Help me learn to love my 35mm lens?

[ASA 32]

I recently acquired a Leica M 262, and have been looking here on RFF at all the wonderful images other RFF users have posted using a 35mm lens. I've also been reading the many blogs and posts elsewhere praising the 35mm and even noting that using that focal length will improve one's photography.

Over the years I've always been a 50mm and short-tele shooter, but while I'm an old dog, I can learn some new tricks. So I'm going to take Steve Huff's advice and for three months, shoot only with the 35mm. I started yesterday, shooting several altogether forgettable images...a good start, so there's room to improve, right?

I'll be using my Zeiss ZM 35 f/2 Biogon which I've had for several years. In my shooting yesterday, I shot some images with Lens Detection on Manual selecting the Leica 35 f/2, and others with Lens Detection off. Imported to LR 7.2 with Embedded camera profile, and then for the Lens Detection off images invoking the Lens Profile listed for the Zeiss lens. Comparing the two, I preferred Lens Detection off and using Adobe's Zeiss lens profile, partly for the sake of convenience.

Among the tips I've read and will try to incorporate:
1. Get closer!
2. When shooting people, make environmental portraits.
3. Shoot "layers."
4. Be aware of distortions at edges of the frame.
5. Edit ruthlessly.

Would be happy to hear comments from others about my "assignment," and I welcome further tips.

Thanks!

 

[Ko.Fe.]

35 will not improve anything. It just allows to get more at closer distance. This is it.

You are much more lucky if you like 50mm. So much more choices and much more affordable 50mm lenses.

 

[B-9]

I am a 50 guy. 28 and 35 are often much to wide for the things I like to photograph. Although! I was in a situation with my Ricoh GRDIV this weekend that I wish I would have brought the 21mm conversion lens for a few interior shots of my Great Grandparents cabin my Grandfather has been remodeling. Grandpas work always gets me inspired.

 

[raid]

Shoot many photos and try out many things. Shoot each image as a horizontal image and then as a vertical image.

Shoot in color and shoot also with the goal to have in the end a B&W image.

Play with DOF when using the 35mm lens. Experiment.

Good luck with it all.

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

I was very happy with my 50's until I got a 35. 35mm is how I see! Now the 50's are irrelevant, I'll trade them all for 35s.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Why?

There is no "one size fits all".

Cheers,

R.

 

[ruby.monkey]

Sell the 35mm.

 

[Yokosuka Mike]

Just think of your 35mm as a wide 50mm that can focus closer to the subject. Have fun and happy shooting!

Shot with a Zeiss 35mm f2

All the best,
Mike

 

[froyd]

1) Enjoy the extra DOF. As a 50 shooter I found it hard to zone focus unless I was using f8 or greater and aiming for mid-long distance subjects. The 35 should make zone focusing much easier.
2) Yes to the advice to get closer, particularly when coming from 50s. However, also learn to evaluate the background better and incorporate leading lines, interesting light, action that enhances the main subject
3) Corollary to the above: since it's harder to isolate your subject with a 35, pay attention to background elements that might be distracting or otherwise detract from your composition

As a former 50 shooter that went to 35s and now is getting back to 50s, I remember vividly how easily I could pre-visualize a 50 frameline. After shooting mostly 21-28-35, I now struggle visualizing interesting subjects in the tighter cropping, and often find myself bumping into a wall or a pole as I try to take a few steps back and squeeze a little more content into my frame. It's been an interesting exercise to "edit out" of my vision, whereas you should consider learning to "edit in".

 

[BillBingham2]

First off, keep shooting. Expensive if you're shooting film, but it's important.

Second, do you have a 35mm FOV External Finder? I think you need to see/visualize the framing. Look through it, then decide if it's a picture. Perhaps you should try to framing the shot, counting to three slowly and reviewing the shot in the finder. If it doesn't look at least good, don't push the button. I've always tried to do that when I was shooting film, when I shoot digital I'm not as disciplined.

Get a cheap digital camera (8 or 10 MP) and a lens that is effective 35mm. A good M4/3 camera would work fine and shot a LOT. Much cheaper than film. Go through and don't just say it's not to your liking, think about what you could have done to make it to your liking. Different angle, different side, different lens, what would work better. Editing your pictures is hard for some, but working the picture, dissecting pictures for what would work better and thinking about the look is often harder.

It's your first week, don't go to hard on yourself.

Frankly, going from a 50 to a 35, IMHO is not enough of a jump in difference. I'd say 24, 25, or even 28 would be better. Myself, I find I work better with larger differences between my lenses (less swapping), but that's me. When I was learning photography one friend had a 24/50/105 set up, mine was a 24/85/200.

It's hard to take a jump to a different focal length. Don't give up and keep asking questions and post a few of your shots, good and bad for input. Just get ready to hear some things like I've heard (e.g. you are short, you smell, your cat has a funny tail, and your dog isn't manly enough).

Hope this helps.

B2 (;->

 

[aizan]

can’t help you there! i’m a 50mm/28mm person, and 35mm feels like a watered down version that makes it harder to get a “rich, full-flavored” composition and perspective.

lots of photographers do great things with a 35mm, like lee friedlander, hiromix, ryan mcginley, richard billingham, and luc delahaye. i’m just not one of them!

 

[michaelwj]

Long time 35 lover here. The reason I love it is because I can get closer which allows me to emphasise near-far perspective, include environment, and add layers.
I find my keeper rate is lower than with a 50 because there’s more going on, but I much prefer the output from the 35.

 

[raid]

I used to use almost only 50mm lenses for many years, but since I switched to RF cameras, I somehow started to enjoy using 35mm lenses too. I started out with M3 with 35-50-90 Summicron lenses.

 

[shimokita]

(ツ) I never really understood the popularity of the 35mm, sure it's a great compromise lens but wider and longer are more interesting / (ツ)

 

[Contarama]

Quoting HCB

"The 35 is splendid when needed, but extremely difficult to use if you want precision in composition. There are too many elements, and something is always in the wrong place. It is a beautiful lens at times when needed by what you see. But very often it is used by people who want to shout. Because you have a distortion, you have somebody in the foreground and it gives an effect. But I don’t like effects. There is something aggressive, and I don’t like that. Because when you shout, it is usually because you are short of arguments."

I love the masters opinion and I love my 35 too. Go to car shooter.

A lot of great Hollywood stuff is made with a 28 on 1.5 crop so roughly 42 equivalent.

Ever tried a 40?

 

[NickTrop]

35 will not improve anything. It just allows to get more at closer distance. This is it.

You are much more lucky if you like 50mm. So much more choices and much more affordable 50mm lenses.

+1 (This sentence added to meet minimum character requirement.)

 

[maggieo]

I did most of my best work with a C-Biogon 35/2.8, most of it in Cuba with Peter Turnley. He really turned me around on 35's.

I used to use 50mms most of the time, but now they feel cramped and constricting. The 35mm opens up the frame to include more geometry in your compositions, not less.

And it's a godsend indoors, especially if you've got a Nokton or a Summilux.

 

[bayernfan]

I feel this way about 28mm. A very hard focal length for me to visualize. I'm either too close or too far.

If you really dig the output of 35mm, just keep it on your camera. Resist the temptation to go back and forth with your 50. Eventually you'll begin 'seeing' in 35.

 

[waileong]

35 mm feels more natural.

 

[airfrogusmc]

The reason I shoot with a 35mm F/L on FF is it really matches the way I see and work. Is it that way for you?