I think there is a circular relationship which validates the truth of your comment Mark, as far as it goes. If you have only one lens, you will be limited in the subjects you can shoot and you will tend to get good at it. E.g., if you have a macro, you’ll probably shoot macro. If you have a long lens, you’ll probably look for birds (feminine or avian, your choice). On the other hand, if you are mostly interested in landscapes you’ll buy a medium-wide lens and use that for landscapes. Seldom will you use that for birds. So, subject matter dictates lenses needed, lenses on hand dictate subjects you will try to shoot. If you only shoot a narrow range of subjects, you’ll probably get pretty good in that one genre.
My problem, and it is a nice problem to have, is that I like many forms of photography, I enjoy being in the streets of Florence or the alleyways of Venice, I enjoy macro shots of ugly bugs or weird frogs or fantastic dragonflies in the middle of a boggy meadow, I enjoy wildlife and scenic vistas… And I have been able to slowly accumulate a good kit which gives me tools to use in many circumstances. But it is not feasible to have that kit travel with me, and so I go through a planning process of trying to anticipate what I might use, how I would use it, etc. As you suggest, I would probably improve my results if I concentrated on fewer subjects and less equipment. And it would be simpler to travel with one or two lenses. I have fond memories of walking the streets and alleyways of Rome with Meg and Gianfranco a few years ago. I had two identical camera bodies with me (K-20 IIRC) and several lenses. Mounted one body was the DA 55/1.8, the other had the FA 77/1.8. Through the whole day and evening I never felt any temptation to swap in the DA16-50 or DA50-135 I had in my shoulder bag; excess weight. Today in the same circumstances I would probably spend the whole day with one K-1, and only the 24-70/2.8. With 70-200 in the bag in case I felt really inspired to get some of the finer architectural details. stan > On Jul 2, 2016, at 7:53 PM, Mark Stringer <[email protected]> wrote: > > I think I was a better photographer when all I had was a camera and one lens. > Life was simple and I always had the right equipment because I had all of my > equipment. > > Stringer > "I like photographs but my ability for critique is limited to some expression > of "I like it". > Otherwise "I don't like it" (probably a bug or snake) or indifferent > (probably a cat)." > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: PDML [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Stanley Halpin > Sent: Friday, July 1, 2016 11:07 AM > To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List <[email protected]> > Subject: Price jumps on the new lenses? $1800 -> $2300 > > I have been dithering. Just not sure if I want/need the 15-30, 24-70, 70-200 > lenses. I ultimately descended into the depths of analytic consideration: I > constructed a spreadsheet-type layout of my current and possible new lenses > for APS-C, FF, and 645 cameras, and then stared at that for hours. Trying to > anticipate what I would take on my next few planned trips, how I would carry > it, what shots are “must have”, etc. And at least for now I do have all three > bodies. Each has unique features, I already have a fairly broad set of lenses > for the 645 and APS-C, but not for the K-1. Particularly if I want AW and > quick-shift AF. > > So throughout the last few weeks as I have been agonizing over this issue, > B&H helpfully, through the magic of cookies and other modern magic, has been > popping up thumbnail teasers of their ongoing special deals. Throughout, the > 24-70/2.8 has been right at $1300, the 70-200/2.8 right at $1800. This > morning was the same. I clicked through to B&H and was shocked to see the > 70-200/2.8 now at $2300! > > I jumped over to Adorama, their prices are still $1300 and $1800. I ordered > both lenses. I’ll worry next week about whether I will keep one or both, but > it seemed that if I waited it might cost me $500 or more above what I had > been expecting. > > stan > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
