.
But I add another variable in this discussion: with the high MP cameras arriving now in the market how about shooting wide and crop later ?
I'm simply curious to know your opinion and if it can be compared to the use of a zoom, maybe a moderate one.
Mark C
Well-known
From my own observations zoom lenses lead to being in a less than ideal spot for a picture way more often than fixed lenses. That is not the fault of the lens, but just look at pictures and it is hard to miss this effect.
Pál_K
Cameras. I has it.
On the few occasions that I am using a zoom lens, sometimes - just for fun - I would look at a scene through the lens and zoom back and forth until the image looked "right" - right perspective, right size, everything in the image that I wanted was there, nothing in the image that I didn't want. Then I looked at the focal length that it was set to. Spooky results: about 50mm most of the time, 35mm for landscapes, 85mm for close-up views. Maybe I've just trained myself for those focal lengths.
Having an assistant would definitely help me. I know where to find cameras and lenses. I just checked KEH for assistants: "out of stock".
Richard G
Mentor
The same happens for me... I think I just prefer focal lengths that don't distort in weird ways.
Yes, that is how I use a zoom. I guess it is because I'm a prime user generally and I only bring the camera up to my eye to make the photo. I'm also a one camera and one focal length for the day type of guy. The zoom is when I can't decide for some reason... or want to use a longer tele than I have in my primes. It's rare but fun occasionally. I do once in awhile choose my focal length on the zoom and then zoom in or out a little (a few mm) to clean my framing up... but that's rare too.
G
Guest
Guest
My late father told me that the cheapest lens was my legs. In reality back in his day cameras were all with a fixed lens.
Anthony Harvey
Well-known
Thank you, Chris, for a very helpful and well-thought out account, clearly written as always. I found it particularly useful because it clarified my own loose thinking on the subject!
Amongst other things it made be appreciate, what is after all very obvious, that all a zoom really is, is just a very quick way of changing lenses.
I’ve always used a 24-85 zoom on my full-frame digital camera - especially useful for catching the right expression and composition for photos of children in the family - keeping to primes for rangefinders and SLRs, but recently I’ve developed a new interest in trying the 24-85 zoom on a film SLR. It’s great fun as a change from the Leica but oh, what distortion!
Amongst other things it made be appreciate, what is after all very obvious, that all a zoom really is, is just a very quick way of changing lenses.
I’ve always used a 24-85 zoom on my full-frame digital camera - especially useful for catching the right expression and composition for photos of children in the family - keeping to primes for rangefinders and SLRs, but recently I’ve developed a new interest in trying the 24-85 zoom on a film SLR. It’s great fun as a change from the Leica but oh, what distortion!
zuiko85
Mentor
Cheese, I’ve only one zoom, a 50-90mm f3.5 for my Pen F (there is/was only one Pen F, and it uses 35mm film).
Compared with the 20 f3.5 / 25 f4 / 38f1.8 / 100 f3.5 it is a beast (but constant aperture).
If I cannot get the FoV wanted with either the 38 or 100 then I use it, usually on a tripod.
Recently cobbled together a 75mm f3.5 enlarging lens, $2 at a Value Village, with a helical and few other odd bits. Inelegant but a useable focal length that will focus to 1:3 reproduction ratio.
Compared with the 20 f3.5 / 25 f4 / 38f1.8 / 100 f3.5 it is a beast (but constant aperture).
If I cannot get the FoV wanted with either the 38 or 100 then I use it, usually on a tripod.
Recently cobbled together a 75mm f3.5 enlarging lens, $2 at a Value Village, with a helical and few other odd bits. Inelegant but a useable focal length that will focus to 1:3 reproduction ratio.