Re: [Leica] Travel kit. More than two lenses.

[Jim Brick <jim@brick.org>]

Boy... that short paragraph of mine sure stirred your soul. And you're not
even the person involved. I'll try to refrain from personal comments in the
future. You know... people talk about moving up, or back, instead of
changing lenses. But what is not mentioned is that different lenses give
different perspectives, of the same subject. Distance compression, distance
expansion, blurry background, etc. If a person wants to subject him/her
self to a narrow minded vision, by all means, go to it. If all you had is
one lens and a good eye, you could indeed take wonderful photographs. But
that same eye, with a means of expanding the vision, can and does do
wonders. I think limiting your means is limiting your results.

I wasn't telling anyone not to do it. I would indeed do it for a day, as
long as I knew I could go back another day and photograph all of the things
I missed on that limited vision day.

Just my humble opinion.

Jim

At 07:16 AM 4/17/98 +0000, you wrote:
>Jim wrote:
>
>Sorry folks, taking only a 50mm lens just won't cut it! Lame idea. Maybe as
>a local one day self assignment, ala Ted, but certainly not for serious
>photography.
>
>
>With all due respect Jim, Mike Johnstone's intention to work with a 50mm
>lens for a while may seem "lame" to you, but it's not to Mike Johnston.  He
>probably has very good reasons for attempting this project.  Among other
>things, it will allow him to carry his small camera with him most of time. 
>Second, he will be ready for almost anything he sees because he'll know the
>camera and lens so well after a while, and he won't have to dig it out of a
>big bag, change lenses, etc.  For the kind of work that you do, Mike's idea
>may make no sense (e.g. tripod, extenders, Velvia).  Admittedly, Mike will
>not be ready to shoot whatever it is that you would see and want to
>photograph.  But for what he sees and wants to shoot, it may work great.  To
>each his own.
>
>On a personal note, and given the kinds of things I like to photograph, the
>best photography I ever did was when I owned only a Nikkormat and 24/2.8 and
>85/1.8 Nikkors.  I knew those lenses cold -- and they were cold ;-).  I
>carried the kit everywhere.  I didn't worry much about bumping the equipment
>around.  I developed film, printed pictures, showed them to friends, hung
>them on the wall, etc.  Now I have Leicas and Billingham bags too.  (I speak
>only for myself here Jim, not for you).  But now I'm too careful with my
>equipment.  It's so pristine and clean.  Each lens has been tested for
>sharpness, light fall-off, and bokeh.  I have Really Right Stuff plates and
>Linhof ball-heads.  And I LOVE all this stuff.  But ... my photography is
>probably worse.  Why?  Well, most important, I'm now married, with child and
>dog, and have less time for it.  But second, I'm in danger of caring more
>about the equipment than the photography.  I, at least, can't serve two
>Masters well (make it three, including my wife).  While I love the Leicas, I
>also miss the abandon and intensity with which I used to photograph.  I
>longed, not for the ASPH lens, but for the shot.  Now I come home and read
>e-mail about photography.  In the old days, I would be waiting for the light
>to be good ;-)  Again, speaking only for myself and not for you Jim, I
>believe my photography was more serious then than it is now, despite the
>fact that I know more now, have more invested, and carry more and better
>equipment.
>
>John McLeod
>