barbara j
Leading Member
This is why I sent my camera in for a full spectrum IR conversion. The thrill had walked out the door and wasn't never coming back.
Now, I am a beginner, everything is new, even the awful stuff is wonderful fun. Who knew?
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Am I the only one suffering (mildly, nothing too serious!!) from choice-fatigue?
- Thread starter deednets
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Now, I am a beginner, everything is new, even the awful stuff is wonderful fun. Who knew?
richj20
Forum Pro
From your OP:
- I just bought a Sony A7IV, but only have 2 lenses, the 20/1.8 and the fabulous Batis 40/2.0 CF. CF stands for "close-focus" which makes the Batis a highly versatile lens.
- But cannot for the love of it think of anything that I would like to shoot. Not into birds, can see the attraction of taking the photos, being there and all that, but cannot see the attraction of actually keeping any photos of birds. Create an album, print a couple, then move on.
No big deal: you will work things out to your satisfaction, I'm sure!
- Richard
PhotoTeach2
Forum Pro
NO ... NO ... NO ... he specifically said "ANYTHING" !!!
He said he was not into "birds" but also didn't mention "ANYTHING" he would like to shoot.
I am wondering WHY he bought such an expensive camera, expensive lenses, when a CELL-PHONE would have satisfied the same WA coverage he now has.
The main advantage of a real-camera is longer-lenses, (and of course IQ but that assumes you also have intentions of shooting SOMETHING (ANYTHING).
I suggest by the time he figures out what he may want to shoot, a newer-model may be available w/ more options/features.
I suggest not getting more (camera-IQ) than you currently/immediately need since the SOTA is constantly evolving, (now moving towards "stacked" sensors -- and potentially "global-shutters").
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It's because you have that 40mm lens. Sometimes, I think if I can only have one lens a 40mm with a short MFD would be enough for almost everything. For tele, I'll just shoot through a telescope. I think 35mm and 50mm were invented to get more lenses sold. 40mm is just Goldilocks right and the industry would sell less lenses if it was the most common FL.
Indeed: it should have been "whatelse" ... duh
English clearly not my first language, sorry. I am happy to use just those 2 focal lengths on my A7IV.
Utterly disagree with your non-sense statement that a cell phone would have provided me with the same IQ as the A7IV with those 2 lenses???
I also have an RX1RII and a Leica Q2. Hardly long lenses ... ;-) Neither the RX1RII nor the Q2 is a real camera of course ... so cell phone you reckon?
Deed
Yes ... well, the 40mm can be "long" enough for portraits or people shots (that dog shot as a reference) and can also be used as a city-scape, plus the CF Batis as a poor man's macro.
Batis 40/2 cropped.
Deed
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JohnSil
Senior Member
I think you’re probably set up for your current interests. I’d shoot what you have for a year and then make notes of the shortcomings. That should guide you very well to your next lens/lenses.I had a sales splash a few weeks ago and found that I didn't miss a single item I sold. Afterwards.
So there's money in the bank and I could no go out and find replacements. Any questions as to what I would want to shoot - and cannot shoot right now - I would have to pass as I really don't know.
So this could be an easy path to simplification, right?
I just bought a Sony A7IV, but only have 2 lenses, the 20/1.8 and the fabulous Batis 40/2.0 CF. CF stands for "close-focus" which makes the Batis a highly versatile lens.
But cannot for the love of it think of anything that I would like to shoot. Not into birds, can see the attraction of taking the photos, being there and all that, but cannot see the attraction of actually keeping any photos of birds. Create an album, print a couple, then move on.
Portrait sessions a bit "out" still at the moment as Covid, masks etc all those things are still at play when trying to organise a shoot ...
Where was I? Ah, yes, choice-fatigue: Regarding the A7IV and those 2 lenses I think I am already really well placed for a lot of stuff I could potentially shoot. Fatigue kicks in when I think about what I would like to shoot outside the 20/40mm spectrum.
A zoom?? Heavy, IQ might be ok, but expensive and heavy
Another prime? Which one? Batis 85/1.8 fine but 0.85m closest focusing distance? 135/2? F2.8 anything? Or wide angle? Had the 16-35mm last year and found the images that stuck with me were all taken at 20mm ...
So fatigue, not because I have so much stuff but fatigues seems to kick in when I even only think about some other stuff ...
Am I unique or is this also a sign of the times?? Have a Q2 and THAT level of simplification I find strangely soothing ... the SONY I use for dogs ... and sometimes people ...
SONY A7C, 16-35/4 20mm wide angle shot
SONY A7IV Batis 40/2 CF
SONY A7C Batis 40/2 CF
Dunno ...
Deed
John
PhotoTeach2
Forum Pro
I did not mean the same IQ ... only the same WA coverage.
Your (potential) IQ is obviously much superior ...
What have you photographed in the past ???
People.
Landcapes
Night
And other stuff ...
Note: portraits of friends, lover ;-), clients, I will only post here with special permission. Default is: no.
Deed
PhotoTeach2
Forum Pro
Very nice work ... just get that inspiration back.People.
Landcapes
Night
And other stuff ...
Note: portraits of friends, lover ;-), clients, I will only post here with special permission. Default is: no.
Deed
And i see why you like WA ... you use it well.
The top is 75mm FF equivalent. I also shoot a lot of 85mm equivalent - or longer, but typically portraits. But no always:Very nice work ... just get that inspiration back.People.
