Walkabout lens

Alastair said:
I'm only "miffed" by absolute assertions such as "the 28-135 is no where near wide enough for a walkabout lens" and similar this is what I call a walkabout lens and you should too approach.

Everyone should be more flexible in their approach to a walkabout lens. What's suitable for you as an every day lens may vary over time. It might be a zoom, it might be a prime. But you can't categorically state that 28mm isn't wide enough for everyone just because it's not wide enough for you.
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Well its not an assertion from my point of view as its not without support or reason, I'm saying that from my experience with the 28-135 so its not an assertion, let alone an absolute one.

Whether you agree with it or not, I'm willing to bet most would find 28mm too tight on a crop for a general purpose / walkabout lens.

I know some people can use all sorts of lenses as walkabouts, from 10mm to 400 mm lenses, but you have to accept the term 'walkabout lens' does have a generalistic meaning, as per Hoppy's post, the most important aspect to most people is flexibilty, its an all in one package. A setup that for the day at least, wont need a lens change. Thats how most, not all, but most people define a 'walkabout' lens.
 
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Of late, I've taken to going out and about with just a 135/f2 on a 5D as my 'walkabout' lens (and by that I mean when I have no specific shot in mind, so general purpose).

It sure forces you to take an alternative view, but the IQ on the 5D fully open is beyond beautiful, and the different perspectives it gives on a scene opens us the imagination. When I'm bored with this combo, I will no doubt switch to another - but unless I'm going out for a specific shoot, I limit myself to one lens and one body for random photo's and work with what I have got.

I used to take the lot, then a selection, then nothing for ages because I got fed up with the gear becoming the focus of the day. I did try a G10, but while it's a lovely camera, it did not match my preferred style at the time. I'm really tempted by the new Fuji X100 - f/2 @ 30mm fixed sounds interesting.
 
I tend to use a 50mm prime lens on my 550d for general out and about use. Really nice combo for going out to late night parties, can avoid having to carry a flash around, and the lens/body combo is smaller and lighter than a few bridge cameras out there. Also if someone elbows the lens as least its cheap to replace...
 
Alastair said:
I'm only "miffed" by absolute assertions such as "the 28-135 is no where near wide enough for a walkabout lens" and similar this is what I call a walkabout lens and you should too approach.

Everyone should be more flexible in their approach to a walkabout lens. What's suitable for you as an every day lens may vary over time. It might be a zoom, it might be a prime. But you can't categorically state that 28mm isn't wide enough for everyone just because it's not wide enough for you.
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I would have to agree with you Alastair, for years I shot with only a 50mm ( ~30mm on a cropper in todays money) on a Pentax K1000 as I couldn't afford anything else at the time and I didn't think much about being limited. I could zoom with my feet and take a bit more time with my shots.

Today I couldn't part with my 24-105. Times have changed though, I have a wife and two kids with me mostly and the convenience of the zoom is invaluable.

As far as I can see the ideal walk-about lens is a very personal thing and will vary over time.

However, if I had to chose one lens only though for the rest of my days. It would be a fast 50mm.
 
shabba said:
Budget?

£1k+ = Something of the L range variety.
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Eh? You can pick up a 17-40L for around £400 - I use one as a walkabout lens on my 40D. You can also pick up the 24-105L for lot less than £1k :p
 
I find using a prime as a walkabout quite fun.
I miss shots my zoom would get but I like the idea of being forced to shoot in a different way sometimes.

I also don't like being told I've got the wrong lens on my camera. I've never had a lens that didn't work for me. This whole crop vs FF baffles me. It seems to always be about the wide end, yet I never read about the extra zoom you get on a crop. I find 15 or 17mm more than enough as a walkaround lens.
 
Hey guys,

I have to admit, I use my 50mm prime as my walkabout. Before that, I used the kit 18-55mm, and it was good, and had the range I was needing, but given the type of photography I do, the 50mm is more suited to what I now do. At times, yes, I miss the range, but only occasionally.

I guess, echoing the other guys here, it's down to the type of photography you end up doing.
 
Just wish I could go 'walkabout', wouldn't give a toss what lens was on the front :|
 
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