Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/11/07

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Subject: [Leica] why a 35 mm lens
From: Robert Appleby <robert.appleby@tin.it>
Date: Tue, 07 Nov 2000 10:25:23 +0100

>>>>
Date: Tue, 7 Nov 2000 00:20:32 +0100
From: "Alan Hull" <hull@telia.com>
Subject: Re: [Leica]Why a 35mm lens?
Message-ID: <200011070621.HAA10357@d1o915.telia.com>
References: 

> From: John Collier 
> find that I use an M body with a 35 lens for about 99% of my
shooting. I
- - ---------------------
John and others.  I find it interesting that so many luggers seem to
prefer the 35mm lens.  When I was starting out in photography the most
common advice was ... Fill the frame.  Followed by ... but do not get
too close because of perspective distortion.

May I ask those luggers who use the 35mm (or shorter) lens MORE than
any other, if they can explain why they do so.  For instance, is it
ease of use or do you actually like the results.  

For me, I find that anything less than 50mm is an "in your face "
style.

TIA
Alan
<<<<<

I think most photographers these days would say that 35 is the most
versatile focal length. It doesn't distort too much close in and is wide
enough for use in cramped quarters. And you can get fast 35's. Also it is a
bit like the 24 in that you can control the wide-angleness of it quite well
- - make it straight or zoomy, so to speak. Also, we've got used to the
distortion of wideangles these days and the "true perspective" of the 50
doesn't seem to be much of a feature anymore. I certainly wouldn't class
the 35 as a wideangle, but as a short standard.

However, I have felt the need more recently for a longer lens (you can't
always stand close enough to take a snap) and have just purchased a 50
which hasn't arrived yet. I feel that will complete my line up. Useful for
slightly more relaxed, discreet photography, when someone knows you're
photographing them, say, but you don't want to intrude on them too much. Of
course what happens next is that someone always walks right between you and
your subject at the "decisive moment"!

So far my use has been about 60/40 for the 35/24 - I'll be interested to
see what the 50 does to this balance. Since I'm too damn lazy to change
lenses it'll probably throw everything out. I'm looking forward to using
the 24/50 combo and keeping the 35 in the bag for when it gets darker.

Still, like the deadman, if I had to choose just one lens, it would be the
35. Although I could get along fine with only any one of these three.

have I gone on enough?

Rob.
Robert Appleby
V. Bellentani 36
41100 MO
Italy
tel. (+39) 059 303436
mob. (+39) 0348 336 7990

Replies: Reply from Mark Rabiner <mark@rabiner.cncoffice.com> (Re: [Leica] why a 35 mm lens)
Reply from ray tai <razerx@netvigator.com> (Re: [Leica] why a 35 mm lens)