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Archive 2014 · Favorite Focal Length

  
 
leighton w
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Favorite Focal Length


Of these three focal lengths, which is your favorite.

If you feel like elaborating please do.



Mar 14, 2014 at 01:24 PM
NathanHamler
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Favorite Focal Length


Although i just bought a 28 1.8 which is pretty stinkin awesome, it's not quite as universally useful as the 35....my 35/2 and 17-35 (@35mm) both get used a ton.....50mm, i can take it or leave it.....it's nice now and then, but prob only used for 2% of shots...i'd rather just go one step further to 85 if i'm thinking of using the 50....


Mar 14, 2014 at 01:32 PM
MDoc9523
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Favorite Focal Length


Hands down the 35mm 1.4 followed closely by the 55mm 1.2


Mar 14, 2014 at 01:47 PM
kwoodard
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Favorite Focal Length


I have more "fast 50's" than any other focal length. So many different rendering lenses out there, want to try them all.


Mar 14, 2014 at 01:53 PM
sjms
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Favorite Focal Length


24mm


Mar 14, 2014 at 01:57 PM
JimFox
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Favorite Focal Length


None of these are my favorite. They are all much too long for my tastes.

Just curious though, what's the purpose of the poll?

Jim



Mar 14, 2014 at 02:02 PM
leighton w
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Favorite Focal Length


Thanks guys, keep them coming.

Jim, I'm thinking about tweaking my kit. I have the 24mm, 28mm and 50mm, but not a 35mm. My 50 is the 1.2 AIS and I just don't use it much because I have that range covered by two other lenses. Part of my job as market manager at our farmers' market is to take pics and post them on our websites. I do a lot of street style shooting and the 28 is a little two wide at times, so this is more out of curiosity than anything.

Thanks for participating.



Mar 14, 2014 at 02:15 PM
VinnieJ
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Favorite Focal Length


I have the 28+50 combo but my favorite focal length is 400.


Mar 14, 2014 at 02:16 PM
leighton w
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Favorite Focal Length


VinnieJ wrote:
I have the 28+50 combo but my favorite focal length is 400.


I had the 28-50 AIS, but it wouldn't focus close enough for my liking.




Mar 14, 2014 at 02:19 PM
carlitos
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Favorite Focal Length


I'd add 25mm, specifically the Zeiss ZF 25mm's. Each of these - 25mm, 28mm, and 35mm - offer different compositional opportunities. Over the years gaining more experience with lenses, it seems I find wide angle lenses more interesting.


Mar 14, 2014 at 02:30 PM
robert829
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Favorite Focal Length


50mm is just right for me


Mar 14, 2014 at 02:38 PM
the solitaire
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Favorite Focal Length


I voted 50mm. And I wish to elaborate on that a bit.

I really like the 28mm angle of view on a 24x36mm image plane. All of Nikons 28mm primes are very well corrected for distortion. On a DX image plane the 28mm focal length loses much of it's charm though and can be seen as a standard lens (close to the 45mm FL lenses)

I recently added a 28mm lens to my collection. I do expect it will see a fair bit of use because it is a very compact lens that carries well in a coat pocket.

35mm again on a 24x35mm image plane is a very universal lens. It's wide enough to capture a scene even when you're close, but long enough to double as a near-standard lens. Again on a DX sensor the 35mm loses too much to remain interesting. A 24mm would make 36mm but there is no 24mm f1,4.

I voted 50mm because:
a) on a 24x36mm image plane the 50mm is still a very usable focal length, even if it's not as versatile as say the 35mm or as interesting as the 28mm.
b) on a DX sensor, which happens to be all I have in digital, 50mm (or 55) becomes a short tele. The focal length area I prefer. Yet, in contrast to say an 85mm the 50mm and 55mm lenses focus far closer for close up photography maximising effect from the DoF at f1,4 or f1,2.
c) these lenses tend to be scary sharp at f2.



