One camera, one lens

Photo by: Tim Bindner

Soon I will head out on a long vacation. The intent is part celebration (for paying off the house), part visiting an area I have never been too, and part a vacation with my wife for some much needed quality time together. I will provide more details of the trip upon my return.

A few photographer friends that know about this trip have inevitably asked me “what cameras and lens are you taking with you?” My response caused all of them to either be shocked, question my decision and, in one case, tell me I will regret my decision.

Bear with me why I dive a bit into some technical photography aspects, then I will explain my decision and why I came to it.

To simplify things I am going to lump camera lenses into two categories. Zoom lenses and prime lenses. A zoom lens allows you to ‘zoom’ in or out on a subject while standing in one spot. Zooms can go very wide (think a panoramic shot) or even zoom into a fly on the butt of a rhino from ½ mile away (and even tighter if need be). All that depends on the lens of course. Zoom lenses are larger, bulkier and heavier than prime lenses. These are more expensive as well in most cases.

Prime lenses are fixed focal length. Let’s take the 35 mm lens. Most people have at least heard of that. A 35mm lens is like a field of view that your eye normally sees. Look straight ahead and the clear part of your vision (not the blurry peripheral vision), is like a 35mm lens view. Prime lenses are cheaper, smaller and lighter weight (in most cases). If you want to zoom in or out with a prime lens, you must use your legs to do that.

When I returned to photography, I bought a mixture of zoom and prime lenses in 2015. While in high school, I only used a prime for the school newspaper and yearbook, as that is all the school provided me. I wanted to try zooms in 2015, upon my return to photography, so I bought 2.

My answer to the multiple photographers that asked me what cameras and lenses I was taking on my trip was simply my Fujifilm X-T3 (one camera) and my 27mm lens (one lens). That is when I got the reactions I mentioned above. “Oh, I can’t shoot with primes.” “You are going to regret only taking one camera and lens.” “What happens if something happens to your camera, what are you going to do?”

These we just a few examples of what fellow photographers told me. I got defensive and began justifying my choice with each photographer that provided comments on “why I wouldn’t do that.” I brought that situation to my psychologist on Friday and we talked through it.

As my psychologist asked me probing questions about my decision (she knows very little about cameras and lenses), I realized why I decided on what I did. Through, my photography trial and error, I sold my zooms and finally settling on five prime lenses. The reason for me was simple, as I discovered because of our conversation.

I often would take multiple lenses when I went on hikes or out to shoot. As I always question things, I stood on a path or in a field deciding which lens I need for a particular shot. Will this or that lens work better? I would often lose interest or miss a shot because I was deciding on what lens to choose from my bag. I decided one day to go out with one camera and one lens.

That decision was so refreshing to me. I had no choice but to shoot with what I had and the anxiety of the decision on what lens to use was gone. I had no other lens with me. I was limited to what was in my hand and had to make a photograph, using the tools I had. That is why I have will take only one camera and lens on my trip.

Taking pictures to me honestly is not about the photographs, it is about the experience. I have sold a few prints, but I take photographs as a passion not for any income. The simple art of seeing something, lifting my camera to my eye and trying to capture what I see within the limits of my chosen camera and lens helps fuel that passion and lessen the anxiety in my head. Fumbling with various cameras and lenses would only add to my anxiety and defeat the purpose of what I love photography for.

I have three cameras and five prime lenses at my disposal. Each hike, or in this case, a trip, I stick to my proven method of grabbing one camera and one lens as I head out. Have I, and will I, miss shots because of lens limitations? Yeah. But that is my choice and what suits me best.

I can waste time by fumbling with different cameras and/or lenses or I can simple take a photograph with this advice from Karl Lagerfeld “What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.”

Until next time,

Tim (Kilmer)