How many is too much?

[Sean-Mcr]

I'm sure many of us have read this http://www.luminous-landscape.com/columns/sm-02-12-09.shtml


Interesting article

[RTMiller]

When I start buying a second copy of the same lens so that I have a back-up, then I might agree that I have crossed the "too many" lenses line.

[cmM]

yes, interesting indeed.

"he who has the most toys wins" :D:D:D

[blue_max]

The art is knowing which lenses will be best suited.

Graham

[mijbril]

More a case of upgrading from the pro/consumer to professional lenses isn't it?? You can keep your pro/consumer lenses as a back up I guess :D

Then of course, the art comes in knowing what to use & when :D

[sdommin]

The best part of the article is the last few sentences. How many of us would be willing to do this?

Similarly, the exercise of picking one prime lens and shooting with it exclusively until you've forgotten what other lenses feel like is a learning experience that you will carry with you for the rest of your life. Don't think so? Ask any photographer who's done it.

[Sean-Mcr]

On a smaller time scale this, but since buying my 50mm 1.4 i've pretty much used it 90% of the time over the last 3 months, and i personally think i've improved because of it.

[blue_max]

Selling a lens is a similar experience. Removing an option from the equasion.

Graham

[Sean-Mcr]

On a smaller time scale this, but since buying my 50mm 1.4 i've pretty much used it 90% of the time over the last 3 months, and i personally think i've improved because of it.



And because of that i'm going to buy a 16-35 F2.8 L and a 135 F2.0 L:confused: :lol:

[Hipgrncln]

Six enough?????? 8 too many???????

Bob J

[Citizensmith]

I had 11 at one point. Cleared out all the older, weaker stuff and now I'm down to 4. A 24 and an 85 prime, a 17-40 and a 70-200. I do have fun though existing with just the 24 for a while every so often.

[formula4speed]

I have a pretty well rounded set of lenses, but when I go out shooting I just take the camera with one lens attached and leave everything else behind. Forces me to look at things from that perspective and makes things interesting for me. Granted if everything comes out terrible it won't matter one bit since its just a hobby rather than my profession.

[Camo 757]

I was up to 6, down to 2, back to 3, and thinking of going back to 2

[CyberDyneSystems]

.. hmm I could trim down to roughly half what I have easily.. IF I dropped one of my photographic interests.. the two of them happen to use very differnt optics.

My Birding lenses are of no use at all shooting in a dark theatre at normal to mid telephoto ranges..

I have however spent days working on single primes.. and this is an experience in itself :)

[Longwatcher]

When you have one of every lens in the Canon lineup, then you may have too many lenses if you get a second copy.

For me the real criteria is

Criteria 1: do you have a lens that covers all of the situations you are likely to find yourself in and all of the ways you might want to photograph something. As long as the answer is no then you don't have too many lenses. If yes then proceed to criteria 2.

Criteria 2: For all of the focal lengths you would lose money if you dropped or otherwise lost a lens, do you have a back up lens that will work good enough. If the answer is no you still don't have enough lenses. If yes proceed to criteria 3

Criteria 3: Do you have an exact backup for all of the lenses you really really use a lot. If No then still don't have too many lenses. If Yes then proceed to criteria 4

Criteria 4: Can you afford all of the lenses you want. If the answer is no then you already have all of the lenses you NEED. If the answer is yes then You can send me some money so I can get the last 3 lenses on MY list (not counting the 1200, although I will happily take enough for that also) :)

I feel that except for the specialty lenses a photographer can get away with 3 lenses and the extenders. 16-35/2.8L, 24-70/2.8L, and 70-200/2.8L IS. After that it is specialty lenses or primes and yes I consider the 100-400 a specialty as a cheap long focal length alternative to a prime and a great airshow lens.

Just my opinion,

[Tapeman]

I'm still trying to get to enough!

[Outdoor23]

too much lens??? what is that???

[tim]

I have 5 lenses, not a lot of duplication, and I use them for different things. 50mm F1.4 is low light. 100m macro is for macro. The others cover 12mm-200mm with few gaps and not much overlap. Between them all I have enough backups in case of an accident, but not so many i'd like to do without one. I'm not planning on buying or selling any more lenses in the near future.

[fatboy_4]

A thought provoking article. Thanks for posting the link Sean_Mc and raising the topic. I have been wondering myself whether I really need more lenses or whether I have "affluenza". A lens of reasonable speed of near standard focal length would seem to suffice for most (90%) of my needs. When I had a Practica 22 years ago I shot with the 50mm exclusively due to my finances. I learnt photography with that camera.

