Super-wide angles - what they purposed for?

I found one obvious application - a landscape with accented foreground ojects (like flowers and other plants, stones, etc)
but I don't have many such shots and situations, and 20mm is probably my least used lens.
Most my lanscape shots suck , this is probably the only one I like :

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I have the CV 15mm permanently mounted on my Bessa L, but I only really take it out when I'm hiking or rarely on walks through my neighborhood. So far I haven't taken many shots I'm happy with, but it is definitely fun to play with.

Church courtyard
 
Vernazza

Vernazza

Pix on left is loooking onto Vernazza and watchtower. Another, apparently larger watchtower is on the right. Righthand photo is from the top of leftmost watchtower. 15mm needed to get full town in view. Voigtlander Bessa L, 15mm Heliar.
 

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I find shooting people with wide angles can be challenging and rewarding. You have to get closer to the subject and engage them. Enter their space and not be detached.

It is a challenge to get past the "plastic" or more noticable qualities of the lens, i.e. distortion, exagerated perspectives and capture the character. I have some wide angle portraits and people shots in my gallery here and at dslrexchange but don't know how to link them here. I fell it puts your subject in the space.

Wide angles are great on the street too. But you must balance/weigh the spacial relationship of the location with the subjects.

Every lens has its purpose and one must learn to see in them to overcome the "plastic"/cliche or you use it to your advantage.
 
Pherdinand said:
Wide angle perspective is not distorted. If you see it distorted, you just have to get closer to the image.

Sorry forgot to "" the distortion. "distortion" There all better now.😉
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I used to have the CV 12mm and sold it partly due to finances, but also due to it's extreme nature. However, I recently looked again at the pictures I took with it and saw a high proportion of 'keepers' I'd love to own one agin, or maybe the 15mm.

Another use for them is for candids as your subject will be completely unaware of you taking a picture of them. 🙂 I have several such, and of course there's the 'no-focus' bit. Can be really good for spontaneous photography. Does lead to some howlers tho'

Yer pays yer money & yer takes yer choice.

I mostly use 35mm focal length these days on the III.

Andy
 
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Sometimes, very wide (15 Heliar) is what one wants (although this would have worked with a 24mm as well).


I remember something that Jeff Ascough said about focal length use: "What I try to do is make sure that it isn't obvious what lenses I have used. I like my work to have a natural perspective, and I try to keep that perspective even with long telephotos or wide angles."

It all boils down to Horses for Courses...
 
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I use my 25mm Biogon whenever I'm traveling to get a sense of scope and being there. That sort of "taking it all in sensation." And when I'm with friends and want to get group pictures. Like 3-4 people who are close by.
 
and of course sometimes, frome certain view points, superwides take a lot in without distorting much at all.....

I generally dont like them when use to exaggerate perspective, but do when used to pack a lot in. Building interiors seem to be one of their fortes IMO
 
Hello everybody....sometimes I use the 15mm vc lens on my m6.....it is not an every day lens, but sometimes it is a lot of fun to use...here are some shots with it.
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cheers, Michael
 
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