What is your favorite focal length?

JohnR · « **on:** 14 Jul 2007, 09:19 am »

What focal length do you like to shoot at, and why? I'm experimenting with different lengths at present, and finding that some are "working" for me and others aren't. So I'm curious to know what others are finding.

The poll is really just a summary and a way to get folks thinking. I'm mostly interested in a discussion of what you are using different lengths for. Posting a picture taken at each of your favorite choices would be fab

JohnR

JohnR · « **Reply #1 on:** 14 Jul 2007, 12:12 pm »

OK, so I picked "less than 28mm" first, because the camera/lens that I bought when I decided to get back into photography 18 months ago is a Bessa L and 25mm lens. And I feel I have got a lot out of it. Sometimes it's just toooo wide, I have to admit -- I suspect that I may end up preferring something a little less wide as time goes on. Here's an example:

Palm Beach Ferry

My second choice was the 75-100mm length. I find I can get "close enough" with this length, a lot of the time. Here's the chef at my local Patisserie:

Alex breaks an egg

mjosef · « **Reply #2 on:** 14 Jul 2007, 01:22 pm »

28mm was my standard for scenery shots...and 135mm was my all time favorite for people shots. I have had these single lens for the past 25 years.

jcrane · « **Reply #3 on:** 14 Jul 2007, 09:15 pm »

Well I find myself using the 70-200 f2.8 the most and just love the product it helps produce, I guess on the 20D that is about 112-320 35mm equiv.
I am at work so I have nothing to post but I really like the range this lens offers but the downside is the weight and size, not a very mobile lens.
I love to view wide angle photos, just not what I find myself taking. I tend to dive into the Sports/wildlife/nature/people aspects of photography so that may explain why I like this lens.
The new Sigma 50-150 f2.8 has my attention as a possible walk around lens for my 20d though and I am considering a tokina 12-24 f4 as a wide option, just not sure I can justify the price when I seldom have the need or desire to go wider than my 28-75 and if I do I find the kit 18-55 does all I need it too.
Not much help I am sure but it is the style of photography I engage in.

jamie

Vapor Audio · « **Reply #4 on:** 14 Jul 2007, 09:46 pm »

If you don't have one of the super wide-angles, get one! I've had the Tokina 12-24, Sigma 10-20, and Nikon 12-24 f/4 ... the Nikon is my favorite of the bunch. They're just a lot of fun, it takes some time getting good at using them, but once you do they can produce some unique perspectives.

TONEPUB · « **Reply #5 on:** 14 Jul 2007, 11:45 pm »

85-105mm. Always been my favorite...

SET Man · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 Jul 2007, 05:31 am »

Hey!

If you ask me what is my favorite focal length prime lens than I have to admit that I'm pretty much torn between 35mm and 50mm primes.

Living in NYC when I go out about my days and I have choose one prime to go with. I do find that a 35mm prime works better for me in most situations.

I do feel that 35mm prime capture what I see with my two eyes better than 50mm. Yes, 50mm have approximately the same angle of view as human eye according to the old saying in photography... but that is just one eye right? With both eyes I feel that the angle of view of the 35mm fit this better.

Of course this subject of angle of view of human eye and camera lens equivalent is debatable.

So, if I have to choose one prime to go out about my day around the city with I would go with the 35mm.

Sadly, my 35mm f2 on my DSLR turn into about 50mm. So with my DSLR I have to use my 24mm f2.8.... and I do miss that the 35mm with the f2.

Even with that I'm still lusting over a 35mm f1.4 prime lens, it will make a great 50mm equivlent on my DSLR

But! it cost $1350 new.

Take care,
Buddy

denjo · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 Jul 2007, 06:09 am »

105 mm for portraiture, 28 mm for scenery and 55 mm for micro-photography. The Nikkor 28-140 is ideal since it covers all of this in one handy zoom lens!

Thebiker · « **Reply #8 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 05:38 pm »

Although I voted for the 135mm lens, it really depends on what and where I'm shooting. The short telephoto 135 works well for people and portraits and some flora (as long as it is macro capable). But out west where everything is so wide open, I have to have a 18mm lens with me to capture the feel of all that space. I have found 18mm is about as wide as I can go before running into the "fish-eye" effect.

That said, I'm looking into a 18-135mm Nikon lens to go with the new D80 that I plan on getting in the next couple of weeks. Yeah, I'm lazy and don't like to carry all the lenses that I did in my youth with my faithful AE-1. Other than that, I'll probably add a longer telephoto, something in the 300mm range.

Vapor Audio · « **Reply #9 on:** 20 Jul 2007, 08:43 pm »

Quote from: Thebiker on 17 Jul 2007, 05:38 pm

Although I voted for the 135mm lens, it really depends on what and where I'm shooting. The short telephoto 135 works well for people and portraits and some flora (as long as it is macro capable). But out west where everything is so wide open, I have to have a 18mm lens with me to capture the feel of all that space. I have found 18mm is about as wide as I can go before running into the "fish-eye" effect.

That said, I'm looking into a 18-135mm Nikon lens to go with the new D80 that I plan on getting in the next couple of weeks. Yeah, I'm lazy and don't like to carry all the lenses that I did in my youth with my faithful AE-1. Other than that, I'll probably add a longer telephoto, something in the 300mm range.

