21mm vs 24/25mm

[NazgulKing]

This is obviously an age old question but I am rather torn between both 21mm and 24/25mm. Planning to get the Zeiss ZM 21mm/f2.8 or the ZM 25/f2.8 but not both, as much as I would like to. I want to shoot some architecture and landscape and some street. Would the ZM 25mm/f2.8 be good enough, or should I go for wider?

I was thinking of the getting the CV 15mm/f4.5 eventually (or rather now, but no one is selling) and I had thought the 25mm would actually be a good intermediate between 35mm and 15mm. But still, I wonder if I should get the 21mm instead.

 

[bene123]

a bigger issue should be distortion. I suggest the 25mm . 21mm AOV is really really difficult to control for street. This was once said by Winogrand who keeps to 28 most of the time but uses 24 sometimes..

I assume you are using FF.

 

[FortyNine]

I had the same question last year. After reviewing my shots with my DSLR ultra wide zoom, I grouped them into similar perspective groups. 25mm&28mm 12&15mm. 35&40mm

So as I had a 28mm M lens. 25 was out for me.

Also, 25mm was the max I could go for dramatic portraits. 21mm - the distortion was too much. If u intend to shoot people, 21mm would be out.

 

[artspraken]

Both got very obvious distortion for street photog. The question is whether you like street shots to have distortion.

IMHO, 21mm is better for wider panoramic pic when doing street. 25mm is better for closeup shots (if you like Garry Winogrand + Bruce Gilden type).

 

[artspraken]

Both got very obvious distortion for street photog. The question is whether you like street shots to have distortion. To me its a question of style.

IMHO, 21mm is better for wider panoramic pic when doing street incl. buildings. 25mm is better for closeup people shots (if you like Garry Winogrand + Bruce Gilden type).

 

[Royale With Cheese]

I'm not Garry Winogrand but I'm Gary... Haha

I've got a set here on Avenon 21mm F2.8 you can view:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/agnosticgary/sets/72157626307613840/

I havent had my chance to test the Zeiss but based on internet chatter, apparently the 25mm F2.8 is one of Zeiss's best wide angle lenses.

 

[artspraken]

I have always been a big fan of Royale "Brad Pitt" with Cheese, because he gets up real close - as you can clearly see from his 21mm shots. This kind of closeup shots with 21mm is not easy for me. Personally, I dun dare to go so close. My street shots are usually with 50mm from far away.

 

[meven]

I am not at Mr Royale's level yet but here are some shots taken with the Zeiss Biogon 25/2.8: http://www.flickr.com/photos/from_max/tags/zeissbiogon25mmf28/

As you can see, the distortion is kept to a minimum with this lens. It is a stellar performer IMHO.

 

[NazgulKing]

It's in general hard to get up close in Singapore, and yeah I don't either. It's just that I have found 35mm rather too constricted for the occasional landscape I run into.

Is hyperfocusing or zone focusing easy on either 21mm or 25mm given the depth of field?

 

[artspraken]

singaporeans generally quite paranoid when they see camera. if you dun look like a tourist, ppl think you are a pervert lol

i think easier to hyperfocus if aperture bigger, both lenses are F2.8. so it error threshold should be same same.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

It's in general hard to get up close in Singapore, and yeah I don't either. It's just that I have found 35mm rather too constricted for the occasional landscape I run into.

Is hyperfocusing or zone focusing easy on either 21mm or 25mm given the depth of field?

hello guys, my pictures are still half past six at the moment la....

Yea, I'm not sure about 25mm but for my Kobalux/Avenon 21mm F2.8

At F8, it covers from 1m-infinity. Wide open at F2.8, I cover 1.5m-4m which is perfect for near street shooting.

Btw, the Avenon/Kobalux nearest focal distance is 1m. So from F8-F22, its a P&S.

 

[artspraken]

Tee hee hee. in street photog, how good you are depends whether you belong to (i) HCB school or (ii) Robert Capa school of thought.

1. Robert Capa school of shooting says closer = better. Just get close = FTW win.
   
2. HCB school abit more artsy. Need to contrive compose and think of symmetry. Looking through your VF upside down helps.

