Forum search & shortcuts

Travel photography ...
 

[Closed] Travel photography - but with only one lens choice

Posts: 10763
Full Member
 

Yep. The water looks quite loose in those snaps.


 
Posted : 04/05/2015 6:29 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

The compression effect is a product of focal length, not the zoom function. You get the same result with a 200mm prime lens as you do a 50-200mm zoom set at 200m focal length. Besides, we all know that the vast majority of people use zooms to frame rather than add any 'creative' element to a composition.


 
Posted : 04/05/2015 6:58 pm
Posts: 10004
Full Member
 

The compression effect is a product of focal length, not the zoom function. You get the same result with a 200mm prime lens as you do a 50-200mm zoom set at 200m focal length. Besides, we all know that the vast majority of people use zooms to frame rather than add any 'creative' element to a composition.

Of course and I was blown away I put something other than a 50mm lens on my first SLR

Or you could just own a wide and crop for everything, like phone owners do

I'll also agree that alot of people should use their feet more and zoom less

But that doesn't make a prime a zoom does it?


 
Posted : 04/05/2015 7:26 pm
 Rik
Posts: 0
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Still not sure esp. after reading this months STW magazine and the Tuscany article that shows the amazing scenery!!


 
Posted : 04/05/2015 7:53 pm
Posts: 538
Free Member
 

for what its worth I used a Fuji XT1 and the 18-135 lens in New Zealand, both worked flawlessly (even when soaked) and also a Sony RX100 for when I was travelling realy light


 
Posted : 04/05/2015 7:59 pm
Posts: 151
Free Member
 

The compression effect is a product of focal length, not the zoom function.

It's just perspective. You can crop a wide angle and end up with the same photo as you'd get with a long lens as your position dictates the perspective, not the lens.


 
Posted : 04/05/2015 10:15 pm
 Rik
Posts: 0
Full Member
Topic starter
 

That's the thing the Fuji produces beautiful images!!


 
Posted : 04/05/2015 10:27 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Interesting - I often found otherwise - good case in point is the classic 135-150mm portrait lens. It's just not possible to get same photo from a 28mm cropped. Distortion of facial features and pulling of background is one noticeable aspect..

You can crop a wide angle and end up with the same [s]photo[/s] subject as you'd get with a long lens


 
Posted : 04/05/2015 11:11 pm
 Rik
Posts: 0
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Just had a look on the Fuji website and the 18mm lens (27mm eqiv) only weighs 115g.

Hmm....


 
Posted : 07/05/2015 10:02 am
Posts: 17865
Full Member
 

Ah. I popped in thinking a decision might have been made! 😀

Sounds like you've just found another option to ponder. New lens time? 😉

I hope we're gonna get to see some of the pictures taken as a result of this in depth decision making process?


 
Posted : 07/05/2015 10:09 am
 Rik
Posts: 0
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Yeah I know, I had decided on the 50mm buying I can pick up the 18mm really cheap it might be worth it.


 
Posted : 07/05/2015 12:08 pm
Posts: 110
Free Member
 

You could always use exposure plot to determine your most popular focal length.
http://www.vandel.nl/

I know personally - I'd take the 28mm equiv. You must have an incling which you would prefer before you posted right?


 
Posted : 07/05/2015 12:45 pm
Posts: 110
Free Member
 

I had to explain foreshortening and perspective distortion to a friend when those topless pictures of Kate Middleton were in the papers (he said they looked a bit flat).


 
Posted : 07/05/2015 1:05 pm
 Rik
Posts: 0
Full Member
Topic starter
 

If it was purely down to focal length then 28mm rather than 50mm would be the choice I'd usually gravitate towards.

But the 28mm is on a compact camera without a viewfinder and the 50mm is on a Fuji X-T1 which has an awesome viewfinder and is a pleasure to use. Both cameras produce lovely photos and have ace quality lenses.

I should take the Ricoh as its light and small, but the Fuji with the 50mm is a just about acceptable comprimise as far as size and weight.


 
Posted : 07/05/2015 1:10 pm
Posts: 151
Free Member
 

Interesting - I often found otherwise - good case in point is the classic 135-150mm portrait lens. It's just not possible to get same photo from a 28mm cropped. Distortion of facial features and pulling of background is one noticeable aspect.

The distortion you mention comes from perspective, it's not lens distortion.

If you take a portrait with 135mm, don't move and take a photo with a 28 then crop you will get the same image. The only difference will be the number of pixels (which obviously may make this impracticable).


