Are you a 50mm lover?

[chuckroast]

You're a riot! Next you're going to tell us that the earth revolves around the sun! 😉

The earth revolves around whatever it is told to by SWMBO.

But seriously, "normal" is also about what we're accustomed to, and for a very long time that has overwhelmingly been the look of a 50mm. When I was coming of age in photography, in the sixties, it was very rare to see anything shot with a lens shorter than 35mm, and one had to be wealthy indeed to afford the 21mm that is now your "natural" choice. As extreme lenses have become more widely used and available, their look has also come to seem more normal. But whatever works best for you, is best!

First, I would note that would you say is true about 35mm photography and we recognize this because the majority of photography taken from the 1950s through the age of digital was on that format. But shorter- and longer lenses were established in larger formats well before this, and in fairly common use. For example, notwithstanding the nominal diagonal rule - 4x5 shooters regularly shot with 90mm, 127mm, and 210mm lenses in the face of a "normal" diagonal of 156mm. (To this day, the 127mm and 207mm Ektars found so commonly on 4x5 Graphics are among the finest lenses ever made.)

I shoot some stuff where I want to show size, splendor, or large context - the 21mm does that nicely.

I shoot other things where I want to just what I see in the moment, with just enough context to declare why I think its interesting - the 35mm does that consistently.

I tend to shoot some things like abstracts where I want isolation of the subject from its context - a 90ish mm (or longer, depending on camera system) does this well.

IOW, how I want the subject to be seen - not just how I see in the moment - determines my focal length of choice. And, yes, there are times when a 50mm is "just right" for that.

There is no normal, there is only how you interact with the environment you want to photography and what you want to say.

N.B. In our sister arts there is little or no discussion of "normal paint brush size", or "normal time signature", or "normal sculpture size".

 

[Coldkennels]

N.B. In our sister arts there is little or no discussion of [...] "normal time signature"

...4/4 would like a word.

I'm being flippant, but 4/4 is arguably to pop, punk, and rock what 50mm is to "full frame" or 35mm-film-based photography. I'm not sure what that makes 3/4 time in this analogy, though.

 

[chuckroast]

...4/4 would like a word.

I'm being flippant, but 4/4 is arguably to pop, punk, and rock what 50mm is to "full frame" or 35mm-film-based photography. I'm not sure what that makes 3/4 time in this analogy, though.

what about 6/8, hmmmmmm


4/4 is the simplest time signature and thus attractive to these rather simple musical genres. the 50mm isnt particularly simpler to use than other focal lengths

 

[jaredangle]

I am definitely a huge fan of normal lenses, including but not limited to 50mm. If I can only take one body and one lens, it’s usually one of those.

My current lineup:

Voigtlander 40mm f/1.4 MC
Zeiss 45mm f/2 (Contax G)
Nikon 50mm f/1.2 AIS
Voigtlander 50mm f/1.1
Mamiya 110mm f/2.8

The only thing I feel like I’m missing at this point is something in the 55-58mm range. Nikon and Voigtlander each make a 55mm f/1.2 and 58mm f/1.4 for Nikon F (albeit with different characteristics), and there are also the Helios lenses which would look interesting adapted to mirrorless.

 

[MP Guy]

Thought I would revive this thread by linking to a new story I posted about the 50's Sadly, I do not have the number of 50's some of the members here have and I feel a little embarrassed. But non the less, here is what i put together about the various 50's i have owned over the years

Achieving different styles with the 50mm perspective | By: jtorral

Discover a world of compelling narratives told through stunning photography. Our photo blog / essays and visual stories offer a unique perspective on life, culture, and nature. Immerse yourself in powerful imagery that goes beyond words to explore human experiences, breathtaking landscapes, and...

www.50mil.com

 

[sojournerphoto]

Thought I would revive this thread by linking to a new story I posted about the 50's Sadly, I do not have the number of 50's some of the members here have and I feel a little embarrassed. But non the less, here is what i put together about the various 50's i have owned over the years

Achieving different styles with the 50mm perspective | By: jtorral

Discover a world of compelling narratives told through stunning photography. Our photo blog / essays and visual stories offer a unique perspective on life, culture, and nature. Immerse yourself in powerful imagery that goes beyond words to explore human experiences, breathtaking landscapes, and...

www.50mil.com

Thanks for sharing. Still use a 50 or equivalent more than anything else, although the Sigma 45 on the S1r is nice too.

A 50 on a Leica is still my favourite tool. As you note, it’s simple and unobtrusive.

 

[pvdhaar]

I only have two 50's, a Nikon 50mm 1.8 AF-D and a Konica M-Hexanon 50mm/f2. The Nikon sees regular use, but the Konica sort of lives on my M4..

 

[Freakscene]

I only have two 50's, a Nikon 50mm 1.8 AF-D and a Konica M-Hexanon 50mm/f2. The Nikon sees regular use, but the Konica sort of lives on my M4..

