[carlwood]

I've been watching lots of videos on YouTube on working with Large Format equipment where part of the philosophy seems to be to work with one lens, wander around in ideal conditions until they find a pleasing composition take a shot or two with different film material and call it a day.

The idea of searching for a single composition or two and getting it wright rather than blasting off shots by the new time on everything and anything appeals to me.

However the eyes are not as good as they used to be and I'm thinking of falling back on autofocus lenses of which I have the DA 21, DA 40, FA 50 and DA 70. The FD 50 has the advantage of an F1.7 diaphragm for bokeh and bad light but it can sometimes be rather long.

I was wondering if anybody else has thought about the one lens camera philosophy and if so which lens of the above would they find the most useful, I have no specific targets in mind and I tend to favour the DA 40 which I find to be very sharp, I'm using the K70.

Any thoughts ?

Hi Pen Pusher, I often go out with just one fixed focal length lens - that way you just have to make it work where you can. Some famous female photographer (sorry I can't remember her name) was once asked how do you take a good photograph - her answer was "f8 and be there".
A friend who is a good photographer prefers a 35mm. lens. Another photographer I once heard quoted and who did some of the famous magazines back in the day maintained that you should be able to be dropped off anywhere by a helicopter with a (35mm.) camera & 50mm. lens and come back with a story. I think there is good value in all of the comments you have received before mine. All the best.

---------- Post added 10-19-22 at 05:15 PM ----------

I've been watching lots of videos on YouTube on working with Large Format equipment where part of the philosophy seems to be to work with one lens, wander around in ideal conditions until they find a pleasing composition take a shot or two with different film material and call it a day.

The idea of searching for a single composition or two and getting it wright rather than blasting off shots by the new time on everything and anything appeals to me.

However the eyes are not as good as they used to be and I'm thinking of falling back on autofocus lenses of which I have the DA 21, DA 40, FA 50 and DA 70. The FD 50 has the advantage of an F1.7 diaphragm for bokeh and bad light but it can sometimes be rather long.

I was wondering if anybody else has thought about the one lens camera philosophy and if so which lens of the above would they find the most useful, I have no specific targets in mind and I tend to favour the DA 40 which I find to be very sharp, I'm using the K70.

Any thoughts ?

Sorry, just one other thing, if you are thinking of spending time composing one or two good shots, and if your eyesight is not what it used to be as you say, then perhaps autofocus is not best for you because you still have to choose a particular part of your composition to be your main point of focus. If you wear glasses and are having problems seeing properly through the eyepiece, have you thought of having a lens made for your eyepiece? I have an astigmatism and so had two circles cut out of an old pair of glasses to fit an eyepiece attachment - one for portrait and one for landscape. In earlier times, for an oblong viewer, I made up a cardboard blank the same shape as the eyepiece attachment and the optician used that as a pattern for the correct shape. All the best.

[Alex645]

Some famous female photographer (sorry I can't remember her name) was once asked how do you take a good photograph - her answer was "f8 and be there".

That quote is actually credited to have originated with Arthur Fellig, a.k.a. Weegee.

[PenPusher]

I though that this topic might generate one or two answers so I am really surprised at the number of replies, thanks to everyone., I shall check out the single challenge.

If I remember correctly Weegee used something like a Speed Graphic and was reputed to have arrived at the scene before the cops, even when I started photography F8 was the go to aperture recommended by all magazines for every lens otherwise the image would not be sharp. When I started photography you bought a camera with a 50mm lens, sometimes 55mm and used that for years.

I kind of lost track of this column yesterday as the power was down all day for "Improvements", the government and others have been muttering about a bad winter with power cuts etc.so I suppose it was a legitimate reason, however the weather forecast promised a fine dry day so happy out but the weather gave us heavy rain and wind instead, a case of "once more into the rain dear friends", that sounds kind of familia somehow.

The eyes, well some time ago I managed to trip while crossing the main road down town knocked myself out and smashed the face in a bit, I mean where else would you choose to do such a thing, and was hauled to safety by kind people, I then spent 4 days in hospital while they checked out this and that, apparently the eyes will improve over time - unspecified. The one thing I think that saved the eyes, for some reason I can't remember why I had bought flexible frames for my glasses the frames were screwed up but the glass did not break. My left hand ended up in a plaster cast so I was no longer photographer for one of my daughter's weddings - relief.

[Lord Lucan]

Some famous female photographer (sorry I can't remember her name) was once asked how do you take a good photograph - her answer was "f8 and be there".

