Lens selection on a photo-trip. What lenses to carry? When to change?

[Alexander108]

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I looked at different parts of the forum but this topic did not really fit in any but this sub-forum. I hope that's OK.

I recently got in to M Photography with a preowned M10-M. Started with only a 35mm Summicron lenses and took this very light setup to our Italy vacation. Most of the pictures were taken with the M10-M and a few with my Q3. As I was so pleased with using my first Messsucher camera I traded my Q3 for a preowned M11 and also bought a few preowned lenses: Summicron 50, Elmarit 24/2.8, Summicron 90 APO and a new Voigtländer 15mm. With this equipment, M10-M, M11 and the five lenses in my bag I headed for a photo trip to Hamburg.

Out of those I kept were 80 with the 24mm, 11 with the 50mm, 11 with the 15mm, 5 with the 35mm and only 2 with the 90mm lenses.
On a short trip to a small village Ilsenburg I only used the 24mm 16 times and the 50mm 9 times.  

I was mostly happy with my 28mm on the Q3 that I sold and I bought the 24mm because I felt that 28mm was a bit too tight for what I wanted to capture. When I do street photography I felt most comfortable with the 24mm Elmarit. Also for the ability to crop. In Italy I had only the 35mm and sometimes felt limited. But I still was happy with results. The 15mm Voigtländer is a no-brainer: it is light and small and must be available if I want to shoot architecture. The 50mm is somewhere in the middle. Not really my focal length.

I am going to visit Barcelona again this year to attend a conference and I will stay a few more days after the conference. Did the same last year and was able to capture some nice pictures with the Q3. I am not going to bring my M11 but just the M10-M (my wife will bring the D-Lux 8 which is nice for some color pictures).

My Options are (the 90mm is too bulky for this trip):

• bring the 15mm, 24mm, and 50mm lenses.
• or bring the 15mm, 24mm, and 35mm lenses.
• or bring the 24mm only.

My question would be: what do others do when doing a walk through a city?

• Do you take a selection of lenses with you?
• If yes: what lenses?
• If you use one lenses only, which one? (That, of course is a matter of personal preference).
• How deliberately do you take pictures? Do you look at a composition and then select the lens that is appropriate?

I am aware that there is no right or wrong. But maybe I can learn from your experiences or get some inspiration from your approaches.

Thank you for contributing to this clear 1st world luxury problem 🤣

[pedaes]

12 minutes ago, Alexander108 said:

when doing a walk through a city?

•  

One camera, one lens.  Mostly 35 or 50 as with M11 at mid resolution  plenty of scope to crop. 15 is very  challenging to use, and 24mm is good for interiors etc - depends what you are out to photograph. There will be some advising 28mm although you have said you don't have one!  

Edited 4 hours ago by pedaes

[spydrxx]

I took only a 35 for 9 months in southern Europe and only rarely did I wish for another focal length (a 90 or 135). On another trip to Greece, I used a 35 in northern Greece, a 35 and 90 in Athens. But each person has different concepts of what to capture, and how it should be captured.

[Stef63]

1 hour ago, pedaes said:

One camera, one lens.  Mostly 35 or 50 ....

+1

Only one camera and one lens for city walks. Mostly 35 mm (for me). The rest stays in the hotel. It keeps you focussed — both mentally and optically. 

Edited 2 hours ago by Stef63

[Chris W]

Agree with all the above comments so far.

I think we had this discussion on the forum when you bought the M and was asking which lenses to buy for it.

Too many lenses are too many choices and can also hinder your ability to build body of similar looking work, or even a style.

Most of the great photographers were known for one lens, maybe two.

The first couple of years I owned my M6 I only had a 35mm F2 lens. I was permanently traveling and took some lovey lansdscapes, portraits etc.

In the modern age and as you've already purchased several lenses, I would restrict yourself to two - one for street and landscape and one for portraits.

As you seem to already favour the 24mm, take that and maybe the 50mm for portraits.

When I leave my hotel I've almost always only got one lens.

[Chris W]

2 hours ago, Alexander108 said:

 

• How deliberately do you take pictures? Do you look at a composition and then select the lens that is appropriate?

 

So much fiddling and too many decisions. Often the image has gone by the time you decide what lens you want.

I have my lens on the camera (often 35mm), camera in hand and I'm ready to go.

[jakontil]

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When on a trip, i’d carry a couple bodies, M digital and film and few lenses, like 35lux and 28 summaron reissue.. they are quite small, either a 15 heliar or 21 super elmarit for my super wide shoots and a 50

but when om the street, one lens each on digital and film.. a 28 is a must, and accompanied either a 35 or 50

bery rare occasions i do street with a 21mm

[Alexander108]

Thank you so much for your insights and comments. My key takeaway is: only one lens. Maybe have one additional in the bag but that's it.

For me that would be the 24mm on the camera. The 15mm is a bit of an outlier as I would only use it deliberately in very specific situations, like this:

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So I'd have it in the bag. I might as well use the 35mm one entire day as I did in Italy. And it served me rather well.

So Barcelona might be the place to figure out my preference between 24 and 35mm. So far the 24mm is my  but I need to shoot more with the M.

Again, thank you all. That was very helpful

 

[JoshuaR]

I own 21, 28, 35, 50, and 90. In day to day life, I use them all to capture various scenes. But on trips, I usually bring only 28 and 50. I use 28 almost all the time. I break out the 50 for portraits.