THE ONLY TWO LENSES YOU NEED

In this video I discuss how you only need a 2 lens kit to be successful; no matter what system you choose to rock! Knowing what your "bread and butter" is will help you understand what is necessary for YOU regardless of what someone else says you need. Whether it is a pair of Leica Summicron lenses, a couple of zooms or a mixture you can achieve great results at any level. Sometimes, less is more.

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0:00 - Intro.
1:00 - Why less is more.
1:44 - The lenses I choose.
2:22 - 28mm lenses.
4:00 - Special event announcement.
5:30 - 50mm lenses.
8:00 - My Photowalk recap w/ a buddy.
9:45 - What about weddings, sports, realty, etc.
12:00 - Why you should be renting not buying.
12:50 - Final thoughts and tips.

Brevite:
The Moment gear I use:

[saltydog]

For decades, when I shot film starting in the late 1960s, I pretty much utilized three lenses for everything, and I was happy as a clam. I had a 28mm, 50mm, and a 135mm. Used the shit out of them. Now it seems that photography has become so complicated. So many choices, electronics, computers etc. Yeah, I'm aging myself, but like you said, Dee, "less is more". Love your videos! Thanks!

[moshdee]

This reminds me of fixed gear riders talk about gear ratios. In NYC it's 49/17 for the city and 49/15 for racing 😅

[williamcurwen]

I’m retired from the life now and I no longer have to worry about what lens to use. I use one camera with one lens at a time, and it is liberating. Two lenses is simply too much choice to be dealing with.

[kevinl]

Several years ago, I asked a very experienced photographer what lenses I should take on my first (and only, so far) trip to China. She said one body and one lens, probably a 50mm. I decided that was a bit too limiting and I took two lenses, a 28mm and a 50m. I didn’t use the 50mm that much but it was a great combo. I use my 28mm more than any other lens. My one lens preference today would be a 40mm but 28/50 covers more bases.

[AZChan]

I don’t understand the phone argument like I don’t care if it’s the same focal length as in my phone, I like that focal length. First lens I really liked was a Pentax 28 mm f3.5 and now I’m using it with a speed booster on an XT1 such an amazing combination.

[bunnytobin]

This is my exact same combo. For decades I used only a 80mm 2.8 and 50mm 2.8 on my Hasselblad (45mm and 28mm equiv). They were the only two lenses I owned. Once digital became the norm for regular work and everyone had to shoot Canon and I was renting for jobs and using zooms, I felt like I lost the love. I became lazy, I felt like I was interacting with making an image less. I recently dropped all the lenses I have for just those two primes (I hung onto a normal zoom just for occasional video stuff). I have never been happier and feel involved in what I'm making again. And now with focus peaking I rarely even use AF.

[VOX]

I like watching you Dee. You give a no bullshit presentation.

I started out in the 90's with the fixed 45mm on my Yashica Electro 35.
I mastered that focal length to the point I could see the scene before I even put the camera to my eye.
A couple years later I was able to afford better cameras and lenses got into that GAS. I did try the 28mm but for me and I must stress to you "for me and my style" I found that 35 to 50mm fits my vision.

Today I have one canvas (Fuji X-T5) and a very limited choice of paint brushes. The 27mm f2.8 and the 23 & 33mm f1.4's.

With all that said go out and enjoy what you have and keep the setup simple so you can concentrate on the moments.

[domidarko]

I shot with only a Fuji X100T for about 5 years and it was liberating. I didn't 'miss' other lenses although I did end up desiring a two-lens kit so I could have the option to isolate things. I ultimately went with an XT3 and 23, 35, 50 f2 trinity. For the price and size it makes sense to own all three. Also, I can never decide if I prefer 23/50 or 18/35 combo.

[GOKULLRAW]

Perfect !
28mm & 50mm are my favourites too & I thought I was the only weird one.
I feel it’s more to do with the shooting distance people have gotten used to at the start of their photography journey. Starting with a 28mm they naturally will feel the 50mm being the perfect choice or vice versa while some people who stared with either the 35mm or the 85mm will choose the 35/85 combination. Having said this I end up working with almost all focal lengths but frequently I am drawn to the 28/50.

[tashihishey]

I am retired and with age I am beginning to enjoy the constraints of limitation in today's frantic limitless world of materialism. I discovered Leica. The joy of shooting all manual- one camera, one lens. Life is simple, buy one, but let that be the best that you can afford.

[tomislavmiletic_]

I've opted for 24mm instead of 28mm since forever (and I've always been an SLR guy) but in regards to everything else, you're 100% right...

[AnthonyJGianotti]

AGREED!


I only use more for very specific purposes. A 28 & 50 ffe is definitely all you really need though. For Fuji the 18 f/2 and 35 f/1.4 are incredible and by far are my fav Fuji lenses. I add the 23mm f/2 for harsh weather, the sigma 18-50 for travel/hiking and the 70-300 for wildlife and sports but they are NOT necessary at all.

[MattFitzgerald]

28 50 is absolutely the all time greatest photo combo. Love seeing it getting some love.

Video is where I venture into more extreme gear. My thought with video is 2 primary lenses, 2 specialty lenses.

