New Fuji Lens for newborn

mbaginy wrote:

Truman, that's excellent advice, born of experience and knowledge.

Interesting that despite all the lenses I've collected over the years, I'm happiest with a 35mm (FF equivalent). Maybe that's why I mainly use my X100T. Saturday I visited the art exhibitions of Documenta 14 in Kassel (Germany). Took my X-T1 with three lenses and ended up using mai9nly the 23/1.4.

If I were sensible, I'd sell all gear except for the X100T. I guess I'm not that sensible. (Not yet)

Mike,

It takes time to find your comfort zone.  The latest equipment does not make the greatest shot.  Back in the 1970's was experimenting with my Nikon and had a bit of lens lust.  But since I was a starving student I didn't have much money.  I was in graduate school and also taking courses in art school and then there was the teaching requirements for grad school and I did some programming for one of the psychology professors at Hopkins for his research.  So not much money and not much time.

But I could not settle on a lens.  I kept experimenting and kept being disappointed.  My advisor at art school said - "just give it time - it will come."  Then one day a Leica rep was at class offering a great deal.  They were bringing out the new M5 and selling off their current M4 inventory to students with a 50 crone lens for a song.  I scraped together the money and bit.  After the first time I went out with the Leica - I basically put the Nikon in the closet.  I had no desire to get another lens for the puppy.  Interesting enough the Leica M5 was much bigger than the M4 and it was a huge flop.  No one was trading in their Leica for that beast and the prices on the used market went up.  Leica withdrew the M5 and brought back the M4 for several years while they worked on the M6.

To the day I bought my first digital - when I used a 35 mm camera it was the M4.  I added a 28 mm lens and at 70 eventually but most of the time the 50 was on the Leica.

So it eventually comes for most people.  A different camera is not going to make a bad photographer into a good photographer.  Working under someone better and experimenting will.  It is like anything else - you don't learn to shoot a jump shot or serve a tennis ball by buying new shoes or new tennis racquets.  You learn to shoot a jump shot by going to the play ground and practicing and maybe getting some pointers.  You learn to server a tennis ball but going to the court and practice and maybe getting some pointers along the way.

The one great thing about digital - other than give my wife her basement back - is to provide the ability to take almost unlimited shots at no cost.  If you are out and only have you iPhone with you - you can use that to practice.  When you see something of interest the first thought should be "how do I get this shot with my iPhone" and then experiment.  It cost nothing.  Take your camera put on a lens and go out and do the same thing.  Then do it again with a different lens.  Force yourself to take shots and then go back and evaluate them.  This experimentation will provide for amazing growth and knowledge as a photographer.  And with digital it doesn't cost a penny for film or development.