Landcapes
Night
And other stuff ...
Note: portraits of friends, lover ;-), clients, I will only post here with special permission. Default is: no.
Deed
And i see why you like WA ... you use it well.
Deed
a_c_skinner
Forum Pro
I once saw a BBC TV (ie in the UK) programme on caving, speleology, the exploration of underground caves. The one bit I really recall was that men tended to do it only for a few years unless they developed a specific scientific interest (they also said women tended to do it until they found a husband - but it was a very long time ago!). I think photography is the same (not the husband bit, the few years unless you had a specific interest). People need an interest in a specific subject to keep up with photography. The answer is you need to find something you are interested in and photograph it, not vice versa.
a_c_skinner
Forum Pro
Sorry, that people don't take photos long term unless they have a specific interest that the photography serves. Like the cavers, who find the novelty wears off unless it serves a specific interest - like geology or hydrology and so on.
JohnSil
Senior Member
Hmmm, is that why I'm so drawn to photographing naked women? I'll probably do it till I find a wife then I'm sure she'll put and end to THAT!
Maybe then I'll take up shooting bugs!!! LoL
John
a_c_skinner
Forum Pro
I'm 67. Your interest will wane,
Smaug01
Veteran Member
> THEN figure out which lens would be good.
Like you, I've gone through some specific phases where I focused on certain subjects.
The ones that keep coming back are family & friend candids, and events. By events, I don't mean acting like a pro, getting a press pass and getting all serious. I mean just go as one of the crowd and try to bring back a couple pix that are keepers. Sometimes, they're decisive moments, but these are tough to capture in a way that relates to viewers. Other times, it's a fun little detail.
That 40 mm lens is perfect for the above. 20 mm for the odd landscape.
I remember reading Popular Photography back in the day, and good ol' Herbert Keppler used to go to shows and fairs and things like that and tested cameras there. I always thought I should do more of that.
This morning, my wife and I were taking a walk by the lake and saw a sign that they were doing a tall ship ride this afternoon. I'm going to pack my GR III and see if I can get a couple of good shots.
I fun thing that I like to do with my FF camera is put an old film era lens on it and shoot a bit with it. They're cheap as chips and there's something rewarding about focusing manually. It's nice to see the images that aren't as technically perfect, but have this certain "flavor" to them. It's especially fun with a prime in a focal length I like.
Like you, I've gone through some specific phases where I focused on certain subjects.
The ones that keep coming back are family & friend candids, and events. By events, I don't mean acting like a pro, getting a press pass and getting all serious. I mean just go as one of the crowd and try to bring back a couple pix that are keepers. Sometimes, they're decisive moments, but these are tough to capture in a way that relates to viewers. Other times, it's a fun little detail.
That 40 mm lens is perfect for the above. 20 mm for the odd landscape.
I remember reading Popular Photography back in the day, and good ol' Herbert Keppler used to go to shows and fairs and things like that and tested cameras there. I always thought I should do more of that.
This morning, my wife and I were taking a walk by the lake and saw a sign that they were doing a tall ship ride this afternoon. I'm going to pack my GR III and see if I can get a couple of good shots.
I fun thing that I like to do with my FF camera is put an old film era lens on it and shoot a bit with it. They're cheap as chips and there's something rewarding about focusing manually. It's nice to see the images that aren't as technically perfect, but have this certain "flavor" to them. It's especially fun with a prime in a focal length I like.
sportyaccordy
Forum Pro
It sounds silly and obvious, but I think choosing lenses becomes very clear and simple when done in the context of photographic needs. Enthusiasts often use a lot of tortured & convoluted "logic" to justify (IMO) pointless purchases, buying lenses like pieces in a tea set lol.
I've built and sold too many kits but have finally landed on something I'm happy with. Tamron 28-200 is on my A7III probably 80-90% of the time, and I'm happy with what I get out of it for about the same percentages. Whatever it can't do that I need to do is super obvious and easy to buy lenses for. And while it's not prime light it's lighter than the 24-70/2.8s and 24-105/4s I used to carry. Tamron + 1 other lens in my kit can pretty much cover 100% of the various kinds of shoots I do. It's great.
I've built and sold too many kits but have finally landed on something I'm happy with. Tamron 28-200 is on my A7III probably 80-90% of the time, and I'm happy with what I get out of it for about the same percentages. Whatever it can't do that I need to do is super obvious and easy to buy lenses for. And while it's not prime light it's lighter than the 24-70/2.8s and 24-105/4s I used to carry. Tamron + 1 other lens in my kit can pretty much cover 100% of the various kinds of shoots I do. It's great.
Thanks for your response!
Not sure how to read your lens choice as a termination of all lens hunting as your lens already covers 172 different focal lengths. Reminded me of those desert island questions where there was always somebody that would take a 12-2000mm F1.4 ... ;-)
Not quite the same thing I get that, but it seems to me that you are mainly aiming for a focal length at a slow speed as opposed to a "look"??
My issue was that I flt I had too many choices. Like a shirt shop - online - which can provide 2000+ colours, 4000+ patterns and 15+ materials ... 900 shades of blue. As opposed to a shop that carries 40 shirts, of which 10 would fit of which 3 ...
You get my point? I don't think I need more choice.
Or maybe I am just tired, tired of the race, magnified by Covid, no international travels to some doobeeous destination, no model shoots in the rainforest ... friend and love wearing a mask all the time ... *sighs* some of the time??
Deed
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