Why choose which lens?
If you shot Nikon or Canon, or Fuji or Olympus, or even Panasonic or Sony, you have a bewildering number of lenses to choose from! Well, not so much Sony, but even they are adding more lenses quickly! So if you have 40 lenses to choose between, how on earth do you decide???? For the sake of this blog entry, let’s limit ourselves to photo generalists! ( Travel, Nature, Portrait, Wedding, Close-ups, Americana ). Got it? For now you Sports shooters, and Wildlife folks will have to sit this one out! Why? Because you photographers have to have long fast glass, and most of us don’t!
For some years three lenses from Nikon have been called the holly trinity, a term I’m not comfortable with! There is only one Holy Trinity, and that would be the Father, Son and the Holy Sprit! So let’s just call them the Big Three. They are the 14-24, 24-70 and the 70-200, all fast f 2.8 lenses. If you shoot Nikon, they are the best three lenses covering those focal lengths, PERIOD. But I don’t shoot Nikon anymore! So what are my Big Three?
In the Fuji X-System they are the 10-24 (15-36 equiv.), the 16-55 (24-83) and the 50-140 (75-210) all f 2.8 lenses, except the 10-24 which is an f 4. They cost at least 40% less, weigh at least 40% less and are equally well made and, I believe, are even sharper! The 14-24 and the 10-24 are very close.
So that is my base lens system, so is that it? Nope I feature a number of images in my approach that exhibit very shallow depth, so the 16mm f 1.4 (24mm) and the 90mm f 2 (135mm) With those two lenses I get extraordinary sharpness and spectacular bokeh!
I love to do closeup work so while I await the arrival of the Fuji 120mm Macro, I carry the 60mm f 2.4 Macro and a few Automatic Extension tubes. One last lens that is always in the bag is the very versatile, and extremely sharp 18-135 f 3.5-5.6 (27-200).
The point is have a super wide, a moderate mid range zoom, a fast tełephoto zoom, some fast lenses for available light and shallow depth shots, a Macro lens, and a smaller, versatile, and a all day walk around zoom! 7 lenses to do it all!!!!! Oh, and later we will get a 1.4 teleconverter that will extend the 50-140 and the 90mm!!!! By-the-way the 90mm f 2 is a very close focusing lens and with extension tubes, diopters and when the 1.4 converter comes along it will serve as a 135mm Macro lens too!!!! I will test it with all the above (except the 1.4 converter – not out yet), soon for a blog entry on this incredible piece of glass!
How sweet it is!
Blessings and have a great weekend,
the pilgrim
This entry was posted on Friday, September 18th, 2015 at 2:30 pm
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My Top Three:
18-55
55-200
35 1.4
But, for the next 10 days I’ll also have with me the 16 1.4, and the 23 1.4
Does this mean I’ll be carrying this load around all day, every day? Nope. Just depends on what I’m setting out to capture.
J
Three great ones and lighter too! Good plan!!!!
My back insists that I stay a little light; however, I do like the 18-135 when I only want a single lens with me. So… my “lighter three” for my X-T1 and X-T10 are: 10-24, 18-135 and 55-200. Almost all of my shooting is f/5.6 to f/11 unless I need a shallower DOF.
Plus I carry the 60mm macro for close-ups (with the two Fuji extension tubes which also work rather well on the 90 and the 18-135. The 35mm and 90mm together with the 60mm give me lenses for shallow depth of field. And, of course, my 8mm fisheye which I never leave home without. I shoot neither sports nor wildlife. I am adding the Samyang 12mm for star trails, etc.
Bill do you see any serious gaps?
Note: The Fuji Only workshop at Mt Rainier was a great experience for both Bessie and myself. This was a great opportunity to meet chat with and pick up suggestions from other Fuji shooters and some Fuji US guys. Don’t expect all of my suggestions to get implemented, but I can hope.
Jerry R.
Note: I also have the X100T for a really light alternative.
Jerry R
Jerry,
I think the system you are working with is the best combination for less weight and more bang for the buck. I still have a 55-200 and love it and often choose it when i want to cut back on weight, the 10-24 and 18-135 are a perfect duo! “Snake” Barrett has the 12mm and loves it for stars trails and night photography.
Along with the 10-24mm, 18-135mm, and the 60mm macro I just bought the 27mm pancake lens. When I go on business trips where taking a camera was difficult, I now remove the RRS L-plate, put on the 27mm, and I have a great camera (XT1) that will easily fit in my vest pocket and be with me all the time. They say the best camera in the world is the one you have with you when a photo presents itself.
BTW I found the 27mm used in excellent + condition for $200!
DonD
I just got that lens too and think it is a great way to make the X-T1 a more compact alternative!
It is tack sharp too! Looking forward to seeing you in Northern Ohio next month!
Bill,
I do a lot of sports and wildlife so I am currently one of those guys who partially had to sit out. I did purchase an XT-1 and 18-135. My son was borrowing my Nikon gear over the weekend for a shoot, and I was asked to take photos at a large scale service project involving 150 folks indoors at a friend’s church.
My question is would it be safe to use an SB-800 or 900 in manual mode with the XT-1?
Thanks
To be completely honest, I have no idea, I never have tried to use one, I would put it on turned off, and not turn it on until it is well seated.
I have an XE 2 that I use an SB800 and two older SB 28’s with but I use pocket wizards so don’t outvote flash directly on the camera body and the setup works great.