Prime Lens Users... Question

mikeSF · 03-04-2014, 02:18 PM - **1 Like**

i bring a full prime kit with me on an outing and change lenses constantly. If i am at the ocean or over mud where there is no place to set anything down, i may change lenses over my open sling bag. Often, if the camera is on the tripod, it is even easier to do a lens swap on a stationary camera. After awhile, you learn your focal lengths so well, you can reach in and grab the correct lens without guessing wrong, which is helpful. it just becomes second nature. good luck!

check out this technique for quickly swapping with both lenses in the same hand...

You Tube

oh, i cant get the vid to play.not sure whats up.

ChristianRock · 03-04-2014, 02:57 PM

First, to answer your specific question, changing lenses isn't that big a deal. After a while it's almost second nature. You know where you are going to take the next group of pictures so on your way there you put the lens you want. Like when I was walking around with the family at the zoo - if the next animal was going to be close, I'd have the 50mm on. If it was going to be further away, then I'd use the 135. Usually when you are walking around you can make these judgement calls and just be prepared. It's not a big deal at all, I find.

The only time I will use a zoom is for my kids sports. The Tammy 70-300 works well and I work around its deficiencies in PP (mostly color rendering - it's got very good sharpness for a 4x+ zoom). And I'll always have a prime or two around in case I need it.

I have another couple zooms I use for specific reasons. One is the Tokina 19-35mm, but only because I don't have a prime wider than 28. Once I find a Tokina 17 3.5 (or a DA 21 eventually), the 19-35 will probably go to the chopping block.
The other is the A 70-210 which I can't bring myself to get rid of, because it has a very interesting rendering for pictures of flowers and nature. Its pictures will have a more "artsy" look to them. But I find myself using it less and less now that I have the Tamron.

So other than that, I'll go out with 2 or 3 primes at a time. The 135 will always be with me in that case. I might take along a 28+50 or 55, or maybe a 35 instead.

And my walkaround lens is the 35. If I can only take one lens with me, it's that one. As it was said before, I'll just zoom with my feet.

Using a zoom other than for its specific purpose in my setup, usually leads to frustration. Yes I always end up getting the shot, but usually the shot doesn't get as good as I wanted it to be... unless I'm using a prime.

**monochrome** · 03-04-2014, 03:43 PM - **1 Like**

I just thought - my vison is what it is. My eyes don't zoom to get a better FoV.

What I think maybe I should want to do is have enough primes in my bag (say three) to get the shots my eyes see as keepers. If by some odd chance I miss something - well, there's always memory.

derelict · 03-06-2014, 09:08 AM

Thanks for all of the input. I understand the whole zoom with your feet thing as I usually walk around with a 28/ 2.8. I spent a year wondering around a few different foreign cities and the 28 and a Zenitar fish eye were what I carried. I had a 28-70 zoom but found that I pretty much always just left it in 28.

Now that I think about it, that is the answer to my question. For me, zooms would not help all that much if I am leaving it on the shallow end of things so much of the time. My only concern was the switch. I have a great A50/ 1.7 and a good Sigma 28/ 2.8. I am thinking about picking up a 21 to replace the 28 (a little wider would be nice) and then a 77, or so, for the longer end.

The switch is what made me wonder. I am not really willing to carry two bodies around but in situations where that might happen, I could just give my ist ds to my wife with the AF 28-70 and leave me to the switching.

**Just1MoreDave** · 03-06-2014, 11:27 AM

Originally posted by derelict

...The switch is what made me wonder. I am not really willing to carry two bodies around but in situations where that might happen, I could just give my ist ds to my wife with the AF 28-70 and leave me to the switching.

