Old question, new angle: 35mm v 50mm

sparrow6224

sparrow6224

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I have been intrigued by the one year - one camera - one lens movement or club or whatever -- and, as I often do just on my own trying to decide to leave the house with one lens, I find myself, contemplating even a couple of months, torn between 35mm and 50mm. I would guess the majority of RFF'ers are 35mm aficionados and I have had a long love affair with that focal length; but there is a strength, a kind of visual muscularity, to the 50mm that the 35mm cannot match and that I am coming to appreciate more and more.

So if you were doing the one year etc -- which would you use? I don't think any of us need to hear about the technical specifics, really -- although in the context of specific photographic aims they're always interesting -- but what would be most informative is your experience and your gut emotional visual aesthetic sensibility, explained.
 
If I were doing a year (which I won't - I'm not that stoic) wih an slr, I'd use a 50, with a rangefinder, then I'd use a 35. Can't say why, it's just how I roll.
 
50 without question. "a strength, a kind of visual muscularity" that's exactly why I like it the best, you put it very well. It's solid, without excuse or adornment.
 
I've never gone in for the one year one camera one lens idea- though the discipline does appeal to me- but I do shoot with a 50mm lens for easily 80% of my photography. I just like the versatility of the focal length.

Much of the time I do carry just one camera with one lens, and it's generally a 50mm. I will confess that sometimes I do find myself wishing I had something wider. But when I carry only a 35mm, I find it to be wider than I want or need at least as often. This is why I tend to carry more than one lens (and often more than one body) most of the time when I think I'll be in a situation where I will really want to make photographs.
 
I picked a 40mm...the CV 40/f1.4.

In using a 35mm FL, the horizontal FoV equals to imaging distance...almost exactly.

If a 40mm FL is use instead, the 35mm FoV will be covered by stepping back a little...14% (40/35) more.

To cover the equivalent FoV of 50mm, the imaging distance needs to be 35/50 or 30% less...step forward a little.

Basically, if the most used imaging distance is 10', then one step back is a 35mm- and two steps forward is a 50mm...unless your back is against the wall or standing at the edge of a cliff.

If you are shooting at infinity, then it matters little at all.
 
I like 45 more than 40 but it's harder to find. Just a note on the one camera one lens or variations on photographic stoicism: Henri Cartier Bresson travelled south and east Asia in the 1940s, capturing Gandhi's death and the fall of Shanghai among other monumental events, with one Leica III and three lenses: a 35mm, a 50mm, and a 135mm. Eugene Smith, on the other hand, typically when working wore five and even occasionally six cameras around his neck all loaded with different focal length lenses. These are the photographers I most admire (along with Ansel Adams who had a Contax as I recall but didn't fool with it all that much) and the approaches were totally different.
 
A 50mm is a bit more versatile in my opinion, in the sense that it serves well for general photography AND for portraits. Another important element, is how close are you willing to get to people in the street. I find that a 35mm lens forces you to get so close, that it becomes dangerous to shoot people, unles you are in some "friendly" environment. On the other hand, I can get by prety much unnoticed if I shoot the street with a 50mm, it gives me these 3-5 meters of distance, which is big enough not to stir the attention right away.
Have a look at this film (all 3 parts)
http://vimeo.com/6497905
and note how close Chris gets to people - I believe the checkers players were acting, it would be impossible to shoot from this distance unnoticed in reality.
 
Definitely a 50mm!

I don't believe you can photograph any individual with a 35mm and do them justice ... and that's important to me.
 
Keith said:
Definitely a 50mm!

I don't believe you can photograph any individual with a 35mm and do them justice ... and that's important to me.
Click to expand...


I've found that when working small confined spaces that a 35mm work great for taking 1/2 to full length shots. Of course if I want something more along the lines of a portrait I use something in the 85-135mm range.


Mcary-29May10-35mm-HP51600-10.jpg
 
mfogiel said:
A 50mm is a bit more versatile in my opinion, in the sense that it serves well for general photography AND for portraits. Another important element, is how close are you willing to get to people in the street. I find that a 35mm lens forces you to get so close, that it becomes dangerous to shoot people, unles you are in some "friendly" environment. On the other hand, I can get by prety much unnoticed if I shoot the street with a 50mm, it gives me these 3-5 meters of distance, which is big enough not to stir the attention right away.
Have a look at this film (all 3 parts)
http://vimeo.com/6497905
and note how close Chris gets to people - I believe the checkers players were acting, it would be impossible to shoot from this distance unnoticed in reality.
Click to expand...

it's always dangerous to shoot people! you can go to prison for 🙂
What I like with the 50 is that it's very versatile indeed. The 28 is nice as well because you can take people in their environment without directly aiming at them. Less intrusive.
1 year - 1 lens : buy a Rolleiflex!
Cheers,
 
Keith said:
Definitely a 50mm!

I don't believe you can photograph any individual with a 35mm and do them justice ... and that's important to me.
Click to expand...

On the contrary, I always take a step back if I'm using a 50mm now 🙂

So definitely 35mm for me:

4879236819_359a8d27f0_z.jpg
 
35mm just because I never want to be in a situation where I get too little in the frame — I'd rather crop.

Although I did shoot 50mm for almost a year with very few problems…
 
A 50mm. I used to only use the 35mm but over the past few years I've found it a bit wide for my taste. Haven't missed using it much...
 
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