Finding the right focal length

[Memnon]

I have lenses with focal lengths varying from 21 to 135 mm all fixed focals, some I use often, other I don't use at all.
Talking about this during a weekly get together with some collegues and friends last friday a pall of mine borrowed me he Olympus E-1 with a 14-54mm lens, equaling 28-108mm in 35mm film format with the message go out and shoot 500 pictures on satzrday and sunday, shoot things you would shoot with your 35mm and shoot the scens you would shoot with your 35mm....

This I did, saturday I went into Munich, sunday the countryside and shot an unbelievable 867 pictures .....

I got back home browsed through the series to decide which pictures would deserve a second viewing, I was left with 134 pictures on the basis of which I selcted my 50 favourite ones.

How surprising it was to find out that 75% od these shots were shot with a focal length I hardly use, and only12 were shot at 35mm the length I use the most..... I reckon now that I mount the 75 or 90 on my second body and the 50 on my first.... leave out the wideangles for a while....

And... the Olympus E-1 is a very nice camera as far as digital goes .....

 

[pvdhaar]

It takes a bit of effort, but you can make a 50 do almost everything indeed, including giving the impression of 'wide'. I've found that using the knee joints for what they're intended for is a good starting point. It's amazing how much you can take in if you've got the camera between one and two feet above the ground, angled slightly up.

 

[laptoprob]

You have a big 90 coming towards you, M.
You will find it is kind of a novelty thing. After more time I tend to balance out and like 50 more and more. However, my 25 Canon is great! The 15mm is for special use only.