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One body, one prime -- your thoughts

Jack

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
You're going on a trip to Hawaii (or any other similar location that has already been creatively photographed to death) with the family. You decide to be a minimalist and take just one body and one prime -- yes, it has to be a prime. Can be ANY make of camera or lens. What do you take and why?


I immediately lean to the Df or D810 and 28 or 35 (28 1.4 asph or 35 ART because those are what I own). Tough decision when limited like this, but of those, I am slightly biased toward the Df/28 for the overall look of that combo.
 
T

Thorkil

Well-known member
Hi Jack, if I was you, I would consider light and wide, while family (more than one) often will need a wide lens to get them all together. At the same time you will love to go light and small. Therefore the wonderful Df with the old 20/2.8 D AF will be the simpel solution with build in mental releif (avoiding all that fuc... gear..), and the 20 is not that bad at all.
Thorkil
PS and if you get bored by the family, the rescue is within reach, you just have to look down on the Df to make you smile.
 
J

jduncan

Active member
Jack said:
You're going on a trip to Hawaii (or any other similar location that has already been creatively photographed to death) with the family. You decide to be a minimalist and take just one body and one prime -- yes, it has to be a prime. Can be ANY make of camera or lens. What do you take and why?


I immediately lean to the Df or D810 and 28 or 35 (28 1.4 asph or 35 ART because those are what I own). Tough decision when limited like this, but of those, I am slightly biased toward the Df/28 for the overall look of that combo.
Click to expand...
If it most be Nikon, I will say: depends, do you like to take pictures in the night (like street) if so, the D810 (the Nikon D750 is a better option, but I guess you have both the Df and the D810) and the Tamron 45mm f1.8 VC. It's not as wide as the 35mm so it's better for portraits, allows you to take pictures with a slow shutter speed (for light or creative like watter) is not that expensive and good image quality.

If it's any camera any lens, I will need a little more info.

Best regards,
 
Jack

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
J Duncan: To clarify, this is not about me, it is about YOU. So if you can only have one cam one lens for what you like to photograph most in a high tourist traffic place, what do you choose and why.

Matt: I like your choice and it would serve me very well for my uses too, but I don't own one :LOL:

Now to clarify for me: I like to shoot a wide range of subjects when on a family vacation from street to scenics, so my choice is based from that. When I'm on a dedicated photo trip, things are of course different. Weight is not a big concern of mine, especially if carrying just one cam/lens combo, and using the controls on both my Nikon bodies is an unconscious act, so why I'd choose one of choose them.
 
jlancasterd

jlancasterd

Active member
I decided to travel light on a recent 10-day visit to Uzbekistan and took a Pen F with a 17mm (34mm equivalent) f1.8. In general the combination worked well, although the 'eye start' on the Pen F body was a little sluggish at times, and I noticed that it was a little too easy to move couple of the dials without being aware that they'd moved. I shot RAW and the results, from a 20 megapixel sensor, were fine. I didn't regret not taking a zoom, practising 'zooming with my feet'. Next time I'd consider taking my D810 and Sigma 35mm f1.4.
 
Steen

Steen

Senior Subscriber Member

On 24x36mm format I have a hard time being without an 85mm lens.
When I travel light I usually also bring a 28mm, but if I could only have one lens I would bring an 85mm on a full-frame camera and leave the wide-angle at home.
The 85mm gets me closer to the crucial detail.

But if I were to choose between two wide-angle lenses as the one single lens for a travel, say choosing between 28mm and 35mm, I would go with the 35mm.
Simply only having a 28mm wide-angle would be too wide. For me.

Of course I have often had the wrong focal length with me, and then I just try to compensate by zooming by the feet. (I only use primes).

Going to a "location that has already been creatively photographed to death" with the family, and only bringing one lens:
In that case I would definitely bring my 85mm "portrait lens" - also quite well suited for some street shots.

