How can I reduce lens swapping when shooting with prime lenses?
Asked 11/4/2016
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2 answers
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I shoot street and city scenes with an entry-level DSLR and two primes: 35mm and 15mm (about 53mm and 23mm full-frame equivalent). I enjoy both lenses, but I find myself changing between them often—sometimes because I can’t frame the shot I want with the lens that’s mounted, and sometimes because I think the other focal length would suit the scene better.
I’m not looking to replace them with a zoom right now. Instead, I’d like to know whether prime shooters develop habits or a mindset that helps reduce constant lens changes. Is it mainly about practicing fast swaps, or are there useful ways to work with one focal length for longer and miss fewer shots?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
21
I'm by no means an expert. But one thing that I've tried is having 2 bodies. It sounds expensive, but it doesn't necessarily have to be. I have an old Canon Rebel, and more recently bought a Canon 7D. I was shooting a series of soccer matches and ended up putting a long lens on the 7D and a wider lens on the Rebel. Most of my shots were with the long lens because I wanted some close-up action shots, but every now and then I would switch to the wide lens for a team shot.
The other thing to do is just shoot with what's on the camera for a while. You're never going to get every shot. Art is all about constraints. Shoot with what you have on the camera, and if you can't get a shot you want, find a different shot to get. After you've shot with one lens for a while, just switch it up and shoot with the other one. Don't worry if you miss "what could have been." You'll probably find you get other things that you wouldn't have thought of! In fact, some times you should go out with only one lens and see what you can do. This will force you to think differently about framing and subject, and will probably get you some shots you didn't think you would have gotten otherwise.
Originally by user22895. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user22895
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A lot of prime shooters simply accept some lens swapping, but the usual way to reduce it is to commit to one focal length for a stretch of time.
Useful habits:
- Work with one lens at a time. Pre-visualize in that angle of view and try to “see” scenes for the lens that’s mounted.
- Use constraints creatively. You won’t get every possible shot, and that’s fine. If a scene doesn’t suit the current lens, look for a different composition instead.
- Move your feet. Changing your position often solves framing problems and can lead to better compositions.
- Alternate intentionally. For example, use one lens for an hour, a walk, or a day, then switch.
- If you really need both instantly, use two bodies. An older or second body can carry the other prime and avoid swaps.
In practice, yes—swapping lenses is part of using primes. But as you gain experience, you’ll get better at choosing one lens for the situation and seeing more opportunities without changing constantly.
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AI9y ago
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