 

[paisatge]

IMHO, I don't think you're going to find an answer to your question. I think this is not science. It's really up to individual preference. Like, one of my photo-kakis like focal length of 40mm while me for myself, I prefer 28mm, and we shoot the same kind of thing.
So, if I were to choose between 21mm and 24/25mm, I would go for 24/25mm since it's nearer to 28mm.
Maybe you can join some of the masters here when they go out shooting and buy them a cup of coffee so they can lend you the 2 focal lengths for you to try out ;p

 

[gommy]

IMHO, I don't think you're going to find an answer to your question. I think this is not science. It's really up to individual preference. Like, one of my photo-kakis like focal length of 40mm while me for myself, I prefer 28mm, and we shoot the same kind of thing.
So, if I were to choose between 21mm and 24/25mm, I would go for 24/25mm since it's nearer to 28mm.
Maybe you can join some of the masters here when they go out shooting and buy them a cup of coffee so they can lend you the 2 focal lengths for you to try out ;p

I agree with paistge-personal preference. 20 years ago, when I was using Olympus OM, I love to shoot with 24mm. Now with M8 I shoot mostly 50mm. But I'm comfortable with any focal length. But maybe 24mm maybe safer if you're afraid of distortion.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

IMHO, I don't think you're going to find an answer to your question. I think this is not science. It's really up to individual preference. Like, one of my photo-kakis like focal length of 40mm while me for myself, I prefer 28mm, and we shoot the same kind of thing.
So, if I were to choose between 21mm and 24/25mm, I would go for 24/25mm since it's nearer to 28mm.
Maybe you can join some of the masters here when they go out shooting and buy them a cup of coffee so they can lend you the 2 focal lengths for you to try out ;p

Hmmm, quite different from me though.

I'm quite a 35mm shooter, tried 15mm before, was excellent for dramatic landscape & stuff but when I shot street on it, was close to banging into people the moment the VF comes down as the 15mm focal length makes things look so far off.

I didnt go for 28 because I felt it was too close to 35mm, so I went to 21mm which was(I think........) in between 35mm & 15mm.

 

[paisatge]

Hmmm, quite different from me though.

I'm quite a 35mm shooter, tried 15mm before, was excellent for dramatic landscape & stuff but when I shot street on it, was close to banging into people the moment the VF comes down as the 15mm focal length makes things look so far off.

I didnt go for 28 because I felt it was too close to 35mm, so I went to 21mm which was(I think........) in between 35mm & 15mm.

Exactly! Some people prefer 21mm, some 24mm, some 28mm and others 35mm or 50mm. So, which is the correct answer? :think: None! :bsmilie:

 

[nex100]

I do find the 21mm better to use than a 24mm or 25mm. For me it is just buildings and for some cities I have been to, the buildings are very close to one another, streets are not wide so a 21mm is just nice to capture them from across.

 

[blacvios]

I feel 21mm focal length is much more challenging in composition and conveying what you want to express in your work, with 21mm you are adding a lot of FOV into your story board.

 

[Benji77]

All shots not edited, Portra 400, CZ 25/2.8. Scanned with V600, minor sharpening.
Sorry I cant really remember their f-stops shot at.

I shot these with an M2, no external viewfinder so I was working on the 35mm framelines. Very smooth focusing, wonderful aperture ring (alot of others agree on this in forums) so I totally understand where they are coming from.

Its sharp.

I wonder why my colours are not as saturated as I thought it would be. Well, this is what too much Tri-X & HP5 does to you

Focus shot

Focus shot

Hyperfocused

F11 (I think)

 

[justinlht]

Just my two cents worth of opinion:

I've found myself in the exact situation as you, and I've come to like the 25mm as a more versatile street/landscape lens. I think it's a good mid-way focal length between the 15mm and 50mm I use. Ideally I'd like a 28mm but I'm saving up for that.

I do agree that it does boil down to personal preference, and for me a 25/28 excites me more than a 35. at least for now!