ClaremontPhoto
Jon Claremont
I generally use 40mm unless I actually need wider or longer.
Samsam
Established
35mm is the most versatile focal length
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thebard37
Newbie
15mm . . . you can shoot anything and crop down later on. ;-)
Kent
Finally at home...
I've also voted for 35mm. Actually, I also like 50mm.
The thing is that I like to shoot on film with 35 and 50 and with my crop DSLR with a 24 and a 35mm prime (which finally serve 38 and 56mm resp.)
The thing is that I like to shoot on film with 35 and 50 and with my crop DSLR with a 24 and a 35mm prime (which finally serve 38 and 56mm resp.)
Didier
"Deed"
I turned from wide (28) to standard (50) in the past years. When I began shooting with a M6, 28mm was my most used focal length, especially when used outdoors. Later, a 35mm lens became my standard. Then, the 40mm Nokton was released and mine didn't leave the camera much for more than a year. Then I rediscovered my 50 Summicron (collapsible), as I found after all I had to crop too much from most of my 40mm shots. Since I use a R-D1, the 35mm (aka 52mm field of view) lenses get most usage again. Actually, the Color Skopar 35/2.5 (P-I) fits my needs best in terms of focal length and compactness (which let me accept the relative slowness of f2.5 better).
There is no perfect standard lens, especially when you rarely leave the house with more than one, but I find with the 50mm field of view I have the highest "no cropping needed" rate. As for other focal lengths, my legs are my zoom.
Didier
There is no perfect standard lens, especially when you rarely leave the house with more than one, but I find with the 50mm field of view I have the highest "no cropping needed" rate. As for other focal lengths, my legs are my zoom.
Didier
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dll927
Well-known
For RF, I think I'd go with the 35mm. But a case can be made for saying that the best focal length is whichever one you happen to have on your camera at the moment.
cmogi10
Bodhisattva
I've been thinking about this long and hard...my go to lens for walking around is a 28mm but I don't think it's my most versitile.
35 might be it, but I just think 50 takes the cake.
Next week I will change my mind.
35 might be it, but I just think 50 takes the cake.
Next week I will change my mind.
spysmart
Established
When I cut back my Leica M gear ( yes I now regret that ) when I got into 6x12 and 6x6 MF, The 35 1.4 ASPH was all I kept. I covered 2 weddings with that.
But for the last 2 years when I've carried a 21,35 and 50, the 35 hardly gets any use.
I voted for the 35, but using it alone was a great influence on the type of photos I saw.
But for the last 2 years when I've carried a 21,35 and 50, the 35 hardly gets any use.
I voted for the 35, but using it alone was a great influence on the type of photos I saw.
NickTrop
Veteran
Wow... surprised by the answers here. 50mm is the most versatile focal length. You might prefer to use other focal lengths but 50 is the most versatile.
hugivza
Well-known
50mm for me: it's often too short, rarely too wide, but on balance, is about right as an effective compromise; and the fact that most 50mm lenses have lower f stops than comparable 35mm etc, gives an added advantage.
GoodPhotos
Carpe lumen!
For my 35mm RF photography, it'd have to be 50mm because I use LTMs and the 50s are by far the easiest solution with the old Barnacks.
For 35mm photography in general (SLRs included), I far prefer the 24mm to any other fl that I've ever used. I shoot wide and the 24 is as wide as one can go without significant barrel distortion. It is THE environmental portrait lens of choice for me. If Nikon ever makes a 16/2.8 prime, I will probably dedicate a DSLR (DX) body to one.
For 35mm photography in general (SLRs included), I far prefer the 24mm to any other fl that I've ever used. I shoot wide and the 24 is as wide as one can go without significant barrel distortion. It is THE environmental portrait lens of choice for me. If Nikon ever makes a 16/2.8 prime, I will probably dedicate a DSLR (DX) body to one.
DougK
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I originally voted for a 40mm lens way back when because most of my cameras had a "normal-ish" lens between 35-50mm and it seemed the best compromise vote. The camera I've been using the most lately is my Fuji Natura S Black with a 24mm lens.
