Less than two weeks until our Florida vacation.
Rather than actually prepare for that I just keep looking at a new lens that I'd like to buy, one that I can not afford.
Now, you might think this is silly, but if I bring my Fuji then it will take up less space in my bags. The problem is that I only have the equivalent prime focal lengths of 24mm f1.4, 50mm f1.4, and 85mm f1.2. Well not "the problem," but rather that I am missing an important focal length in that set. If I had a 35mm f1.4 then everywhere I went I could bring only two lenses and still be basically happy - 35mm and 85mm if I want to lean towards portraits but still have a reasonably wide angle option available to me, or 24mm and 50mm if I want to lean towards wide angle photography but would still like to have the option to crowd the frame with the subject or individuals - portraits that seem "natural" to the eye.
What self-respecting amateur photographer would leave the house with only those options available to them? It is why so many people buy zoom lenses and will bring only that one lens, something like a 24-85mm works well for travel. It is a lens that I have, though I have let an old friend borrow it. But I would never leave the house for an entire week with only one lens. If I did, then it would probably be a 50mm or 35mm prime, because I am quite stubborn and insistent that I do things my way, yet still somehow not quite happy with my choices.
I want purity and flexibility, or the purity of flexibility, or maybe I just need a few more lenses before I'll ever be happy.
But, I don't have a 35mm lens for the Fuji, so this makes me want to bring my Nikon system, which takes up quite a bit more space. Then I would be tempted to not only bring more lenses, but another camera body also so that I could shoot some color and black and white film. The Nikon has the advantage of me not needing, for the moment, to buy any other lenses. I have what most would consider a complete set of focal ranges for that system - 17mm-35mm f2.8, 50mm f1.4, 56mm f1.6 Velvet, 85mm f1.4 D, 135mm f2 DC.
Anybody paying attention would point out that I need the new 105mm f1.4. They would be quite right, though I would not necessarily need that lens just to go to Florida. Also, that 105mm costs $2200, where the Fuji 35mm equiv. costs $900. I would be saving $1300 in credit card debt to buy the Fuji. Many of my problems would be solved by these types of smart savings.
But still... photography results in itches that, once adequately scratched, will just move to another diopter.
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