If you could only have one camera and one lens …

26/03/11

If you could only have one camera and one lens, what would they be? I've been thinking about this lately and, digitally speaking, I would probably opt for the Canon EOS 5D Mark II with an EF 50mm f/1.2 L lens – as long as I could find a decent copy of this lens. If not, then I would probably opt for the Canon EF 85mm f1.2 L II.

Why? The 5d Mk II is still one of the best cameras out there at the moment and it leaves practically nothing to be desired – it even does HD video, if you're into that sort of thing. It's not too big, not too heavy, it's well built, produces outstanding image quality even at high ISO's, it's full frame and has 21MP, to name but a few.

And why choose a prime lens over a zoom lens? I'd choose the 50mm f/1.2 L because paired with the 5D Mk II it's simply a match made in heaven. The 50mm f/1.2 L is razor-sharp, very well built and has excellent colour rendition, especially on a camera like the 5D Mk II. Also, it's got an aperture of f/1.2, which is great for low-light photography and it means ultra-thin depth of field and lovely bokeh, which is great for portraits.

50mm is also a very standard but great, all-round focal length, and on a FF (full frame) body it's a real 50mm; it's basically the 'natural focal length' of our eyes. I'd also choose a prime over a zoom because primes are smaller and lighter, and generally produce sharper images compared to zooms. What's more, zooms make you lazy. With a prime it really becomes necessary to move around your subject to explore the best angle, distance and position to shoot from.

And what combo would I go for if I didn't have the kind of money to buy a 5D Mark II and L glass? My favourite camera, before I moved onto the Canon 1D series bodies, was the Canon 30D, and it's still the camera I'd recommend to anybody starting out in photography or wanting a second/ back-up body. The 40D wasn't a worthy upgrade, the 50D was rubbish and a waste of time and the new 60D is a gimmick. The 30D was, and still is, an all-round fantastic camera. It has everything you need and want, and nothing you don't. These days you can pick one up used but in almost mint condition for around £250. I sold mine a while ago, and have regretted it ever since.

With regards to a lens, the obvious choice would be Canon's 'nifty fifty' EF 50mm f/1.8 II - and I've got one in the bag. It costs around £80-£90 new and is one of Canon's most popular lenses, because of the fantastic images it produces and the value for money you get. What you have to bear in mind, though, is that your 50mm on a 30D will turn into an effective focal length of 80mm because of the 1.6x crop factor. 80mm is still a good all-round focal length, but if you're shooting landscapes, for example, or you shoot a lot indoors, then this isn't for you. Another very good option, although a little pricier, is to go for Canon's EF 35mm f2 Lens (around £200). It's well built, very sharp and it turns into a 56mm lens on a 1.6x camera body like the 30D.

In other words, with this sort of combo there aren't a lot of types of photography you couldn't do, except for perhaps wildlife shots.

(Copyright ©2011 Oliver Rauer)