Looking for tips on carrying and changing primes

[dg1]

<p>

I'm going on a trip to NYC and want to take 1 body, and 3 primes ( sigmas..I know..but I like 'em..) and don't want to be fumbling around. So if any of you are good at this, I want to learn!<br />I'd appreciate any suggestions you might have for working with small primes, as far as how you carry (bags, etc), change and just generally what your strategy is, if any, when you are out and about.</p>

<p>Thanks in advance,<br>

Dean G</p>

<p> Mod: Moved to appropriate forum.</p>

[johncox]

<p>This is a great place for help!</p>

<p>When I go out to do street stuff I keep a small bag that holds three lenses and ten rolls of film in it when I go out. The bag is a shoulder bag like this one <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/869903-REG/ruggard_psb_115b_commando_15_dslr_shoulder.html">http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/869903-REG/ruggard_psb_115b_commando_15_dslr_shoulder.html</a>.</p>

<p>I keep the bag open to easily get to the lenses and film, I also keep business cards in there in case someone wants to know more about the pictures I take. I try to switch lenses as little as possible and crop if I can. This has led me to have a set of widish lenses (25, 35, 40, 50).</p>

<p>Sometimes If I feel I I need to use the 40 a lot, or will need to switch quickly between two lenses I bring my second body (a Minolta CL)</p>

<p>Hope this helps,<br /> John</p>

[steve_bellayr]

<p>I do not know what your "m43rds camera" is. Are you using a digital camera? Be aware that the sensor in your camera is far more prone to attract dust than a mechanical shutter. Dust on a sensor is a problem while not so with a mechanical shutter. In full frame cameras, which as you stated is not yours, 35mm is the optimum for street work. 50mm will suffice. Going wider i.e. 28mm is also acceptable. When photographing "street' fumbling about changing lenses is time consuming. If you are just going to photograph buildings then a wide angle lens 24/28 will be the best.</p>

[SCL]

<p>For years I attempted to answer your question with my old Leica. The BEST solution for me, was to concentrate on what focal length I was going to use most and put that on my camera - leave the rest behind as I probably wouldn't use it. My alternative was to put everything into individual padded drawstring holders (which I made from fabric about as thick as a winter sock) which protected stuff from scratching other stuff; in the summer I put it into a fanny pack, in winter I put it into jacket pockets. I'm now doing the same with micro 4/3 stuff.</p>

[Sanford]

<p>A second body works best for me in those situations (while negating the weight savings of M4/3 cameras). This avoids exposing the sensor to the elements. For changing lenses I have always glued two rear lens caps together to greatly speed things up. I thought this was an original idea but apparently Leica came up with the dual rear lens cap long before I thought of it.</p>

[leslie_cheung]

If you think you want three

lenses, you need just two...

[leslie_cheung]

If you think you want three

lenses, most likely, you need just two...

[dg1]

<p>Thanks for the responses and tips. I've got in 35mm equivalent fov 38, 60, and 120mm. The 38mm is going for sure, and I know the 120mm is likely to be used least as this is primarily a visit with grandkids. So if I wanted only 2 lenses, I could get by most likely with the wide normal only, or have the 60 equiv along for a long normal lens. <br>

In the past I've been comfortable simply bringing my Sigma DP1s and DP2s compacts in a small bag, and then I have 28mm and 41mm respectively, no lens changing, and occasionally I've stuffed a Sony H20 travel zoom in there for the long stuff. It's worked and I've been very happy with the IQ from the DP cameras, but I've recently upgraded my m43rds from a G1 body to the E-PL5 and these sigma lenses to allow quicker response for photographing subjects like horses, and in this case, grandkids. So my plan has been to use these lenses and the E-PL5 body in place of the above 3 compact cameras.</p>

<p>Just trying to get a working strategy in place that will not infringe too much on spending quality time (ie not looking through camera), but still get some nice pics of kids and city.</p>

<p> </p>

[Greg M]

<p>When I carried my E-P3 in Paris with the 12mm f2, 25mm f1.4 and 45mm f1.8, I used a Think Tank Retrospective 5 shoulder bag, so I had individual spaces on both ends for a prime lens and carried the body with one lens mounted. The two unmounted lenses had the hoods on in shooting position, front caps off and facing down so all I had to do was remove the rear cap. The body with the lens mounted was in the center space with the back of the camera facing up, meaning the lens was pointed down into the middle space, with hood fitted and front cap off.</p>

<p>I only want to deal with rear lens caps when carrying a prime setup and keep the one extra rear cap in a front compartment that's easy to get at for quickly changing from one lens to the next.</p>

[davidfarquhar]

Like Greg I use the retrospective 5

although I fit 3 spare lenses in it,

allowing me to choose from the 20, 45,

60 and a 12-50 at any one time. I find it

is a great bag to have the lenses

conveniently available. That's the bag

 

Strategy - I tend to start with the 20 or

the zoom as it is the most flexible, and

then treat the 45 and 60 macro as

special situation lenses, swapping to

them as required. For you a similar

strategy would be start with the 19mm.

