What’s your favorite travel lens?
I used to take at least two lenses. One with prime lens, and the other with wide lens such as 28mm. But at some point, I began to think that I am not actually enjoying traveling. Instead, I see everything through a viewfinder. So I’ve decided that I should take just one lens, so I don’t have to change lens but enjoy more about just being there.
35mm is my perfect companion for this purpose. 50mm might be too narrow while 28mm is too wide if I wanted to focus on a specific subject. With 35mm, if I get close to my subject, I get 50mm feeling from a photo. If I need to capture wider scene, take a few steps back, then with 35mm, I get 28mm feeling.
In my recent trip to Tokyo, I took only 35mm lens with one digital body(Leica M10, and one film body(Leica M7). During a daylight I used Leica M7 while at night Leica M10 did its job.
With this setting, I was able to enjoy more about traveling as opposed to taking photos by changing various lenses.
Check out below link for more photos. Sit tight and enjoy photos of Tokyo!
I’ve been having similar thoughts about packing much lighter when traveling.
I recently bought the Leica CL and three TL lenses (11-23, 35mm 1.4, and 23mm F2) and had taken all of this gear with me on a trip to Japan. The vast majority of my photos from this trip were shot using the 23mm F2 (35mm equiv). My problem is that I worry too much about missing a shot because I didn’t have such-and-such a lens on me, so I tend to carry my full arsenal… and filters, and tripod, etc. Next trip just the 23mm is coming with me, that’s it.
Like you said, there’s something to be said about enjoying your surroundings and not worrying so much about having to capture everything. For me it will be tough to break, but I’ll give it a go.
BTW – nice series from your trip to Tokyo!
Thank you for sharing your experience! Since I’ve been there and done it myself, I truly understand why you had to take a few lenses. Unless the purpose of the trip is for taking photos for business, for pleasure, multiples lenses will defeat your main purpose which is “pleasure”! Have fun with your Leica CL!