I have been rather inactive in my pursuit of photography of late. Sometimes you just gotta switch lenses to see the world a little differently and get some inspiration. Other times you just need to step back a bit and gain some new perspective. My personal favorite lens (Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM) has a tendency towards tight shots thanks to its focal length (coupled with a digital back):
Beautiful? Of course. But after 800 shots or so, they can all start to look the same. But then you step back, and a whole new photo comes into view:
And now we have something else. The true beauty of a prime lens is that it forces you to be active in taking a photograph – none of this twisting and turning to get the framing right, you have to move your body. It makes me feel more like I’m taking a photograph and not just pressing a button.
I got my 50mm over a year ago (same as yours) and I almost never take it off now. Most of the shooting I do is indoors and it excels in low light conditions but like you mention, I love being physically involved with the photography; crawling, twisting, and straining to pop off just the right shot.
It’s amazing how much a lens like that can change you as a photographer – for the better.
Say, I’m probably going to be in the market for a new camera soon. Probably looking around the $500 range. Suggestions?
I’d look at something like the Canon PowerShot G11. That series is popular with SLR users as a more compact secondary camera. The SX series also lets you do HD movies, but I’d be wary of a camera that powerful using AA batteries – you’ll need to carry a lot of spares.
I’ve also been interesting in Panasonic’s Lumix line. Not sure if all of them use Leica lenses, but some do. The DMC-LX3 looks like a really cool “everyday” camera.