Mar 14, 2014 at 02:51 PM
kwoodard
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Favorite Focal Length


I think Buddy summed up my thoughts on the 50~55 a lot better than I did. I have not been a man of words lately...


Mar 14, 2014 at 02:55 PM
Coltrane
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Favorite Focal Length


As someone who has both crop and full frame cameras, I find the 28mm length versatile. On a crop, it makes for a great normal focal length, and on a full frame, you have a very useful wide angle.


Mar 14, 2014 at 03:02 PM
leighton w
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Favorite Focal Length


the solitaire wrote:
I voted 50mm. And I wish to elaborate on that a bit.

I really like the 28mm angle of view on a 24x36mm image plane. All of Nikons 28mm primes are very well corrected for distortion. On a DX image plane the 28mm focal length loses much of it's charm though and can be seen as a standard lens (close to the 45mm FL lenses)

I recently added a 28mm lens to my collection. I do expect it will see a fair bit of use because it is a very compact lens that carries well in a coat pocket.

35mm again
...Show more

When I had a DX I loved the 50mm, now, not so much.



Mar 14, 2014 at 03:36 PM
ramkumar999
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Favorite Focal Length


I love the 50mm because of the versality and compactness. When I need wider, I will do a pano stitch if I have the 50mm only.


Mar 14, 2014 at 03:41 PM
lensmanlen
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Favorite Focal Length


Since film it has always been 24 for me. So much to see in the city or country. A 24 2.8 and time!


Mar 14, 2014 at 03:48 PM
the solitaire
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Favorite Focal Length


Kevin, I think you were already quite accurate about the different rendering of various lenses in this focal range. I own a 50mm f2 Ai which is pretty soft wide open but has about the smoothest OoF rendering I have seen with funny looking halos occasionally.

Then I have the 50mm f1,4 S.C which is scary sharp, even wide open. OoF rendering is a bit nervous or jittery but when paying close attention to what elements you have in focus and try to avoid much happening out of focus it's a terrific lens. Closest focusing distance 2 ft/0.6 m

My girlfriend owns the 50mm f1,8 AF-S. Very sharp, very contrasty. Ranges between slightly nervous and very smooth OoF rendering. Not the quickest AF, but AF at least is still faster then on any of my 50mm lenses

My 55mm f3,5 Ai micro Nikkor is also very sharp. Renders OoF very smoothly when focusing on close subjects. As a standard lens on average to far distance I don't like it to much because the f3,5 aperture doesn't work well to seperate subjects

My favorite 50'ish mm lens is the 55mm f1,2, I own the S.C flavor but it's mostly identical to th early Ai version. It's very sharp and contrasty at f2. At f1,2 it's dreamy but still sharp. OoF areas are rendered very smooth. It's easy enough to blow out a background that would be in the way at f2. Unsharp edges and corners as well as a lillte lens distortion for me add to the unique character of this lens.

50mm lenses I would like to own? A 50mm f1,4 AF-D maybe



Mar 14, 2014 at 03:55 PM
CGrindahl
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Favorite Focal Length


I couldn't really vote Leighton because I love both 28 and 50... although I'd probably lean toward 55 because of that f/1.2 beauty in my kit. The 28 is the close focus master as most of us on the Manual Focus Nikon Glass thread know well. Since you're a fan of MF lenses, it seems a shame that you don't have a 28 f/2.8 AI-s in your kit. A $200 investment would doubtless serve you well.

The 35 f/1.4 AI-s also has Close Range Correction though it gets to 0.3 meters and the 28 gets to 0.2. The less expensive f/2 does not have CRC. Unless you're wedded to the idea of shooting at 35mm it seems for what you want, the best value for money is the 28. Even the f/2 has CRC but you'd likely need to go north of three hundred to consider that excellent lens.

Happy shopping Leighton... kit building is forever... or so I've heard...



Mar 14, 2014 at 03:59 PM
Reagan
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Favorite Focal Length


I believe I sold Leighton a 28 2.8 a while back
I voted 28

R



Mar 14, 2014 at 04:07 PM
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