When you use a digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) with modern lenses, you can always go back and look in the Exif to see what lens you used for each picture. But with the manual, old lenses there is no Exif-data from the lens. So if I use my Canon EOS 350D on a photosession, and 3 manual lenses – how do I remember which one I used for a single picture?
Well, I have come up with this rutine. Simple, I know – but useful. Take a picture of the lens before you mount it. If you use some kind of filter, take a picture when you mount it and when you dismount it and put it back in the bag.
Heres from my session the other day… I started with Pentax Super Takumar 35mm/3.5. Added macroring to shoot some flowers.
Add macroring
I took my flower-pictures. Removed the macroring.
Remove macroring
Took some pictures without the macroring. Then changed to Yashica ML 35mm/2.8
Change to Yashica ML 35mm
Shot some images. Changed back to Super Takumar.
Changed back to Super Takumar
A new change to Yashica ML 50mm/2. Well, I think you get the hang of it now? ;)
Change to Yashica ML 50mm
Pros
- You dont have to remember a thing… well, almost nothing.
- The pictures of lenses don’t need to be good, as long as you can see what they are.
- Add keywords in your digital darkroom when you get home, then delete the pictures of lenses.
Cons
- You need to know which lens you started with.
- Could be a bit clumsy when you’re in a hurry
- You dont get the f-stop recorded, so you might want to take notes anyway.
Good idea, but with Pentax and Samsung dslr’s what I do is set the image stabilization manually with the focal length of each lens e.g 15mm for the 16mm Zenitar and 43mm for the VarioZenitar 25-45mm zoom, and its imprinted on the Exif information. Only problem is when you use 6 different 50mm lenses! I think your idea would work well then alright.
Ahh! Why is everybody else able to do this but us Canon EOS 350D users! ;)
Question is, why do people keep using Canon EOS or Nikons? :p
Canons because most anything can be mounted on them (except for Canon FD) ;) Pentax could be nice, but I need a C/Y-adapter. Olympus sounds nice but have cropfactor 2.
Interesting idea. You might be able to get rid of the first con, by carrying around a small mirror – and then you can take a pic of the lens’ reflection (a ‘lens self-portrait’).
Thanks for the idea, a mirror can be useful for other hings too… I know a wildlifephotographer who uses mirrors to make it look like trolls eyes looking out form the forest ;)