If you see the need to switch ahead of time, it is sort of an action hero feeling. Oh yeah, here I am casually walking along, off with the 28, on with the 135, caps, close the bag, focus, nail the next shot. When you are not ready, it's more of a next victim in a horror film feeling.

njphotog · 03-09-2014, 07:10 AM

Prime lenses are awesome and important. Period.
But... your photographic intentions are more important. Primes will give you beautiful IQ but I would not be going to an airshow nor a graduation ceremony with just a prime lens (assuming you are referring to a 50mm, 35mm or any type etc prime). Primes make you think and compose. You are basically relegated to a fixed lens, therefore you have to make the best of it, forcing you "the photographer" to seriously think about the composition of your shot. This in turn will make you a better photographer. Slap a prime on your camera and go for a walk, anywhere. You will find that you are thinking more like an artist than just a person with a camera.
I have many lenses, I love my two prime lenses and the IQ is supreme but that doesn't mean that every scenario requires them. If you do not own one, get one. Do you need it? Probably not. Will you be satisfied and very content with one? Absolutely. Every serious photographer or for that matter anyone serious about their photography should have one. You don't "need" it, you want it. Once you have it, for the rest of you photographic days you will thank the gods of photography that you have invested into this insufferable and infernal little device and your photographs will be there to show that the true and creative side has been unlocked and exploited to its utmost and maximum potential.
Just buy it. Love it and enjoy the results, you will not regret it.
~Dave

---------- Post added 03-09-14 at 10:28 AM ----------

Originally posted by mikeSF

check out this technique for quickly swapping with both lenses in the same hand...

Changing Lenses on a Pentax - YouTube

oh, i cant get the vid to play.not sure whats up.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Great video, great idea. But for some reason I don't think I would enjoy leaving the rear cap off my lenses so I can do a quick change at a venue/event

But it is a pretty cool vid.

**Michaelina2** · 03-09-2014, 08:33 AM

Now before I go out, I try to pre-imagine the types of settings and subjects I'll encounter.

Next, I pick the best lens from my quiver to do the job and mount it on the camera (close urban settings, the DA 21; birds 'n bugs, the DA*300; etc...) and plan to shoot that lens the entire day. Also, I usually wear a light jacket/vest. Besides an additional fresh battery, in the left pocket I carry a wider FOV lens (urban-wider, DA 15; field-wider, DFA 100 or DA 70; etc...), and in the right, the next longer FOV lens (urban-longer, DA 70; field-longer, 1.7 TC, or 1.4 TC; etc...). There's no hesitation to change a lens to fit a special setting then change back, but I do so rarely. Ninety-nine percent of the time, I go solo for the day.

In the future, I plan to 'cheat' a bit. When the setting is urban, I'll pack my Q/Q7 (mounted with appropriate prime/zoom lenses). For field work my 'go to' will remain as before, the K-3/DA*300, etc.

The key is to know your gear's limitations and feel confident that you can shoot to its strengths.

Cheers... M

Bagga_Txips · 03-09-2014, 12:44 PM

I love primes, full stop. Especially the DA limited. At the moment I have the 21, the 70, and the 40 XS. They all fit in a small ripoff Nat Geo copy bag, and the whole setup weighs less than many setups with a single f1.8 prime. Because of the lack of weight I am willing to get myself into situations I wouldn't dream of with one of those massive grey 70-200s, and if I want to include people the 70 is very unthreatening, especially as I live in China and tend to be noticed anyway because I am a laowai.

And pixel peeping has caused too many of us to get paranoid about performance at 100% magnification. When I get home with a batch of shots, I choose the ones I like best and then I often crop the hell out of the shot. We are in an arms race pushing as towards thinking that 36 megapickles are vital for good results, but we should all remember reviews of digital cameras from only about ten years ago that claimed that three Meg was fine for A4 prints, and 6 Meg was great for large mounted prints.

The only important criterion is - does it look good onscreen or on the wall?

**savoche** · 03-10-2014, 12:34 PM

Originally posted by Canada_Rockies

The other side of it is to zoom with your feet for perspective and zoom with the lens for composition. Do both if you are using a zoom. It makes no photographic sense to just stand there and zoom away. Find the photo you want and zoom to frame it the way you want. It's great stretching exercise, too.

