Choosing lens focal lengths that are close to each other

[aizan]

When people shop for a new lens, they often worry about them being too close in focal length.

I don't think there is such a thing as "one lens being too close to another." (Unless we're talking 55mm vs. 58mm or 100mm vs. 105mm!) Every focal length has its forté.

If you have a certain job to do, you should get the best tool for it. Having a lens that's close in focal length doesn't really change that.

The one exception being space and budget constraints. Your camera cabinet might be getting too crowded. 😛

 

[Roger Hicks]

Well, I find 55 and 58mm surprisingly different, and it's not just down to "signatures": I've had several of both (Pentax and Nikon 55, Nikon, Zeiss and Russian 58).

On the other hand, I find 28mm too close to both 35 and 24/25 (and again, I've owned several of all three).

What "job" can you readily envision where you can't just crop down from the next shortest lens, such as 24/25 to 28, or 21mm to 24/25?

My suggestion is that it isn't "job" at all: it's personal preference.

Cheers,

R.

 

[aizan]

You'd say that there's a practical difference in the usability of 55mm and 58mm lenses? That's interesting! What situation would you say is where a 55mm comes into its own? And what situation does a 58mm work best?

 

[BillBingham2]

My back hurts just reading this..........

B2 (;->

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I have tried 21, 24, 28, 35, 40 and 50.
None of the two in the row are close to each other to me. Every lens needed time to learn quick framing and perspective.
Some of them are more natural and intuitive to me. 35 and 21. Even 50.
40 is odd, 28 I can't get it sometimes and 24 takes too much time to frame it. Again, to me.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

I've found the wider you get the more a slight change will make a difference. There seems to be a world of difference, for example, between 18 and 21 - or 15 and 18. But 21 and 24, not so much.

 

[narsuitus]

I don't think there is such a thing as "one lens being too close to another."

I agree !

Even if the lenses have identical focal lengths, there may be enough other differences to justify owning them.

Differences include:
maximum f/stop
closeup/macro feature
perspective control feature
image quality
camera mount
lens size
filter size
lens cost


35mm Wide-Angles by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[Roger Hicks]

You'd say that there's a practical difference in the usability of 55mm and 58mm lenses? That's interesting! What situation would you say is where a 55mm comes into its own? And what situation does a 58mm work best?

Not especially. I just like the look of all the 58s I've tried. Quite honestly I've been happy with 47mm, 50mm, 51mm, 55mm and 58mm, but if I had the choice of any of the above in the same mount, I'd probably go for one of the 58s for portraiture. As I say, it's not "job" at all: just personal preference.

Cheers,

R.

 

[mod2001]

well, I switch on purpose quite often between 28mm and 35mm, I would not consider them as close.

Juergen