 
Posted : 07/05/2015 1:45 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

the effect is the same - try it? I'm not sure I get your point..

edit

http://gizmodo.com/5857279/this-is-how-lenses-beautify-or-uglify-your-pretty-face


 
Posted : 07/05/2015 4:04 pm
Posts: 151
Free Member
 

The point is simple, it's the distance to the subject that matters. In the link you've given the distance is changed to maintain framing (the images have not been cropped).

The distance to the subject causes a change in perspective that looks like distortion.


 
Posted : 07/05/2015 5:33 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

distortion is distortion though and I do prefer to avoid it - once I spot it..

IMHO Assuming 28mm and 135mm: if the subject distance and exposure remains the same; DoF is then different due to effect of focal length - thus photo containg any elements of the scene is different -The backdrop has a different rendering. Unless a crop is 10px of a cheek perhaps. For me the effects seem real and practical through observation.

Maybe I'm missing your point, perhaps it's theoretical - but don't worry about it, many ppl are wrong the tinternet - often me!.. 😀


 
Posted : 07/05/2015 6:29 pm
Posts: 151
Free Member
 

You are, and it's not theoretical. You're confusing focal length and perspective. Understand perspective and everything else falls into place.

And... It's not distortion, it's perspective. Try sticking your eye 6" from someones face. Looks funny.


 
Posted : 07/05/2015 6:33 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

ok - if it is a practical and not theoretical point - what is your practical focal length recommendation for head shot portraits? Maybe that will help me get it.


 
Posted : 07/05/2015 6:37 pm
Posts: 151
Free Member
 

Something like 10' to the subject is normal, so the focal length to achieve that without cropping on full frame would be 135mm ish - 90mm on apsc, 65mm on m4/3 or you could use either of those on FF and crop to give the same result.


 
Posted : 07/05/2015 6:48 pm
Posts: 10004
Full Member
 

bonchance sorry he is correct

A portrait lens needs an angle of view not a focal length

On Microfourthirds then a portrait lens might be 45mm, on FF 90mm on Nikon 1 32mm. That's as they have the same field of view. So the distortion is identical for all 3 systems


 
Posted : 07/05/2015 7:37 pm
Posts: 151
Free Member
 

A portrait lens needs an angle of view not a focal length

...to achieve the image you want at the distance you want. It's the distance which is often overlooked and is actually the key to all this.

Which takes us back to what started this. Zooming with your feet doesn't work and 'zooming' (or digital zoom that the poster seemed to mean by this) is the same as changing focal length.


 
Posted : 07/05/2015 7:42 pm
Posts: 10004
Full Member
 

5th elefant

I couldn't be trying any harder to agree


 
Posted : 07/05/2015 8:24 pm
Posts: 151
Free Member
 

I know you know 🙂 , just wanted to tie it all back together.


 
Posted : 07/05/2015 8:29 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

all fascinating, I do prefer FF equiv 135-150 for portraiture, for the reasons I mentioned - and for all this it seems we all may 🙂 I was comparing my results with 28mm and 135mm FF equiv.

AFAIK Focal length has been commonly used to express the angle of view. It's certainly marked on every lens I have owned - I think even since std film size and std lenses were invented. Ampthill. I guess your just saying crop factor is a factor - perhaps an unusual way to express it.

I'll let the OP have his thread back, keen to hear the final Lens judgement - my money is still on that great looking XF23 - obviously the one he doesn't own - good luck all!


 
Posted : 07/05/2015 8:34 pm
 Rik
Posts: 0
Full Member
Topic starter
 

I'll let the OP have his thread back, keen to hear the final Lens judgement - my money is still on that great looking XF23 - obviously the one he doesn't own - good luck all!

And the one that's £650 too :0)


 
Posted : 08/05/2015 11:34 am
Posts: 151
Free Member
 

all fascinating, I do prefer FF equiv 135-150 for portraiture, for the reasons I mentioned - and for all this it seems we all may I was comparing my results with 28mm and 135mm FF equiv.

Nope, you're still missing it. It's distance to subject that sets perspective (or what you've called distortion).


AFAIK Focal length has been commonly used to express the angle of view.

No it isn't. It's the distance between the centre of a lens and where it focuses. It's literally the length of the lens (plus a bit). It does not tell you what the field of view is.


It's certainly marked on every lens I have owned - I think even since std film size and std lenses were invented.

