Downgrade pro lenses

[sowlow]

Bonjour ! (i'm french photographer)

Here's a little story about my gear (on full frame body):

I am thinking about a new way to take pictures. A way about emotions, lights and frames only. I just dont want to look at sharpness or other MTF charts because i really don't care.
I'm tired of taking care of my gear. I want to have my dslr in my bag everytime. I don't want to leave my big L lenses in my house because i'm too scary to scratch it.

So i'm thinking to change my lenses, to downgrade from pro lenses to entry level lenses.

By this way, i could have my dslr always with me, just at te bottom of my backpack or on my hip in the street. And never mind if it scratch or fall, or whatever, i just want to use it.

So i started to change:
24-105 L to the little 24-85 for travel lens
35 L to the little 35 f/2 (first one) for lifestyle and every day lens
70-200 L to the little 85 F/1.8 for portraiture.
17-40 L to the little EF 24 F/2.8 (first one) for landscape

Here i am. 4 lenses. 3 primes and 1 zoom. All small lenses. For all my needs. And i'm happy with that.

 

[tolusina]

https://www.canon.fr/lenses/ef-40mm-f-2-8-stm-lens/

 

[Quirkz]

Have you considered an m5 or m6 instead?

 

[Skywise]

I beat my lenses up.

My regular walk around lenses are either the 16-35 F2.8 II or the 24-70 f2.8 II on my 6D and it's always with me when I'm on vacations out of town and I've gotten spectacular photos out of it (even when drunk in Vegas and I don't recall taking the picture! ;D )

At the same time though - I have to make a concerted effort to carry the DSLR around because it's heavy and big (relatively speaking) So it doesn't go with me to all the local events that I used to take my Rebel to and, even then, my Rebel was a bit cumbersome compared to my iPhone which is more than good enough.

If I could get an FF sensor with F2.8 lenses in an M body - that thing would always be by my side.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

There is nothing wrong with what you are doing, those lenses do a excellent job. There are plenty of low cost lenses, particularly used ones that will do well. I recently picked up a 50mm f/2.5 macro like new in its box for $100 from a local seller. It does a very good job.

 

[lion rock]

If you bought the equipment, use them, just don't abuse them. A small amount of proper care is all that is necessary. These are not what one would call "investment," as in buying them and sell them after a period of time to make a profit. Your investment here is to buy them, use them and enjoy what the equipment returns.

Just like buying a sports car and not take it out to drive it and drive it at speed. Just like buying custom furniture and keep them in plastic wrap. You get the idea.
-r

 

[timmy_650]

I just brought a 40D and 18-135, To use and abuse. I take it snowboarding and things like that. If chances in less than 50% of destroying my camera I take my 6D. I buy gear to use it, not to worry about it. It would be horrible to drop my 6D in water or something like that and I would be using old gear for months probably. But that is better than not using it at all.
I was hiking in a river a few weeks ago and a few people told me that they could never bring a DSLR on that hike but that is why I have better picture than there phone pictures. I also think people underestimate how strong camera are they can take a lot of abuse and still work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCT-YMgjm9k

 

[BrightTiger]

Bonjour Sowlow!

Nice post. I have seemed to have peaked in moving up the "quality" chain and have moved towards daily usage as well. Modern technology in the cameras and lenses in the last couple of years have stepped up remarkably. So much so that I found my new kit lens that I first snubbed my nose at, were in fact every bit as good as what passed for mid to upper tier just a few years ago. And they work better in focusing as well. Whether using DXOMark or the eye test, they are competitive - maybe a bit less so in some aspects, better in others but nothing really perceptible in real world image quality. So if I can get quality that I thought was really good just a few years ago out of a modern body and their kit to mid-level lenses of today, why go broke chasing an all L collection? Sure I will occasionally have an L for this or that, but as you mentioned, I like not having to stress over caring for it like it was fine china. And as they all say, the most important gear is the person behind the camera. Sometimes happiness is simply not stressing over fear of losing or damaging something.

 

[Maximilian]

Bonjour Sowlow!

https://www.canon.fr/lenses/ef-40mm-f-2-8-stm-lens/

I would have said +1 on this but you already have the 35 f/2.

Still consider it. The 40/2.8 costs just about 170 € and is so small jet still delivering great IQ.
Only downsides IMO are the relatively slow AF and MF by wire.
But it's amazing how small a FF DSLR combo can be.

 

[sowlow]

Hi !
Thank you all for your answers.
I appreciate the fact that i'm not alone in this case.

For the 40mm, i already own it and sell it because i really prefer the 35mm's angle of view. But actually the 40mm is one of the best lens i had.

 

[Dylan777]

Bonjour ! (i'm french photographer)

Here's a little story about my gear (on full frame body):

I am thinking about a new way to take pictures. A way about emotions, lights and frames only. I just dont want to look at sharpness or other MTF charts because i really don't care.
I'm tired of taking care of my gear. I want to have my dslr in my bag everytime. I don't want to leave my big L lenses in my house because i'm too scary to scratch it.

So i'm thinking to change my lenses, to downgrade from pro lenses to entry level lenses.

By this way, i could have my dslr always with me, just at te bottom of my backpack or on my hip in the street. And never mind if it scratch or fall, or whatever, i just want to use it.

So i started to change:
24-105 L to the little 24-85 for travel lens
35 L to the little 35 f/2 (first one) for lifestyle and every day lens
70-200 L to the little 85 F/1.8 for portraiture.
17-40 L to the little EF 24 F/2.8 (first one) for landscape

Here i am. 4 lenses. 3 primes and 1 zoom. All small lenses. For all my needs. And i'm happy with that.

It's very important how you(not me, not CR members) feel about the gear you have in hand. I truly agreed with you about photography is much-much more than just sharpness, noise and DR etc...

Best wishes, hope everything go well

Although, I'm still in love with IQ from my A9 + large native primes. My heart still leaning toward to my Xpro2 + 23f1 or 35f2 every times.

 

[Arty]

An option is to just pick up the 35F2 or the 35F2IS and use this focal length for most of your shooting. If you don't use the 70-200, just sell it. The 85 makes a great portrait lens, and you could use the 17-40 for travel and landscapes. The 17-40 is light and compact.
There is really no need to get rid of all your glass, unless money is the issue. If you don't like to use the 24-105, then sell it. However, I have gotten some really nice shots with that lens. I prefer smaller primes, but there are times when the zoom is really useful.
I have the 35F2 and the newer version with IS. If you want small and light, you can't beat the older lens. However, the newer lens has much better flare resistance, faster AF, and the IS helps when lighting gets very low. I don't think it is sharper than the old lens, but the flare resistance, AF, and IS are worth it.