Grab your Prime-Time!

Perhaps I'm a loner on this and it doesn't make sense to you, but here's my story:
Pretty much as long as I have a DSLR I'm having a beautiful prime lens in my kit which produces images like no zoom can. Still it doesn't seem to want to leave my bag. Honestly, that's all my fault because I like the easiness of the zooms... I'm just lazy I guess. So I might need some inspiration...

If you are like me or you like a small challenge: I challenge you to grab your prime lens for once and start shooting! Get out of the comfort-zone of your zoom and challenge yourself to use your prime lens.
If you don't have a prime, you could tape your zoom-lens to a specific number and leave it that way for a day without changing it.
If you already use primes a lot(or only have primes), try using different focal lengths for the things you normally shoot.

I am hoping to get my photographic interest/inspiration bumped up again this way and I hope you might like to join me.

Have fun!

I'm with you,

If i am on a trip and I can only take a small amount of equipment. I.e. a shoulder bag. I take 5D 28, 50, and 85. All in all I get a large focal range that is good for many light situations and volume and weight wise is still probably lower than just taking my 5d and 24-70

PRIME TIME!

So a lot has happened to me the last few years and my interest in photography went lower and lower. For what it's worth: I hardly took any photos this year and I haven't taken a single photo since my weekend in Luxembourg may 5th. A few weeks ago I decided to give it another try, see if I can enjoy photography as I used to before.

My gear existed of: Canon 24-105 F4L, Canon 70-200 F4L IS and the Sigma 50mm F1.4.
Last week I traded the Canon 70-200 for the Canon 200mm F2.8L and the Canon 100mm f2.8 macro.
My girlfriend left on holidays to Tunesia last Tuesday for two weeks and she took my 24-105 and left her Canon 85mm F1.8 for me.

So now I'm stuck with all primes for the next two weeks and since I have summer break I want to go out and take some more photos and hopefully enjoy photography more again.

I took these shots at Amsterdam Schiphol airport last Tuesday when I dropped off my girlfriend. I went to the so called "spotters" places near the runways.

This shot I took just before a good shower. The sun was setting on the right.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8296/7...7b2f07bd_c.jpg

Shot with the 50mm at f3.2 ISO 200 1/2500 - Changed mode to landscape and used normal contrast curve, that's it.


After that the wind changed direction and they used other runways so I went to the landing-runway and used my "new" 200mm for these shots:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8437/7...2cf25312_c.jpg
F3.5 ISO400 1/640s

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8425/7...f378b489_c.jpg
F5 ISO400 1/100 panned

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dave Johnston

I'm with you,

If i am on a trip and I can only take a small amount of equipment. I.e. a shoulder bag. I take 5D 28, 50, and 85. All in all I get a large focal range that is good for many light situations and volume and weight wise is still probably lower than just taking my 5d and 24-70

PRIME TIME!

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Nice! My travel-gear is just as I normaly do the 5D with 24-105. It's a great combo, but the primes have so much more to offer.

That's a pretty good pan job, Jan.

Maybe it's me, but i'm just not grabbing the Zooms for much at all anymore. (and i hear you on the lack of interest, but for me i'm still interested in taking the shots, I just don't have enough time to process much so they sit in my raw-conversion bucket for far too long).

Anyway, the 70-300L still gets a fair workout, but only at 300mm most of the time.
The 15-85 is gathering dust somewhere.
The new Sigma 8-16 is getting some use, but that's only because there's no (non-fisheye) primes anywhere near this length (or price).

Since I got my big backpack (Lowepro 350), i'm taking the Samyang 35/1.4, FL 55/1.2, EF 85/1.8, EF 100/2.0, and depending on location, the Zeiss Biometar 120/2.8 or Sonnar 180/2.8 (plus tripod) for night-ish events. Also using the Takumar 50/1.4 and Jupiter 85/2.0 on my mum's Pentax Spotmatic as backup film-camera (good thing, too, my EOS-3 battery died just before a show started so I had those two primes and the 7D all night, no eos 3 :( ).

I suppose i'm still cheating though, taking a bag full of primes just makes for a faster, heavier, and less-convenient zoom.

So I've started taking just the eos-3 and 40mm Pancake in my jacket pocket to places, to try my hand at 'street' lately.
But for travelling i'd probably be packing the 15-85 to keep it light (-er than a bag of primes at least), I just haven't done much travelling lately.

