Hello my friends,

I am leaving for a 2 week family holiday in UK later this week. As my walking ability is currently compromised I am planning to take my Canon R along for the ride and hope to spend some time taking photographs and keeping out of the way of the more active members of the family. As a property photographer I have my trusty 16-35 Ef F4 typically attached. However I do have another 2 lenses that I have barely used - RF 24-105 F4 and my RF 50mm F1.8.

If I was to take just one lens along with me, which should it be? Subjects will be family, scenery and architecture.

As always keep safe

Hello my friends,

I am leaving for a 2 week family holiday in UK later this week. As my walking ability is currently compromised I am planning to take my Canon R along for the ride and hope to spend some time taking photographs and keeping out of the way of the more active members of the family. As a property photographer I have my trusty 16-35 Ef F4 typically attached. However I do have another 2 lenses that I have barely used - RF 24-105 F4 and my RF 50mm F1.8.

If I was to take just one lens along with me, which should it be? Subjects will be family, scenery and architecture.

As always keep safe

Your 24-105L isn't the fastest in the world but still for outdoors or well lit interiors it should be enough. And the 50 mm is small and light + will fit in a pocket

Why only the one lens? None of your lenses are particularly large or heavy and with the camera they should all fit in a smallish over the shoulder bag. I have one that holds a body and three lens that is smaller than some of my wife's purses.

Or keep the camera with one lens around your neck or a carry rig (a mesh vest with camera attachment points would work) and then the other two would fit in a smallish bag or lens pouches on the vest. It doesn't need to be one of the expensive vests, a Chinese knock off will do for one vacation. Or a vest + cargo pants/shorts with pockets large enough to hold a lens.

I am a 75 year old very out of shape fat guy with a bad heel and trick knee on my left leg and my right knee often contemplates joining its buddy at doing tricks - like feeling like it wants to fold at unexpected times. For a trip to the park after water birds I often have a camera with either my 70-300L (and 1.4x) or 100-400L (sometimes with 1.4x) on straps (both have a screw on pistol grip) and a camera bag with my 24-105L, 50 f/1.8 and 14mm f/2.8 ultrawide plus extra batteries and memory cards & small cleaning kit. And to help in the walking department I have a fairly heavy monopod that is either a walking staff or actually a monopod if I unscrew the pistol grip and screw it to the tripod collar of one of the two bigger zooms.

And if your walking problems are bad enough to use a wheel chair on occasion - well let the chair haul all the weight and take everything in a backpack that can hang off the back of the chair. I have seen guys using one as a walker and their camera gear, wife's purse and picnic basket get to ride. Then when stationary they unload the chair and sit down for a while. Maybe you could rent or borrow one while in the UK.

>If I was to take just one lens along with me, which should it be? Subjects will be family, scenery and architecture.

This may come as a surprise to you but there was a time when there were no zoom lens. Evey shot was taken with a normal lens and feet (as in walking). If you're so worried about space and/or weight, put the d^mn 50 on the camera and start taking pictures. Just my opinion. I've gone all over the world with a 50 and never missed a shot. Harry PS I learned that from my friend pro Charlie Harbutt. His wife and mine were best friends from college and thus we sometimes traveled together. He shot a Leica with a normal lens.

When posting similar ideas yesterday I never mentioned aperture at all. But it’s now come up, so I’ll ask “why f/1.4 on a modern camera ?”

Old time Leica tales of f/1.4 users are from a very different context. With current sensors 1.4 is hardly necessary, but the bigger difference that occurred over time is lens size.

My own mini camera for FF is similar to what’s being suggested here except the 35mm is slower and considerably smaller. AAMOF it’s seriously extra small cuz it’s manual. For a fully compatible lens, my friend was very happy with the small-ish Canon 35/1.8 on her little RP body, and especially happy with the small-ish price. (My way and her way cost the same.)
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My lens set for that Z is entirely film lenses. I chose the Z for its thin filter pack, 1.0mm, same as Leica.

I use mostly film lenses on Sonys, which have a thicker pack, but those are all SLR lenses so it doesn’t really matter.

The Leica lenses are for a shallow body and some protrude well behind the mount further into the body. With Leica lenses, mainly the wides, I felt that the thin filter pack was the way to go.

Attached pic is the 15mm and shows how far the glass extends behind the mount. (Lens ships with a special extra deep rear cap !) As to its compactness ? 52mm filters, no problems on a FF ultrawide. That says it all.
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When posting similar ideas yesterday I never mentioned aperture at all. But it’s now come up, so I’ll ask “why f/1.4 on a modern camera ?”

Old time Leica tales of f/1.4 users are from a very different context. With current sensors 1.4 is hardly necessary, but the bigger difference that occurred over time is lens size.

My own mini camera for FF is similar to what’s being suggested here except the 35mm is slower and considerably smaller. AAMOF it’s seriously extra small cuz it’s manual. For a fully compatible lens, my friend was very happy with the small-ish Canon 35/1.8 on her little RP body, and especially happy with the small-ish price. (My way and her way cost the same.)
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My lens set for that Z is entirely film lenses. I chose the Z for its thin filter pack, 1.0mm, same as Leica.

I use mostly film lenses on Sonys, which have a thicker pack, but those are all SLR lenses so it doesn’t really matter.

The Leica lenses are for a shallow body and some protrude well behind the mount further into the body. With Leica lenses, mainly the wides, I felt that the thin filter pack was the way to go.

Attached pic is the 15mm and shows how far the glass extends behind the mount. (Lens ships with a special extra deep rear cap !) As to its compactness ? 52mm filters, no problems on a FF ultrawide. That says it all.
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