What I have found, though, is that while I'm able to get quite a few good shots with the 24mm length because it's wide, I miss an equal number of shots because it's too wide, if that makes any sense. The Olympus 35 RC I purchased a year or so ago is finally just about ready to hit the streets, so I'll be playing with that camera for a while and we'll see if I really am more enamored with the wide lens or with the normal lens.
What I have found, though, is that while I'm able to get quite a few good shots with the 24mm length because it's wide, I miss an equal number of shots because it's too wide, if that makes any sense. The Olympus 35 RC I purchased a year or so ago is finally just about ready to hit the streets, so I'll be playing with that camera for a while and we'll see if I really am more enamored with the wide lens or with the normal lens.
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andreas
i am not digital.
After years of only using my 50, i spent a few with my 35. But since roughly 2 years, my 21 gets the most use by far, so it`s 21 for me.
R
Richard Black
Guest
I prefer the 28mm on most of my cameras and other than the 50s it is the only other focal length I own 3 of. It is perfect for my "view".
Parkes Owen
grain fed
I voted for 40mm, probably because it`s a good compromise between the most used focal lengths of 35 and 50, and close to my xpans 45 mm lens and also my bronicas 75mm lens(40ish in 35mm format) which I am quite comfortable with, but also have a ZF 50mm on my FM2n that is quickly becoming my favourite, maybe I should sell all and get a ZM Ikon/50mm before it`s too late!:bang:
PaulDalex
Dilettante artist
I completely second what FrankS said
steve kessel
steve kessel
I'm a relative newcomer to this game. I went for a 50mm for it's similarity to eye vision and on the 1:1 viewfinder of the Bessa R3m, I get what I've seen, perspective and scale wise. Since the R3M also has 40mm frame lines, I got a 40mm lens as well, just to feel what a bit wider is like. So I'm experimenting with two lenses that offer fairly similar views and like being in that zone.
edodo
Well-known
when i began photography the only lens I had was a 50mm 1.8
i rapidly found that most of my shots were bad because i did not thought
about my placement and the distance between the subject
but some shot came out superbly, it was environemental portraits were
you shoot a person at a distance of two meter with an intersting background
at this setting it is pretty easy to get a good blurred background or not depending
on the available light
when I got a 40mm (minilux) i found myself more than before trying to approach closer
to my subjects and then capturing a more living expression and interacting with my subjects
the more i shortened the focal lengt of my taking lens, the more i am inclined to
capturing extra ordinary expressions on people face thus discussing with the person
i am taking pictures of
so for me the 35mm is king (a fast lens evidently!)
...one day that chrome 1st generation summilux will be mine...
i rapidly found that most of my shots were bad because i did not thought
about my placement and the distance between the subject
but some shot came out superbly, it was environemental portraits were
you shoot a person at a distance of two meter with an intersting background
at this setting it is pretty easy to get a good blurred background or not depending
on the available light
when I got a 40mm (minilux) i found myself more than before trying to approach closer
to my subjects and then capturing a more living expression and interacting with my subjects
the more i shortened the focal lengt of my taking lens, the more i am inclined to
capturing extra ordinary expressions on people face thus discussing with the person
i am taking pictures of
so for me the 35mm is king (a fast lens evidently!)
...one day that chrome 1st generation summilux will be mine...
nvs
Newbie
After using a 50mm in my dslr i thought I was in a need of buying a 35mm for my rangefinder since is a more versatile focal length (as voted), but after some shooting i´m back looking for a 50mm again, sometimes i miss that length, is better to have both 
.
.Jason Sprenger
Well-known
For versatility, I have to go with a 50mm. I wind up carrying a 35-50-85/90 setup with a 50mm usually on the camera.
The 50mm excels at photographing people in environments and taking photos of things, which compromises most of my RF photography. The 35mm works best for photographing places or groups indoors. These are the two RF lenses I use most often.
The 85/90 is excellent for people portraits, but the image in the RF viewfinder is so small, I'm not anxious to go to it for other compositions. This focal length works really well with an SLR, however.
The 50mm excels at photographing people in environments and taking photos of things, which compromises most of my RF photography. The 35mm works best for photographing places or groups indoors. These are the two RF lenses I use most often.
The 85/90 is excellent for people portraits, but the image in the RF viewfinder is so small, I'm not anxious to go to it for other compositions. This focal length works really well with an SLR, however.