28mm vs 35mm

28mm vs 35mm

  • 28mm

    Votes: 147 43.8%

  • 35mm

    Votes: 189 56.3%
  • Total voters
    336
I only had 28 and 50 lens for a while and it was an awesome combo. I once read a comment on this forum that you can get "50mm look" with a 35mm lens but can't get a "35mm look" with a 50mm lens. I feel pretty much the same about 28 vs. 35.

You will have less choice shopping for a 28mm, though.
 
I thought I am a 35mm man, been shooting with 35mm exclusively for the last 6 months or so, and now I find myself wanting a 28mm exactly for that 'stretch' aka perspective distortion associated with wide angles.
Though if you need one lens only, 35mm is great! 😀
 
I see wide more than telephoto. When I started getting serious about photography, and with an SLR, I realized I needed more lenses. I got a set of 28mm and 135mm. I really liked the 28mm. The 135mm got use too, but not as much. Next, I got an 18mm and 35mm. I now have 2 35mm and I just don't use them. I can't get used to it when I have other lenses to choose from. Since then I have acquired a 24mm as well. To me, 35mm is too close to 50mm, which is another favorite of mine. Ohters obviously agree.

When I got me Super Press 23, I started out with the 100mm only, its normal lens. When I returned to the USA, I ran across a 65mm. I could get wider! But I wished for more. It is probably more like a 35mm. Since I have acquired a 50mm for it and really like that.

That is me. Only you can really decide which you prefer. I would advise going with the 28mm first. But that is mostly because of my bias. As with others above, you may consider it too wide. I wish you luck in choosing. Unfortunately you may only know by comparing, and selling the one you don't like.
 
I carry a 24mm and a 50mm lens. The 24mm puts people in the scene and everything is in focus. The 50mm crops in of course and its easy to get out of focus backgrounds. 28mm is similar to the 24mm but introduces slightly less distortion. 35mm is like a slightly wide 50mm. 24/50 or 28/50 is my recommendation.
 
I like 35 & 50 a lot, and think a lot comes down to whether you like changing lenses or not. If I was out with a a 28mm & 50mm, I know I would be changing lenses a lot. With a 35 or 50, I know I can capture whatever crosses my path, with either, and like that freedom.
 
I'm mainly a 35mm and 50mm fan. 28mm is a special purpose lens to me. However, your needs and where you feel comfortable standing in relation to your subject may differ.
 
Get both. Only you can decide this.

For Nikon SLR, I've got 20f2.8, 20f3.5, 28f2.8, 28f3.5, 35f2, and a bunch of 50's. the 35 hardly gets used.
 
For years, whichever kit I owned always used to b based around a body + 28, 50 and 85(or 105) lenses. I've just realised that despite having a few SLRs and a couple of rangefnders, I don't own a 28mm lens at all - but I have a few 35mm lenses.

I've got a 20mm/f2.8 Ai-S and 24mm/f2.8 AF Nikkors for when I want something properly wide but, for some reason, I seem to have fallen out of love with the 28mm angle of view....
 
*chris said:
how much closer are we talking when using a 28mm vs a 35mm? if i am going to be shooting people occasionally i don't want to have to get in their face with the camera but if it's more like a couple feet closer i don't think it'll matter because i usually know the people i take pictures of. im going to try and look at more pictures shot with 28mm and 35mm. im leaning a little towards 28mm at the moment
Click to expand...

For me, in NYC, a 28 is better for street because of crowds, but this requires getting up close and personal like 5-6-7 feet. (Ever try to shoot in a crowed subway?) Also with a 28 kneeling down, lowering the camera, bending over, or shooting from the chest is required, especially when shooting close otherwise distortions and odd horizons kinda happen. Lowering the position of the camera IMHO is part of shooting with a 28, less so with a 35.

I find the lowering of the FOV offers a different look that can be inspiring and fresh. Also I like carrying two cameras and a 28 and 50 make a nice pair.

Cal
 
*chris said:
how much closer are we talking when using a 28mm vs a 35mm? if i am going to be shooting people occasionally i don't want to have to get in their face with the camera but if it's more like a couple feet closer i don't think it'll matter because i usually know the people i take pictures of. im going to try and look at more pictures shot with 28mm and 35mm. im leaning a little towards 28mm at the moment
Click to expand...


See Cal's post for an answer to "how close". If you're going to fill up the frame w/ a 28, you're going to need to move in. That's partly why I think 28 is a good focal length for shooting indoors, where you may be a few feet away from your subject anyway. Also note the comments above about needing to watch your horizons w/ a 28 (any wide, really). Having said all that, I like the 28 focal length and use it a lot as a companion to a 50 (or 40).
 
I am one of those odd ducks who really likes the 28, 35, and 50. Each one has a very different purpose though. 35 is my favorite general purpose lens and what I use on my rangefinder. If I want to be interacting with people, it is a 28, and if I want to isolate a subject, it is a 50.

Personally, I'd pick a 28 to go with a 50, but it all depends on how you want to shoot.
 
Try 24mm.
A bit demanding to start with. You may have to get up really close.
You may have to tilt the camera to get the lines in the composition right but that is almost the same case as with the 28.
If you already have decided to carry a 50mm, the 24 gives you more of a radical alternative than just moving out the few extra angles of coverage that the 35, or even the 28 would give you.
It's great fun.
After a while I skipped the 50 and now carry 35 and 24.
Sometimes just the 24.
It's all a matter of preferences though.
 
Here is what I've used for people photography with 35mm camera and film:

Head & Shoulders around 75mm

Full length photograph of a person 50mm

Groups up to about 10 feet wide 35mm


6x6 Medium Format

Head & Shoulders 120mm lens

Full length of a person 80mm

Groups around 10 feet wide 50mm

With full frame 35mm digital I use mainly a 24-70 Canon f2.8 lens. The reason, I can pretty much keep the camera in the same spot when making formal photos.

Hope this helps you.
 
Hi,

35 and then 85/90mm for my pair but probably 35mm iff* only one.

Regards, David

* That's a mathematicians "iff" not finger trouble.
 
I think 35mm is perfect. Maybe You do not need a 50mm once You have a 35mm, but You also don't need a 28 mm.
28 is wide-angle, with that, well You simply see it is wide-angle.
35 is a wide normal perspective. It has more space than 50 mm.
 
Together with the 50 I'd take the 28. But if I could really choose I would take the 28 and 35 and get rid of the 50. (and replace it with a something in the range 85-135)
 
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