This. This is important.

Moving around changes your perspective. Using the right focal length is important to get the framing you want with the perspective you want. "Zooming with your feet" is not always the answer.

But yeah, changing lenses is no problem with a bit of practice, but it does require more time. And sometimes zooms are better suited for the job.

BabyTeaLeaf · 03-10-2014, 12:49 PM

Aside from the advantages of macro that the DFA 100 offers, do you find yourself reaching for the DFA 100 often when you have the DA 70 with you? Just curious. Thanks.

Originally posted by jddwoods

I have all 5 SMC limiteds (most bought used) and DFA 100 Macro WR all of which are nice high quality compact primes. More often than not, I carry just 2 or 3 of them depending on the shooting I will be doing. For example going out for some nature photography I am likely to be taking DA 35mm Macro, DA 70mm and DFA 100 mm Macro. If I am going shooting in downtown New York City the 3 go to lenses would be DA 15, DA21 and DA 40mm (or DA 70). This makes for a small, lightweight, very easy to manage kit and the 3 pancake primes weigh a lot less than, say, for example a DA 17 to 70 mm zoom, of which mine has been seeing a lot less use these days. This in my opinion offsets the convenience of not changing lenses. For the slight inconvenience of changing lenses, I get in return, less weight, more versatility, faster apertures and often the primes can fit dual roles. For example the DA 35 is a super sharp normal lens and a macro and faster than most zooms. Likewise the DFA 100 mm macro doubles as a super sharp and fast telephoto as well as a macro. My preference, Primes!

derelict · 03-11-2014, 04:54 AM

I think that I have decided to go primes for my picture taking. Looking to grab a 21mm (or thereabouts) for my wider stuff to use in conjunction with the Sigma 28/ 2.8 and A50/ 1.7 I already have. I am struggling over anything longer than 50 as not a lot of my photo taking is done at a longer distance than 50. I think that at 50- 200, a quality zoom would be much investment than another prime.

ChristianRock · 03-11-2014, 06:31 AM

@derelict, if you have a 28, I'd suggest the DA 15 instead of 21, for the sake of flexibility - if it's an option as I know it's more expensive. Usually, when I'm carrying primes, if they're not at least 2x the length, I'll usually just make it work with what's already on the camera, rather than changing lenses.

I wish Pentax made something like a 18mm f/2.8 affordable DA prime. If Fuji can make that tiny 18/2 Pentax could at least give us an 18/2.8. Or just make it a 17 since Pentax loves to give us those odd options

derelict · 03-11-2014, 07:09 AM

Originally posted by ChristianRock

@derelict, if you have a 28, I'd suggest the DA 15 instead of 21, for the sake of flexibility - if it's an option as I know it's more expensive. Usually, when I'm carrying primes, if they're not at least 2x the length, I'll usually just make it work with what's already on the camera, rather than changing lenses.

I wish Pentax made something like a 18mm f/2.8 affordable DA prime. If Fuji can make that tiny 18/2 Pentax could at least give us an 18/2.8. Or just make it a 17 since Pentax loves to give us those odd options

I think about the 15mm but I really do not see any time that I would use it and for that kind of money, it is not worth it to me. The 21 produces images that I find more appealing than what the 15 does (at least, in my opinion). I have never really shot a landscape or needed the super wide of the 15mm (I could always just rent one if I saw a need). I was thinking that the 21 might replace the 28.

**filoxophy** · 03-11-2014, 07:31 AM

The next time I hear "zoom with your feet", I think I really might lose it.

ChristianRock · 03-11-2014, 07:53 AM

Originally posted by derelict

I think about the 15mm but I really do not see any time that I would use it and for that kind of money, it is not worth it to me. The 21 produces images that I find more appealing than what the 15 does (at least, in my opinion). I have never really shot a landscape or needed the super wide of the 15mm (I could always just rent one if I saw a need). I was thinking that the 21 might replace the 28.

