28mm vs 35mm for Street Photography
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 เม.ย. 2022
- 28mm or 35mm (full frame equivalent) for Street Photography, which focal length is best for you?
Thumbnail photograph by Lee Deleon!
0:31 - 28mm Perspective
1:16 - Composing with 28mm
2:00 - Environmental Context with 28mm
2:14 - Challenges with 28mm
2:59 - Composing with 35mm
4:23 - Challenges with 35mm
Lee’s Instagram:
ldeleon.gif?igs...
All photographs by other artists are noted. Otherwise, they were made by me.
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Music sourced from Epidemic Sound
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Man this video was excellent. So concise, quick, to the point and with great examples and going beyond the basic information and giving the actual nuanced discussion. Good rhythm too. Hell yeah.
much love Evan, thank you 🙏🏾
This is one of the best videos on this subject I have ever seen. Thank you. I love 35 for street but have been wanting more, so considering 28. Your comments on the amount of people in your city plays an impact on your focal length choice was one I hadn't considered...
Glad it was helpful! Try out that 28 🔥
When I was in Vietnam in 68/69 I carried two Nikon f. One had a 35mm and the other had the 28mm. Worked for me.
The other photographers in the unit thought I was crazy. But I had many of my photos get into the weekly marine newsletter.
PS I was crazy.
Awesome story! Sometimes when we pursue excellence, people think we’re crazy for it 🤝
Thanks for the on point talk and examples mate! Great vid
I laughed out loud with your "Move in close: buy a mouth guard" photo tip! I enjoyed this one and will check out some of your videos!!
lol thanks! you’ll see that i love to crack jokes 😂
With high Megapixel cameras, one can always crop in to make a shorter focal length pic.
You can't make a 35mm pic into a 28mm.
I just found your 35 vs 50 video and then this one and loved them both. Really great stuff. I’m glad I found your channel as so many of your other video topics interest me. Thanks man.
Thank you, welcome aboard!
I come from shooting landscapes and use a telephoto a lot for that but I found the 28 works so well for the street. With a 50 I found it was difficult to create layers and depth, the 35 felt a bit boring sometimes but the 28 just felt right and gives you a sense of being right there. The chaos can sometimes be a bit hard to control though, sometimes that's a good thing, sometime it's not.
Dude the info presented and the vibe of this video is fantastic. Thank you
glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent video. Good descriptions and explanations. Quick and easy. Congratulations.
Much love! 🤜🤛
That was a good discussion of a rather topical subject, well done and thanks!
much love Richard! 🙏🏾
Love how concise this was! Kudos.
How I think about it for everyday photography: if I’m shooting the people I’m sitting & talking with and don’t want to step away, 28mm is the way to go. If I’m shooting stuff that catches my eye, or interactions happening outside my personal space, I pick the 35mm.
Thanks! That’s a great way to think of it 🤜🤛
Good video; matches my experience. I shoot Sony and often carry their 28/2 in addition to a mounted 35. That lens is small, light , and cheap so easy to own and tuck in a pocket. Nice to have when things feel tight.
Dude, what an informative and well structured video. Gained a sub. Thanks for this
much love antoine 🙏🏾
Bro you're awesome! thanks for this really informative video!
much love Adham 🙏🏾
What a well-written, tightly-reasoned and well-stated piece! In addition to being a longtime serious photographer, I write professionally for broadcast. So I know how hard it is to write about anything, let alone another mode of expression. It's like dancing about poetry. You pull it off, when so many others don't. Thanks!
I appreciate the compliments! 🤝
Amazing video. So many talking heads just talk about the look, composition, etc. You gave me more. I can totally relate to the challenges of getting your face in there with a 28mm. Sometimes that intimacy creates a moment you don't get with a longer prime, but regardless your video moved and inspired me. Just subscribed and can't wait to go through your content!
glad you enjoyed the video! welcome to the community 🙏🏾
This might be the best, most concise way of describing the differences between these two lenses I've heard. A 5 minute masterclass. Great job!
thank you so much! glad you got some value out of it
Great points -and loved the Harryhausen-esque stop-motion dinosaur intro. And "Nighthawks!"
Thank you! Nighthawks is a favorite
Superb discussion of focal lengths. Thank you!
You’re welcome!
Thanks! This video is a gem - very very thoughtful.
glad you enjoyed it! welcome 🔥
Came to your channel for the first time. Excellent video. Thanks for the information.
welcome to the community, thank you 🙏🏾
great line about the 28mm...."move in and buy a mouth guard"
you did a great job on this video, helped me a lot... samples of cropability were cool
Glad my video helped!
Great video! I love you went into great detail
Glad you enjoyed it Brian!
