Been pondering this: would we feel limited or liberated if our equiptment was shrunk down to a camera body and one or two lens. It is my thought that with most of the photgraphy that non professionals do we would actually be more creative and love making photos more with less equiptment. Any thoughts.....

-- Todd Wilson (wilson596@peoplepc.com), November 26, 2001

Answers

Depends on the lenses really. I mean, my kit is only 3 lenses and 1 TC and the body anyway. If I had to go down to two, it'd be a 28-135 IS and a 100-400L IS. But I'd just be frustrated I think...I'd want my 300 F4LIS and 70-200 F4L back.

I think we're liberated as it is, because we can choose exactly what we do or don't want, and so for those that it suits, they CAN have just one body and one or two lenses, or for those that want more, they CAN have more. If it's most liberating for a photographer to have 5 bodies and 1000 lenses, then let them...why force them to adopt a model that best suits someone else?

That is to say, we're all different. Some of us would be liberated, some of us would be limited. Those who would be liberated though, you'd think would only have that one body and few lenses already, and those that would be limited might well already have more, or if not, not be able to afford what would suit them best.

PS If it had to be 1 camera, 1 lens, I think a Canon EOS 1V (or a 3 if budget was an issue) with a 35-350L (don't you wish there was an IS version?!) would have to be it.

-- Isaac Sibson (isibson@hotmail.com), November 26, 2001.

I gained a much greater appreciation for the hobby when I chucked my super-zoom for a single 50mm. After a couple of weeks I added the 100 f2 for portraits. Using these and an EOS 3 for close to a year I felt liberated, even though both focal lengths were encompased by the zoom I left behind. I have since added more gear: a 200, 28, and a second body. Now it seems like I have a lot of gear - and I have plans for more stuff when I can afford it. I think the point is to get the most out of what you have if it is a couple of pieces, or an overflowing camera bag. For me, it meant starting over with a 'limited' system in order to tap into some creative potential. On my experience, I concur with your thought. But I don't think that means we must keep ourselves limited in order to retain creativity or passion for photography, only that I think it is the right way to start.

-- Derrick Morin (dmorin@oasisol.com), November 27, 2001.