Two Lenses Only

SPECIAL RULES: Two lenses only. Photographers proceeding past this point will only be allowed two lenses. More than two will result in the excess optics being confiscated and put into landfill. You have been warned. I don't take anything for granted these days when I read official notices - particularly if it is me writing them. I have no idea whether anything is real any more so I just play along and edge closer to the door. The idea of One Lens To Rule Them All is popular in some circles. It makes a good debating point for a camera club meeting or a cage fight. Everyone can have an opinion and after they have expressed them, you can have a good time going around and seeing if they actually uphold their own ideas. The number of lenses in the average camera bag or equipment cupboard put the lie to this one. Note: No sensible retailer would deny people the chance and advantage to own multiple lenses. We've got our own opinions too, but they need not confine you. Buy as many lenses as you please and we'll be happy to help. Well, go on from the One Lens etc, to thinking about two lenses. Which two would you pick, should you be asked to? Which two would you pack if you were forced to? Sometimes time and space constraints will do just that. Imagine a small camera bag with your favourite picture machine in it and add the two lenses that you'd finally come down to. For me, I've found that a medium-range zoom of good quality and a single prime will do it. I eschew the standard prime - the f:1.8 nifty whatever that is supposed to deliver wonderful portrait bokeh. I don't care about bokehs - I bought my wife one for her birthday and had to water it for three weeks as it died in the vase. I've found for my purposes that the ideal single prime is a lens wider than the bottom end of the zoom. I carry an 18-55 or an 18-135 in the bags and a 16 or a 14 to accompany them. The number of times when I've needed just that much more coverage in the midst of the scrum...when the dancers are swirling about one or the bridesmaids are biting...means I can clip off the zoom and wade in with the wide. As I've chosen the same maker's lenses there is no change between images in colour rendition - the file sequence will look unbroken. You? You may want an extremely fast lens for bad light shoots. Or a painfully long one for distant sports or action. You may want novelty or normality. You can find what you want by looking at your past results and tabulating what has worked. You can also find what you want by coming into CE and looking at the new and used lenses.