The 18-135 has terrible distortion at 18mm, if you shoot landscapes you should go for something better behaved at that length. You can find some great lens reviews here - http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/index.html

I've owned just about every lens that will fit on a Nikon mount at one point or another. My sharpest lens currently is the Tamron 28-75 f/2.8, my favorite lens is the Sigma 120-300 f/2.8, and the most fun lens that I'm always trying to find news ways of using is the Nikon 12-24 f/4. I still have many many other lenses, but when I have to travel those are they ones that I always take. If I have to travel light I take the Nikon 12-24 and my Sigma 50-150 f/2.8

mcullinan · « **Reply #10 on:** 20 Jul 2007, 08:57 pm »

I know what you mean lugging around several lenses especially a few zooms can get heavy... I will if I know its something thats dynamic, but mostly I will take my 50mm prime, Tamron 28 - 75 2.8. The 50 mm is a great lense thats cheap Canon 1.8f Very crispy images, though you have to do some maneuvering to catch the shot at times.
Mike

Vapor Audio · « **Reply #11 on:** 20 Jul 2007, 09:03 pm »

Hey, if your Tamron 28-75/2.8 is a bit soft wide open, send it back to Tamron for calibration. I did, and it came back sharper than any lens I've ever seen, even all my primes. Because it's so sharp and contrasty now, I sold my 35/f2, 50/1.4, and Sigma 30/1.4. I kept my 85/1.4 simply for the DOF effect, but even it's softer stopped down to 2.8 than my Tamron is wide open at 75mm.

I know that's pretty hard to believe, but I spent a lot of time comparing the lenses because I couldn't believe it myself.

jon_010101 · « **Reply #12 on:** 20 Jul 2007, 09:26 pm »

My favorite lens was a Pentax f1.8 screwmount 55mm. Not as "crisp" as the old Nikon 50mm f1.4, but great contrast, and a perfect ratio for casual photography. My second-favorite prime lens is a pre-AI Nikon f2.8 135mm.

Thebiker · « **Reply #13 on:** 24 Jul 2007, 01:04 pm »

Thanks for the info Turbo. I'll have a look at the reviews.
I've seen a couple of your motorsport shots with the Sigma 120-300

, unfortunately way out of my price range. If I was an active pro, I might consider that kind of money, but I'm just an avid amateur.

Any other suggestions that don't involve selling off my grand-daughter would be appreciated. I really like to travel as light as possible without compromising my shots. Generally landscapes etc. and not usually printed bigger than 11x14.

Levi · « **Reply #14 on:** 24 Jul 2007, 03:20 pm »

I like my Nikon 12-24mm lens.

woodsyi · « **Reply #15 on:** 24 Jul 2007, 05:40 pm »

Canon EF 24-70 F2.8L is the best I have to shoot indoor pictures of my 5 year old daughter. Outdoor I take EF 70-200 F4.0L.

byteme · « **Reply #16 on:** 24 Jul 2007, 06:32 pm »

There are two (of my 3) lenses that are pretty much always on the camera, 70-300 VR and 50mm f/1.8. I'm pretty new at this but like the macro close up work the 50mm can provide when used with an extension tube.

So, if I were forced, right now, it'd be that one. 50mm.

jrtrent · « **Reply #17 on:** 24 Jul 2007, 10:05 pm »

Most of my picture takin' is of the memory jerker variety--holidays, family gatherings, vacations, birthdays, and the like. I want my pictures to give me as close to a true and natural presentation of those people and places as I can manage, and the "normal" focal length (75mm on the Ikoflex, 50mm on the Contax, 25mm with the Olympus DSLR) always gives me results that look most like what I remember seeing.

navi · « **Reply #18 on:** 1 Aug 2007, 03:52 pm »

i'm planning to buy 35mm and 50mm and sell my 28-70 2.8 as i find zoom lenses are not a sharp as i would like- i will keep and continue to use my 70-200 2.8 IS.

I've been using the 24-105mm f4 on a canon 5D recently and I think it's ok- has a bit of softness but a great all rounder lens

Fashion: 35-50mm lenses. i used to shoot at 100-200mm but i was just too static looking

portrait: about 100mm (i use the 100mm macro for portraits)

industrial: 20mm going wide makes it look more exciting
products: 100mm macro

SET Man · « **Reply #19 on:** 2 Aug 2007, 02:23 am »

Quote from: navi on 1 Aug 2007, 03:52 pm

...i find zoom lenses are not a sharp as i would like-...

Hey!

I do agreed with you on this and this is nothing new. Not many zooms could compare well with prime lenses.

Even what considered to be excellent zoom needed to be stop down somewhat to compare well with prime at the same focal length.

Personally I do have some prime lenses in my arsenal. But since most of the time my works and subject put demand on me to be mobility and composing quickly... so only zoom will work for me.

Good thing that my new DSLR only zoom performance is quite nice that I don't feel too bad using it all the time.

Still nothing beat single focal length primes

BTW... maybe there should be a thread about your favorite zoom.

Take care,
Buddy

Poll

Your favorite focal lengths, in 35mm equiv

What is your favorite focal length?