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If you decide to become minimalist photographer...

T

tokengirl

Guest
sagar said:
Imagine you are thinking about your camera bag on new year eve and decide to become minimalist photographer, meaning you are going to have only ONE Camera and not more than THREE lenses for entire year.
Click to expand...
I can't even imagine it, never mind actually doing it.

Signed,
#1 Film Slut :D
 
O

Oren Grad

Active member
Three lenses is not minimalist.

Anyway, if I could have only one camera, it would be an M-Leica - any of M4, M4-2, M4-P or M6 classic would do. The lens would be 35mm, with a maximum aperture of at least f/2. There are many lenses that meet that specification that I could live with.

If I could add only one other item to that it would be a view camera in whole-plate format with either a 210mm or a 240mm Rodenstock Apo-Sironar-S.
 
J

Jan Brittenson

Senior Subscriber Member
Now, this is surprisingly easy! For me, it's Leica M9, WATE (or 18 if the 'tri is exempt), cron 35 ASPH, cron 75. Fits in about half the bottom compartment of my Kata DR-466i day/carryon pack... Or with the camera around the neck and a lens in each coat pocket.
 
D

duckrider

Guest
Oren Grad said:
Three lenses is not minimalist.

Anyway, if I could have only one camera, it would be an M-Leica - any of M4, M4-2, M4-P or M6 classic would do. The lens would be 35mm, with a maximum aperture of at least f/2. There are many lenses that meet that specification that I could live with.

If I could add only one other item to that it would be a view camera in whole-plate format with either a 210mm or a 240mm Rodenstock Apo-Sironar-S.
Click to expand...
d..m You were earlier!

M4 (orM6) & Summicron 35mm, thats all!
If You'd press me to take a second lens, I'd prfer a Hologon 15mm :thumbup:

Thomas
 
Braeside

Braeside

New member
Well, 3 lenses is not minimalist really, and a zoom is a compromise (though sometimes very useful), so I would go with a light weight setup:

Leica M8 with Zeiss 18 Distagon, CV35 Classic Skopar, CV75 Heliar

or

Sony A900 with 16mm Fisheye, Minolta 50/1.7, Sony 85/2.8

In fact I have already started to walk about with one camera and one prime lens, and no bag. Totally liberating feeling.
 
4season

4season

Well-known member
I like shooting at closer range than 0.7M, so that rules out the Leica M as an only camera for me! So I'd choose to take my Sony NEX5 + 18-55 zoom and 16mm pancake. Both are non-stellar at macro range (corners are ALL bokeh) but at this point they're known qualities, the NEX has a very good sensor, and the pancake lens makes it pocketable, so this is very much a camera I can use every day.
 
kit laughlin

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
GH2, 14/2.5, 20/1.7, 45/2.8. I wish the 14 was a 12. I am looking forward to seeing this new µ4/3 25/1.4; then the lineup would be 14 (or 12!), the new 25/1.4, and the 45.

Honestly, I am tired of lugging the D3s and all the excellent lenses that I use on it. I have ordered the X100 too...

Side note to Gus: do you really only have the Phase, 4 lenses, and the Sony + 2? You are a reformed man—that is Mancuso minimalism, right there!
 
A

Adam Marelli

Guest
I've always said if I had to take one lens it would be a 35mm (f 1.4 or f 2) and I would take an M9 and a bag full of SD cards.

My lens kit would be 21 Summilux, 35 Summilux, 90 Summicron.

Good question to pose. One step further would be how many people have actually done this?

Best-Adam

http://www.adammarelliphoto.com
 
Lars

Lars

Active member
Adam's comment on a 35 as the only lens has some bearing on Fuji's new upcoming X100 compact - it looks like an interesting candidate for a purist minimalist photographer.
 
I

Irenaeus

Member
I'd go with Zeiss 24/2, 85/1.4, 135/1.8 and the a900 or its successor. In order to have a backup, I'd opt for the 35/2 on the Fuji x100. (I would also try to finagle a way not to swap out any of the Zeiss lenses for the Fuji, however, so I guess I'm not that much of a minimalist quite yet.)

There are only two problems: the x100's not out yet and it'd take a lot of work at the gym before I'd be up to carrying the Sony/Zeiss combo around all day!

So, for the time being, I do plan to just start with the x100 (absent horrible glitches) and then, if I need to, just rent the Sony for short term use with my lovely Minolta 35/2 and 85/1.4 glass.

Finally, while I do believe that it's easier to develop muscle memory and intuitive photography by limiting one's tools for at least a while, I also think Ben's really wise to say, "You choose what you want to achieve not that you let your minimalism choose the type of photography you can achieve."

HCB and others, of course, found no contradiction between Ben's terms, but let them merge with spectacular results!
 
B

Ben Rubinstein

Active member
Was trying to work out who this Ben was who wrote all this complicated and complex stuff. Turns out it was me. 2am and a baby who won't settle rather muddles the mind... :D
 
J

Jeremy

New member
Chamonix 4x5 and 135mm f/5.6 APO Symmar. I'll pass on the other two lenses for more film holder space. This was main shooting bag for 3 years.
 
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tetsrfun

Guest
203 FE with 40mm f/4, 80mm f/2.8 and 110 f/2. Film and digital backs.

Steve
 
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