Ok, I now see your point. That makes a lot of sense! And the 21 pictures do look awesome, I love the rendering on that lens, and the fact that it's an affordable Limited doesn't hurt, either.

03-10-2014, 12:49 PM	#40
BabyTeaLeaf Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Boston, MA Photos: Albums Posts: 34	DFA 100 macro WR? Aside from the advantages of macro that the DFA 100 offers, do you find yourself reaching for the DFA 100 often when you have the DA 70 with you? Just curious. Thanks. Originally posted by jddwoods I have all 5 SMC limiteds (most bought used) and DFA 100 Macro WR all of which are nice high quality compact primes. More often than not, I carry just 2 or 3 of them depending on the shooting I will be doing. For example going out for some nature photography I am likely to be taking DA 35mm Macro, DA 70mm and DFA 100 mm Macro. If I am going shooting in downtown New York City the 3 go to lenses would be DA 15, DA21 and DA 40mm (or DA 70). This makes for a small, lightweight, very easy to manage kit and the 3 pancake primes weigh a lot less than, say, for example a DA 17 to 70 mm zoom, of which mine has been seeing a lot less use these days. This in my opinion offsets the convenience of not changing lenses. For the slight inconvenience of changing lenses, I get in return, less weight, more versatility, faster apertures and often the primes can fit dual roles. For example the DA 35 is a super sharp normal lens and a macro and faster than most zooms. Likewise the DFA 100 mm macro doubles as a super sharp and fast telephoto as well as a macro. My preference, Primes!

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03-04-2014, 02:57 PM	#32
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,910	First, to answer your specific question, changing lenses isn't that big a deal. After a while it's almost second nature. You know where you are going to take the next group of pictures so on your way there you put the lens you want. Like when I was walking around with the family at the zoo - if the next animal was going to be close, I'd have the 50mm on. If it was going to be further away, then I'd use the 135. Usually when you are walking around you can make these judgement calls and just be prepared. It's not a big deal at all, I find. The only time I will use a zoom is for my kids sports. The Tammy 70-300 works well and I work around its deficiencies in PP (mostly color rendering - it's got very good sharpness for a 4x+ zoom). And I'll always have a prime or two around in case I need it. I have another couple zooms I use for specific reasons. One is the Tokina 19-35mm, but only because I don't have a prime wider than 28. Once I find a Tokina 17 3.5 (or a DA 21 eventually), the 19-35 will probably go to the chopping block. The other is the A 70-210 which I can't bring myself to get rid of, because it has a very interesting rendering for pictures of flowers and nature. Its pictures will have a more "artsy" look to them. But I find myself using it less and less now that I have the Tamron. So other than that, I'll go out with 2 or 3 primes at a time. The 135 will always be with me in that case. I might take along a 28+50 or 55, or maybe a 35 instead. And my walkaround lens is the 35. If I can only take one lens with me, it's that one. As it was said before, I'll just zoom with my feet. Using a zoom other than for its specific purpose in my setup, usually leads to frustration. Yes I always end up getting the shot, but usually the shot doesn't get as good as I wanted it to be... unless I'm using a prime.

03-04-2014, 03:43 PM - 1 Like	#33
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	I just thought - my vison is what it is. My eyes don't zoom to get a better FoV. What I think maybe I should want to do is have enough primes in my bag (say three) to get the shots my eyes see as keepers. If by some odd chance I miss something - well, there's always memory.

03-06-2014, 09:08 AM	#34
derelict Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: NoVa Posts: 525 Original Poster	Thanks for all of the input. I understand the whole zoom with your feet thing as I usually walk around with a 28/ 2.8. I spent a year wondering around a few different foreign cities and the 28 and a Zenitar fish eye were what I carried. I had a 28-70 zoom but found that I pretty much always just left it in 28. Now that I think about it, that is the answer to my question. For me, zooms would not help all that much if I am leaving it on the shallow end of things so much of the time. My only concern was the switch. I have a great A50/ 1.7 and a good Sigma 28/ 2.8. I am thinking about picking up a 21 to replace the 28 (a little wider would be nice) and then a 77, or so, for the longer end. The switch is what made me wonder. I am not really willing to carry two bodies around but in situations where that might happen, I could just give my ist ds to my wife with the AF 28-70 and leave me to the switching.