[paulsehstedt]

It's personal taste, what combo you choose. I'm never leaving home without my 50/1.4, it's still my #1. After 50 years of press photography, I've learned to handle it. My #2 is a 90/2.5 which is great for concert, landscape and portrait. Maybe I could live without my 24/3.8, if I should, but I get your point. Keep on rolling!

[jcs]

For years, I shot solely with one lens (Yashica DS 50mm f1.2) then adapted it to my X-E1 once I went mirrorless. I’ve only ever purchased one other lens (Fujifilm 23mm f2) and wholeheartedly agree that two lenses is more than enough. At some point, I may swap out focal lengths (I’m talking to you Fujifilm 35mm f1.4) for a taste of something new but will never exceed two lenses at any one time.

Thank you for always being unapologetically you and giving a brutally honest perspective on photography as a whole.

[richardhale]

I almost always shoot with just one or two lenses, although due to GAS I have a very considerable number. For me the trick is to plan your lenses to where and what you are shooting. Typically for me I am either shooting landscapes in my local woods or along the canal. Wide angle lenses in these environments are usually left at home unless I have a specific shot in mind. In many cases in the woods even a 50mm is too wide so I am often shooting something like an 85 or 100mm macro. Along the canal 50mm is perfect and often all I will carry. Another common scenario is shooting in my local towns and cities. Then I will ditch the telephoto and be using a 27mm on either my X-E3 or X-T1, or film on a Pentax MX with a 40mm. For a wide angle option I just put my X-F10 in my pocket. It is small and compact and save all the hassle of changing lenses. You also get flash sync at all mechanical shutter speeds which is very handy, and I find the lack of view finder with a wide lens much more liberating for composition. If I was compelled to stick to just one lens for everything it would be a tough ask, but it would be a 40-45mm FF FOV equivalent. If I shot more people rather than places and things I would plump for a 50mm.
What you don't hear about very much though is how you can get a lot more out of your chosen camera/lens combination just by changing the crop ratio in camera. My Pentax K1 as well as my Fujifilm cameras have a 1:1 crop which is displayed in the viewfinder and I believe some Nikon ones have more options. A 35mm lens suddenly offers a field of view similar to a classic 6X6 camera's 80mm. Which is wonderful.

[brownbear]

A lot of sense spoken here. Currently trimming down gear. As I try new lenses and focal lengths I keep coming back to (on Fuji APSC) 18mm and 33/35. I tend only to buy used and new never pay sticker, so don't feel there's any notable losses, but the lenses just tend to get used every now and again and then perhaps because I feel I should. In reality I wouldn't miss them if I didn't have them, so they are being sold or put on a sell if I don't use in the summer of 2023 list. But 18 and 33/35 is just a perfect match.

And totally hear you about 23 (apsc). It was a favourite, but then I discovered 18mm with the x70, which I had always dismissed as boring. It's really not. I liked the fun of the Fuji 16 1.4 but found it to be a no-man's land focal length. It's much easier to pair an 18 with another lens also. This is the one thing that holds me back from loving the x100v, I wish it was an 18.

But I prefer to consider kits rather than restricting myself to 2 lenses overall. If I travel, two lenses will usually take on the majority of the load, but it's not always the same ones. But it depends where I'm travelling to, for what purpose, who am I with, pack size restrictions (sometimes only a phone or X100v is possible), maybe it's not travelling but a photowalk, family events or documentary, want to do some astro or macro, parties etc.

18+33/35, is the safety net. If you are unsure, you know you'll come away with something good and will be able to make it work. But you will probably miss shots, too. And you need to accept that and get creative (why I don't like zooms as a rule).

Never been so bothered by 50mm, preferring 56 or a bit longer. So another kit for me is 23+56. In Venice, I cheated a little shooting mostly the 23 and 50-140. But I had a lightweight superwide as well. Two camera set up: x100v + a mid Tele prime is also great.

So that's generally my approach. Build a kit around two lenses you expect to be using 90% of the time. If you throw in an ultrawide, macro or longer Tele - something different - they should be light and unobtrusive. There's nothing worse than carrying around a big bag of heavy lenses you don't use!

[keeper___]

My lens to go is a Nikkor 35-70, I´ve done a lot of photo and video with that old piece of glass and I intend to keep using it until the end of times.

[BillNessworthyPhotography]

Thanks Dee. I'm a Fuji wedding photographer, 18/2, 35/2 and 90/2 (just for speeches and portraits) -- the only thing I'm thinking of changing, is to go back to the old 35/1.4, which although had slow AF, it had a certain magic that's lacking since I switched to the f2 lens -- and it's not the bokeh in this case, I used to shoot the 1.4 at f2-2.8 most of the time. I only switched to the f2 because I'm in the UK (weather resistance). I wasn't sure whether to switch the 90/2 for a more versatile (and OIS) 50-140, but again I think I would be compromising on image quality. Your videos are always good food for thought. I totally agree with the 28/50 combo though. 35/85 seems to be the norm these days.

[realniteart]

That's right. I have two Olympus cameras and depending on what I do it would be either 12-40mm/2.8 (24-80) and 40-150mm/2.8 (80-300) :), or two out of 17mm, 25mm or 56mm.