I had so much fun at Asbury Park’s annual Zombie Walk last year that I had to return to its boardwalk again this weekend. Last time out I had met some fairly bizarre and fun people while managing to make some real keepers. It was truly a great day and when I got home I put it on my calendar for this year.

This time I brought my Leica M2 and M3 coupled with 35mm and 50mm lenses just like I did last year. I have used a 50mm, or near 50mm (e.g., an 80mm lens for 6X7) format equivalent for the vast majority of photographs I have made over the years. But last year I surprised myself when I made an equal number of photographs with the 35mm lens. So what happened this time out? Operating in very close quarters with a fast moving crowd I ended up using only my M2 and 35mm lens. That’s right … the M3 and its 50mm Summicron never left the camera bag!  A new first for me, and two days later I still don’t feel guilty at all!  The tiny 35mm Summaron mounted on my M2 was exactly the right tool for the job.  Why try to put a round peg into a square hole if you don’t need to?  I didn’t because I had the 35mm lens with me!

The 50mm will always be my primary lens, but if there isn’t enough room to step back a few feet, why be a bozo and miss a great picture?  Be prepared. It may be a long time before I use the 35mm again, but I will have it with me … just in case.