That Konica is very under-rated.


M-Hexanon 50mm f2, Plus-X, yellow filter, Xtol 1+3.

 

[caila77]

No, the 50mm isn't my preferred lens length; a 35mm or a medium telephoto lens (75-100mm) is better for me.
However, I think we all have several 50mm lenses; they're cheap, often sold with used cameras, versatile, and offer a good quality/price ratio. I own 5 of them

 

[Godfrey]

For many years I've been saying ...and teaching when I taught photo classes... that for me a reasonably fast normal lens is by far the most versatile, most used lens in my camera kit. So yeah, I have several 50mm lenses—nowadays, mostly Leica since they're my FF 35mm bodies, for the most part, in both film and digital... 😉

Elmar 5.0cm f/3.5
Color-Skopar 50mm f/2.5
Summicron-M 50mm f/2
Summicron-R 50mm f/2
Heliar Classic 50mm f/1.5 VM

(I do have 50mm for Hasselblad V and Olympus FourThirds system as well...)

Notes for clarification of above:
• "50mm" for 35mm FF cameras is 50mm.
• "50mm" for APS-C cameras is about a 35mm lens, but there's some variation between Nikon-Pentax and Canon due to sensor size differences.
• "50mm" for Hasselblad V-system is essentially an 80mm lens that you can shoot 1:1, 3:4, or 2:3 by cropping,
with some variation on FoV in the vertical dimension.
• "50mm" for FourThirds system is a 25mm lens, format is 3:4 proportions.
• "50mm" for Hasselblad digital with CFVII 50c is a 65mm lens, format is 3:4 proportions.

I'd almost forgotten I bought the Heliar Classic 50mm (since I had the Summicron-M 50mm on my M10-R/-M bodies), so I've been shooting with the Heliar 50mm almost exclusively for the past two-three months. It's a wonderful lens at a fraction the cost of a Summicron or Summilux. 🙂

G

 

[ellisson]

Notes for clarification of above:
• "50mm" for 35mm FF cameras is 50mm.
• "50mm" for APS-C cameras is about a 35mm lens, but there's some variation between Nikon-Pentax and Canon due to sensor size differences.
• "50mm" for Hasselblad V-system is essentially an 80mm lens that you can shoot 1:1, 3:4, or 2:3 by cropping,
with some variation on FoV in the vertical dimension.
• "50mm" for FourThirds system is a 25mm lens, format is 3:4 proportions.
• "50mm" for Hasselblad digital with CFVII 50c is a 65mm lens, format is 3:4 proportions.

I'd almost forgotten I bought the Heliar Classic 50mm (since I had the Summicron-M 50mm on my M10-R/-M bodies), so I've been shooting with the Heliar 50mm almost exclusively for the past two-three months. It's a wonderful lens at a fraction the cost of a Summicron or Summilux. 🙂

G

The Heliar Classic 50mm lens - have you been using it at wider apertures for soft focus effects? That property is of interest to me.

 

[Godfrey]

The Heliar Classic 50mm lens - have you been using it at wider apertures for soft focus effects? That property is of interest to me.

I've been holding it to f/1.5, f/2, and f/2.8 in order to learn what its imaging characteristics are at the large aperture end of the spectrum. Here are some sample images:

Flowers f2.8 - Santa Clara 2025


Street Food f2 - Santa Clara 2025


Cafe Guys f1.5 - Santa Clara 2025

All with Leica M10 Monochrom plus Heliar Classic 50mm f/1.5 SC.
​

There are a few more in my "Heliar Classic 50mm f/1.5 SC" album on Flickr.
I wouldn't call shooting near-wide-open for "soft focus effects", though; just achieving relatively shallow depth of field.

G

 

[MP Guy]

great shots . i just finished putting this together about usingthe 50 for street photography as well. 50mm street portraits photo essay and analysis. Portland, Oregon. | By: jtorral

 

[Godfrey]

great shots . i just finished putting this together about usingthe 50 for street photography as well. 50mm street portraits photo essay and analysis. Portland, Oregon. | By: jtorral

thank you.

You have some great photos in that piece as well. My head thinks of these sorts of photos as "street portraits" rather than "street photography" per se because, while most good street photography includes a lot of environmental portraiture of people on the street, I tend to think of that as a subtext as the intent in the street photography I usually go for is a larger context of people and the environment rather than just the people as portraits.

That generally incites a longer conversation which circles about the question "What is street photography?" To make that discussion brief, it can bear a lot of different approaches, but I feel it has a more to do with documenting interactions of people with the environment and with other people rather than being fixed too tightly on one person at a time. Both kinds of photographs depict relationships with the culture of the time and people, but the view is a broader scope in street photography vs street portraiture.

Certainly grist for thought and discussion... 🙂

G

 

[Leon C]

Yes I am.