Primes vs zooms

I'm just wondering how people use primes. I guess you don't walk around
with a bag full of primes, and every five minutes swap the lens.

Probably it's more like walking around with the camera with just one
lens (for instance a 50mm one) and never changing it, or perhaps pulling
out a prime for a very specific purpose, for instance macro or a
portrait lens, but then reverting to a standard zoom as the general
purpose lens.

So if you were into travel photography, you would carry some general
purpose zooms with you + some primes for some specific purposes, but not
just the primes, right?
--
Alfred Molon

Olympus E-series DSLRs and micro 4/3 forum at
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/MyOlympus/
http://myolympus.org/ photo sharing site

On 12/13/2015 06:54 AM, Alfred Molon wrote:
I'm just wondering how people use primes. I guess you don't walk around
with a bag full of primes, and every five minutes swap the lens.

Probably it's more like walking around with the camera with just one
lens (for instance a 50mm one) and never changing it, or perhaps pulling
out a prime for a very specific purpose, for instance macro or a
portrait lens, but then reverting to a standard zoom as the general
purpose lens.

So if you were into travel photography, you would carry some general
purpose zooms with you + some primes for some specific purposes, but not
just the primes, right?

Having grown up in photography when zooms were either very expensive or
very bad (1970's), a zoom lens is not my "go-to" glass.

Keeping in mind that I am shooting 35mm full-frame where a normal is
50mm, my basic kit will be a 28mm, 50mm, and 135mm. If I know that I
will need further reach (or width), I sub an 18mm and/or a 200mm.
I have a photographer's vest that will hold two lenses, and an extra
camera body.

If I am going for something special, the remaining glass is in the back
of the truck (300mm, 400mm, 500mm, 600mm, 800mm, and 1200mm), along with
a sturdy tripod.

--
Ken Hart

In article ,
Ken Hart wrote:

On 12/13/2015 06:54 AM, Alfred Molon wrote:
I'm just wondering how people use primes. I guess you don't walk around
with a bag full of primes, and every five minutes swap the lens.

Probably it's more like walking around with the camera with just one
lens (for instance a 50mm one) and never changing it, or perhaps pulling
out a prime for a very specific purpose, for instance macro or a
portrait lens, but then reverting to a standard zoom as the general
purpose lens.

So if you were into travel photography, you would carry some general
purpose zooms with you + some primes for some specific purposes, but not
just the primes, right?

Having grown up in photography when zooms were either very expensive or
very bad (1970's), a zoom lens is not my "go-to" glass.

Keeping in mind that I am shooting 35mm full-frame where a normal is
50mm, my basic kit will be a 28mm, 50mm, and 135mm. If I know that I
will need further reach (or width), I sub an 18mm and/or a 200mm.
I have a photographer's vest that will hold two lenses, and an extra
camera body.

I have the EOS-M with the 22/2.0 fitted as carry along. Sometimes I take
the 8mm Peleng and a FD 50/1.8 with adapters too.

If I am going for something special, the remaining glass is in the back
of the truck (300mm, 400mm, 500mm, 600mm, 800mm, and 1200mm), along with
a sturdy tripod.
--
teleportation kills

On 13/12/2015 11:54, Alfred Molon wrote:
I'm just wondering how people use primes. I guess you don't walk around
with a bag full of primes, and every five minutes swap the lens.

Probably it's more like walking around with the camera with just one
lens (for instance a 50mm one) and never changing it, or perhaps pulling
out a prime for a very specific purpose, for instance macro or a
portrait lens, but then reverting to a standard zoom as the general
purpose lens.

So if you were into travel photography, you would carry some general
purpose zooms with you + some primes for some specific purposes, but not
just the primes, right?

Right, at least for me. 14-140 mm Panasonic zoom, 9-18 mm Olympus zoom,
9 mm Olympus fisheye are in my bag all the time. All MFT. If needed, I
also have a 100-300 mm zoom, and the 20 mm pancake for low light.

--
Cheers,
David
Web: http://www.satsignal.eu

In article , Ken Hart says...
Keeping in mind that I am shooting 35mm full-frame where a normal is
50mm, my basic kit will be a 28mm, 50mm, and 135mm. If I know that I
will need further reach (or width), I sub an 18mm and/or a 200mm.
I have a photographer's vest that will hold two lenses, and an extra
camera body.

If I am going for something special, the remaining glass is in the back
of the truck (300mm, 400mm, 500mm, 600mm, 800mm, and 1200mm), along with
a sturdy tripod.

So you carry a number of primes with you. How often do you change the
lens when you are out shooting?
--
Alfred Molon

Olympus E-series DSLRs and micro 4/3 forum at
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/MyOlympus/
http://myolympus.org/ photo sharing site

On 12/13/2015 10:35 AM, Alfred Molon wrote:
In article , Ken Hart says...
Keeping in mind that I am shooting 35mm full-frame where a normal
is 50mm, my basic kit will be a 28mm, 50mm, and 135mm. If I know
that I will need further reach (or width), I sub an 18mm and/or a
200mm. I have a photographer's vest that will hold two lenses, and
an extra camera body.