03-06-2014, 11:27 AM	#35
Just1MoreDave Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,339	Originally posted by derelict ...The switch is what made me wonder. I am not really willing to carry two bodies around but in situations where that might happen, I could just give my ist ds to my wife with the AF 28-70 and leave me to the switching. If you see the need to switch ahead of time, it is sort of an action hero feeling. Oh yeah, here I am casually walking along, off with the 28, on with the 135, caps, close the bag, focus, nail the next shot. When you are not ready, it's more of a next victim in a horror film feeling.

03-09-2014, 07:10 AM	#36
njphotog Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Newark/NYC area Northern New Jersey Posts: 30	Prime lenses are awesome and important. Period. But... your photographic intentions are more important. Primes will give you beautiful IQ but I would not be going to an airshow nor a graduation ceremony with just a prime lens (assuming you are referring to a 50mm, 35mm or any type etc prime). Primes make you think and compose. You are basically relegated to a fixed lens, therefore you have to make the best of it, forcing you "the photographer" to seriously think about the composition of your shot. This in turn will make you a better photographer. Slap a prime on your camera and go for a walk, anywhere. You will find that you are thinking more like an artist than just a person with a camera. I have many lenses, I love my two prime lenses and the IQ is supreme but that doesn't mean that every scenario requires them. If you do not own one, get one. Do you need it? Probably not. Will you be satisfied and very content with one? Absolutely. Every serious photographer or for that matter anyone serious about their photography should have one. You don't "need" it, you want it. Once you have it, for the rest of you photographic days you will thank the gods of photography that you have invested into this insufferable and infernal little device and your photographs will be there to show that the true and creative side has been unlocked and exploited to its utmost and maximum potential. Just buy it. Love it and enjoy the results, you will not regret it. ~Dave ---------- Post added 03-09-14 at 10:28 AM ---------- Originally posted by mikeSF check out this technique for quickly swapping with both lenses in the same hand... Changing Lenses on a Pentax - YouTube oh, i cant get the vid to play.not sure whats up. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Great video, great idea. But for some reason I don't think I would enjoy leaving the rear cap off my lenses so I can do a quick change at a venue/event But it is a pretty cool vid.

03-09-2014, 08:33 AM	#37
Michaelina2 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: SE Michigan USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,301	Now before I go out, I try to pre-imagine the types of settings and subjects I'll encounter. Next, I pick the best lens from my quiver to do the job and mount it on the camera (close urban settings, the DA 21; birds 'n bugs, the DA300; etc...) and plan to shoot that lens the entire day. Also, I usually wear a light jacket/vest. Besides an additional fresh battery, in the left pocket I carry a wider FOV lens (urban-wider, DA 15; field-wider, DFA 100 or DA 70; etc...), and in the right, the next longer FOV lens (urban-longer, DA 70; field-longer, 1.7 TC, or 1.4 TC; etc...). There's no hesitation to change a lens to fit a special setting then change back, but I do so rarely. Ninety-nine percent of the time, I go solo for the day. In the future, I plan to 'cheat' a bit. When the setting is urban, I'll pack my Q/Q7 (mounted with appropriate prime/zoom lenses). For field work my 'go to' will remain as before, the K-3/DA300, etc. The key is to know your gear's limitations and feel confident that you can shoot to its strengths. Cheers... M

