Traveling around France with one lens: Summilux 50mm

[Julius Yls]

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Hi All, I am sharing my short article few years back when I traveled around France for a month just carrying one body (ME) and one lens (50mm Summilux). It was a regret decision for the fist 1 week but I am enjoying the thrill after that :D. I wonder if you guys have the same experience with just relying on 1 lens for your long trip.

https://juliusyls.com/blog/2019/9/11/traveling-around-france-with-50mm-lens-hnglr

 

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Edited December 15, 2020 by Julius Yls

[stuny]

Very nice images and article.

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[Julius Yls]

8 hours ago, stuny said:

Very nice images and article.

Thank you Stuart. That trip was the beginning of addiction for me to always simplify my tool... after all that's what we are looking when using Leica M : "Simple tool"

[dfdann]

Interesting and informative article  Points very well demonstrated by photos.

Thanks, Dan

[RayD28]

Great article.  This could be the death knell for the Two Lens Travel Kit thread.  🙂  On my last four or five outings I took one lens.  If I went somewhere like Paris with only one lens it would be the 50 ASPH.   

[Julius Yls]

15 hours ago, dfdann said:

Interesting and informative article  Points very well demonstrated by photos.

Thanks, Dan

Thank you Dan. I am glad you enjoying it.

[Julius Yls]

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10 hours ago, RayD28 said:

Great article.  This could be the death knell for the Two Lens Travel Kit thread.  🙂  On my last four or five outings I took one lens.  If I went somewhere like Paris with only one lens it would be the 50 ASPH.   

Thank you Ray. I am agreed, 50mm in the ideal for me too. However, I did tried to use only 28mm Elmarit on my winter road trip from Helsinki to North Cape and it was different experience. I found that each focal length will drive you differently in term of composition.

[evikne]

Great shots, I love the use of selective focus. 

No doubt that the 50mm Summilux ASPH is one of the most versatile Leica lenses!

[Julius Yls]

3 hours ago, evikne said:

Great shots, I love the use of selective focus. 

No doubt that the 50mm Summilux ASPH is one of the most versatile Leica lenses!

Thank you Evikne. Yes agreed, however I wonder if the APO is better performance than Summilux?

[evikne]

25 minutes ago, Julius Yls said:

Thank you Evikne. Yes agreed, however I wonder if the APO is better performance than Summilux?

I think that fully depends on your photographic style and preferences (personally, I would always prefer a Summilux over a Summicron).

There are already tons of threads here about that. Like this one:

 

[Julius Yls]

18 hours ago, evikne said:

I think that fully depends on your photographic style and preferences (personally, I would always prefer a Summilux over a Summicron).

There are already tons of threads here about that. Like this one:

Thanks for sharing the link. I guess I need to experience it to decide.

 

[01maciel]

Interesting article and very nice photos, thank you very much.I think reducing the photo gear while travelling is a good option to focus on. Less weight, no need to fiddle around.  When I travel, I limit myself to a M10 body and 35mm pre-asph lens.

[Julius Yls]

Thank you @01maciel ! indeed. also the thrills of knowing that you only cary 1 camera (& 1 lens) is addicted.

[Herr Barnack]

I would say that Leica probably doesn't like articles like this, but there are no doubt more than enough GASers to keep the coffers in Wetzlar nicely stuffed.

I have thought a lot about the one lens ethos; I can see myself traveling with a 28mm and a 50mm - but the idea of traveling with just one lens still gives me hives. 😳

 

Edited December 22, 2020 by Herr Barnack

[evikne]

I have already decided that when I get old and the children have moved away from home, I will travel the world with my Leica camera and only one or two lenses. 

I still have plenty of time to decide which one(s).

