Thoughts on focal lengths for the street.

[Dave Wilkinson]

It's been discussed a lot already - but just my thoughts!. I've spent the last few months recovering from illness, and the advice has been - plenty of moderate exercise, so being retired - I have plenty of time for shooting, and the emphasis has shifted from landscape and scenic stuff - that was favourite, to the street and people/candid shots.
It always seems that wide-angle lenses are the prefer ed tools for this type of work, and I have really tried, often walking out with just a 35 or 28mm on my chosen camera, but for some reason it doesn't work for me!. Maybe I have an aversion to getting 'up-close', although I am a fairly big guy, and not at all nervous around 'people', but results were usually disappointing. Conversely - when I opt for the humble 50mm, things improve a heck of a lot!, and if I'm using something in the 75 to 90 range - bingo! I get some of my best shots ever!. Anyone else have similar feelings? - or are you all 'in the face' 'wide guys'?
Cheers, Dave.

 

[back alley]

i prefer a wide to a tele for the street. when i head out with some dslr friends they mostly use these big honkin' teles and i often feel like they are 'cheating'.

however, i sometimes feel like going a little long and on the rd1 that means my 50, which translated to a 76 fov. but i usually tend to shoot more isolated 'things' on the street and less people shots.

 

[benmacphoto]

When I first started I used a 50mm all the time, but now I use a 28 or 35. Occasionally the 50 makes an appearance when doing street work. It does depend what I come across when shooting.

 

[varjag]

Get well soon Dave!

I use 50 and 35. The 90 and longer never really worked for me; with distant subject you lose control over the angle you shoot from. Also getting more than one thing in focus becomes challenging with longer lenses.

I do find that 35 works better in packed places, and the 50 in semi-empty streets, but it's not a hard rule.

 

[yanidel]

IMO, the problem with longer lenses is that street tends to become a bit too much "portrait" style. I find it more interesting when the environment is also included in the picture that is why I prefer wides. If I can't get the shot with the wide, I'll go to the tele (no more than 75-80mm).

 

[alexz]

Well, I'm still trying to work my way into street shooting.
So far, it appears both of 35mm and 50mm lenses work for me on streets but with different moods...
I noted that it is much easier for em to shoot streets while abroad then in my environment, when I'm part of the local crowd. And heading abroad lately I noticed I reach more for 35mm lens and feel quite comfortable with it thanks to its convenience of being able to cover various street aspects from shooting into faces (being foreigner helps a lot) to street architectures.
However, tend to pick 50mm for events or feel the urge for more thoughtful and relaxed approach (50mm requires more precise, hence longer focusing)...
but generally, I found 35mm serves me better then I used to think about that FL...

 

[Merkin]

I find that a lot of it has to do with the scale of my environment. If you are in an area with very narrow streets and alleys, you pretty much have to have a wide if you want any sort of context. In larger, more open spaces, a wide can drown out the subject with too much context. Also, for me, the style of camera affects the length of lens I prefer, although these days, I am shooting pretty much exclusively with a 35-70 zoom, which pretty much covers me for anything.

 

[gilpen123]

For me I am not also too much with the wides in street shoots. I almost always use the 40 and 50 allowing more space between me and subject. I more often than not get more than what I wanted with 28/35. 40,50 & 90 is great for me.

 

[Bob Michaels]

I like to be very close to my subjects. There is something about being close that seems to create some sense of "really being there" for my eye. And, I want the subject to know they are being photographed. I don't want to ever be sneaky. The subjects reaction to being photographed very often adds some new dimension to the image.

Plus, I like to have some good background information to add some sense of place.

These add up me shooting with either a 28mm or a 35mm almost exclusively. A 50mm just puts me too far away from the subject and limits what is in the background. A 21mm very often puts to background too far away and too small. I have a 25mm and find it works sometimes but is not as universal as either the 35mm or 28mm.

But each of us has our own style and likes/dislikes, so I am not contending what works for me is what would work for you.

 

[BobPS]

I used to love 50mm as my walking around lens for street shooting. After I got my 28mm, it took me some time to learn to shoot with the 28. I didn't really like it then, it was just difficult for me to shoot with 28mm. I found that it was too wide, and I was not comfortable getting too close to the people that I wanted to photograph.

But I kept on trying and learn to use it, and then after some more time I began to like it. I'm still learning but now, it stays 90% of the time. In fact, it becomes my favorite lens for street shooting, cause I can include the surroundings and I can get real close to the people I photograph ... something that didn't like. Even when I use my dslr, I now prefer to use the wide end of my 24-70 zoom.

Bob

 

[Richard G]

25mm, external finder, scale focussing with mammoth depth of field. I love the Zeiss Biogon but I would love to have the VC Skopar for its size.

 

[surfer dude]

I like too use my rf for street shooting as I think that is one area that rf's shine. I have only, until recently, had a 35mm lens for it and I absolutely love that focal length, especially for getting out and amongst people.

I have recently received a 50mm and look forward to trying that too. I have a feeling that my 35mm will still stay on most of the time in the street though. Would love to try a 28mm too, but that is just being greedy!

 

[denmark.yuzon]

i use 50mm all the time, but somehow, it gets limiting.. there are times i wanted to include some real estate, but i can't because i would have to move away from my subject and that kinda annoys me.

 

[mfogiel]

I think 35mm is borderline for stealth street shooting - you can get some nice photos, but you have to be darn fast:

With 28, 25 and 21mm it really becomes more of a shoot from the hip or take a bigger scene thing:
28mm

|
25mm

21mm

For me, the king of the street is 50mm:

although sometimes, you can get a stunning shot with a 90-100mm too:

 

[Bob Michaels]

closer, wider & background

closer, wider & background

from a trip a few weeks ago.

 

[Turtle]

its very personal. I find 35mm about perfect, but that suits my style. 28mm I use in a more specialised way and 50mm is for when I need ot mix things up, but for me, I see like a 35mm so it works. If you are a 75/90 person then go with it and make the images! Your 90mm would not work for me, just as my 35mm wont for you, but it matters not at all!

 

[le vrai rdu]

started with 50

now 35 since about 2 years

I never felt really pleased using a too long focal length (>50mm imho)

 

[Jason Sprenger]

These days I favor a 50mm for street shooting. I tried a 35mm for some time, but came to feel that being even just a couple steps closer was affecting the subject over much and interfering with the sort of shot I wanted.

On the other hand, a 90mm would be over long for me though, a bit too removed for my taste.

So my 90mm is generally for portraits, my 35mm for indoors and landscapes, and my 50mm is for people in outdoor places.

 

[arseniii]

Well I'd say 21 - 28 is very suitable for a densely packed street. Sometimes 35mm is not sufficient on a narrow street. Trust me, you will be noticed less with 21mm rather than with say 50mm. When 21mm is on you will have to get really (REALLY) close to the subject and what I noticed was that people usually think you are shooting something behind them. I find it rather interesting how it works ;-) Good luck!

P.S. My favourite street lens of all times is ZM Biogon 25mm which is the best optics money can buy IMHO.

 

[Bingley]

For me, for street, it's 50 or 40. 35 or 28 are OK, but I prefer the tighter field of view from a 50. You can get in plenty close, or step back and take in more of the surrounding scene: