> BTW, I could never manage the use of 2 cameras with different
> lenses
> (or films). It would be great, especially when taking no zoom.
> But it
> always felt clumsy to me. I could never fit 2 cameras (with
> lenses
> mounted) comfortably in a compact bag, and alternate between
> using
> either one. How do you do this?
This is a challenge. And it's a challenge that keeps changing
now that we're adding digital to the mix too. I've got several
different types of compact "go kits", depending on the planned
shooting styles and convenience. Of course, they constantly are
in evolution.
1. M*nolta A1 (digicam) and Olympus IS-3. Both have built-in
megazooms and look/operate in similar fashions. This setup is
nearly perfect for event shooting where I want to shoot B&W and
digital. If I'm shooting a wedding or something, I'll add the
OM-2S with a handfull of lenses (but this is no longer a "go
kit" but a full-sized bag with tons of flash equipment and other
things. I'm shooting Delta 400 in the IS-3 and Portra 160NC in
the OM-2S, which is a VERY CLOSE match to the A1's images.
2. OM-2S and OM-4. For this type of "go kit" the idea is to
shoot slow-speed slide film like Velvia or Provia and a slow B&W
film like Ilford PanF+ or Delta 100. I usually pack the 24/2.8,
35/2.8, 50/3.5 and 100/2.8 in the bag and if I'm feeling tough,
I'll also throw in the 200/4. The XA sometimes comes along,
too, and it's loaded with HP5+ or Delta 400.
How do I go back and forth between OM cameras? It's a lot
easier if I'm using the same film speeds. This is why I like
the Velvia 100/Delta 100 combo. Same exposure settings for both.
Another thing that helps is to use quick-release tripod plates
on the camera bodies. Since I typically use tripods for the
"good stuff" it's just a matter of whipping one off and slapping
the other on. Just change lenses.
One thing I've found which really conserves space and actually
helps matters a lot is a little trick I picked up from Joel W.
Use body caps! OM bodies and lenses use much less space when
seperate than when mounted. Another aspect of this is that it
forces the discipline of changing lenses to match the scene
instead of being lazy and keeping one lens primarily attached to
one body--and you end up with the color shots with one angle of
view and the B&W shots with another. This was something that
bit me a few years ago on a photo trip when I shot almost all of
my B&W with one single lens. It turned out later that I had a
damaged lens element and there was a slight defocus problem on
every shot I took.
The key to building up "kits" is having the discipline to
identify your TWO most important lenses. If you were to have
ONLY one OM body and any two lenses, which would they be? This
is the basis to your "go kit". Why two? One camera/lens around
your neck and the second lens in a pocket. Now, add a third and
fourth lens. Much harder to decide, isn't it? Finally, add the
fifth lens. NO MORE THAN FIVE LENSES in a "go kit". And never a
duplication of focal length.
My car-trunk kit gets a bit bigger. This adds the LF equipment
and every camera/lens I own. The funny thing, though, is to
always maintain a "go kit" within the entire mass.
I really like photovests and/or fannypacks. A photovest allows
you to carry a selection of lenses (and even an OM body) and
totally frees you from having to carry a bag. When on my last
major backpacking trip, I used a photovest and kept just the
200/4 and a couple other oddball things in the backpack itself.
This allowed me to quickly offload the backpack and then stroll
or climb to my photo location.
"Go kits" rarely have specialty lenses in them. If you use a
fisheye for less than 1% of your pictures, leave it for a larger
kit. A go kit should contain adequate coverage for the 90% rule.
90% of my shooting involves just three lenses!
Like I said at the top, though, digital is changing everything.
AG
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