Edited December 22, 2020 by evikne

[Julius Yls]

@Herr Barnack Thank you Allan for your comment.
The way I see it is this: that because we know we have two lenses: 28mm & 50mm. Imagine if we only have 1 lens or one camera with a fixed lens, then we will have no hesitation. When we look thru the images, we will never think about "what the scene looks like if I took it with another focal lens?", we just focused on the composition and think about what can we do to take better composition.
When earlier I traveled with 3-5 lenses and left 2-3 others at home, I keep thinking about what lenses should I use. The worst is when I review the images that I took, I keep associating my composition with my lenses, thus I never really pay attention to the actual composition of my photos.
I know this might not be applied to everyone but in my case, it does help me a lot to remove my "itchy" mind to find a reason to buy a new lens and instead focusing on improving my composition. You right, Leica won't like this method as it will decrease their lens sales

[Julius Yls]

@evikne sound like an exciting plan! When you travel with one camera and one lens, you will encounter many things which some time caused your lens performance decrease due to accident, weather, etc.. but then the other things I found is that actually colors, sharpness and image perfection are ephemeral, the imperfection is the soul of the image. When the image is perfect, there is nothing to talk about it

Edited December 23, 2020 by Julius Yls

[Herr Barnack]

@Julius Yls 

Quote

...I keep associating my composition with my lenses, thus I never really pay attention to the actual composition of my photos....

IMHO, that is the photographer's Achilles' heel. 

I used to do the same thing - while in the middle of trying to make images.  That is the worst - it guts the creative process and hamstrings consciously thinking about composition.  For me, I was afflicted with this malady early on and fortunately was able to overcome it. 

I learned how to think about composition.  I learned to think in terms of how a given focal length would work on a given scene and how it would affect my composition.  I learned to look at a scene with my eyes (not through my viewfinder) and previsualize the way a given lens would present the scene in terms of field of view. 

I also learned that a big part of my difficulties came from shooting in both 35mm and 6x6 cm. format.  I learned that I had to pick one format and commit to it if my photography and my photographic vision was to evolve and grow rather than remain mired in stagnation. 

I learned that zoom lenses worked against what I was trying to do; they are a crutch and hinder both creativity and composition by allowing the photographer the "convenience" of not having to think about composition, framing and camera placement.

Nowadays I look at my scene and know which focal length it needs.  I mount that lens and shoot the hell out of the scene, moving my camera and my eye around the scene as needed rather than missing everything while changing lenses.  I feel fortunate that I was able to think my way through the quagmire I had created for myself as a beginner and move past that mess.

Some people view the Q2 and Q2 Mono cameras having "only" a 28mm lens available as a liability.  I think that is actually an asset, as it causes the photographer to push him/herself to learn how to maximize the capability of that one lens - and the 28mm f/1.7 Summilux is one hell of a good lens. 

Perhaps not everyone  will agree with all the above, but this has been my experience.

Edited December 23, 2020 by Herr Barnack

[Henry Taylor]

 Nice Picture enjoyed the comments, and  last July when I went back to Richmond VA   for a week I  took only the Leica III with a Voighlander 15 mm.  This may not seem very practical however to  my surprise it turn out fantastic. Got great scenic shots , good closeups and of course portraits. My point is, that you make up for what you don't have  and use what you have to  the best of your ability. Shooting with a camera consertively  with only 36 exposures makes you think before you shoot and not just snap, snap, snap, and hope you got the picture.  

Edited December 23, 2020 by Henry Taylor
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[Julius Yls]

@Herr Barnack I also feel that photography world is very interesting, because it's a world combination of art, design, mechanical, and electronic. Which comes to my realization that everyone falling into photography for different reason, some because they are fascinated with the mechanism of the old cameras, those they bought many cameras but not necessary using it. Some are fascinated by the electronic gadget, thus always bought the latest model and obsessed with "how the sensors works". Some are just wanted to visualize their idea, thus doesn't really care what camera or lens they are using, as long it can produce the visual that they their wanted.

As you said not everyone will agreed with what we though is work best for us, but its an exciting things to talk about photography because there is no "meeting point" for everyone 😂

Btw, I visited your website and love your gallery!