4ALL
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: On
|
philip_pj wrote:
Now we have so many close focus fast lenses appearing, even in M-mount. That development and the appearance of very fast wide angle lenses - 35mm being the anchor here, but really even decent 28mm and 24mm lenses serve well for people imagery - on the street etc.
Bokeh from these lenses is a very different matter and a big challenge, though nowhere near as much as 50mm and longer focal lengths. As seen in jojib's above, if your bokeh is well-designed (smooth but rich in content identification, even in deep fade) the images are very sound.
Leica's Noctilux 35/1.2 is a 'future fast lens' which has to wait its turn until the current APOmania (and coincident forensic hunts for residual CA) subsides into the scenery (so to speak).
For deep DOF images, it's the same as it ever was: 'f8 and be there', graduated color tonality, clear contrast of subject matter, excellent color discrimination. All formats. But that is not the battleground right now. ...Show more →
I have been through this topic extensively, starting all the way from 15mm lenses. I even had three separate attempts with 28mm lenses and ended up selling them all three times.
In general, I don't think wide-angle lenses are particularly well suited for photographing people or portraits. I'm not even talking about geometric distortion. The perspective exaggeration alone is often unacceptable unless someone intentionally likes a caricature-like look, because it doesn't have much to do with realistic rendering.
Wide-angle lenses are also extremely sensitive to camera tilt and positioning. That's one of the reasons they are most commonly used with large depth of field and, on high-resolution sensors, often leave enough room for cropping later.
The technique of shooting with a 28mm lens is completely different from using a normal or short telephoto lens. Personally, I prefer shooting from waist level with the help of a spirit level when working handheld. At the moment, I've fallen in love with the Voigtländer Ultron 28mm Type I. What surprised me the most is that it allows me to take selfies that are significantly better than those from an iPhone, which sounds almost ridiculous to say.
Previously, I used the Sony FE 35mm f/1.8, which made selfies easy, but the autofocus often let me down, and the images lacked the character I get from the Ultron. You're also right that the close focusing distance changes everything. Because it focuses so close, I can set it around f/5.6, fully extend my arm, and get consistently good results.
Regarding aperture, I don't entirely agree with the common assumption that bigger apertures automatically produce better images. In the case of the Ultron, f/5.6 is actually the sweet spot. Aperture size does not automatically translate into higher image quality. In fact, stopping down often increases resolution and overall image performance. The real sweet spot is finding the balance between depth of field and resolution.
For decades I've struggled with making photographs with deep depth of field look clear and readable. It was something that constantly bothered me. Nowadays, if I want a truly impressive image with lots of detail and depth, I often create panoramas by stitching multiple photographs together.
I know a photographer who produces incredible work with the Leica Summilux 21mm f/1.4. However, I remember him writing that it took him about a year to learn how to use that lens properly. He also mentioned that he essentially worked with only two apertures and a two of subject distances, which makes perfect sense to me.
In a way, I arrived at the same conclusion with 28mm. Wide-angle lenses often require a very disciplined and repeatable approach if you want consistent results.
The photos he creates are absolutely stunning, especially from cycling trips and outdoor adventures. That said, I don't think his work is really about searching for beautiful landscapes filled with fine detail. To me, it feels more like a visual essay or a travel journal from the journey itself. The atmosphere, perspective, and sense of being there seem more important than technical detail or picturesque scenery.
And please, don't mention the APO too loudly right now, or you might upset quite a few people given all the hype surrounding it... 😄
Just kidding, don't take that too seriously.
I've already seen some presentations and sample images from the 35mm f/1.2.
|
