Re: Limitations of having 50mm as my only lens.

[Edward Meyers <aghalide@panix.com>]

On Sun, 26 Jan 1997, Nicolas Levinton wrote:

> Hi, as some of you might remember, I switched to the M system (M6 + Summi=
cron 50 f/2) not very long ago. I couldn=B4t afford (you know what I mean) =
but a single lens, so I thought at first, and after giving a lot of consult=
ation to the pillow that a 50mm was the only option.
> I am an amateur documentary photographer, and without making one of those=
 "off subject" posts called "My biography", I will tell you that I am getti=
ng ready economically, educationally(??) and psychologically to start doing=
 the search for experience (both human and proffesional), subject, style, e=
tc.. in maybe conflictive areas of the globe with NGO=B4s.
>=20
> In a recent reportage that I did in a school of gifted kids, inside class=
rooms, I started noticing the limitations of depth of field working at 800 =
ASA, 1/60 sec and f/4 - f/5.6.
>=20
> This, and the fact that every documentary photographer whose work I admir=
e, happens to use (or have used in case dead) Leicas and a 35 mm as the "al=
most-only-lens-used".
>=20
> What I would like to bring up is not only a matter of budget, but what se=
ems to be a personal choice of this "a-o-l-u" for style reasons.=20
> What are the limitations I will encounter if I keep on just with my 50mm?=
 Should I start seriously thinking into trading it for a 35mm and if so, wh=
at would I gain (obviously not money) technically speaking?
>=20
> =09Hope this is interesting for other owners of a "a-o-l-u".
>=20
>=20
> P.D: Apart from this maybe paranoic dilemma, I am really happy with the p=
erformance of my Summicron.
>=20
>=20
> =09=09=09=09Nicolas Levinton. SPAIN
> =09=09=09=09nicolev@jet.es
>=20
>=20
> =09=09
>=20
Don't think that you must buy a new lens, or even an f/2 lens
for your Leica. Keep the 50mm, I suggest, and find a 35mm f/2.8
or f/3.5, used. Have you seen Leica photos made in the 1950s?
They didn't have an f/2 35mm lens then.=20
For documentary work, when photographing with a 35mm focal length,
as recommended by the late Bob Schwalberg, the distance you set
the focus at is equal to the length of your subject in focus.
For example: If you focus at 3 meters, then the horizontal
frame in the photo will include 3 meters of subject. This is
useful if you make your settings BEFORE you raise the camera
to your eye.
Ed Meyers