Good information as always man. My default is always 35mm, but I love playing with 28mm and 50mm as well.
thank you! always fun to branch out and try something different
Love using the 28mm Lux on my Leica M11P. Love it so much I just added the 21mm Super Elmer… even more fun 😊
Great video! One of the critiques of 28mm is closeness to your subject, something we're afraid of, but on the flip side, I find myself "exposed" more by people on the street who notice me taking a photo of them when I'm actually farther away from them rather than closer. Think about it, no one would think you can take a sharp photo of someone that close, or there is anything worth taking a photo of that close (admittedly I'm never under anyone's chin close)...
that’s an interesting point when you get into the psychology of it 🤔
Henri Cartier-Bresson did a pretty good job with his 50mm lens, ya know. 😉. Seriously, all focal lengths work. I shot at 28mm today, and it was fine. I have many shots taken at 50mm and 60mm, on up to 90mm, and all went well. Of course the tighter the street, the more 50mm or less seems best. But there are times when shooting across the way works out well, or is simply a necessity, at which time that 28mm will need a huge crop-down. And I get it that when you are but three to six feet of subject, you can really use that wide lens. Of all the lens choices the most forgiving, framing wise, and for lack of distortions is the 50mm. At this time however, I am moving to the 35mm and 28mm field of view to see how much more story I get, that up close and personal feel, as you described, and even how unrelated works within a photo. Yes, in a real world there is a focus you are viewing, along with other unrelated, yet possibly offering a balance or an offset to the story going on -- heck, maybe three unrelated things happening??? It all works, portrait and wide urban landscapes. The current trend of ultra sharp, stand-out shots of people, with a blurred out background, might not hold up over time. When first viewed, as in something new and with a certain shock appeal, it first seems cool -- very cool! Then you realize it is a super sharp image of nothing, with no story at all. Just a portrait. Anyway, that 28mm or even 35mm when close can distort human faces, or when the camera is a tilt, the whole world, buildings and all wiggle and waggle, thus it is a little more the challenge when having to quick-draw shoot. Might be why Henri liked the 50mm, or the framing thing? It is a good challenge -- I am going for it. 28 and 35mm this month! To get to my site on the web, search my full name, Loren.
I love my Leica Q2 with its 28mm with its crop feature, and my Voigtlander Vito B with its 50mm.
Good day Doriyan, I was just going through this with my own system, I was using a 28m full frame lens on crop sensor and now went full frame. I thought I wouldn't like 28mm FOV at all but turn out I do not mind it at all. Again its all personal taste, but we all shouldn't be afraid to try something new we may like.
man when I tell you that I was initially the exact same way when it came to 28mm. seemed too wide, too intimidating, but it’s so much fun to use!
like you said, we should at least try things before we come to a conclusion! happy shooting 💪🏾
I really enjoyed that video! You have many interesting descriptions that kept my attention and gave me a chuckle. Good discussion of the various aspects.
I like 28 and 50 and don't have a 35 because I feel it to be a blah middle. While I don't shoot "street", I do like architecture as you presented it. So the images met my expectations from the title.
Careful to not go too wide - you could end up with Detroit in the frame!
Glad you enjoyed the video Mike! Thats funny because I love how 35 can often be a best of both worlds for me. Take care!
I love Cleveland! Nice to see someone taking their craft seriously! 👍🏾
Thanks for watching! 🤝
Amazing examples. 28mm look incredible! Nice and thank you!!
thank you! give it a try if you haven’t already 💪🏾
Such a good video, love the way you think and the video editing was so fluid with great pictures! I started with 35 but 28 is definitely my daily lens and it made me progress so much. Keep doing 🫶
glad you enjoyed it Thomas! thanks for the kind words 🙏🏾
Exactly what I was looking for!👍
ayeeee I'm glad this was what you needed 🙏🏾
Thanks for the video! I have been up and down the dial with this issue. It's taken me time to get more comfortable and better with the wider focal lengths coming from the 50mm and 85mm. Over the years I've tried two fixed lens 28mm (Ricoh GRiii and Leica Q2), a 35 mm equiv. Fuji X100 and now I have the Ricoh griiix at 40mm which I like. But I think about getting the Ricoh GRiii at 28mm in addition from those times I want that context. I don't like getting too close, but would love to get comfortable with the 28mm. I made the mistake of thinking my discomfort with street photography was fixable with a different focal length when really it was a mental game that could be solved up here *tapping my head*.
thanks for watching! and i empathize man. going from 50 to 35 can be a massive jump, as a lot of what makes one special, isn’t always there in the other.
