What's _YOUR_ RF Focal Length?

What's _YOUR_ RF Focal Length?

  • Wider

    Votes: 12 1.8%

  • 25

    Votes: 16 2.4%

  • 28

    Votes: 39 6.0%

  • 35

    Votes: 218 33.3%

  • 40

    Votes: 95 14.5%

  • 50

    Votes: 259 39.6%

  • 60

    Votes: 1 0.2%

  • 75

    Votes: 6 0.9%

  • 85

    Votes: 2 0.3%

  • 90

    Votes: 5 0.8%

  • Longer

    Votes: 1 0.2%
  • Total voters
    654
I always considered myself as a "50" man. I rearely used a 35 and the next stop was the 28mm. That also became the norm on the RF's and I got rid of my 35 as I didn't use it. I then managed to get a Pentax 43mm and this has taken over as my "normal" lens on the M6. I~nterestingly, I rarely use the SLR version and still tend to use a 50.

Kim

back alley said:
i have to admit that i'm looking forward to the arrival of my 40 as i plan to mate it with the cle and use it as a daily camera combo. i hope it will eliminate some of the decision anxiety about 'which lens today'.
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I've had two 40mm lenses ... a Rokkor which went when I sold my CL kit and a Summicron which I sold here. I like the 35mm focal length although I don't use it a lot but 40mm mystified me ... it's that close to 35 that it seems pointless. I've noticed in the poll that it's the third most popular length so I must have missed something. I even modified the Summicron to bring up 35mm framelines but still wasn't impressed ... in fact to me that just made it more pointless because not only was it odd ... it also became innacurate. I know rangefinder framelines are fuzzy logic at the best of times but why have a lens that makes it even more fuzzy. I realise there are a couple of cameras out there with 40mm framelines but there's none in my kit! 🙄 😛
 
I've voted for the 35mm, but in reality while this one is somehow most versatile, in reality "my" lens depends on where I shoot, so:
50mm for cafe's, restaurants
35mm for people in the streets
28mm for street scenes
25mm for landscape
21mm for architecture
 
voted 50mm but...

voted 50mm but...

Have always considered myself a 50mm guy, but my 50 cron is out for repair and coding, and I bought a 40mm Nokton in mean time. Liking it so far, like the extra stop and seems sharp, other parameters still not decided. Very comfortable lens. Also have 40mm Ultron for my D300. Very nice, sharper then my 35L I had on Canon. Since I use these on APS - C and H bodies the equivalent FLs are somewhere between 52 and 60mm approx. anyway, soooo where does that leave me??? Sort of back to a ~50mm guy....
 
28mm for me. I like the feeling of being in the middle of things and having such close interaction with my subjects with a 28. Now if only I could get my photos to show that
 
I'm new to this forum, new to this rangefinder business, new to film, new to photography - and I really enjoy it so far! I love quiet clicks, responsiveness and the fantastic results available using film!

Out of the little gathering of cameras I have at my disposal (Yashica 35 CC, Canon Giii QL17, Sokol 2 Automat, Fujica SLR) my favourite is the 40mm on the Canon. The 35mm on the CC is a great lens, but I can't seem to get to grips with composing with it yet.

Ultimately I would like to get better at using the 50s, but for me so far the 40 is so comfortable. I can imagine this is likely to change in the time to come ..
can there be a lasting focal length love at first sight!? haha

I have designs on one day owning the 40 1.4 VC lens, and strapping it to a suitable body - but since I like the Canonet's 40 1.7 so much, I might just spend the £500 pounds required for such a purchase on film/development etc.! Can anyone justify this purchase?!haha
 
I was a 50mm adherent for a long time but picked up a ZM Biogon 35mm last fall and it hasn't come off my M6 since... I still have a few 50s, including a beautiful coated summitar, but will probably only put it on for special occasions.

Using 35mm in documentary work requires that I get closer to the subject which is a great challenge but, in my experience, adds a lot of intimacy.
 
tritiated said:
I'm new to this forum, new to this rangefinder business, new to film, new to photography - and I really enjoy it so far! I love quiet clicks, responsiveness and the fantastic results available using film!

Out of the little gathering of cameras I have at my disposal (Yashica 35 CC, Canon Giii QL17, Sokol 2 Automat, Fujica SLR) my favourite is the 40mm on the Canon. The 35mm on the CC is a great lens, but I can't seem to get to grips with composing with it yet.

Ultimately I would like to get better at using the 50s, but for me so far the 40 is so comfortable. I can imagine this is likely to change in the time to come ..
can there be a lasting focal length love at first sight!? haha

I have designs on one day owning the 40 1.4 VC lens, and strapping it to a suitable body - but since I like the Canonet's 40 1.7 so much, I might just spend the £500 pounds required for such a purchase on film/development etc.! Can anyone justify this purchase?!haha
Click to expand...

Welcome to the forum! As far as justifying the purchase of a camera...we can help you do that very easily. Hang out here, get afflicted with a bout or two (or three) of GAS, and you'll have no problem inventing justification for camera purchases. 😀


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GeneW said:
I also picked up the 40/2 Ultron AIS for my Nikon. A wonderful lens, imo, and it's also nice on my DSLR, where it becomes an effective 60.

Gene
Click to expand...

Now that's a special lens! Mine doesn't seem to want to come off my D200.



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yerba said:
In most cases it's 50. Strange thing, I tend to use 35 when it's dark. Anybody experience this ?
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Interesting point... I do tend to put faster film in the camera with the wider lens because I'm more likely to use that wider lens indoors and in other circumstances where there's lower light.
 
For general purpose (walking around, travel, covering events, etc.) 50mm is still the most versatile.

But for shots with people, I'm gravitating towards 35mm even 28mm (currently waiting for the arrival of two *potent* 35mm's 😉 ).

I used to be so confused as to why people like wideangle lenses, but now I start to get it. Plus I love the ability to do close-ups.

Having said all the above, once in a while walking around with 135mm or 200mm is Niiiiice!!! 😀
 
Interesting. Most peoples perception of distance changes when it is dark. I wonder if it because you feel objects are closer and therefore go for the wider lens 😕

Kim

yerba said:
In most cases it's 50. Strange thing, I tend to use 35 when it's dark. Anybody experience this ?
Click to expand...
 
Well, I woted '40' though right now my only rangefinder is Oly Xa with 35/2.8 and I have just bought a Jupiter-3 😉 I plan to get R3A and based on my experience with the XA I will take 40mm as my take-me-everywhere lens - I guess it may get the Rokkor 40/2 simply because the R3A has only 40mm framelines. But I do not want to loose the 1:1 viewfinder of the R3A just to have 35mm frame lines.
 
At one time, my M4-2 was a fixed 40/2 Summicron-C. I also love my 45/2.8 Contax pancake as well, but if I can't use these two, the 50 is next in line. I'm not sure why I can't get into the 35mm swing. Below 40 I use the 21 though the 24/25 is something I wouldn't mind trying.
 
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