That quote is actually credited to have originated with Arthur Fellig, a.k.a. Weegee.

Weegee earned his living as a crime reportage photographer, and worked mainly at night using a flashbulb. So his lighting was always the same. All he had to do was stand at roughly at the same sort of distance from the subject every time, and the exposure (and even the focus) looked after itself. Adding to that, he was of course working in black and white, which is very tolerlant of correction in the darkroom. His pictures were so stark and striking that I don't think his picture editor or public worried too much about technicalities. He was no Ansel Adams.

---

Last edited by Lord Lucan; 10-19-2022 at 06:03 AM.

[Smokulas]

Hi PenPusher,

I'm new to the Pentax world, having had my camera equipment stolen (I'm new to the Forum and supposed to introduce myself), last year. I bought a Lumix G3 for the right price, but wanted something more. Having had a camera of one type or another all my life. I'm aging (be seventy next year), but still love to go downtown every now and then, oh that's downtown Toronto, to take a picture or two. My career as a computer programmer was okay, having work my last fifteen years for the United Nations. Okay enough about myself....

I am now on a budget, so I had to do a lot of reading and decided on the Pentax K70, with the 18-135 lens. I have had the camera for almost three weeks and like it a lot. Certainly is heavy. Now as for one lens I'm looking at the Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Lens or the PENTAX-DA 35mmF2.4AL Standard lens Focal length 53.5mm. Both are within my price range and next month I will decide which one to go with.

Either on of these Lenses are what I would use to do my (street photography) with. The 18-135mm is a little too large for this type of photography in my opinion. Does not me it can't be used, it's just the one time I went downtown, I had a few issues with people becoming, just a bit more than annoyed. Usually if I'm asked to delete an image, I have no problem doing so, but if you get in my face, well that's a different story. So a smaller lens like the DA 50mm F1.8 could have helped me avoid some of these issues.

I apologize for jumping all around, but that's the way I'm wired..

Could Alex645 have been referring to Vivian Mayer? Her street photography has always made me feel inadequate. Then again she was shooting in the 50's and 60's. Different time.

Anyway I hope all of you are well and look forward to shooting my pictures with my new K70.

Smokulas

[AgentL]

Let me highly recommend the 35mm f2.4, it's a great performer and a real bargain for the price. It's very close to a 50mm on analogue/full frame sensors.

[UncleVanya]

Hi PenPusher,

I'm new to the Pentax world, having had my camera equipment stolen (I'm new to the Forum and supposed to introduce myself), last year. I bought a Lumix G3 for the right price, but wanted something more. Having had a camera of one type or another all my life. I'm aging (be seventy next year), but still love to go downtown every now and then, oh that's downtown Toronto, to take a picture or two. My career as a computer programmer was okay, having work my last fifteen years for the United Nations. Okay enough about myself....

I am now on a budget, so I had to do a lot of reading and decided on the Pentax K70, with the 18-135 lens. I have had the camera for almost three weeks and like it a lot. Certainly is heavy. Now as for one lens I'm looking at the Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Lens or the PENTAX-DA 35mmF2.4AL Standard lens Focal length 53.5mm. Both are within my price range and next month I will decide which one to go with.

Either on of these Lenses are what I would use to do my (street photography) with. The 18-135mm is a little too large for this type of photography in my opinion. Does not me it can't be used, it's just the one time I went downtown, I had a few issues with people becoming, just a bit more than annoyed. Usually if I'm asked to delete an image, I have no problem doing so, but if you get in my face, well that's a different story. So a smaller lens like the DA 50mm F1.8 could have helped me avoid some of these issues.

I apologize for jumping all around, but that's the way I'm wired..

Could Alex645 have been referring to Vivian Mayer? Her street photography has always made me feel inadequate. Then again she was shooting in the 50's and 60's. Different time.

Anyway I hope all of you are well and look forward to shooting my pictures with my new K70.

Smokulas

For “Street” the 35 is probably better angle of view. But if slightly narrower works the DA 40 XS is tiny and it will reduce any subject’s “lens based” nervousness. The DA 40 Ltd is not wore as small and optically these are very similar.

Used these aren’t expensive. The DA 21 is another good street lens.

[Alex645]

Weegee earned his living as a crime reportage photographer, and worked mainly at night using a flashbulb. His pictures were so stark and striking that I don't think his picture editor or public worried too much about technicalities. He was no Ansel Adams.