On the subject of taping a zoom, I use one of those silicone wrist bands (like the livestrong ones) on my 15-85mm. Have it near side of the zoom ring, even so that it overlaps the FTM focus ring (this doesn't limit focus performance as the ring stays still when AF is working anyway).

Not only does this allow me to use it as a prime, it also stops it dropping to 85mm when it's on my black rapid.

Oh, I really got to get back on this thread. A few things have happened and I'm finally happy with how things are. I'll post my experiences here later on. Hopefully this week if I find some time:rolleyes:

Alright, this one's for you Sheiky. I shot it tonight with an 85mm f/1.8 and a couple of Kenko extension tubes:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8444/8...fb73c99a_z.jpg
Transformers Cuff Links by budrowilson, on Flickr

For me, a zoom lens is a necessary evil. I have four primes and one zoom, but I need it because sometimes it's impossible or impractical changing the distance from the subject. Example:

Attachment 1417

But I don't prefer primes for quality reasons. I started to take pictures with an angular, standard and tele lenses (28, 50 and 135 in fact). Now, it's easier for me to think in the picture, to figure it out from a certain and well known angle of view.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sheiky

Oh, I really got to get back on this thread. A few things have happened and I'm finally happy with how things are. I'll post my experiences here later on. Hopefully this week if I find some time:rolleyes:

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Well, Jan, you made us curious, and now you keep us waiting...;)
But good to hear you are happy!

Arnt

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sheiky

So a lot has happened to me the last few years and my interest in photography went lower and lower. For what it's worth: I hardly took any photos this year and I haven't taken a single photo since my weekend in Luxembourg may 5th. A few weeks ago I decided to give it another try, see if I can enjoy photography as I used to before.

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Jan....I missed this thread earlier, it was about the same time as my trip to Idaho. I am sorry to read this. Hopefully when you update the story, especially after the great shots you had on flickr, you've found the photo mojo again. I think everyone goes through lulls. I tend to have a couple week periods where I don't pick the camera up much and I almost always end up at an event where I wished I'd had it. I also tend to have a running list of my own personal "assignments" that keep me going.

Regarding primes...I just haven't fallen in love yet. I know several here have. But my two primes (50 f/1.8 II and 100 L macro) are by far my least used lenses. I should give them more of a try. There is something I don't like about the shots form the 50 f/1.8. I haven't been able to put my finger on it yet. But I do really like the shots from the 100 L. Some of my favorites. I am off after (rainy) foliage/waterfalls this weekend. Maybe I'll bring them along and see what I can't shoot with them.

Looking forward to the update....

Brant

Sorry about the long wait! I'm very very busy at the moment, but I'll add something tomorrow! Promise:rolleyes:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sean Setters

Alright, this one's for you Sheiky. I shot it tonight with an 85mm f/1.8 and a couple of Kenko extension tubes:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8444/8...fb73c99a_z.jpg
Transformers Cuff Links by budrowilson, on Flickr

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Awesome:D + I feel honored hehe!

Jan,

You know this thread cost me $300 back in August.

I read it and thought the opposite, I never use my zooms. So I packed up my zooms and went to the local watermelon festival. While debating which zoom I should use, (after all isn't the idea of a zoom that I only need to carry one lens) I was swaping back and forth to see which focal range I wanted. I layed the 16-35 in the front seat of my truck, badly I guess because it rolled out and fell about 4 feet to the asphalt. I was glad $300 fixed it.

Unfortunate as well, the 70-200mm was much to long for the event.

Rick

Rick....that is rough.

This thread reminded me to pack my primes to the wedding I was at in September. For the actual wedding, I stayed with my EFS 15-85. But as people were getting ready I played around with a few different lenses. Here are two I like both taken with the 50 f/1.8 II on a 7D:

The flower girl:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8045/8...df30f932_b.jpg
small-8442 by kayaker72, on Flickr

The bride:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8045/8...c8ef2b1d_b.jpg
small-8446 by kayaker72, on Flickr

Please feel free to comment or critique....Thanks Brant

Very nice, especially like the second one.
I'm also getting on the prime train a bit, I'm eager to try it more. Just need a step-up ring or new CPL/NDs

Wonderful shots, Brant! I also like the 2nd one best but very nice job on both of them!

mmm, primes.

