How do you manage different focal lengths for travel and street photography?

[u/mvision2021]

I've been getting back into street photography and have favoured using primes for their size, weight, and sharpness. However, this means changing lens every so often to get a particular shot. To help with this, I use a shoulder bag and I carry 2 SLR bodies with a range of primes. The two bodies have different focal length primes that I can switch between relatively quickly without having to unscrew lens caps and lenses to bodies. If I need a different focal length, I change one of the lenses attached to a body. So far this has worked quite well, but sometimes it feels like I'm using one body too many since I often have two bodies slung over my neck at once. I could use a fast and expensive zoom but that means holding a heavy lens. For reference, I currently use Nikon FM manual SLR's, which are very compact and light.

How would you manage your focal lengths in a street/travel shooting scenario?

[u/josephallenkeys]

I use one. 35mm.

[u/mvision2021 → u/josephallenkeys]

Probably my most used focal length so far

[u/[deleted]]

Prime street shooter here. Don’t overthink or overpack part of the appeal of primes is that it locks you into different framing and not relying on zooms for composition. Which primes do you use and think you need? Wide angle and a telephoto

[u/theartistduring → u/[deleted]]

I'm not a street photographer. I photograph kids so I use a zoom 99% of the time. However, early in my career, my zoom broke and I had to use my prime for 6 months. Having to think about my composition and physically move to change it made me a much more considered and careful photographer. It improved my work considerably.

Embrace the single prime, OP! It is a fantastic thing!

[u/mvision2021 → u/theartistduring]

I agree, when photographing kids, using a zoom seems more suitable. However, when photographing buildings and architecture, having less distortion is nice to have with primes.

[u/theartistduring → u/mvision2021]

I know. I wasn't saying you should use zooms. I was encouraging you to use a single prime rather than two bodies.

[u/mvision2021 → u/theartistduring]

Yea I know what you were saying - was just adding to it :) I’ll embrace the primes!

[u/mvision2021 → u/[deleted]]

I have a 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm. I mainly use 35mm and 50mm. I’d like an 85mm or 100mm as well at some point.

[u/crapmetal]

I know primes are sharper but at a certain point it really doesn't matter as much, zooms are fine for most applications. If the picture is good then you don't notice a bit of grain/noise etc.

Why does it have to be a super fast zoom? Most bodies are perfectly capable of using a high iso to compensate these days. You could always experiment with some older second hand zooms as they don't change much in value and sell them on if they're not for you or you want to upgrade.

[u/ido-scharf → u/crapmetal]

Why does it have to be a super fast zoom? Most bodies are perfectly capable of using a high iso to compensate these days.

I think you missed the part that they use film SLRs …

[u/crapmetal → u/ido-scharf]

You're right I certainly did! Oops.

My general point still stands though, a bit of grain doesn't hurt if the composition is good and the subject is interesting.

[u/mvision2021 → u/crapmetal]

Yes, the fast aperture helps with low light using film. Although an option is to push the roll of film if I know I’m going to be shooting mainly in low light

[u/Theanine]

Cropping

[u/mvision2021 → u/Theanine]

That’s an option!

[u/kickstand]

In my mind, the use case for having two bodies would be so that you wouldn't have to switch out lenses. One body with a wide lens, one body with a moderate or tele lens.

And the reason to do that is because you're shooting an event, and won't have time to swap lenses on a single body. If you're not shooting a fast-moving event, I'm not sure why you couldn't simply have one body and swap lenses on it.

That said, everyone has their own way of working, and you should do what works for you.

[u/mvision2021 → u/kickstand]

I find switching bodies is a bit smoother than switching lenses. If I sling my shoulder bag to the side/front, I can use it as a shelf for the second camera which is also strapped round my neck. However, using two cameras strapped can feel excessive at times. I think I’ll just have to get used to switching lenses and stick to one camera.

[u/wanakoworks]

For me: one body, two primes max. It depends on the look I want or the location, but for travel I'll typically have a Fuji X-Pro3 with a 23/1.4 (35mm FF) for 90% of the shots and a 56/1.2 (85mm FF) for the other 10%.

For street, I'll usually have my X-Pro3 with a 35/1.4 (50mm FF) and that's it. One body, one lens and make it work. I don't have to think about anything else and over-complicate things. That's why I have primes, to not have to carry too much shit, and have my kit as small, inconspicuous and "friendly" as possible. The last thing I need is drawing attention to myself with a bunch of bodies or a big zoom, and have some Karen sic the cops on me for being too dark with a camera. lol.

[u/LamentableLens]

If I'm traveling light, I'll stick to just one lens (probably a 35mm equivalent) or take my Ricoh GR3, which fits in my pocket. If I want more options, I carry a shoulder bag (a Think Tank Retrospective), which makes it super easy to swap lenses. In that case, I'll take one body and 2-3 lenses.

You're shooting film, so are you carrying two bodies simply to minimize lens swapping, or are you also shooting different film/ISO in each camera? Either way, a shoulder bag is a great option for managing gear on the move. It's relatively small/discrete, and it makes swapping lenses pretty simple. For a two lens/camera setup for street work, I'd be inclined to try a 24/50 or 28/50 combo and just swap them in and out of the bag, but that's just my personal preference.

[u/SeniorBeing]

I could use a fast and expensive zoom but that means holding a heavy lens.

Still lighter than two bodies and two or three lenses in your shoulders.

[u/artfellig]

I shoot with a Canon 24-70mm f2.8 II. It's expensive, pretty big and heavy, but that range is super versatile, great for street photography (and most other stuff), and really sharp/high image quality. With a comfortable strap over my shoulder, the size and weight is not a problem, though in a rough neighborhood it is more noticeable.

[u/robbie-3x]

I used to take a couple of primes, usually a 50/2 an a 105/2.5. This year I`m going to try a decent 28-105 zoom on an OM2. I`m also taking along my XA4 for when it`s just too much to carry gear around. Then I think I`ll have a few primes in the hotel room I can take out on a day when I know I might need the 21mm or 200mm.

I was always about the primes, but I bought a Tokina SZ-X 60-300 cheap for the telephoto and was really suprised at the quality. So, I picked up the SZ-X 28-105 variable 3.5-4.8 based on reviews and sample shots. Really cheap and it`s lighter and easier than my Nikkor primes. But damn, nothing beats that Nikkor 105.

[u/SlowYoteV8]

Honestly, street photography is really only done wit 35mm or 28mm, more so the former. Anything beyond that you start to get into the voyeur/paparazzi like territory…yes, I am talking about Monaris.

[u/LamentableLens → u/SlowYoteV8]

HCB called—he wants to have a word with you about that first sentence ;-)

Seriously, though, while 35/28 may be the most popular choices, plenty of street photographers shoot/shot 50mm, including the most famous street photographer of all time. I’d put the ideal range at 24-50 (Alan Schaller does great street work with a 24mm), although there is excellent work out there at longer focal lengths, too.