Yes, the f/64 group would have cringed at anyone that said "f/8 and done...."

Could Alex645 have been referring to Vivian Mayer?

No that was @carlwood . I said it was Weegee, not Vivian Maier.

Let me highly recommend the 35mm f2.4, it's a great performer and a real bargain for the price. It's very close to a 50mm on analogue/full frame sensors.

Yes, great price, small, light and relatively fast, but not WR and AF is sort of loud for discreet street photography.

The DA 21 is another good street lens.

I agree; this would be my top choice.

[robgski]

Hi PenPusher,

I'm new to the Pentax world, having had my camera equipment stolen (I'm new to the Forum and supposed to introduce myself), last year. I bought a Lumix G3 for the right price, but wanted something more. Having had a camera of one type or another all my life. I'm aging (be seventy next year), but still love to go downtown every now and then, oh that's downtown Toronto, to take a picture or two. My career as a computer programmer was okay, having work my last fifteen years for the United Nations. Okay enough about myself....

I am now on a budget, so I had to do a lot of reading and decided on the Pentax K70, with the 18-135 lens. I have had the camera for almost three weeks and like it a lot. Certainly is heavy. Now as for one lens I'm looking at the Pentax-DA 50mm F1.8 Lens or the PENTAX-DA 35mmF2.4AL Standard lens Focal length 53.5mm. Both are within my price range and next month I will decide which one to go with.

Either on of these Lenses are what I would use to do my (street photography) with. The 18-135mm is a little too large for this type of photography in my opinion. Does not me it can't be used, it's just the one time I went downtown, I had a few issues with people becoming, just a bit more than annoyed. Usually if I'm asked to delete an image, I have no problem doing so, but if you get in my face, well that's a different story. So a smaller lens like the DA 50mm F1.8 could have helped me avoid some of these issues.

I apologize for jumping all around, but that's the way I'm wired..

Could Alex645 have been referring to Vivian Mayer? Her street photography has always made me feel inadequate. Then again she was shooting in the 50's and 60's. Different time.

Anyway I hope all of you are well and look forward to shooting my pictures with my new K70.

Smokulas

Consider getting a DA 40mm XS. Very compact , excellent results, especially for street shooting.

[UncleVanya]

DA 40 used at a street festival on crop years ago:

IMGP5107_DxO by -vanya_42nd-

IMGP5108_DxO by -vanya_42nd-

IMGP5101_DxO by -vanya_42nd-

IMGP5092_DxO by -vanya_42nd-

IMGP5112_DxO by -vanya_42nd-

The last image was one I asked the person before taking. The others were candid shots - although one person stuck his tongue out - clearly he saw I was using a camera.

I my opinion the DA 40 was tighter framing than would be ideal in many circumstances. At that time I didn’t own the DA 21. These days I’d use the 21 in a similar situation. But if you want more tight scenes and more distance to the subject the DA 40 is a discreet lens.

[CaroleBristol]

I've been watching lots of videos on YouTube on working with Large Format equipment where part of the philosophy seems to be to work with one lens, wander around in ideal conditions until they find a pleasing composition take a shot or two with different film material and call it a day.

The idea of searching for a single composition or two and getting it wright rather than blasting off shots by the new time on everything and anything appeals to me.

However the eyes are not as good as they used to be and I'm thinking of falling back on autofocus lenses of which I have the DA 21, DA 40, FA 50 and DA 70. The FD 50 has the advantage of an F1.7 diaphragm for bokeh and bad light but it can sometimes be rather long.

I was wondering if anybody else has thought about the one lens camera philosophy and if so which lens of the above would they find the most useful, I have no specific targets in mind and I tend to favour the DA 40 which I find to be very sharp, I'm using the K70.

Any thoughts ?

Going back to the 70s when I first started using SLR cameras, I originally only had a standard 50mm f1.7 lens. I used it for quite some time before I was able to afford a 135mm lens and a 28mm. If I was going to restrict myself to using just one fixed focus lens, I would probably go with my Sigma 30mm f1.4 on my K70.

[NickLapin]

Looking back on all the reactions and suggestions the topic starter got back, he might consider using a kit zoom 18-55 mm first and from the shoots made with that, conclude which prime suites his purpose best.

---------- Post added 10-22-22 at 01:49 AM ----------

Looking back on all the reactions and suggestions the topic starter got back, he might consider using a kit zoom 18-55 mm first and from the shoots made with that, conclude which prime suites his purpose best.