One lens - artistic zen or a limiting frustration

[LeeSimmons]

Thanks John,

Funny you say 8x10.

I recently impulse purchased a 15 inch Taylor Hobson Cooke Series II 4.5 knuckler that I really what to shoot with. To use film I will need to purchase a Sinar P2 8x10 and one of those carts to drag it around on location. purchase a sinar shutter and a custom made lens flange and I'll be in for about $3000.

I am excited to do this and like the romance of using such a lens which is what got me started on this discussion. I already have a great stable of lenses for 4x5 and am doing a self check before chasing a bigger/heavier setup. The grass always seems to be greener.

When thinking about that lens in an 8x10 setup I almost feel like my 4x5 is a sub par system and all of a sudden the whole point gets lost somewhere along the way. In the meantime how many core/meaningful/soul moving images have been created. While I put energy onto yet another system dream "that will make me great".

So I was thinking of moving towards working on a single lens set up refining the vision and subject matter. Which has been well reinforced by the posts to this thread.

Again I enjoy each of your posts as an educated learning opportunity and sounding board. It's a wonderful community and the images I see posted are beautiful. I'm sure some of you reading this can relate to this and again appreciate the discussion.

Lee

[Vaughn]

I was a one lens per format person for many years -- just what I could afford, then I got use to it. I figured in a world of infinite images, having just one lens cannot reduce the number of possible images.

If you are interested in carbon printing, let me know of any questions you may have -- I have been making them since 1992.

[tgtaylor]

For me having just one focal length is too limiting as there are some shots that a given focal length can't handle. My last 8x10 image was taken with a 610mm lens. If I had used a shorter lens, say the 480mm, then it would have been necessary to move closer in on the subject. But that would have resulted in bringing the trees and foliage in the foreground closer to the lens and obscured the detail on the subject in the background that I wanted to show. Since the 610 was my longest lens and I was back against a small tree, the 610 was the only lens that would work for the composition.

That said I often do 35mm street photography with just a 35mm lens.

Thomas

[richardman]

EVen people with multiple lens often take a majority (> 80%) of their photos with just one lens.

[rakkir]

i have found a convertible lens is a good solution (i have a Schneider Symmar 210 mm f5.6 Convertible)
you only have to carry one lens but if you need a longer focal length you can have it.
also the one i have is not well known so its quite cheap.

[tgtaylor]

Actually my first dedicated 8x10 lens was a 360mm (14 inch) Schneider Symmar-S which I used for better than a year before getting a second lens and came to favor the 360's FOV over the normal 300.

Thomas

[ic-racer]

I never carry more than one lens at a time.

[Michael R]

I don't think one lens or many lenses means much. The one lens thing is just another one of those many "pearls of wisdom"/philosophies. If you like it, go for it.

[tgtaylor]

Unless I'm out to shoot a known subject, in which case I will know which lens to bring and the spot from which it will be taken, I bring 3: a wide, normal, and moderate long. That way I am prepared for anything that may come my way. Why waste all that time and energy to find that you don't have the right lens with you?

Thomas

[invisibleflash]

OP, do as you like. I am not a fan on one shot a day nor one lens does it all. I put the pix first, not my ego or whims. Bottom line, either it will help or hurt your work.