[HKFEVER]

I have 2 PROCAN dry box (electric powered), and still not enough space for most of my cameras and lenses.

I try not to over lap the range.

[MadMesh]

I overlap ranges all the time. I even have primes that overlap lenses that i have overlapping. My 17-40L is much sharper @ 17mm, than my 17-85 IS. So oviously theres a good reason to overlap. I only use a 17-85 @ 17mm is i dont have , or dont want to carry many lenses. But the 17-85 @ 17mm has a lot of CA, whereas the 17-40 has NONE.

Gimmie 2

[pturton]

After reading this article, I come away feeling that one should have a body for each lens. Now how to get funds for 8 more bodies and 2 more lenses :)

[BearSummer]

Hmmm, interesting article,

it used to be that you had to have at least 2 bodies ( I had a brace of EOS3's) one loaded with colour and one with black and white... now there was a good reason for having two of you main lenses (just dont ask...)

Now its not so important to have two bodies unless you must have a backup (which is always a nice way to reduce your stress).

I guess that to by definitions are as follows:

1, You need more lenses - Cant do something you want to or you have a lens on the wishlist.
2, Can do everything that you like to - You have enough
3, You cant lift the bag with all of your lenses in - you have to many.

I did go through a time where I could get all of my lenses and bodies into one huge bag but it was getting so heavy that i didnt want to go anywhere with it (not a good thing for a lanscape photographer). The answer, have multiple "light" bags which you tailor to what you are doing. Then you just have the fun of working out what to take with you for the next shoot.

Currently using #3 to stop me doing #1 with a 500/600mm IS F4 - it seems to be working.

All the best

BearSummer

[Sean-Mcr]

"Anyone who uses a view camera or a rangefinder Leica almost by definition uses only a few focal lengths, although as wealthy hobbyists have invaded the domain more and more people are found amassing large collections of lenses even for those devices. The principle seems straightforward: the more lenses you have, the better equipped you will be to handle any situation you encounter; and, he who has the most toys, wins"


the above paragraph makes me think about lottery winners that start buying art and actually don't know much about art, it's just a statement/trophy, will they actually learn anything about art?

It's easy to come down with lens fever, i have to admit i'm suffering from it. I'm trying to be as rational as i can be about it.

[condyk]

Trophy wife, trophy car and trophy lenses then Sean ... :lol: but at least you derive benefit and regular enjoyment from them all I'm sure.

I really liked the article and like the '1 lens 1 Leica for a year' idea!

I have a Computrekker bag and decided early on to never buy another. SO, that means I am restricted what I can put into it as it's also my carry on bag for travel, so tripod, ballhead, flash, water bottle, toiletries, book, newspaper, tickets, cash, etc. would need to fit too. I know I can squeeze a Tokina 12-24 or 17mm in there and if I was even greedier then I could fit a 85mm prime in my pocket maybe, but I don't need either.

Creativity often only comes when people are forced to work under constraints. Absolute choice or freedom aren't particulaly enabling. I don't have a wide angle these days and so I would not think about getting a whole building into frame with my 24-70mm , but it would make me really look at the building, take some time understanding its essence, and then focus on elements that define it. Not better or worse, just a different approach. Like P&S or full manual ... take your time: capture the nature of the subject not just the outline. I'm sure you'll like that idea :D

[Sean-Mcr]

Dave me and you have talked togather on this and other forums about my next lens choice. I have the money now to go get what i've spoke of.

I'm seriously wondering if the photogrpahic tool that would teach me more in the next year then any new lens could actually be a tripod. It's by no means the cost that's kept me from walking in to jessops and spending £2000, (i'm in to audio, if it never went to photogrpahy it would go there). I am a fella that does like nice things, i don't mind paying when i want something. But I seriously have to-and have been thinking about what i need on this one rather then what i want.

[condyk]

I was just joking about the trophy lenses ;) I know you are careful and think hard about what you buy and why. I also know you'll really get value from what you spend over the long term.

As to a tripod ... I hated them, but have been converted. The leap in quality from good to truly excellent with my 100-300mm f4 made me regret not getting one earlier. I'm very happy with my choices. The Manfrotto is a safe buy that I guess 90% of people would approve of. The Feisol is an ultra-light carbon fibre jobbie for my specific travel needs, but still does a great job in every single respect. Don't see Feisol mentioned here so less a 'safe' or 'approved of' buy perhaps, but had enough great feedback via FM forum to confince me and excellent value. 10/10 both.

So, what lens/es are you going to get fella?

[Sean-Mcr]

Dave i know you was joking mate:)

Just realised my reply looked like i telling off lol

I do want a carbon fiber tripod as i'm getting in to hiking mate.

