Fuji 645 which lens for people pics?

[herb]

I have a project for shooting staff and customers in restaurants and work places for a portfolio. The fuji 645s seem like a good choice. I borrowed one, and it seems like the right choice. I have a pentax 645, but it is twice as heavy as the fuji, plus the vertical/portrait alignment of the Fuji works better for people pics, imho.

The question is: the 45mm lens or the 60. The one I borrowed was a 60, and it was ok, but I had limited use of it. Anybody have experience with these cameras?

cheers

 

[Dan Daniel]

This really depends on what you want, of course. The 60 is similar to a 35mm?? lens or so on 135 film. The 45 will be close to 27mm or so?? Because of the different format ratio, exact equivalents don't work.

If I was indoors and interested in the environment as much as the individual, I would probably use the 45. This was shot with a 50mm (Bronica ETRSi), but it might give you an idea:



But you are going to need to pay attention to the edges and the kind of stretching and such a wide angle will give you. This is probably why I would use the 60mm. If you go close to people, the 60mm will avoid the fisheye nose effect.

Do you have another camera that will give you equivalent focal lengths? If so, do some tests.

 

[snederhiser]

Hello Herb;
The 45mm is the focal length I would use, comparable to a 28mm in 35mm. My first reaction would be what kind of flash you will be using? A diffuser will be needed to cover the wide angle and a powerful flash to get the needed illumination. Good luck, Steven.

 

[Pumalite]

I would choose the 60mm. Better perspective

 

[Aristophanes]

It sounds like the milieu is as impotent as the subject.

45mm is pretty wide, so get in close if you do.

60mm is more flattering to the subject if you are isolating.

 

[keithwms]

For environmental shots you'll probably want to go wider.

 

[jun]

May be this will be a superfluous info, but just a reminder.

If you are referring Fuji 645 camera as GS645W (the mechanical camera that have 45mm lens) , there is no range finder available (scale focus camera, cf. the 60mm version i.e. GS645S has coupled RF).

 

[ChuckP]

What about a 645zi with the zoom lens?

 

[herb]

Which lens for Fuji 645

I was thinking of the zoom. My dealer loaned me a GA645 with the 60mm, shot three rolls with it, will see what I think of the images when I print.

The zoom may be the best fit, I think the 45 is tad too wide.

 

[keithwms]

The zoom's range is not exactly zoomy but it's nice for small adjustments.

 

[mathomas]

Here are a couple of portrait examples from my GA645Zi. Sorry, but I don't remember what focal length I used, but I think it's guessable based on distortion in the first. It's important to note that the zoom is very slow and variable aperture.

I also have a quick overview of the camera on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_pybwbc0tQ



mark paints by mike thomas, on Flickr


mom by mike thomas, on Flickr

 

[clayne]

I have a gs645w (the scale focus model). It can be used for environmental portraits without a problem but remember the 1m minimum focusing distance. This can be a bit too far for me personally.