Learn how to shoot panoramas with

your 19mm and stitch the photos

together later so you don't worry about

not having anything wider (primarily I

use the 12-50 as a 12/3.5 lens) and in

NYC there are plenty of opportunities

for wide angle shots. I use Hugin to

stitch - free and works reasonably well

 

Lens changing - practise. Get to almost

eyes closed technique, or at least not

looking except the last bit when

matching the red dots to align lens to

mount. I tend to pull the lens out with

my right hand and loosen the rear cap

while still in the bag. Then bring both

up to the camera and use my right

hand to remove the lens. This leaves

me with two lenses in one hand,

quickly swap the rear cap and put the

new lens on the camera. The beauty of

m4/3 is the small lens size and the

ability to hold two lenses in one hand

[dcstep]

<p>Zooms are great. Two bodies is also great. I do both and carry a prime or two in my vest.</p>

[dg1]

<p>Lots of good suggestions. I've been messing with some bags I've got here and it looks like the Domke F5 I have works well for the 3 lens set up with hoods mounted as mentioned. I had to add the dividers from a Tamrac and it works! So I think that's what I'll use. </p>

<p>I also have the kit zoom, 14-42 f3.5-5.6 II R, and had been thinking along similar lines of using it primarily for a 14mm (like the 12mm mentioned above). But I'm really liking the set of sigmas I've got and I'm trying to keep it simple.</p>

<p> My experiences with using the DP1 and DP2, have been that ~40mm (equiv) tends to be my "go to " focal length, while the 28mm (equiv) I use only very occasionally. I've never been into to real wide angle shooting but I could probably fit the 17mm f2.8 in the side pocket for something a bit wider, and I plan to bring the little bodycap 15mm f8.0triplet lens along to convert to a pocket size snapshot camera where appropriate..both of these could probably fit and widen my options. The bodycap lens is certainly not optically stellar, but for some subjects it works quite well, and it's great for reactive grab shots. </p>

<p><br />I'm not anti-zoom, just don't have anything I really like that much and these primes give me very good IQ bang for the buck. </p>

<p>I still have a couple other m43 bodies, and if I were to use two I'd probably use either the E-Pl1 or lumix G1 I've got to mount the 60mm because they're both more comfortable with larger lenses than the little E-PL5. This is something I would consider for my leisurely personal photo walk abouts, but probably not for this trip.</p>

<p>Aside from my personal agenda here, I find all these ways of working really interesting, and looking over all your information is helping me clarify what I think will work for me. Thanks!</p>

[frank_b._baiamonte]

<p>I travel with 3 primes a lot, these days Fuji X in 14, 18 and 35. Sometimes I take 4 (in that case it might be Pentax DA Limiteds in 15, 21, 40 & 70. Both systems are fairly small, and easily fit in either a Domke F-5XB or a ThinkTank ChangeUp with the interior box removed (and used as a shoulder bag).<br>

Really, any small shoulder bag will do do fine in an urban environment; I prefer that to a backpack in a city. I find I don't change lenses too often, but don't be afraid to either. That's what the systems are made for.<br>

Even though I have zooms, for traveling in urban areas I much prefer the primes, especially when out walking around. For some reason carrying a camera with a zoom lens just doesn't feel all that balanced to me, and gets old fast.</p>

<p> </p>

[urban_domeij1]

<p>Many years ago, I used a Leica with a Benser bottom that had two bayonet mounts for lenses. It was one of the most versatile ways to carry lenses. The camera was even easier to hold steady, as the lenses on the bottom stabilised it a bit and provided a hand-hold. <br /><br />I think one could be made for the µ4/3 system, although it would have to be attached at the tripod socket and being able to swing away for changing the battery. <br /><br />So I will definitely make such a contraption for my camera, in order to carry it more conveniently. </p>