Multi lens users, do you miss a shot because you have too many lenses?

<p>Changing lenses...is it a drag?<br>

Do some lenses inevitably get ignored?<br>

Do you hate it?<br>

Being a single lens user, i am really keen to understand what goes on in the head when you have more than one. <br>

My experience is, that any shot of any genre can be taken with any lens and any focal length with good results, well, with some exceptions probably. <br>

Soon i will be a proud member of 'multi lens club'. I dread it, but i am curious, and full of hope. <br>

anurag</p>

<p>Or the opposite -- I get lazy too often and don't switch to the telephoto. My light hiking kit is just two lenses: 85mm and the 16-35. Good question though. Fixed focal lengths not that good in tight quarters nor all that handy for the way I operate.</p>

<p>It is a drag. Changing large zoom lenses is much harder than changing smaller primes. I hate changing the 24-70mm whereas changing the 24/35/50/85 is much easier as the lenses are much smaller.</p>

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<p><strong>Changing lenses...is it a drag?</strong></p>

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<p>Yes!</p>

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<p><strong>Do some lenses inevitably get ignored?</strong></p>

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<p>Yes. My 50/1.4 and 70-200/4 IS</p>

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<p><strong>Do you hate it?</strong></p>

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<p>Yes. I prefer carrying one body and one lens. But, that is not possible with the current lens technology.<strong> </strong></p>

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<p><strong>...any shot of any genre can be taken with any lens...</strong></p>

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<p>I agree. But, like Ken Papai, it is the 85/1.2 II and the 16-35/2.8 II both on 5D bodies (with vertical grips) for me. If I want more portability, it will be the 85/1.2 II and a Canon PowerShot G11.<strong><br /></strong></p>

<p>See here: http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00WW8l</p>

I don't mind changing lenses.

 

I do mind changing the way I'm looking around and changing the way I'm composing.

 

So I tend to choose one lens to focus on when I go out.

 

 

This is when shooting for "art & fun".

 

When shooting events I tend to choose zooms and change lenses as required.

 

 

So most of the time it's the other way around for me. It's not that I miss shots because I have the wrong lens mounted, I

tend to see shots because my mind gets in a specific flow for the lens I do have mounted.

<p>Here's my kit :<br>

16-35 f2.8L USM<br>

24-105 f4.0L IS USM<br>

70-200 f2.8L IS USM</p>

<p>Notice that the lenses have a decent amount of overlap. My "walk around" lens is the 24-105.</p>

<p>Typically I know what kind of situation I'm going into and will pre-choose the lens that is appropriate to the situation. There are times when I'll switch back and forth - an example of that would be when I want to shoot a large area with the 16-35mm, then do a panorama by taking tighter pics with the 24-105.</p>

<p>If I'm hiking trails, to lighten the load - I will only carry the 16-35 and 24-105</p>

<p>Sorta, right now I actually feel I have to many lenses ( for some reason that annoys me ) I guess I hate to waste so I try to use all of them as they all seem to fit a specific purpose even though many overlap but I would not say I hate changing lenses, in all honesty that is probably what I like most about a DSLR over a point and shoot. I usually only carry 1 -3 lenses at most and its fun because you can photography completely different each time. What probably annoys me most is the size and weight of all my gear.<br>

I was planning to get an advanced point and shoot but now I am really interested in these small interchangeable lens bodies coming out like the sony nex or the four thirds systems.</p>

<p>I don't mind changing lenses. I know that by having more specialized lenses, I will get better quality shots. If you have an SLR with only one lens, you're defeating the whole purpose. You'd be better off to get a powerful point and shoot. Or you could get a body for each lens, then you never have to change lenses and you won't miss a shot.</p>

<p><strong><em>"Multi lens users, do you miss a shot because you have too many lenses?"</em></strong><br>

Sometimes, not often. I usually carry two cameras, even for Social Photography.<br>

WW</p>

<p>I very much prefer to go out for the day with a single lens - sometimes 70-200/4, sometimes 50/1.8 or 17-55/2.8 or (rarely 10-22). For me it is usually more fun to have just that point of view. And another lens on another day.<br>

But of course some opportunities are lost. And if I am sightseeing and without the option of returning again then I do change lenses - but now that I think of it I try to minimize the number of lens switches then repeating the above pattern in minature...</p>

<p>Interesting question Anurag,</p>

<p>But I am going to take exception to you current philosophy <em>"My experience is, that any shot of any genre can be taken with any lens and any focal length with good results, well, with some exceptions probably." </em>There are countless images that are focal length specific, indeed that is what I have different focal lengths for, I could easily shoot a wedding well with just a 24-70, I could not do that with any single prime lens in that range.</p>

<p>I will go out with just one lens, but that will be with a mind to shoot a particular style of image. That is probably the difference we have, you might see a situation and think, how can I take that with the lens I have (and we all do that sometimes), where as I might think, today I want to take this kind or style of image, what lens/focal length do I need to accomplish that.</p>

<p>Several years ago, I carried a 20D with its EF-S 17-85mm IS on it, and carried an XTi with the old EF 75-300mm IS. On a trip last year following Sherman's army to the sea from Atlanta (in the War of the Rebellion), I carried my 5D with its EF 24-105mm IS L for normal shooting and ironically ended up carrying my 20D with a Sigma 10-20mm on it for wider shots (I have since got a Sigma 15-30mm lens for the 35mm sensor camera). I did put a longer zoom on for a few shots on the coast, but otherwise rarely changed a lens.<br /> This also makes up for missing my gym workouts when I am traveling, as the net weight around the neck can be a little daunting on a long set of stairs.... I may miss my step, but rarely missed a shot this way.</p>

