barry_kleinberg Posted May 17, 2004 Share Posted May 17, 2004 Please help. I currently have a couple of EOS film bodies and a 300D with an array of very nice third party lenses (cannot unfortunately afford the L glass just yet) including Sigma 28 - 70 f2.8 and 70 - 200 f2.8. I also have the 105mm macro and 50 f1.8 mkII. My problem is that I work in the City (of London) and want to take some photjournalistic and architectural shots but have carried my bag (with only some of the gear) into town and it is VERY HEAVY. I am looking for a small camera and lens combo to achieve the above. Not necessarily Canon - what do you use/advise? Your help is much appreciated. Regards Barry Kleinberg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socke Posted May 17, 2004 Share Posted May 17, 2004 As a walkaround camera I usualy carry a Contax G2 with the Biogon 28mm on it and the 45mm and 90mm in my pockets. <br> Have a look at <a href="http://www.contaxg.com">Contax G Pages</a> to see what can be done with that. <br> <br> Volker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phule Posted May 17, 2004 Share Posted May 17, 2004 Maybe you should go to work with just a body and rent a TS lens from a shop downtown? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dutta Posted May 17, 2004 Share Posted May 17, 2004 Go for the zooms if you want to save up weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry_kleinberg Posted May 17, 2004 Author Share Posted May 17, 2004 Soumya - I am looking for something small and compact. The 300D with a 70-200 or even 28-70 f2.8 is not pleasant to carry around on the Northern Line (for those of you not in London this underground line is also called the "misery line"!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andys Posted May 17, 2004 Share Posted May 17, 2004 I used to carry around a Ricoh GR1s, until it was stolen last friday :( It's a quality compact 35mm camera with an excellent 28mm f2.8 lens. Whilst the one I had is not up to the same standards as a good quality SLR lens, I was more than happy with the slides it gave me. I shall be scouring the classified ads until I find another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phule Posted May 17, 2004 Share Posted May 17, 2004 Why couldn't you leave the camera and lens at work during the week? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry_kleinberg Posted May 17, 2004 Author Share Posted May 17, 2004 could do...hmmm could do that but as a man I find it hard not to find an excuse to get more kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panos_voudouris Posted May 17, 2004 Share Posted May 17, 2004 I always carry my 30E with either a 50/1.8 or 28/2.8 in my bag (non-photo shoulder bag that is meant for A4 documents) when going to work. The 28 and 50 weight less together than the 28-70 you have. Your 300D will be even smaller with one of the two primes than my 30E. What are the film bodies? I think that for what you want you will need a couple of primes from the 20/24/28/35/50 collection (or equivalent lengths if you use the 300D). The 50 might be a bit on the long side. The Canon primes are great and I think you can get the Sigma ones (don't know about quality) for the same price but a stop faster. I would use something at least as fast as f/2.8, as flash is out of the question for what you want. Panos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry_kleinberg Posted May 17, 2004 Author Share Posted May 17, 2004 Panos, Thats very helpful thanks. I have the 300 and 630 film bodies. I didnt list it above but I also have the sigma 15-30 which is not so fast but is also not that heavy. BUT it is quite a big lens. Would you recomend say 2 primes (ideally canon but if not sigma) over the 15-30. Also part of this general query is that I would like to be more inobtrusive than with a big EOS body and 15-30 lens. The other day I was at Liverpool Street Station and saw a great picture of 2 guys standing aound (basically their feet and brief cases on some stone steps) and I was too shy to aim and shoot - a smaller camera might have done the trick. Thanks again to everyone - more opinions please. Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_smith2 Posted May 17, 2004 Share Posted May 17, 2004 Barry your two main zooms are extremely heavy and notoriously so! I also work in the city - I started taking a EOS 5 and 28-135 IS to work in a standard "commuters" shoulder bag to capture spring in the parks. This combination was very successful and relatively lightweight and unobtrusive. I didn't need a tripod 'cos of the IS facility. However you may find the 300D crop factor may make 28 mm a lousy wide angle being an effective 35mm or so. Plus the 28-135 is black bodied and therefore not so blatent as the big white Canon L series when pointing at people.... Considering that it comes from the consumer range of lens, the 28-135 gives very acceptable results If you are shooting predominatly wide angle then consider a dedicated prime to go with the 28-135. Mike Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awindsor Posted May 17, 2004 Share Posted May 17, 2004 I spent today walking around with my Bronica SQAi, 3 lenses, 