Here goes....
I use two lens for my street photography...a Zuiko 24mm and a Zuiko 55mm.... Those two at such different focal lengths allow me to concentrate on my 'project' as opposed to having a zoom or an entire batch of lens to select from.
What do you shoot?
has left the building
Pretty much the same - if it’s a fixed lens camera I obviously use that lens. If it’s interchangeable then either 35mm/40mm or 50mm.
I normally use a 24, 28 or 35 for street. I love being able to get in close sometimes.
35mm and either 85mm or 105mm. On two different cameras, Nikon Fs, to prevent lens switching.
Last time I shot street with my film camera, I used a 50mm lens because that's what was attached when I left the house😁.
I don't often shoot street but when I do, I usually commit to one lens.
Whether film or digital, my choice of focal length depends on camera format, subject distance and desired field of view.
Ditto Leitz.... as I always go out with some 'purpose' in mind and my eyes look for potential images that match up to a particular purpose. I do find that given that, my 55mm and 24mm will just about do it all. But as AENOETHER stated....I will commit to one lens, (usually the 55mm as of late) and than swap for the 24 when needed, but it is best to commit to one lens, ...total agreement there too... jim
I've always found 28mm to be a nice balance for almost everything. I carry a 2x adapter so if I need 55mm (ish) then I can do it.
I've always liked the 28 for walk-around photography -- I find its perspective really puts the viewer right in the action. However, I only just picked up a 35mm lens (after realizing how much I liked it on my point-and-shoot Pentax PC35AF) and I think it's really a wonderful focal length. I use 50mm for detail shots, but to me it's just a bit too long for walk-around. 35 really is a nice sweet spot. What a bummer mine is so slow (35/3.5) -- might have to invest in a faster one.
Aaron
I wouldn’t have agreed years ago…but after using a cell phone a lot for Street as well..with the equivalent 26 and 28 lenses, I now really enjoy that focal length.
I used to be exclusively a 24mm and 28mm..... but found a real nice 55 lens and now balance the two (24 and 55)... I find those best for my type/style of street photography. But certainly nice to have options going in, jim
Lens focal length has nothing to do with perspective.
Field of view if you prefer that phrase -- I mean perspective in the sense of "point of view", not perspective as it applies to, say, drawing.
Aaron
Right, focal length only affects field of view - subject distance affects perspective.
Wrong, focal length does affect the perspective. Here is an excerpt from the 1937 Leica Manual to explain it:
The camera position determines the perspective seen by the camera.
The viewing distance from the print (relative to the size of the print) determines the perspective seen by the viewer.
I have observed that the term "natural perspective" can be quite subjective. (Or widely misunderstood?)
My best reference on this is the Manual of Photography by R E Jacobson (7th Edition, 1978) which prefers to use the term "correct perspective", which they define as "when a print is viewed in such a way that the apparent relation between objects as to their size, position, etc., is the same as in the original scene. This is achieved when the print is viewed at such a distance that it subtends at the eye the same angle as was subtended by the original scene at the lens." and they give this diagram:
There is a lot more discussion of perspective. They also point out that viewing a print with the "correct perspective" may be very different from viewing the print at a comfortable viewing distance. The two generally coincide for uncropped photos printed at 5"x7" or larger and taken with a lens of about "normal" focal length.
I hope this helps.
I trip the shutter when I see what I want in the viewfinder. I think I've been doing it "right" all these years, without realizing it!
Yes, millions take nice photos without knowing anything about perspective.
Goes to show that if one has a decent eye for photography, the technical definition of perspective is immaterial. In all my days with Der Spiegel it wasn't talked about much - but then, we were practical photographers.
