Nice M6/28mm work (link)

[David_Manning]

The 28mm seems it's best when you're close...closer than I'm used to getting on the street. So it's an adjustment, not only in framing, but in approaching the shot and subject...for me anyway.

Here are a couple of 28 shots from my last trip...to Valparaiso, Chile. Hopefully, nobody will care that they were made with a 5DmkII...I meant this whole thread as a focal length discussion.

 

[David_Manning]

And, as one would imagine, the 28 seemed right for the few cityscapes I made. A shooting partner had a big giant 16-35 zoom, and the tendency was to rack out to 16mm. I didn't personally like the way everything looked "unreal" with an ultra-wide perspective. Again, the 28 seemed to be right.

So, at the end of the day the 28mm seemed very flexible. But again, getting that close to people subjects was hard for me. I guess with practice, it'll feel more natural. I DID end up shooting a 28 most of the time.

 

[ampguy]

Very nice shots David, even the people ones. Seems you have no trouble getting up close. I wonder if it was because you used an SLR, and possibly with AF though?

I know that my difficulty with RF's and MF focusing always delays me, takes me about a minute to find the VF, another minute to meter, and the final minute to focus, so by then, the people are usually gone ...

 

[filmfan]

I know that my difficulty with RF's and MF focusing always delays me, takes me about a minute to find the VF, another minute to meter, and the final minute to focus, so by then, the people are usually gone ...

You are using your RF in an "interesting" way then (I won't say the "wrong" way because there is no such thing). I always appreciated RF cameras for ease in zone focusing (especially with the 28mm, what it is best at!). They are quick when you preset the exposure and focus-- then you are getting the most out of your RF camera. This is especially easy with the 28mm lens because it's hard to miss focus with all that DOF. But of course you can do this with SLRs as well...

 

[David_Manning]

I use rangefinders the same way as ampguy, pretty much. I always liked the shallow DoF look, so I opened up and had to focus carefully. In this regard, a dSLR is quite a bit faster, but even the X100 is faster. So for me, no complaints about the speed of X100 AF (fodder for many other different threads).

All these subjects were strangers, and I could only speak hand-signal Spanish...so it was a gut check to get close with the 28!

 

[starless]

Well Zizola is no random photographer. I think he was a Magnum nominee a few years ago before joining Noor. Always liked his older work.

 

[filmfan]

Well Zizola is no random photographer. I think he was a Magnum nominee a few years ago before joining Noor. Always liked his older work.

Zizola is certainly Magnum-worthy in my opinion.

 

[David_Manning]

Yes, I've seen a YouTube video with Zizola too. I'm glad I saw his work. ONCE magazine for the iPad is a great publication (app). It's a great way to see new work.

 

[River Dog]

28 is in their face. It is not for the faint-hearted and I am still experimenting.

 

[David_Manning]

Agreed. I'm not sure I could successfully shoot a 28mm portrait candid without the subject's awareness...my "guts" are not that big!

 

[ampguy]

well

well

You can go ahead and say I'm using it the "wrong way", wouldn't bother me, and wouldn't be the first time.

However, to me, 'zone focusing' = usually random boring soft photos.

Also, if you look at David's photos above, when you're ff with a wide, wide open enough to blur the background, you don't have much 'zone' with your close subject, if you want a decently sharp image.

You are using your RF in an "interesting" way then (I won't say the "wrong" way because there is no such thing). I always appreciated RF cameras for ease in zone focusing (especially with the 28mm, what it is best at!). They are quick when you preset the exposure and focus-- then you are getting the most out of your RF camera. This is especially easy with the 28mm lens because it's hard to miss focus with all that DOF. But of course you can do this with SLRs as well...

 

[starless]

However, to me, 'zone focusing' = usually random boring soft photos.

Well, it doesn't work on apertures wider than f5.6 on the 35mm lens. Anything wider than that is gambling. But sometimes mistakes make good photos too.

 

[Vics]

Sebastiao Salgado uses a 28 a lot, I think. Though I hear he's all Canon digital now...
David, Thanks for the link. Great work!

 

[braver]

However, to me, 'zone focusing' = usually random boring soft photos.

You can learn to zone focus a number of zones instantly and get razor sharp images, especially with wide lenses that have focus tabs.
I know where 1.5 meters is on my lenses (tab to the left of center, very close), as well as 3 (tab one finger to the right of center, hyperfocal on a sunny day). You kinda have to on the street, rangefinders are not for tracking subjects coming your way.

You may find this boring, that's subjective, but it's neither soft nor random:

Amsterdam, december 2011 by Koen Lageveen, on Flickr

Learning to zone focus instead of lining up the focus patch is the key to enjoying 28mm lenses IMO.

 

[photo4ls]

David, take a look at Mudride. He uses his 28 quite often and he is a member here.
He post here regularly w/some good stuff.
Nelson

 

[David_Manning]

Thanks for the lead...I'll do that.