28mm or 35mm

[msbarnes]

As a people-shooter, which would you pair a 50mm with?

I have a 50mm and I'm dying to buy a wide-angle lens. The FOV for 28mm is greater ofcourse but I feel that it might be too wide; judging from flickr, it can look very good or very awful. The 35mm seems safer but maybe redundant with a 50mm. So if you can only bring two lenses, would it be a 50/28 or a 50/35?

 

[MattKing]

50/28

I use 24/35/85

 

[tomalophicon]

I did a bit a portrait session a couple of days ago and used a 28/50/100 with the 28 getting the most use. The circumstances dictated its use though, so I was glad it was in my bag.
Maybe I'll never use it again...

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Both, they are quite a difference. But if only one then you must decide. I'd never sell my 21 or 28 but frankly shoot 35/50 much more, but that's just me.

 

[msbarnes]

I guess I'll have to buy both and use both. It's just that I wanted to stay minimalist and work with one camera, one lens, etc. but now I feel that is so limiting...not sure which I'll get first...

 

[JBrunner]

Get the 28 and use your feet as a 35 until you get one of those too.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

50 + 35. But neither are my choices for people (I use 40mm or 24mm when including spatial relationships in the image).

 

[j-dogg]

All my people sessions I use 35 / 50 / 105. 35 for scenes, 50 for medium tele/low light and 105 for portrait

 

[Trask]

I have now, and have had in the past, several 28mm lenses, but I've never quite cottoned to them. I seem to prefer 24mm -- you'd think the extra 4mm wouldn't make that much of a difference, but I seem to notice it.

 

[leicarfcam]

I'm a bit of a wide user. I use the (Minolta SLR) 16mm, 21mm, 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm. In addition I use the 50mm and 85mm..

My Leica lens are the 21mm, 28mm, 35mm, and 50mm..

 

[Miskuss]

50/28

 

[leicarfcam]

As a people-shooter, which would you pair a 50mm with?

A 28mm tends to distort facial features and even arms, legs, etc.

For people 35mm, 50mm, or for head and shoulders 85mm, 90mm, 100mm, or 105mm are best..

 

[Wade D]

I use a Minolta 35mm f/1.8 as my 'normal' lens with various camera bodies. It works well for most candid street photos. 85mm & 135mm are my other choices for primes.

 

[mrred]

I now am back to carrying primes instead of zooms. 28,50 and 85 are in my bag now. My fav zoom only went as low as 35 and I found that a little wanting. Sneaker zoom had to kick in and I always seemed to have to move back. To me, 28 is as wide as your going to get without getting the visuals of an ultra-wide.

 

[jordanstarr]

What do you mean by shooting "people"? Is it portraiture with models or on the street with strangers in candid moments? With a 28mm you have more to consider with filling the frame and as stated above, that's when distortion starts to really kick in. You also need to consider how you fare as a wide-angle shooter. Some people like the wide look, but fail to use a wide angle well. Maybe you're intrigued by a 28mm, but would shoot better with the 35mm -you might need to try both. Would you consider 28mm and 40mm? I think that would be a good pair if you were only looking to have 2 lenses, but leaning more towards wider angles (assuming your system has a 40mm option).

 

[darkosaric]

Hi,

35 is too close to 50, so go with 28, to have more versatility. It is not too wide, you can shoot people even with 15mm heliar

 

[hobbes]

As a people-shooter, which would you pair a 50mm with?

I have a 50mm and I'm dying to buy a wide-angle lens. The FOV for 28mm is greater ofcourse but I feel that it might be too wide; judging from flickr, it can look very good or very awful. The 35mm seems safer but maybe redundant with a 50mm. So if you can only bring two lenses, would it be a 50/28 or a 50/35?

As you can see - most of the combos the others offer is pretty much of personal preference. If you have a chance try both taking one of a kind for a walk..then judge which of the test walk collected more shhh-I-wish-I-had-the-other-one thoughts

 

[Rol_Lei Nut]

I'm not a 50mm fan, so I'd swap the 50 for a 35mm and then get a "real" wide such as 24 or even 20/21mm...

If you like your 50 though, then 28mm would be the better match, as 35 isn't *that* different.

 

[OldBodyOldSoul]

I see 35mm as a wide normal and 28 as a long wide, so they are not exactly interchangeable.

You may be different, but I personally don't see the need to have both 50 and 35 as most people choose one or the other for their standard FL. I shoot both 28 and 35, usually one of them is paired with the 105/2.5. If you like your 50, then 28 could easily be the better choice.

 

[jali]

I prefer 28, 35 is not wide enough. It depends on you to make your pictures ugly or not.

 

[EthanFrank]

28mm is very nice. Similar to a 35mm, but the depth of field is far greater - handy for zone focusing during street shooting. If you need the field if view of a 35mm, take a few steps forward

Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk

 

[matthewm]

I'd go with the 28.
However, I have a 35 and a 50 in my bag as I sold my 28. I'm in the market for another and will definitely add it back in the mix.

Be careful, though using the 28 and moving closer to your subject. I know some people suggested this, but it's not quite the same as a 35. Also, 28 can be tricky if you're getting too close as it does distort. I don't know what system you're using, but in my experience with Canon the 28 f/1.8 is a stellar lens with minimal distortion that is easily correctable in post processing.

Best of luck to you!
Matthew

 

[benjiboy]

I have all three lenses and have used them for more than twenty years IMO the best partner if you use a a 50mm lens as your "standard lens" is a 28 mm, because it's not so close in angle of view to the 50 to be a waste of money, however if you use a 35 mm lens as your standard a 24mm is a better choice for the same reason.

 

[yankeesnapper]

If your using a Leica type camera then the 28/50 for sure. You can always move forward a bit with a 28 or backward a bit with a 50 to emulate the 35. With a SLR get them both.

Bob

 

[Colin Corneau]

They're such different lenses, with such a different look, even though they're fairly close in focal length...I just think there's a totally different look and feel between the two.

As such, it's personal preference - I'd advise trying the 28 out first for a bit...if it suits you, that's your choice. If you feel it may be too wide, then you're a 35 guy.