I'm thinking the 16-35 and the 135, I think i'd be done for some time to come with those 4 lenses.
But then i could get the 35 L instead of the zoom and get a good tripod

[condyk]

I do want a carbon fiber tripod as i'm getting in to hiking mate.

I'm thinking the 16-35 and the 135, I think i'd be done for some time to come with those 4 lenses.
But then i could get the 35 L instead of the zoom and get a good tripod

Hiking is an attractive idea ... enough said :lol:

I considered mountaineering and even managed to move from the sofa and widescreen towards the pile of Pizza boxes on the floor but then it was time for Big Brother. I might try again tomorrow .. might be easier to just eat the boxes rather than climb over them :lol: :lol:

Lenses choice sound great. 135mm is yummeeee! Like Liverpool FC, i.e. the Champions League winner of lenses, but without the lucky comeback. That wide-boy zoom is a bit expensive for me, but the 35mm L looks top draw if you think you'd use it. Is there no decent wide and fast prime? I had my eye on a 17mm Tokina for a while, but not much else around other than the 2.8 14mm Tamron, which is an unknown quantity. I think you're a Canon man at heart, so probably no good.

[Sean-Mcr]

The tokina's F 3.5 Dave, if i was going to get a prime i'd want it faster then that.

The canon 14L's not something i'd go for actually.

I do sound like a canon guy dont i lol

[schmoelzel]

I currently own the following:

EF 70-200f2.8 L CZ Jena Sonnar 135f3.5
EF 300F4 L EF 50F1.4
EF 35f1.4 L Tamron 28-75 Di

Does this mean I have too many lenses? I don't think so but I think if I had just one prime, I could survive with the 35L. My own rule of thumb is to try and use a different lens everyday. This way I use all of the lenses in my bag, get used to them, and each day the shots look different because of the FoV difference. The only exception that I make is when I get a new lens!! It's normally on the camera for a few weeks!

BTW, today is 70-200F2.8 L day.......lot's of possibilities with that one!!

[ed rader]

i have three lenses -- all fairly quick zooms. 17-35 f2.8/4, 28-75 f2.8, 70-200 f4L.

and i believe fewer lenses is better...for me at least :cool: .

my first SLR was back in 1980 and i had three lenses -- 50mm 1.8, 80mm 2.0, and a 28mm i think 2.8.

i'll take the zooms any day but i may add a fast prime for indoors work.

ed rader

[MrChad]

You can never have enough lenses only too little money :D

I have 3, see sig, it covers 10-300mm very well. The only thing else I could ask for would be a faster normal lens.

-Chad

[MDJAK]

As soon as I get the Canon 50mm F1.0, the 85 F1.2, the 135 F2.0, the 300 f2.8, the 600 f4, and the 1200, then I'll have enough, never too much.

[MrChad]

Isn't the 1200mm out of production?

[MDJAK]

I don't think so. the 50 f1.0 certainly is. I'll just have to get it used.

[ssim]

Isn't the 1200mm out of production?

I believe the 1200 is manufactured as they are ordered. There aren't many of them around and those that are belong to organizations such as Sports Illustrated. It is an awfully large piece of glass for an individual to own.

[MrChad]

http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ArchiveAct&fcategoryid=111

Since it was in the Archive I assumed discontinued....

Maybe an IS model is on the way for hand holding....



That was a joke BTW. I was on a Pentax web site the other day and they too had a honker 1200mm tele f8 lens.

[MDJAK]

My post was also meant as a joke. If I'm not mistaken, that lens costs over a hundred thousand American dollars.

Now, if they only offered a $200 rebate...

[BearSummer]

Yeah the 1200 is a beast, and heavy as well.

As has been mentioned here, you order it and pay 50% up front, they build it and you pay the rest. Now that really is a lens I can not justify owning, lol

Al the best

BearSummer

[HKFEVER]

Tried a EF1200 in the beginning of this yr., it is as long as my whole arm.:D

It is not mine, it is from CPS in HK.

I saw a EF 1200 in a grey market camera store at Kowloon side.:confused:

[MDJAK]

post the results, please.

[HKFEVER]

This is from very long time ago. Direct from PS not post process.
From a 1DMKII, ISO100, very windy that morning.

[HKFEVER]

1st is scale down, 2nd is 100%corp. Direct from PS not post process.

From 350D with 800ISO, so the noise is terrible!

[HKFEVER]

Another set: 1st is scale down, 2nd is 100%corp. Direct from PS not post process.

From 350D with 800ISO, so the noise is terrible!