40 is such a great perspective, i can go on and on 😂
and i’m inclined to agree! an unfit focal length can definitely put you in areas you may not be ready for, but at the end of the day, you’re right it’s all mindset 🙏🏾
Thanks for all the tips, I have been shooting with a 40 mm on my M cameras, and it's worked out really well for me but I feel like the next lens should be a 28 for those environmental and architectural street work.
you’re welcome! give it a shot! should make for a nice visual refresh
Just me, but I skipped the 28mm after decades of using 35mm as my "standard" street lens. I instead went to 24mm. This rewards me with a true different look for the effort of changing glass.
One cool trick with the 35mm/24mm combo... the 24mm being held vertically (portrait mode) has the same edge to edge coverage as the 35mm held horizontally (landscape mode) at a constant distance. This give you the ability to emphasize height or width for the subject depending on the environment.
This is of course personal. A new shooter should do a 100% immersion with a single lens and really get to know it before cluttering their brain with choices.
that’s interesting! many (myself included) as super challenging. i agree though, figuring out the characteristics of one lens, initially, gives you an idea of how to notice the uniqueness of others.
I was tired of losing teeth so I switched back to 35mm😭 all kidding aside, I always enjoy your thoughts on the cerebral aspects when it comes to focal length and what they represent. Those thoughts combined with memes and cartoon inserts just hit right, man. Enjoyed this one!
😂 thank you man! both are so much fun (and safe) to use, all jokes aside as well lol. you did your thing with your photos!
I like the 35 & 50mm. I do like the 28 mm focal length! However the one that I own does not always performed as I would like. (barrel distortion.) Yes of course I know how to remedy this problem. Priorities have to come first. Awesome video.
Wow! Concise, to the point, thoughtful, and packed with great advice. Thank you Doriyan.
You’re welcome! 🙏🏾
What a great comparison!
thank you!
Well said my man. 28mm has been my fav focal length since I started. It just feels so much more raw compared to the 35mm IMO.
Great vid. Just subbed
Excellent video. Thanks.
You’re welcome! 🤝
Excellent video - I love the 28mm field of view, its my natural vision.
thank you! it’s definitely an engaging one to use
Great job my boi. Love the breakdown. It’s 28mm till I die.
thank you bro! you and Lee helped open me up to 28mm. sticking with it 🙏🏾
Great video, thank you!
Sure thing Ben!
I started with a 50 but most of the streets where I live are quite narrow so the 50 always felt a bit cramped. I moved to the 28 recently and I like the additional room but it's still a bit intimidating to get close sometimes. Luckily with zone focusing being much easier on the 28 I can get in and out fast.
zone focusing with 28mm is so awesome 🙏🏾
Nice concise video. I've mostly been shooting 35mm, but I'm definitely feeling like a little bit more context could be good sometimes. No doubt I'd run into the same problem that you mentioned, where the subject is lost in the frame. I'm also starting to play around with 40mm. 50mm is far too tight for me.
thanks! yeah while 28mm doesn’t “feel” like a far number from 35, you really get a different experience from it.
i also feel you with 50mm, it’s just not for me 😅
Outstanding video, thanks Dorian. I purchased a 28mm based on this. Already have the 40mm :)
glad you enjoyed it! 🙏🏾
If I travel with friends or family, it's 35. Travel alone, 28. In the good old film days, 35 was the standard lens for point-and -shoot cameras because of its versatility. Now we can crop so 28 potentially offers even more but then the subject had better be in the center. They are both good primes to have, both can be put into good use. Don't get a kit zoom though, the aperture is usually too small. You might as well use your iphone
Our preferences are reversed. If traveling with family, I am physically close to them so getting a good shot with 28mm is easy. 35mm works better for photographing strangers. I actually travel with both lenses. One in pocket and one in camera. Micro four thirds system. Pancake lens not much bigger than a roll of film.
I respect how you section things off!
first video i saw and i already love this channel
much love kenneth ✊🏾
I've been struggling with my 28 mm lense equivalent for a couple of months and try to find any tips and any understanding about the lenses from youtube, your explanations really helps me so much understanding this focal length. Thank you bro
Glad you enjoyed the video 🤝
Great insights - thank you 🙏
The advice to buy a mouth guard if you're going try street photography with a 28mm lens made me smile. I like the perspective of how the choice of focal length changes the demands on the photographer. As a beginner, I never thought of it that way.
i said some wild stuff in this video 😂 but yeah, as you experiment with focal lengths you’ll see that your approach will likely change a bit as well
Thank you! So helpful
glad it resonated with you!
Great video, fab pics. Liked. Subscribed.
i appreciate it jeremy!
Great vid, thanks!
absolutely! 💯
Great content, please keep it up!
i appreciate it jason!
