Jaackil Loc: Massachusetts

I am an extreme novice looking for suggestions.

If you were going to carry a camera all day and you wanted to go with the least amount of gear possible what would you carry? I have the following D3100, 18-55 kit, 55-300 kit, 35mm 1.8 and 50 mm 1.8.

I like to take my camera everywhere with me but don't want to carry all my gear. Not interested in buying a new lens at this time I am happy with the range I currently have. I have tried P&S, they are great but I really want to learn more about how to use my DSLR. Also I find it hard with most P&S to compose good shots in bright daylight with the screens. Recently heard someone talk about attaching 1 lens to your camera and leaving it there for 1 year as a great learning exercise. Not sure I want to go that extreme but I sounds like a fun idea. At the end of the month I am traveling to Disney so I will want my Camera with me all the time. But don't want to carry all 4 lenses as what ever I take will likely have to be with me all day long. Carrying that much gear takes the fun out of it.

So if you are going off for a day with no particular shoot in mind. What would you carry?

I would love to hear your suggestions

Thank You

Samuraiz Loc: Central Florida

Hi and welcome.

For, me it depends on my plans for the day or even the weekend. If I was going to a festival, fair etc, I would choose the 18-55. If I wanted to shoot wild life or the Arial aspects of an Air show, I would choose the 55-300. If I was going to Disney, I would choose the 18-55. etc. During my first decade of photography, I shot every thing with a 50mm lens. I learned how to get it done with only one lens. The fact that I could only afford one lens was a contributing factor to this decision. Right now my 17-35 is on my camera 80% of the time. However yesterday I spent the entire day shooting water lilies and I only used the 80-200. So either choice will limit "some" of your possibilities. Maybe you should ask yourself what lens spends the most time on your camera... This may provided you with an answer.

Danilo Loc: Las Vegas

I would choose the 35mm lens to go with your camera, Jaackil. If given a further choice I would make it a 35mm f/1.4 instead of 1.8, but either way, I would take the 35mm. It renders a natural perspective, something longer lenses (100mm, 200mm, 300mm) don't do. Longer focal lengths compress perspective in an unnatural way, which I don't generally like, unless for specific effect.
Your 18-55mm is a good choice, but much too "slow".

Jaackil Loc: Massachusetts

Thank You for your reply.

wingclui44 Loc: CT USA

Carry the 35mm with you, it will do just fine in the Disney Land! It will take care of the group photo and the scenery with good result!

dooragdragon Loc: Alma , Arkansas

Sigma offers a nice 18-250mm and a 18-270mm happy with mine and a 50mm will not take up a lot of room in ones pocket depending on what style of pants your wearing .

oldmalky Loc: West Midlands,England.

I normally go for my 100-300 and that is fine for me

Ol' Frank Loc: Orlando,

I use a 70-300 kit lens on my d90 about 95 percent of the time. I find it useful in everything I do and rarely use the other 3 lens in the backpack. In fact, I leave the other stuff at home very often and just carry the camera and lens with the wrist strap. Works for me.

Jaackil Loc: Massachusetts

Thank You for your reply. The 1.4 would be great but until the kids are all through college the 1.8 will have to do :-). I love my primes and honestly they are on my D3100 most of the time. I just wonder, will I feel limited in a place like Disney with only a prime? On the other hand the 18-55 is great outdoors during the day but like you said much to slow for anything with limited lighting.

RaydancePhoto

I would use one of your prime lenses, either the 35 or the 50. I have 2 DSLR's and one has a 50mm 1.2 on all the time. That said, my other DSLR has the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 90% of the time, it is extremely sharp and light weight, will focus very close.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

I might be bucking the trend but here are my thoughts; I'd say use the 35mm.


Why?

No particular reason except that it's not too extreme in specialized focal length, it's light and small and it will do a lot of different types of pictures; close, far, landscape, environmental portrait, close up, etc.


I think it's good to just take a camera and one lens and think about how creative you can be rather than what lens you will bolt on to that beast next...

Some people look at one-camera-one-lens as if it's restrictive but I say it's freedom. :)

For an example check out the "One camera-one lens-12 projects-365 days" thread here:

http://www.lucarossini.it/category/365-days-of-rx1/

Aldebaran Loc: Florida

Intereste don this last answer... If you are kind enough, do you have a Tamron 17-50 @17mm sample that you could post to see how sharp it is and how the wide angle looks? Thank you. I hope I am not asking too much.

Samuraiz Loc: Central Florida

I reread Jaackil's post and I still would recommend that for the disney trip the 18-55 may be a better choice. Jaackil stated that he/she was novice and I would hate if once in a lifetime photo opportunities were lost due to the single focal length restriction. I agree with the premise that a fast 35mm would be the most versatile, but I don't think that the Disney trip is the ideal place to test these limits. I had the opportunity to take someone to Disney a few years ago and I was glad that I had a wider lens to take in the expanse. Also , in a pinch we can compensate for a slower lens by increasing the ISO. However, if you can't step back far enough due to the size of the target or the size of the crowds....

Just my 2 cents.

RaydancePhoto

Here is a photo taken at 17mm with the Tamron 17-50 f/5.6 1/125 ISO 200 window light. Please forgive me the subject, thought it would show good detail.

Bruce with a Canon Loc: Islip

any body with a nifty fifty, need a zoom? use your Nike's.
Probably the best all round, all purpose lens anyone can screw on to a camera, IMHO