<p>Just think of Dennis Hopper in <em>Apocalypse Now</em> loaded down with multiple Nikon F cameras....</p>

<p>Hi Anurag,<br>

Perhaps it might help to understand what scenarios these questions are trying to address? For me, lens are tools not an either or. </p>

<p>When I was just getting started(with only a couple of lenses) I think I missed more sots because I didn't have the correct lens I needed to make the short. Now that seldom happens biw. I don't find it a drag. Yes you can get to a point were some lenses don't get used as much as others. In my case its a 50mm. I purchased if for low light and narrow depth of field reasons. In other words it's a specialty lens for me and I never expected to use as much as my zooms. But that siad I am happy I have it. </p>

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<p>My experience is, that any shot of any genre can be taken with any lens and any focal length with good results, well, with some exceptions probably.</p>

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<p>For me getting the filed of view I want is what is important. For me that typically means zooms. yes I can zoom with my feet iwth any lens but that doesn't work when you are in s lot canyon or on a trail cut into the side of a cliff. in short zooming with your feet with one lens is not always possible and you might miss the shot as a reasult.</p>

<p>Sorry double post.</p>

<p>I use zooms. I have a 17-55 2.8 IS on my 7D and the 70-200 2.8 on my full frame. I also carry (in my roll bag) 3 or 4 primes and my 100 Macro. I'm happy with my zooms, to a point that I will be selling most of my non L primes. Soon. v/r Buffdr</p>

<p>I see the pictures before I look through the camera. Sometimes I see a view that I want too work for a while. I may try several lenses. If I know I want to shoot stuff that's fast moving and will require quick response (seldom) then I'll stick to one lens. Figure if I'm in too much of a hurry to change lenses then might as well pack up and go home.</p>

<p>I usually try to pick the correct lens for the situation that I am "planning" on shooting.<br>

I do miss the day's when I had my 100-400 mounted on the EOS3 and the 28-105 mounted on the 7E or vice versa, and simply just pull the one I needed out of the bag!</p>

<p>Now, I only have the one digital body and have gotten pretty good at changing lenses! "Darn the luck!"</p>

<p>Get a back camera use one for close up shots and the other for wide angel such as 5D</p>

<p>I'm a Nikonian, but I'm a frequent lens changer and can't recall many (if any) instances where I missed a shot because I was changing lenses. I'm sure it happens, but after you get accustomed to changing frequently, you learn to anticipate and adapt.</p>

<p>More is not always better. Give a man too many choices and he'll be less happy than if you just give him a few good ones. If you want to collect lenses just for collecting's sake, that's one thing. If you want to actually use the lenses, I'd try to get the fewest that will fit your particular style. I much prefer primes (can't completely explain why, although aside from quality there are 'intangibles') which you'd normally think would necessitate more lens changes than if I were using zooms.</p>

<p>However, I've been discovering lately that for what I like to shoot, landscapes, you just don't *need* a huge range of focal lengths. </p>

<p>Example: Mamiya 7II rangefinder, 50mm wide angle, 80mm standard, 150mm telephoto. That's it. 3 lengths that cover everything I could possibly do with his body. </p>

<p>Example 2: 5d mk II, 24mm TSE II, 50mm f/1.4, 85mm f/1.8, 135mm f/2</p>

<p>If you buy and 'try' to use too many, you will end up feeling guilty and not using all of them often enough. If you have to try to come up with reasons to use a lens length, chances are you don't need it. </p>

<p>As far as missing a shot, I can't recall missing one because of a lens change.</p>

<p>Most of us here shoot for big game. I mean, a superb shot that has excellent sharpness and quality that is not achievable with one size fits all equipment. But when you have more equipment than you can carry, compromise has to happen. I tend to make a guess as to what end of the focal length spectrum I want to shoot in the day, then carry the gear to make it happen. Of course, that's the time when you may later wish you had a longer lens, or a macro rail, or a different flash modifier. Hopefully you will have time to walk back to the car and get what you want, ha ha.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>The situation where I needed a different lens and lost the shot last happened about 4 years ago. I was after this landing stage and a grey heron flew out of the reeds to the right.<br>

,p><a title="A seat on the river by Peter Meade, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/115/379334888_fec062dc42.jpg" alt="A seat on the river" width="500" height="333" /></a><br>

Since then I've always carried two bodies, one with a long lens (300 or 100-400) to catch the action: -<br /><a title="Royal Artrillery polo by Peter Meade, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pjmeade/3894264094/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2458/3894264094_416bf4e50d.jpg" alt="Royal Artrillery polo" width="333" height="500" /></a> <br />and a standard (24-105) to capture general scenes: -<br /><a title="Sandhurst at Tidworth by Peter Meade, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3118/2689538659_118a1b596c.jpg" alt="Sandhurst at Tidworth" width="500" height="333" /></a><br>

Within reason I agree that any shot can be taken with any lens, but where you are looking for two types of shot at the same time only 2 lenses on two bodies will do the job, at least for me.</p>

<p>Matthijs Claessen,<br>

"So I tend to choose one lens to focus on when I go out."<br>

If you carry just one lens and try to see things from that perspective, do you think you miss the shot that you would have taken with a lens that you're not carrying?</p>

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<p>Soon i will be a proud member of 'multi lens club'. I dread it, but i am curious, and full of hope.</p>

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<p>Once you start, it's hard to stop...consider yourself warned. I add lenses based on need (and occasionally based on desire [sigh]). Ask yourself why you want/need another lens.</p>