I'm getting more and more (and more bodies too). I'm going to a best-friend's wedding this saturday (not as photog, thank god), so i'm trying to figure out what i'm taking, basically i'm trying to narrow it down to one Prime per body.
He's a (fairly) rich guy, or at least the money he has he puts into good cameras. I haven't asked, but i'm sure he wouldn't lend me his 5D3 and 50/1.2L. And i'm sure he's got enough friends with gear just as good (his parents and future wife are from Hong Kong, lots of his Chinese friends have good cameras, and the wife of the best man has a 7D and 70-200/2.8 II).
So instead, i'm going for the kit that will get the photos that others won't get.

It's a daytime outdoor wedding, and weather looks clear (maybe cloudy), but no rain.
So during the ceremony, maybe the 100/2.0 on the 7D for reach.
Afterwards, I might try get some set-shots if i follow them around, P6 with 120/2.8, probably B+W film, either Efke 25 (if it's bright enough out) or Shanghai 100 (maybe Ilford or Acros 100, depending on what I find in the freezer). Probably just jam a Yellow filter on and leave it (maybe CPL too, it still cuts glare on B+W)
Between the ceremony and reception, there's a few hours to kill, so i'l be wandering around the city, maybe shopping (probably hitting a pub with mates I haven't seen in years), so then it's my dad's old Rangefinder I inherited, Petri 7s Circle-Eye (there was the beginning of fungus in it I cleaned last weekend, took the fungus off and half the coatings too). First test 'street' film in it now, T-Max 100, I'll try finish that up but won't rely on it too much because i don't know if they'll even turn out.
Then reception, I'll either put Delta 3200 in the P6, or 400CN pushed to 800 in the EOS3 with 40mm Pancake for 'snapshots'. But seeing as i've already got a 40mm covered on the Rangefinder (although the lightmeter on it only takes up to iso400), i could end up with a 28/2.8, Samyang 35/1.4 or FL 55/1.2 on the 3 (and 120mm on the P6 covers the 85mm FF-equiv length too). And then probably keep the 100/2.0 on the 7D.

Too many choices. Obviously if I wanted to get the 'best' shots on the day i'd be hiring a 24-70 or 17-55, but that's what official photogs are for. I'm definitely looking forward to the challenge of limiting myself to only a few choices on the day (and it's so much easier to just grab another body than to constantly fumble with changing lenses)

When I shot my first wedding a few weeks ago, during the reception I used the Sigma 17-50mm and my daughter used the 50mm 1.8 II. This should have been our choice for the wedding also with such small and crowded room.

Anyway, these are two my daughter took at the reception. Once again, she made me very proud! I can learn alot from her!

Attachment 1484


Attachment 1485

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sheiky

Perhaps I'm a loner on this and it doesn't make sense to you,

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.

Actually Jan, I am with you here. Last year (Spring 2011) I once again put myself in the poor house with the purchase of the 100mm L Macro and the 50 1.2L. To date, I don't think they have been out of the case more than 2 or 3 times each; In light of that I have recently been thinking about selling them to to fund the new 24-70L. But after reading your post, you have motivated me to dismount the 500 and put one of the other primes on and stick with that. In fact, a friend and I are planning a day trip in search of old (and abandoned) New Mexico ghost towns and other structures left to weather mother nature. This would probably be a great fit for the fifty, as well as more portraits, pet photos etc.

Thanks for the challenge and the inspiration,

Bob.

Thanks Arnt and Denise....


Two good captures Denise....your daughter is a natural.

@Rick, sorry about creating this thread. If it is of any help to you, you can blame it all you want;)

@Brant, really great shots. The high-key shot looks very nice.

@Bob, do it! You will be surprised of the capabilities.

@Denise, your shots are really good. If I give my camera to my little sister or my girlfriend I also get way different results than if I did it. Less technically perfect, but often much better framed:rolleyes:

@Dr Croubie, I'm really curious to see some of your results.


@all, I don't think I have to make any more promises. Again I've ran out of time to tell my story:( Later....

I snuck in my 135 f/2 to a hoops game; left the lens hood off to make the gear look "less professional." here are a couple of keepers...

[img]http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5106/5...56cfa173_b.jpg
Sacramento Kings vs Oklahoma City Thunder by ernogy, on Flickr[/img]

[img]http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5107/5...641bd68a_b.jpg
The Royal Court Dancers (aka: Sacramento Kings Cheerleaders) by ernogy, on Flickr[/img]

Your top shot looks like a cover for SI. Good shot.

I see plenty of keepers in your second shot there Erno. :D

Great ones Erno.:D