[Leica] Re: Equivalent Focal Lengths

[Dave Jenkins <djphoto@vol.com>]

Johnny Deadman wrote:

Yeah, but, duh, the reason it feels wider is that VERTICALLY the same
lens
encompasses more on the 6x6 negative, ie you SEE more. That's a good
definition of 'wider'. This is the whole point of this thread. It is
hard to
compare focal lengths on different aspect ratios. There are three
distinct
ways to make the equivalence. Horizontal, vertical and diagonal. You're
just
prioritizing the horizontal (which may be great for you but doesn't
answer
the question at all).

Whenever anyone says 'forget the math' you should beware.
_____________________________________________________________

Yeah but duh yourself, Johnny. Regardless of what you can see in a
square format viewfinder, or on the negative for that matter, you still
won't get any more than 40 degrees of coverage from a 75mm lens side to
side or top to bottom. And if you make a print with a 3:2 aspect ratio
from your square negative, it will show no more than a print made by a
35mm camera with a normal lens, although of course it can be printed
either as a horizontal or a vertical. If it doesn't go on the print, it
doesn't matter how much you can see above, below, or beside the area
that will actually be printed. That's about on a par with saying my 50mm
Summicron is wider than it is because of all the stuff I can see outside
the frame lines.

Whenever anyone says that what you "feel" is more important than the way
things actually are, you should beware.

Enjoy contemplating your navels on this one, guys. I'm outta here for
the next week or so on a trip.

Best regards,
Dave Jenkins