What is your favorite f-stop in 35mm photography?

What is your favorite f-stop in 35mm photography?

  • Total voters
    410
Pablito said:
chicken.......or lasagna
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I think you got yourself a new poll! Just don't ask whether to have it "done" or not. There's already a poll for that :angel:
 
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No line for 1.8? ... no, seriously. Look at a number of Canon lenses...

Willaim
 
I could not vote because I don’t have a favorite f/stop. The f/stop I use depends on…

1. the focal length I am using (wide-angle vs. normal vs. telephoto)
2. the f/stops available (lens with f/1.4 to f/16 vs. lens with f/11 only)
3. the subject matter (portrait vs. landscape)
4. what I am trying to accomplish (shallow vs. great depth of field)
5. the amount of light available (wide open or stopped down)
6. how sharp an image I need (select the sharpest f/stop for the lens)
 
Without looking at the whole thread, I am with those who don't have a favorite other than the one that gives me the particular shot I want at the time of the photo. I might prefer more open or closed, but have to choose that which gives me a photo. Sometimes I do have choices and may want more depth of field or less and choose the f/stop to do that. Funny, I just figured everyone did that.
 
I like f2 - enough room for slight focussing error in standard lenses, nice smooth bokeh, most fast lenses @ around f2 are showing good contrast/color/sharpness.

At higher fstops, I like 5.6 in standard lenses - gives enough of the image to be in focus with a tiny little bit just blending OOF
 
f/1.4 is where I almost always am unless I can get faster (I have f/1.2 when I choose to use that lens....) and I don't think it's a stupid question. I use neutral-density filters to allow me to open all the way up when there's too much light, because I like having as little depth of field as possible, especially for portraits.
 
must admit to going for f2, if I had faster lenses then i would go faster! I do like the 3d effect this gives me. just the way I like my pictures to look I suppose.
 
dreamsandart said:
And to add a bit of thought, one of the main reasons I use a rangefinder [Leica] is because of the quality/look of the fast lenses ( why buy a fast lens if you are not going to use that speed? ) in combination with the holdability of the camera.
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Exactly the main reason to buy a Leica and Leica lenses: photograph at full aperture!

For example: I use the macro-elmarit 2.8/60 on the Leicaflex SL 2 mostly at 2.8. Because then you can use the short shutter speed. The maximum contrast of this lens is already at full aperture! In this way making photos gives you a special result in depth of field, witch makes the Leica lenses famous!
 
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I have favorite f-stops, because I shoot exclusivlty landscapes. I want as much depth of focus as possible. Usually about one stop off of the smallest hole available to me
 
Unless I am shooting at a particular F-stop to blow away the background or for Max DOF, then I shoot a lens at its sweet spot, usually 5.6
 
I try to shoot close to the optimum aperture for a given lens, unless there is a reason not to--like needing More light, or more DOF.
 
Joop van Heijgen said:
For example: I use the macro-elmarit 2.8/60 on the Leicaflex SL 2 mostly at 2.8. Because then you can use the short shutter speed. The maximum contrast of this lens is already at full aperture! In this way making photos gives you a special result in depth of field, witch makes the Leica lenses famous!
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What "special results in DOF " ? A 2,8/60 lens has always the same DOF at any given f-Stop, no matter which brand ?

Bertram
 
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