What's _YOUR_ RF Focal Length?

What's _YOUR_ RF Focal Length?

  • Wider

    Votes: 12 1.8%

  • 25

    Votes: 16 2.4%

  • 28

    Votes: 39 6.0%

  • 35

    Votes: 218 33.3%

  • 40

    Votes: 95 14.5%

  • 50

    Votes: 259 39.6%

  • 60

    Votes: 1 0.2%

  • 75

    Votes: 6 0.9%

  • 85

    Votes: 2 0.3%

  • 90

    Votes: 5 0.8%

  • Longer

    Votes: 1 0.2%
  • Total voters
    654
back alley said:
i'm curious if people might start collecting 40's like they do 50's?

i have a 40 coming in soon and wonder if it will take over...

joe
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Hmm, it might. I had a CL once with a 40mm Summicron that, aside from a flare problem, was a spectacular optic. I really liked the 40mm frame for general shooting. A little tighter than 35 and a little wider than 50.

Gene
 
i have to admit that i'm looking forward to the arrival of my 40 as i plan to mate it with the cle and use it as a daily camera combo. i hope it will eliminate some of the decision anxiety about 'which lens today'.
 
50mm has always been the most natural match for how I compose photographs. I am learning to love 35mm. But I am quite sure that 50 will always be my most used focal length.
 
lic4 said:
I've gotten my best shots with a 35mm, but I wish I were better with the 28mm. Does that make any sense? I can't seem to do well with the 28mm, but when I see really talented work with the lens (eg Trent Parke), I try my hand at it again. Should I stop already??
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I know what you mean. I've gotten some shots with the 28 that I like, but when I see Winogrand, I'm always amazed. I find it hard to compose with the 28, and I don't know how folks handle anything wider. It's great that they do; I'm envious.


Quote:
Originally Posted by GeneW
I think 40 combines the best of 35 and 50 into one convenient lens.

Gene


i'm curious if people might start collecting 40's like they do 50's?

i have a 40 coming in soon and wonder if it will take over...

joe
Click to expand...


I agree about the 40, Gene. For me, it's training wheels for the 50. 😉

joe, what 40 are you waiting for?


.
 
back alley said:
the minolta rokkor 40.
i had 2 complete sets of the rokkors when i had 2 cle bodies years ago.

it all got sold when i decided that i needed to shoot medium format only.
please kick me!

joe
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that's a great lens. Worth waiting for.


.
 
I said 35, cause that's the only RF lens I have. With an slr however I'm much happier with 50mm. I used to be a 21mm guy, and as soon as I get my OM1 back from the shop, that's the first lens I'm gonna put on it.
 
I have to say I am surprised at the number of 50mm shooters there are. I never really LOVED the focal length till I got my 50/1.4 Nikkor. I voted 25, as I've loved that lens longer and it just seems "normal" to me. When I think about it, I've moved from a 35 to a 25, but I was happy with the 35, this 25 opened up new doors for me.

I do not think I'm in love with a particular focal length as much as am I'm in love with a specific lens. While I really liked my 90 'Cron on my Ms, I loved my 85/1.8 on my FTn. I do not think that I would be in love with the ZI 25 as much as I am with the CV 25. Not that I would not love to own it, everything I hear makes it seem almost perfect.

Good question and interesting results.

Thanks.

B2 (;->
 
GeneW said:
I think 40 combines the best of 35 and 50 into one convenient lens.
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I'd agree, Gene... I was infected by the 40 Rokkor on the CLE back in the 80's and have liked it ever since. For me it's an easy field of view to calibrate the eyeball to, when out scouting for pics.

Plus or minus 5mm, as I'm almost as happy with 35 and 45mm.

back alley said:
i'm curious if people might start collecting 40's like they do 50's?
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I'm sure, Joe! I have that original 40 Rokkor, also use kuvvy's old 40 Nokton, and got a 43 Pentax from another RFF member.

Then, as suggested above, there are the other-format near-equivalents: There's something very special about the 75mm f2.8 Asph on the Pentax 67, about like a 37-38mm field of view; "natural", and what a piece of glass! I think 28mm would do the same on the M8, and 24-25mm on a Pentax dSLR or Olympus Pen F. Also 60mm on the Fuji 645... and the 65mm for the Bronica RF645 is a 40-equivalent.
 
Doug said:
I'd agree, Gene... I was infected by the 40 Rokkor on the CLE back in the 80's and have liked it ever since. For me it's an easy field of view to calibrate the eyeball to, when out scouting for pics.

Plus or minus 5mm, as I'm almost as happy with 35 and 45mm.

I'm sure, Joe! I have that original 40 Rokkor, also use kuvvy's old 40 Nokton, and got a 43 Pentax from another RFF member.
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I also picked up the 40/2 Ultron AIS for my Nikon. A wonderful lens, imo, and it's also nice on my DSLR, where it becomes an effective 60.

Gene
 
GeneW said:
I also picked up the 40/2 Ultron AIS for my Nikon. A wonderful lens, imo...
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Right! Forgot mine as I was still thinking RFs... I have the Ultron SL in Pentax KA mount, and then I also got the FA mount Pentax 43 Limited (as well as in LTM mount). These both are great useful lenses.

Do you have a preferred 40?
 
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Why there is no 45mm to choose? That was common length for fixed lens RF and I always liked it. I prefer Canonet QL 1.9 (45) above 1.7 (40mm) because of that focal length, knowing that the lens of the second is somewhat sharper.
 
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