p.1 #1 · "Normal" focal length usage you struggle with?
Just a bit curious about this and thought it'd be fun to see what others have struggled with.
For a decade or more now of my photography journey (that started in the mid-90s) I've been attempting to shoot wide angle landscapes, thinking it's something I "should" do. But despite every effort I am just failing to see these images properly and the results reflect it. I see many nice shots at wide/ultrawide from others but it just never clicks for me. 24mm is my "ultrawide" and even 28mm starts feeling uncomfortable. Wider than that? Forget it, it just doesn't work out. I think I have finally reached acceptance here and will not bother to bring anything really wide on upcoming trips. The past few landscape workshops I've brought something like a 14-28 or 14-30, only to attempt a few shots and then go back to my trusty 24-XX. I feel far happier shooting at more moderate focal lengths and even up to the 70-200 range.
That got me thinking, does anyone struggle with other "normal" focal lengths for the purpose? Do we have people here who can't shoot decent 85/90 mm portraits? Wildlife shooters who hate long teles? Bring it on!
p.1 #2 · "Normal" focal length usage you struggle with?
I prefer longer focals for landscapes, so mostly 70-200 or 100-400/100-500 and then focus stack and stitch. 500MP to 1GP+ is nice and relatively easy nowadays. If you do a lot around waters, maybe a GFX MF. 500/4 or 600/4 is for wildlife where possible, but some of the cheaper zooms like 200-600 or 180-600 when needed. Of course a 100-400/100-500 is good for closer and larger species.
Lenses and bodies are simply tools. You don't have to like them, just use them to best effect to achieve the desired results. I'm not capturing images to enjoy the experience.
If you don't like some particular subjects or styles, then don't do it if not your job. Concentrate on what you are interested in. I don't do humans, general nature, cities or arty fartsy stuff. I'm not a photographer so YMMV.
p.1 #3 · "Normal" focal length usage you struggle with?
I'm in the opposite camp: Wide-angles are my "normal" (historically my Nikkor 24/2, but more recently a 28/1.4D). I also like moderate telephotos (105 & 180), but otherwise I _really_ struggle with nifty-fifty lenses. I do own the Noct-Nikkor 58/1.2, and for it's intended use (wide-open at night), I enjoy it, but my camera-brain doesn't seem to "see" pictures at that focal length, and always want to go wider.
p.1 #4 · "Normal" focal length usage you struggle with?
My main faux pas is with UWA-WA up to 24mm. I get too much "perspective distortion" (keystoning)due to my ignorance and trying to get too close. My fault.
I have to be very aware of what my result will be before I frame an image in the vf.
Dan
p.1 #5 · "Normal" focal length usage you struggle with?
Danpbphoto wrote:
My main faux pas is with UWA-WA up to 24mm. I get too much "perspective distortion" (keystoning)due to my ignorance and trying to get too close. My fault.
I have to be very aware of what my result will be before I frame an image in the vf.
Dan
I think my problem with the ultrawides is either what you are mentioning or stepping back too far and then nothing becomes the subject because everything seems insignificant.
p.1 #6 · "Normal" focal length usage you struggle with?
grantgoodes wrote:
I'm in the opposite camp: Wide-angles are my "normal" (historically my Nikkor 24/2, but more recently a 28/1.4D). I also like moderate telephotos (105 & 180), but otherwise I _really_ struggle with nifty-fifty lenses. I do own the Noct-Nikkor 58/1.2, and for it's intended use (wide-open at night), I enjoy it, but my camera-brain doesn't seem to "see" pictures at that focal length, and always want to go wider.
See this is what I was hoping for. I just cannot understand how a 58mm would not feel "natural" while a 24mm does. Is it because we physically view things differently or is it more of a mental approach to viewing the world?
I'd say 35mm to me feels like what I normally see, while a 75mm or so lens more represents what I pay attention to. But anything in-between feels natural enough to me. Wider and my brain just shuts down, longer and I accept it as a "crop" of what I am seeing.
p.1 #7 · "Normal" focal length usage you struggle with?
pingflood wrote:
See this is what I was hoping for. I just cannot understand how a 58mm would not feel "natural" while a 24mm does. Is it because we physically view things differently or is it more of a mental approach to viewing the world?
I'd say 35mm to me feels like what I normally see, while a 75mm or so lens more represents what I pay attention to. But anything in-between feels natural enough to me. Wider and my brain just shuts down, longer and I accept it as a "crop" of what I am seeing.
I think it boils down to the lenses I had in my "formative years". When I bought my first camera (early 80's), I was living in Copenhagen and on a trip back home to Toronto which had a lot of used camera shops (and MUCH cheaper prices than Denmark!). An experienced photographer friend of mine agreed to assist me in purchasing a camera setup, and we went to all the shops to see what was on offer. We found a nice Nikon FE as the body, and then we encountered an AI'ed Nikkor 24/2.8 NC in a somewhat dodgy pawn-shop. He said that 24mm was one of his favourite focal lengths, and although it was a bit of an extreme wide-angle, it was such a good deal that I should consider it. I ended up with that early 70's 24/2.8 plus a modern 105/2.5 AiS to complete my kit, and with my limited budget mostly consumed by the somewhat pricey 24mm, I didn't get a standard 50mm lens.
I ended up loving the perspective of the 24mm lens, which suited my desire to document the streets and bars of Copenhagen. The 105mm was perfect for candid people shots, but the 24mm was on the FE most of the time, and it got to the point where I could pre-visualize photos, and with the lens set to the hyperfocal distance I could often shoot with only a glance at the viewfinder to compose the scene and make sure I had the camera level. I think a few years of this 2-lens kit trained my brain to "see" the world in terms of the 24mm focal length.
As a surprise birthday present from my Wife, I later got the Noct-Nikkor 58/1.2, and so had a "normal" lens for the first time. I found the 58mm somewhat claustrophobic after so many years of shooting mostly 24mm, and didn't use it that much as a result (plus I was always afraid I would damage what was even then a very valuable lens!). My only upgrade was to switch to the faster 24/2 (after the 24/2.8 focus ring seized up on a trip to Paris -- broke my heart!). Later, when I finally got an AF body (a Df), I purchased the 28/1.4D, which has now become a real favourite: Unlike the 58mm, 28mm doesn't feel claustrophobic to me, and I love the background isolation that the 28/1.4 gives me.