3 film backs, and a tripod. Now when I pick up my SLR bag I cannot believe how light it is. Simply redefine heavy. A 300V is around £170 and is very light. A couple of wide primes (35mm, 28mm, or 24mm) in addition to your 50mm and you have a kit which you can put in a couple of jacket pockets. I usually shoot with an old EOS 5 with vertical grip. If I go with a single lens it is a 28 - 135 IS. A jack of all trades lens. For a carry around camera I have a EOS 300V loaded with fast film and with a 50mm 1.8 lens. This fits it a little case which used to house my compact digicam. Easily fits in a corner of my bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark u Posted May 17, 2004 Share Posted May 17, 2004 If you don't already have one, you should get an Olympus mju - an excellent 35mm f/2.8 hidden in something smaller than a pack of cigarettes for less than the cost of a 50mm f/1.8. You can shoot candids with it literally from the hip without raising it to your eye, and it can always be in your pocket. Slightly larger but with excellent wide primes are the Ricoh GR compacts. The GR21 might be particularly attractive for capturing architecture in narrow City streets - or panoramas from the higher floors - if a little expensive (ffordes have a "new" one for £499), so the 28mm f/2.8 versions may be more attainable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwbowman Posted May 17, 2004 Share Posted May 17, 2004 Ditto on the earlier suggestion: Contax G2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitmstr Posted May 17, 2004 Share Posted May 17, 2004 >>want to take some photjournalistic and architectural shots<< sorry but, that would mean having to take a 16-35L and a 70-200L (or similar lenses) Just ask any PJs who does it for a living. In your case, it's really only up to one person: you. If you don't want to have "range" then, only carry ONE zoom and do all the shots with that lens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy10 Posted May 17, 2004 Share Posted May 17, 2004 Contax G2 is a nice suggestion but will cost quite a bit even a used one.. I would take the 300D with canon ef 17-40L.. its certainly lighetr than sigma 15-30 or canon 16-35L which has been mentioned.. with 1.6X crop fractor of 300D it will also double up as general walkaround lens.. just my 2 cents.. happy shooting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erol_a. Posted May 18, 2004 Share Posted May 18, 2004 Resale on Contax G kits is very low (ask me how I know) and the lenses are among the best ever made - I consider the 21 and 45 to be THE best lenses I've ever used (and I also shoot Leica!) Alternately, a Bessa camera (or an older Leica; they can be had for not a lot of money if you look hard) and a couple excellent Voightlander lenses is compact, relatively inexpensive, and wonderfully fun to use. further on the cheap, a Canonet or Contax Q rangefinder might make you very happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panos_voudouris Posted May 18, 2004 Share Posted May 18, 2004 <p><i>Panos, Thats very helpful thanks. I have the 300 and 630 film bodies. I didnt list it above but I also have the sigma 15-30 which is not so fast but is also not that heavy. BUT it is quite a big lens. Would you recomend say 2 primes (ideally canon but if not sigma) over the 15-30.</i></p> <p>Barry, the 15-30 will cover the lengths you need but it is huge, heavy and slow as you said. I had a 300 and with the 50mm it was smaller and lighter than my father's old manual Praktika SLR or his 90s "compact". I think that a 300 with a prime or two will be sufficient, from the 24/28/35/50 collection. They Canon ones are all very small and light. The 35 and 28 cost around £150 and have the same filter size with the 50.</p> <p>I think a Canon 35mm f/2 will cover your needs. You can try that and if you think that it is insufficient get a 24mm too. Take either of your zooms, set it at 35mm and walk around London an afternoon to see if you like that length. Try the 24/28/35 settings and decide yourself as focal lengths are a personal prefernece.</p> <p>Panos</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry_kleinberg Posted May 18, 2004 Author Share Posted May 18, 2004 Thank you all for your responses which as uaual are varied and very useful. Today I have with me the 300D with 105mm macro (just happened to fit in my bag). I like the idea of the 28-135 but think I will take the plunge and add some primes (probably the 24 and 35 as Panos suggested). Thanks again Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yakim_peled1 Posted May 18, 2004 Share Posted May 18, 2004 I like the 24/2.8 and 35/2 very much but on film. When I get a DSLR (oh, when will that be....) I'd probably replace them with the 17-40/4. Happy shooting , Yakim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry_kleinberg Posted May 18, 2004 Author Share Posted May 18, 2004 Yakim, I see that you usually favour the primes. I am now a bit stuck from your answer as I will still use both film and my 300D - would you therefore still go for the 17-40?? Thanks again Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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