Which standard film size do you mean? There are several. A 50mm focal length lens on m4/3 gives a different field of view than it does on medium format. It is marked on the lens as it's a physical measurement. It's not a 'standard' or an equivalence, and not a field of view.


 
Posted : 08/05/2015 3:05 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

I mean the commonly accepted standard film size; from which popular contemporary consumer photography standards are derived:

Film 35 mm wide with four perforations per frame became accepted as the international standard gauge in 1909

From this the reference focal lengths and concerned fields of view are derived and came to be *commonly* known.

A camera system; with a medium below this standard size - is specified with a numeric 'crop factor'.

Take this factor. Apply it to the mm focal length of your lens (marked on *every* lens).

The resulting figure is then *commonly* accepted as a specification which describes the field of view.

If you are genuinely trying to suggest otherwise, or that folk buy lenses marked in degrees - it seems disingenuous.

Semantics aside, your practical recommendation for portrait appeared to be the same as my related experiences - and many others - so we may in fact agree!?

In which case - If I misunderstand your intentions, or I have failed to understand the point you are trying to express - I apologise.


 
Posted : 08/05/2015 8:07 pm
 Rik
Posts: 0
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Well took a while but decision made and bought for anybody that's interested.

The 23mm f1.4 was to expensive and heavy.

Couldn't not take the 35mm f1.4 as its soooo nice, sharp and fast with almost 3D results so I got lucky and bought a brand new sealed box 18mm f2 lens from eBay for £150 (which is a bargain and cheaper than s/h prices).

Lovely lens that gets a bit of a bad rap. Only 120g and tiny. Stop it down to f5.6-8 and its sharp across the frame so fine for landscapes. It still has the fuji look to the photos, so very happy.

So it's the Fuji XT1, 35mm f1.4 and 18mm f2 is the chosen camera.

All I weight is about 750g which is about 500g heavier than my Ricoh GR but I still think it's worth it and my only luxury with all the rest of the kit parred back to the bone and super light. Still not a bad weight for a camera and 2 lenes.


 
Posted : 12/06/2015 9:05 am
Posts: 17865
Full Member
 

Pleased that you've made the choice.

But wasn't the original post about 'only being to take one lens' and 'don't want to buy anymore lenses for the trip'? 😆

Well done on sticking to the plan!!


 
Posted : 12/06/2015 10:06 am
 Rik
Posts: 0
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Yep it totally was, but I gave in on two counts-

New lens only weighs 120g and is f2

and they retail for £300, s/h for about £200 and I got a brand new one with warranty for £150 :0)


 
Posted : 12/06/2015 10:54 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Skimmed through this thread and did initially wonder why don't you MTFU and take a couple of lenses? 😉

I totally get the travelling light thing but I'm a bit OCD with camera gear and would rather carry the extra 'tools' to cover [i]most[/i] eventualities rather than do the who 'what if' teeth gnashing.

My fave lens this year has been the Canon 24mm TSE which I've been using for shift panos, often with focus stacking and the compulsory HDR bracketing. 🙄

#toomuchtime #toomucheffort #allthegearandnoidea


 
Posted : 12/06/2015 1:25 pm
 Rik
Posts: 0
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Old thread resurrection.........

Thinking of trading in my XF 35mm f1.4 for a 23mm f1.4. I'm I mad?


 
Posted : 20/10/2015 8:01 am
 Rik
Posts: 0
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Anybody?


 
Posted : 26/10/2015 10:44 pm
Posts: 151
Free Member
 

Err... No. If you prefer wide normal to normal that is. If not, yes. Barking.


 
Posted : 26/10/2015 10:47 pm
Posts: 448
Full Member
 

I wouldn't loose a 35mm for a 23mm
You can use a 35 for all round photography, as a struggle you can take a portrait, you can use it for landscape and street photography.
A 23 has only one use. Wide angle landscape.
You'd be bonkers.


 
Posted : 26/10/2015 10:57 pm
 Rik
Posts: 0
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Remember it's APSC so 23mm is 35mm and 35mm is 50mm


 
Posted : 26/10/2015 11:34 pm
Posts: 151
Free Member
 

35 and 50 (equiv) are both appropriate as an all round lenses. It's a preference.


 
Posted : 26/10/2015 11:38 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

A 23 has only one use. Wide angle landscape.

Or push conventional thinking.


 
Posted : 26/10/2015 11:41 pm
Page 2 / 2