85-90mm as a walkaround?

No! but as soon as I get the funds I hope to be carrying a 75/2.5 color heliar in my Bessa R kit. 35-50-75 should round out quite nicely I think!...Oh! I guess I might need a wee bit larger bag too!;)
 
An 85-90mm would not be my thing, as I am a wide-angle shooter. I would not like to be without at least a 35mm, if not a 24. It's how I see. But that's the point: it's about how you see. I remember my dad considered a 105/2.5 Nikkor his walkabout lens. I think it's a personality thing:

The wide-angle photog: "I want to see things in perspective, and show complexity of inter-relationships."

The longer lens photog: "I want to simplify down to the main thing that made me take this picture."
 
According to Lancelot Vining (My way with the Miniature) your eyes adjust. When you first glimpse a subject your angle of vision is about the 90mm mark but when you look more closely it expands to about 50mm. If you like what first attracted your attention 90 might be best?
 
Well, I like a 80 as a walkabout lens, but on my 6x6 ;)

If you want to use a 85-90 as a walkabout its fine. I'm sure your subject will mostly be people
 
I've been using the 85, 90, and 105 on the M8 lately for Spring flowers. I also used the 85/2 for an inside roller skating rink. The telephoto's focus down to 3ft, gives good close-ups for flowers. The 85/2 is fast enough and covers the distance to the action. I find that panning to catch the skaters is easier with the M8 as the viewfinder does not black-out during the exposure.

105/2.5 Nikkor on the M8.

picture.php


85/2 Nikkor on the M8. ~1/30th shutter speed.

picture.php
 
Last edited:
I find it very hard to use anything more than 50mm.
The only lens that i have with a focal length more than 50mm is a Nikon 100mm f2.8 series - a great lens and very very small for a 100mm slr lens.

The last time i have that mounted on a camera is more than a year and a half ago.
 
since I often have a 50mm mounted on the R-D1 (thus acting as a 75mm) I can relate to that, a bit. but it all comes down to shooting style, really, I feel more comfortable with a 50mm (or 50mm equivalent).
 
I have 85mm Lenses on my SLRs most of the time. Considering that the "standard" of 50mm lenses is somewhat derived from the assumption that you are looking at pictures from a distance equal to its diagonal while actually you are mostly looking at them from a greater distance (except if they are really big) 85mm could even be considered "more standard" in a technical sense..,
 
I dropped my 35 a few days ago and dented the aperture ring, so I'm now reduced to either my 15 or my 75mm. I've gone with the 75 for now but it's a big jump between the two. Hopefully I can get the 35 repaired.
 
I borrowed a 90 Summicron from a buddy for a few weeks, and using it on the M8 felt very natural. It gives you a comfortable working distance to fill the frame instead of having to get right up on your subject. Using an 85-90 is an approach for some people that goes against the spirit of street, but I don't give a damn.
 
Whether 85 or 90 works as a walkaround lens depends on what you're shooting. Some time ago I tried a CV 75/2.5 as a walkaround lens for street photography. Didn't like it. The focus throw was too long, and I found that I was too far from my subjects. I do like a 90 or 100 lens for certain landscapes or close-ups, but for street or urban landscapes I prefer a 50 or wider. YMMV.
 
Rangefinders seem to me to be at their best advantage from normal to wide - light and handy, with rangefinder and viewfinder (internal or external) working at their best. I prefer an slr for tele as those advantages are lost.

You just have to look where Oskar put the tripod mount to see how serious he thought Leicas were for big lenses. :)

- Charlie
 
The bigger lenses have their own tripod mounts.

I have no problem with a 135 on an RF. The RF Coupled 200/4.5 Komura works well, but is best on the Canon 7.
 
jvan01 said:
I borrowed a 90 Summicron from a buddy for a few weeks, and using it on the M8 felt very natural. It gives you a comfortable working distance to fill the frame instead of having to get right up on your subject. Using an 85-90 is an approach for some people that goes against the spirit of street, but I don't give a damn.
Click to expand...

If hcb could use a 90, I--like you--can do it, too.
 
I tried to use 85-90-105 as a "walk around lens", but while I like those FLs, they never really felt all that comfortable. After getting my CV 75/2.5 - it's a whole other story - I like it a lot better.
 
I cannot imagine myself using a 90mm as a walkabout street lens.

But it can probably work well for anything other than street.
 
I was always a dyed in the wool 35mm lens shooter when walking around. Recently though I've started to find myself enjoying my 50 and 90mm lenses more when 'street shooting'. Don't know why this is; could be old age, change or that I'm just finding I can isolate more with longer lenses and get just what I want in the picture.

John
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom