what is your favorite focal length for street photography?
- Thread starter gohaj
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I have read your review before and I can roughly guess that you will choose 28mm.
Just wonder for street photography, should use wide angle or tele photo???
Wide and get as close to your subject as possible.
After using so many lenses, my favourite for street is the 40mm/f1.4.
Why?
Personally I prefer wide, but shooting wide means that I have to stick very close to my subject, often 1 to 2m, if using 21mm or 15mm. With strangers, it's kind of imposing to them. The natural stranger distance is 3m. If you try to get close to a stranger at less than 3m, that means you are going to have a conversation with them, hence, a comfortable distance to shoot them is about 5m away without them feeling "imposing".
If shooting people that I know, then I would naturally go for as wide as possible, 15mm/f4.5 or 21mm/f4, or even the 12mm/f5.6. During weddings and events, people tend to relax and let you take as much as possible. Using a RF with 15mm is easier because it's less imposing on the subjects. Try sticking that 17-35/f2.8 Nikon onto their nose!
The 40mm/f1.4 is a great travelling lens. It is not too wide on the street, allowing you to focus on the subject, yet letting you to get enough of the background as bokeh. If it is a 50mm, then it focus too much on the subject and not letting you enough of the bokeh. And yet it is comfortable to shoot at about 5 to 10m without people even notice. Take a look at this:
which was taken about 10m. The subject is at a very natural state. And I captured the mood I wanted during the early spring at the park.
This was taken at around 10pm, pretty dark, but I still managed to capture at about 1/15 on the 400 film.
And this one my favourite,
About 4 to 5m away, subject didn't notice I was there and still able to capture enough of her expression.
Hence, the 40mm is my favourite street photography lens.
Having said that, 40mm is not ideal for scenery. If you are on a trip to Jiu Zai Gou or any of the China scenic places, then the 28mm/f3.5 is ideal. Great lens for outdoors, sharp and contrasty. Exactly the feel you would need for a scenery.
Why?
Personally I prefer wide, but shooting wide means that I have to stick very close to my subject, often 1 to 2m, if using 21mm or 15mm. With strangers, it's kind of imposing to them. The natural stranger distance is 3m. If you try to get close to a stranger at less than 3m, that means you are going to have a conversation with them, hence, a comfortable distance to shoot them is about 5m away without them feeling "imposing".
If shooting people that I know, then I would naturally go for as wide as possible, 15mm/f4.5 or 21mm/f4, or even the 12mm/f5.6. During weddings and events, people tend to relax and let you take as much as possible. Using a RF with 15mm is easier because it's less imposing on the subjects. Try sticking that 17-35/f2.8 Nikon onto their nose!
The 40mm/f1.4 is a great travelling lens. It is not too wide on the street, allowing you to focus on the subject, yet letting you to get enough of the background as bokeh. If it is a 50mm, then it focus too much on the subject and not letting you enough of the bokeh. And yet it is comfortable to shoot at about 5 to 10m without people even notice. Take a look at this:
which was taken about 10m. The subject is at a very natural state. And I captured the mood I wanted during the early spring at the park.
This was taken at around 10pm, pretty dark, but I still managed to capture at about 1/15 on the 400 film.
And this one my favourite,
About 4 to 5m away, subject didn't notice I was there and still able to capture enough of her expression.
Hence, the 40mm is my favourite street photography lens.
Having said that, 40mm is not ideal for scenery. If you are on a trip to Jiu Zai Gou or any of the China scenic places, then the 28mm/f3.5 is ideal. Great lens for outdoors, sharp and contrasty. Exactly the feel you would need for a scenery.
Tupi Guy
Senior Member
which was taken about 10m. The subject is at a very natural state. And I captured the mood I wanted during the early spring at the park.
This was taken at around 10pm, pretty dark, but I still managed to capture at about 1/15 on the 400 film.
And this one my favourite,
About 4 to 5m away, subject didn't notice I was there and still able to capture enough of her expression.
Hence, the 40mm is my favourite street photography lens.
wonderful photos chiif, do you happen to have a gallery?
i'd love to enjoy more of your work.Thanks. Don't really have a gallery. These photos were taken in Tokyo. In Japan, one can take any photos using any cameras and it will look nice. Not sure whether it's the light or the people. That place is just plain nice.wonderful photos chiif, do you happen to have a gallery?
The 40mm/f1.4 S.C is a wonderful lens. At f1.4 & ISO400, great for taking street at night. Some of the pictures taken with this lens can be found here: http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=270452
But do be careful... I was taking a cute girl on the train and ended up being reprimanded by her and in the end, had to give up the roll of negatives... even though I told her she was pretty and beautiful... ;p
centurion_sg
New Member
40mm, coz that's the only lens on my RF so far and it suffices for street photo style of shooting. Not too close to scare off the subject or miss the background, and not too far to lose focus on the subject. Of course, the f/1.4 on my 40mm is great for available light street photos.
40mm, coz that's the only lens on my RF so far and it suffices for street photo style of shooting. Not too close to scare off the subject or miss the background, and not too far to lose focus on the subject. Of course, the f/1.4 on my 40mm is great for available light street photos.
Is this place the famous Hong Kong seafood place?
centurion_sg
New Member
Yep, this is Sai Kung town. I discovered it's more than just seafood. Go on a weekend and you'll find many dog owners showing off their pets.
Same angle of view to 6 feet, then the 35mm is wider.
think not that bad with just 6 feet difference.
not sure if a 28mm would suit me as my RF has a 1.5x crop factor.
That's my second.
My current "walkabout" kit is an R2a with 28/1.9 on and 50/1.5 waiting.
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