See e.g. post #266 - #270 in the below street thread to see what I have in mind when talking about the 85mm used as a "street photography" lens.
https://www.getdpi.com/forum/nikon/1976-nikon-street-6.html#post429207
 
MGrayson

MGrayson

Subscriber and Workshop Member
Jack,

I'm about to go on a 10 day trip of day hikes in France and Spain. I'm going to travel "light" and bring a single body and two zooms - UWA and Normal. The temptation to go MF and three primes is great, but I'd be miserable and no one wants to wait while I change lenses. :grin:

Nikon Df/28 sounds like a great choice :thumbup:. I love that FoV.

Enjoy,

Matt
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Most certainly, yes!

For low light landscapes, you need a tripod/ support.
 
rayyan

rayyan

Well-known member
Ayesha and I are heading to S.E Asia in a few days.

I shall carry one camera and a 50/1.4 or nearest equivalent. I have not yet decided on the camera body.

What camera she takes is not my concern. So long as I do not have to carry it :shocked:
 
D

Dustbak

Member
If I had to choose only 1 prime normally I would opt for the 35 since this gives me the possibility to go for environmental portraiture as well as somewhat wide. Having said that, the D810 has plenty of pixels to crop... in that case I could also use the perspective I would have used with the 35 (or even 50) and crop while using the 28 (I would take my 24 since I own that too) In that case you just have to force yourself to swallow the pride and crop.

I might pack the gh5 with the 2 zooms instead ;)
 
Last edited:
Jorgen Udvang

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
I mention only bodies/lenses I have:

If Nikon: F6 with Samyang 135mm f/2

If anything: GX8 with Zuiko 75mm f/1.8

Normally, I would bring both; film in the morning, digital in the afternoon. FOV is about the same.
 
Jack

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Croppability of 30+ MP sensors is a good point -- the Df lacks here. But then again, whenever I shoot with a prime I always seem to naturally "make pictures that fit the frame I'm looking through."
 
V

Vivek

Guest
I rarely crop. Making use of all the available pixels is an added advantage with the RX1R II.

The low light ability of the Df gives it an added advantage. Although the 42mp EXMOR R sensor (Sony A7r II and RX1R II) is not far behind.
 
ptomsu

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Jack said:
Croppability of 30+ MP sensors is a good point -- the Df lacks here. But then again, whenever I shoot with a prime I always seem to naturally "make pictures that fit the frame I'm looking through."
Click to expand...
A Df2 with 36MP would be my reenter drug int the Nikon system, if it also could do at least basic video.
 
Godfrey

Godfrey

Well-known member
The whole kit:

  • Leica M-D
  • Summicron-M 50mm (or combination 35/75 if permissable)
  • 2 batteries
  • Leica charger
  • 2 64G SD cards
  • Lightning to SD Card Adapter,
  • iPad Pro 9.7 (256G storage)
  • Apple charger

All of that fits into my small A&A sling bag very tidily, with a good bit of space left over for keys, glasses case, notebook and pen, iPhone, etc.

I was in Hawaii for ten days in 2013 with a Sony A7, 24/50/90 R lenses, and the rest the same (although an iPad mini rather than Pro 9x7). It worked out well, but I didn't find any of the lenses ideal. 90 was a bit too long, 50 was good most of the time, 24 turned out to be a bit too wide most of the time. Moving to the M and the 35/75 combo on lenses would save weight/size and be just right; but if I'm only permitted one lens, the 50 is more versatile.

G

PS: I'd also drag along my compact Sirui tripod for the very occasional need. I find its supplied storage bag is almost bulkier and heavier than it is, so I'd just wrap it in a sock and stick it into my rollaway bag. :)
 
J

jsf

Active member
If I were to go with just one prime I would always prefer my d800e plus my 55mm AF micro f/2.8. The total all up weight would be just under three lbs. Which is light in a relative sense. But because I do actually like to travel light on occasion I would instead choose to bring my Fuji XT 2 with the 27mm f/2.8 lens on it. All up weight would be a bit more than one pound.
 
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