[Dave]

Too often I find myself only using the opposite ends of a zoom range. Does this mean my lenses aren't wide enough or I need a longer telephoto Maybe it's just because I like to ensure impact on a shot, which may mean dramatic angles of a wide angle, or the tight crop of a telelphoto.

Tell me I'm not going mad & other people suffer the same problem from time to time

[fionaB]

your going mad!


oops sorry read it wrong! lol

/me runs

Fi

[stepheno]

No...you're right Fiona - he's going mad. He has all this kit and he doesn't know you can use the bit in between

However, I do find that I use most of the range of my Tamron 18-200 but with the Canon 70-300 it's usually 200+ only.

[Dabhand16]

I think that no matter what range your zoom lens covers, you will find yourself using the extremes for a lot of your shots. That's why you bought the lens, to get these quite important focal lengths. You probably use the intermediate settings more than you you think, but most likely for framing shots rather than consiously thinking about what focal length you are using.

Of course, the type of photography will also influence what your lens is set on. If you are using your kit lens and go on safari, it is natural that most of your shots will end up at the higher end of the range, whereas if you went into a stately home the reverse might be true.

The last camera I bought with a standard lens was my SV Pentax (circa 1965). 50mm gave the view closest to the human eye. I hardly ever used that lens after buying zoom lenses, and from then on, always went for a body with two zooms, a wide angle (24-70 in 35mm) and a telephoto (70-200), the wide angle getting the most use.

Since getting my D70s, with the 18-70 kit lens, I'm amazed at how many shots I'm taking at around 50mm (35mm equivalent)! Funny old world, isn't it?

[Foxesbrew]

I find iuse the extremes most, when using my 70-300 its usually 300 and thats not enough i frequently have to crop guite a lot to get what i want.Perhaps iwould use more of the range on a 300 up zoom.All the worlds a little mad excluding thee and me and even thee's a little mad.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by fionaB

your going mad!
oops sorry read it wrong! lol
/me runs
Fi

Originally Posted by Foxesbrew

All the worlds a little mad excluding thee and me and even thee's a little mad.

[fionaB]

pmsl cant argue with that one...........

as to zoom lens, as i use a bridge camera i dont have a dedicated zoom lens, but i cant say i use only the extremes, it really depends wher I am and what im trying to shoot. obviously i probably use the range more because its not a dedicated lens, if that makes sense.

Fi

[Soupdragon]

Originally Posted by Dave

Too often I find myself only using the opposite ends of a zoom range. Does this mean my lenses aren't wide enough or I need a longer telephoto Maybe it's just because I like to ensure impact on a shot, which may mean dramatic angles of a wide angle, or the tight crop of a telelphoto.

Tell me I'm not going mad & other people suffer the same problem from time to time

Yes, yes, and yes to the last one as well.

[Markulous]

To be honest, less and less!

[Liam O'Neill]

There is the theory that if you are using the extremes that much, you might well be better off with a prime lenses at those lengths. It's a balance between what few shots you'd miss that need the mid-range lengths, versus what shots you gain from the primes bigger aperture, and primes are generally "better" lenses than zooms.

[P-E]

Originally Posted by Liam O'Neill

There is the theory that if you are using the extremes that much, you might well be better off with a prime lenses at those lengths. It's a balance between what few shots you'd miss that need the mid-range lengths, versus what shots you gain from the primes bigger aperture, and primes are generally "better" lenses than zooms.

Now this has been my thinking for a few months now.

[Soupdragon]

I'd rather have a stack of primes as I generally have a subject in mind when I am out being Mr Photographer.
If I had a zoom favourite it would be 17-85 (not that I own one) for general walkaround and family album stuff.

[Rob Barron]

Wildlife photography usually requires the fool range as animals and birds move about. Sometimes you get them up close, other times they are further away and so I do tend to use the full range of my 100-400mm zoom.

Having a whole stack of primes is of course the ideal BUT.... carrying that lot around constantly is not for the faint-hearted or weak-backed. Constantly changing lenses is not something I enjoy either and does encourage greater ingression of dust. Obviously if I know I will use one particular length a lot then fine, prime lens it is.

I have three zooms and three primes. The zooms are more practical and cover the range almost right through from 17 to 400 except for a gap of 30mm:
17-40mm, 28-70mm, 100-400mm.

The primes are 50mm f1.8, 100mm f2.8 macro and 300mm f4 IS L series.

Carrying the little ones about is fine, obviously the nifty fifty comes with me everywhere as it ways nothing. The lenses I try to avoid taking together are my two IS lenses as they do weigh a bit. If I am going to stay in one place and need distance, I'll take the 300mm prime but if I am going to be moving about a lot, I'll go with the zoom.

Cheers,
Rob