Everything was peaceful in Tiny Town, until Cotty <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>On 17/8/06, Keith E., discombobulated, unleashed: > >>Everything was peaceful in Tiny Town, until Cotty > >Be afraid. Be very afraid! I am. Always. Y'never know what's sneaking up on you. [...] >Gosh. Lots of questions. > >Each one then: > >>You said in your earlier post your 'one lens' is a 24-70 zoom, >>correct? > >Urr, sort of. Actually I wanted recommendations for a 'one lens', and I >mentioned what I use now. Viz: > >---------original post------------ [...] >My usual single lens for the 'If I Could Only Take One Lens With Me' >scenario is the EF24-70 and it's pretty good. However, I miss the [...] >-----------end original post------------ > >I think the key points are in the last para.... I fixed on the bit above after you narrowed your preferences to the 24mm and 35mm. >And next: > >>When you only have that one lens, where do you find >>yourself using it most often? If it's on 24mm most of the time, >>get the 24mm prime. If it spends more time zoomed, you'll >>probably prefer the 35mm. > >Ack. Good point. 24 seems to spring to mind, but then so does 70mm. Not >much help. > >And finally: > >>The choice really comes down to one >>thing - how do _you_ see? > >Excellent question. If only I knew the answer... > >I think what I'm trying to find out is - what exactly gets *your* >enthusiasm going when it comes to a lens. Daft question - maybe. My 100-400L - but that doesn't help you in the least. >Everyone has their favourite, even if it's a lens long since shelved >from a system far far away (cue John Williams). It's something difficult >to describe. With me, it is most definitely the Pentax SMC A*85mm f/1.4 >and I will be buried with it. It is all the things one might want from a >manual focus lens, a classic. That I have spent time and money adapting >it to EOS says something. The pure enjoyment of photographing with it is >intense, it makes the blood race. It is an emotional thing, as >photography should be - from the heart - instead of surrounded by >numbers and formulae. There's no denying the numbers, they are there and >an intrinsic part, but there's no denying the emotion as well. And that's why I asked questions instead of trying to pick one lens. Unlike choosing a lens for a specific task, everything about the choice you're making is subjective. For example, my favorite body is a beat-up old black FTb. Using it makes me feel good, like you with the Pentax 85mm. >And so, having switched a few years ago to Canon, I want to find a >modern - and wider - lens that will give me that je ne sais quoi. That >emotion and intense satisfaction to use. After all, the lens is the most >important part of the process no? The best camera in the world is only >hiding without the best lens to see with. Absolutely; a body is just a glass holder. The FTb still makes me feel good, though. >Sorry for the diatribe. Wine + midlife crisis and all that. It's either >a decent lens or a Harley, I dunno ;-) Personally, I'd love an old Vincent. >What I am asking is: Maybe I owe you a bit of explanation. A few months back I was watching an instructor handling nursing students during their hands on training with hospital patients. She never straight out answered a question, she asked her students questions that led them to finding the answer on their own. Since the choice you're making (aside from quality issues) depends mostly on how you see, I tried asking a couple questions that'd get you closer to an answer. Personally, I tend to block out large portions of a scene and pick out details, hence the 100-400L getting the lions share of my shooting time - usually zoomed to 400mm. I could live with just a 400mm, but if I had to use only a 24mm it'd drive me crazier. Perhaps a better question to ask yourself is, which lens wouldn't make me feel limited? -- Keith E. Excrementum casus * **** ******* *********************************************************** * For list instructions, including unsubscribe, see: * http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/eos_list.htm ***********************************************************