03-09-2014, 12:44 PM	#38
Bagga_Txips Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Waterford Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 454	I love primes, full stop. Especially the DA limited. At the moment I have the 21, the 70, and the 40 XS. They all fit in a small ripoff Nat Geo copy bag, and the whole setup weighs less than many setups with a single f1.8 prime. Because of the lack of weight I am willing to get myself into situations I wouldn't dream of with one of those massive grey 70-200s, and if I want to include people the 70 is very unthreatening, especially as I live in China and tend to be noticed anyway because I am a laowai. And pixel peeping has caused too many of us to get paranoid about performance at 100% magnification. When I get home with a batch of shots, I choose the ones I like best and then I often crop the hell out of the shot. We are in an arms race pushing as towards thinking that 36 megapickles are vital for good results, but we should all remember reviews of digital cameras from only about ten years ago that claimed that three Meg was fine for A4 prints, and 6 Meg was great for large mounted prints. The only important criterion is - does it look good onscreen or on the wall?

03-10-2014, 12:34 PM	#39
savoche Master of the obvious Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Lowlands of Norway Posts: 18,311	Originally posted by Canada_Rockies The other side of it is to zoom with your feet for perspective and zoom with the lens for composition. Do both if you are using a zoom. It makes no photographic sense to just stand there and zoom away. Find the photo you want and zoom to frame it the way you want. It's great stretching exercise, too. This. This is important. Moving around changes your perspective. Using the right focal length is important to get the framing you want with the perspective you want. "Zooming with your feet" is not always the answer. But yeah, changing lenses is no problem with a bit of practice, but it does require more time. And sometimes zooms are better suited for the job.

03-11-2014, 04:54 AM	#41
derelict Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: NoVa Posts: 525 Original Poster	I think that I have decided to go primes for my picture taking. Looking to grab a 21mm (or thereabouts) for my wider stuff to use in conjunction with the Sigma 28/ 2.8 and A50/ 1.7 I already have. I am struggling over anything longer than 50 as not a lot of my photo taking is done at a longer distance than 50. I think that at 50- 200, a quality zoom would be much investment than another prime.

03-11-2014, 06:31 AM	#42
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,910	@derelict, if you have a 28, I'd suggest the DA 15 instead of 21, for the sake of flexibility - if it's an option as I know it's more expensive. Usually, when I'm carrying primes, if they're not at least 2x the length, I'll usually just make it work with what's already on the camera, rather than changing lenses. I wish Pentax made something like a 18mm f/2.8 affordable DA prime. If Fuji can make that tiny 18/2 Pentax could at least give us an 18/2.8. Or just make it a 17 since Pentax loves to give us those odd options

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03-11-2014, 07:09 AM	#43
derelict Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: NoVa Posts: 525 Original Poster	Originally posted by ChristianRock @derelict, if you have a 28, I'd suggest the DA 15 instead of 21, for the sake of flexibility - if it's an option as I know it's more expensive. Usually, when I'm carrying primes, if they're not at least 2x the length, I'll usually just make it work with what's already on the camera, rather than changing lenses. I wish Pentax made something like a 18mm f/2.8 affordable DA prime. If Fuji can make that tiny 18/2 Pentax could at least give us an 18/2.8. Or just make it a 17 since Pentax loves to give us those odd options I think about the 15mm but I really do not see any time that I would use it and for that kind of money, it is not worth it to me. The 21 produces images that I find more appealing than what the 15 does (at least, in my opinion). I have never really shot a landscape or needed the super wide of the 15mm (I could always just rent one if I saw a need). I was thinking that the 21 might replace the 28.

03-11-2014, 07:31 AM	#44
filoxophy Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 1,132	The next time I hear "zoom with your feet", I think I really might lose it.

03-11-2014, 07:53 AM	#45
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,910	Originally posted by derelict I think about the 15mm but I really do not see any time that I would use it and for that kind of money, it is not worth it to me. The 21 produces images that I find more appealing than what the 15 does (at least, in my opinion). I have never really shot a landscape or needed the super wide of the 15mm (I could always just rent one if I saw a need). I was thinking that the 21 might replace the 28. Ok, I now see your point. That makes a lot of sense! And the 21 pictures do look awesome, I love the rendering on that lens, and the fact that it's an affordable Limited doesn't hurt, either.