Certainly an interesting observation. I have been somewhat resistant to using zooms much for fear of the same thing happening to me. I really only have one zoom that I take now (Tokina 28-70 f:2.8) and find that I don't want it to be the default lens. But for how things fit in the bag, it is easiest to leave on the body. There are a few cases where the zoom is handy - basically when the subject keeps running around (kids, soccer, birthday party). Other than that I have tried to stick with the primes. I have been toying with getting a wide zoom, but your post gives me something to think about.
Bruce Dayton Sacramento, CA ----- Original Message ----- From: "aimcompute" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Pentax Discuss" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2001 10:05 AM Subject: Only using my prime lenses - I promise > Hi everybody, > > Wanta start a discussion about zooms vs. primes? :-) > > I was out meandering around yesterday looking for autumn fall color shots > and the thought occurred to me that my prime lenses have seen too little use > lately. I usually have a zoom attached as the default lens... why? > Convenience maybe, or maybe I'm afraid I'll miss a shot because I had a 28mm > lens on-body when I needed a 200mm. When I do use a prime lens, I > immediately take it off and put the zoom back on, in part, because the zoom > is FAT and is harder to get in/out the lens pocket of the camera bag. > > I was blinded by a flash of insight and did some self-examination. Yes, I > AM A PITIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE SPECIES, A ROTTEN HUSBAND AND BAD FATHER! Those > things aside, I started thinking about how I have been shooting with a zoom > and realized how hindering to creativity it seems to be for me. Even though > the 28-200 does wide angle, when was the last time I consciously thought > about using it that way. Or composed with it purposely at 28mm? I can't > remember. > > What's happening is when I see a scene I consider shooting, I adjust the > focal length [FL] :-) until I'm happy with what I see in the viewfinder and > snap the picture. I feel likes it's turning me into a point and shooter. I > haven't been using the wide-angle capability to it's full advantage, for > instance, I could be using the short-focussing distance and greater DOF to > my advantage composition-wise. I should be looking for those shots, and I > DID when I purposely put a 28mm prime on, BEFORE I had a zoom. Same with > longer lenses. With the zoom, I'm just using it to get closer, instead of > thinking about how a long lens compresses things and then using it as a > composition tool. And with the relatively small maximum apertures of the > zooms, I think I've been missing shots a faster lens would allow, especially > if I did not have a tripod. > > So... I've decided to take my zooms out of the camera bag for an indefinite > period of time, at least a month, maybe forever unless it's a family > vacation. I will only use a M 28mm, FA 43mm, FA 100mm macro, and M 200mm. > I hope to see a difference in the results, both in quality and composition. > > Tom C. - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