If I am going for something special, the remaining glass is in the
back of the truck (300mm, 400mm, 500mm, 600mm, 800mm, and 1200mm),
along with a sturdy tripod.

So you carry a number of primes with you. How often do you change
the lens when you are out shooting?

You snipped this line:
~~
"Having grown up in photography when zooms were either very expensive or
very bad (1970's), a zoom lens is not my "go-to" glass.
~~
I believe it's worth noting that back then the "sensor" was the film,
and it was effectively changed for every shot.

With DSLRs the sensor is much more susceptible to dust problems.
Frequent lens changes increase chances of dust getting on the sensor
and compromising an entire shoot.
~
Just another point to consider.

==
Later...
Ron C
--

Ken Hart:

Having grown up in photography when zooms were either very expensive or
very bad (1970's), a zoom lens is not my "go-to" glass.

Zooms were not so great 45 years ago, so you don't use them today?
Automobiles were not so great a few years before that, but I took a
risk and I own one anyway.

Keeping in mind that I am shooting 35mm full-frame where a normal is
50mm, my basic kit will be a 28mm, 50mm, and 135mm. If I know that I
will need further reach (or width), I sub an 18mm and/or a 200mm.
I have a photographer's vest that will hold two lenses, and an extra
camera body.

If I am going for something special, the remaining glass is in the back
of the truck (300mm, 400mm, 500mm, 600mm, 800mm, and 1200mm), along with
a sturdy tripod.

Where's the pack mule?

--
I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that
you will say in your entire life.

usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm

In article , Ron C
wrote:

I believe it's worth noting that back then the "sensor" was the film,
and it was effectively changed for every shot.

no it wasn't.

it might change with every roll, but only you switch film types.

it did not change with every shot because it was the exact same film
for the entire roll.

With DSLRs the sensor is much more susceptible to dust problems.
Frequent lens changes increase chances of dust getting on the sensor
and compromising an entire shoot.

definitely not. being able to remove the lens means it's possible to
clean any dust, something that is not possible with a fixed lens
camera. slrs also have dust shakers which work well.

worst case, dust spots can be fixed in post, something that was not
practical at all in film days.

put simply: dust is not a problem.

also keep in mind that film can be (and did) get scratched, either from
the camera itself or the processing lab, something that does not happen
with digital.

Just another point to consider.

not a good one.

On 2015-12-13 17:18:18 +0000, Davoud said:

Ken Hart:

Having grown up in photography when zooms were either very expensive or
very bad (1970's), a zoom lens is not my "go-to" glass.

Zooms were not so great 45 years ago, so you don't use them today?
Automobiles were not so great a few years before that, but I took a
risk and I own one anyway.

Keeping in mind that I am shooting 35mm full-frame where a normal is
50mm, my basic kit will be a 28mm, 50mm, and 135mm. If I know that I
will need further reach (or width), I sub an 18mm and/or a 200mm.
I have a photographer's vest that will hold two lenses, and an extra
camera body.

If I am going for something special, the remaining glass is in the back
of the truck (300mm, 400mm, 500mm, 600mm, 800mm, and 1200mm), along with
a sturdy tripod.

Where's the pack mule?

Adams did it two ways with either a pack mule or team of pack mules, or
something of the more mechanical type.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/f1/ab/63/f1ab6303d985449eb654a9bb5742cef1.jpg
http://d3d9npwwya966f.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Ansel-Adams-on-Car-3.jpg
http://www.influx.co.uk//wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Ansel_Large_1.jpg

--


Regards,

Savageduck

On 2015-12-13 16:41:58 +0000, Ron C said:

On 12/13/2015 10:35 AM, Alfred Molon wrote:
In article , Ken Hart says...
Keeping in mind that I am shooting 35mm full-frame where a normal
is 50mm, my basic kit will be a 28mm, 50mm, and 135mm. If I know
that I will need further reach (or width), I sub an 18mm and/or a
200mm. I have a photographer's vest that will hold two lenses, and
an extra camera body.

If I am going for something special, the remaining glass is in the
back of the truck (300mm, 400mm, 500mm, 600mm, 800mm, and 1200mm),
along with a sturdy tripod.

So you carry a number of primes with you. How often do you change
the lens when you are out shooting?

You snipped this line:
~~
"Having grown up in photography when zooms were either very expensive or
very bad (1970's), a zoom lens is not my "go-to" glass.
~~
I believe it's worth noting that back then the "sensor" was the film,
and it was effectively changed for every shot.

With DSLRs the sensor is much more susceptible to dust problems.
Frequent lens changes increase chances of dust getting on the sensor
and compromising an entire shoot.
~
Just another point to consider.

In my 35mm days I only had one zoom, a Tokina 80-200mm f/4.5 MF K-mount
for my K1000. Otherwise my working prime was the 50mm f/2. Then I had
my Yashica Electro 35 with a Yashinon 45mm f/1.7.

Currently my only primes are my Nikkor 35mm f/2, and my Fujinon XF 35mm
f/1.4. I am seriously looking at adding either the Fujinon XF 18mm f/2,
or the Fujinon XF 14mm f/2.8 to my bag.

Currently I am a two system shooter with both Nikon and Fuji, and I am
leaning toward a complete move to all Fuji.



--
Regards,

Savageduck