I use a 8.1 megapixel Ricoh gr digital with the 28mm equivalent lens. I have the 21mm adaptor lens but prefer the 28
nice setup! 28mm is the way to go!
fully agree. 50mm was/is considered the 'to go portrait lens'... always comes with the finest bokeh and people love it like a soy sauce. have a boring image - but shot at 1.4 - they love it. i think that's the reason the starting wanna be street photographer grab 50mm (don't want to insult anybody). i love the sentence 'the longer you do street photography, the wider you go'. street photography is about it... life on street. it's tough to show a photo where you don't show the life. the interaction of the street elements. that beautiful shot by andre wagner of the kid dribbling the basketball. where would you have to stand to shoot it with 50mm. i think the more i see the photographer be close to their subjects on the street and you say 'one feels immersed in the picture'. i think that is the sole reason for that feeling. the guy was THERE in the moment. He is right next to the kids. that is why everybody can feel the 'immersion' . so the only way to be able to do that - lens must go wide(r). great video, doriyan, gotta follow you :)
many great points all throughout your comment! it’s funny, because I’ve truly gotten to a point where 40mm is about the longest i like to go.
what you said about immersion and truly being present in the moment has a lot of legitimacy to it. street photography is a beautiful thing! i appreciate you sharing and following 🙏
I use a 28 and occasionally a 21 for street
Nice job regarding the differences in using the 28mm vs 35mm. My belief is that the wider the lens angle of view, the more skill is required of the photographer to make a compelling image. Best wishes in your photographic endeavours.😊
You may be on to something! Thanks and you as well 🤝
Nice video. // I have a Canon 28mm ultrasonic f/1.8. Beautiful lens.... It's wide, but not exaggerating wide. It has great image IQ. // Maybe 24mm would be better... but I'm not going to get another wide angle lens just for an additional 4mm.
- The wider fish-eye lenses look intriguing... but they are slow. Even f/2.8 seems dubious.
“Buy a mouth guard” 😂
Great video Doriyan. Both are great options. And yeah, a 40 would be a better pair with the 28.
😂 all jokes for fun!
thank you, and yeah the 18mm f2 and 27mm 2.8 mk ii have had my interest for a while. need to try them out!
Thank you for your astute insight. Definitely going to give 40mm more shutter time...
thank you! they’re all great. 40mm is versatile, challenging and rewarding
Once I started using a 28mm, I sold my 35mm because it never got used after that...nice video sir!
I appreciate it!
Great! Thanks
Absolutely 🤝
daamn this video is excellent, this finally made me realise why I dislike 24mm. I'm just not good enough for that much information in my frame yet, also our little streets are empty, it does not work properly with that angle
Glad you got some value from it! Yeah 24mm is an interesting one, largely depends on your “canvas”. Thanks!
Well done- well presented....... San Franciscan street photog here..... good stuff...... thank you.........
thank you for watching John!
I love to see us making content like this . We need more of us . Would love to hit the streets with you one day
you’re gonna love some of the next videos then 🙏🏾 hit me up!
@@doriyancoleman most definitely I got to make my way up there
All good. Some astutely presented thoughts about the two focal lengths. Listen up all. :)
It's funny, 28mm many years ago was incredibly difficult for me. It was actually shooting around the world with one of the early Ricoh GR Digitals that brought me over to it - trial by fire. But even today I find myself torn between the two as a favorite and every time that happens I'm reminded why I abso-fuggin-lutely *adore* the Pentax FA 31mm. It's always been a touch larger (the size of the lens) than I really like, but even still I adapt it too mirrorless with regularity because it's just too good. It's in my top-3 all time over the almost 14 years I've had one, simply for how comfortable it makes me and the shots it's helped me see and realize. The inbetweener.
trial by fire is the name of the game for us photographers! you really gotta love those odd, in between focal lengths. they help make a camera / lens system special. glad you found a piece of your “forever kit”
I just tried 40mm street photos on a rollei 35, it’s tight but pretty fun ☺️✌🏽 definitely recommend it
someday i’ll try it out!
Hey, thanks for the cool video.
The first prime lens I bought after my kit zoom lens was 50mm equivalent, because it was the cheapest prime for Fuji system (xf35mm f2).
Now I want something else, so I think I will pick up 35 equiv. I wish I could shoot 28mm because I like the looks the most, but I live in a smallish city in Poland, not New York with awesome skyscrapers and crowds of people 😢
I own the Pancake lenses..... I currently have a Canon 40mm 2.8 STM that I use on my 1DX MK III and my Canon 5DSR .... just added a RF 28mm 2.8 STM to my Eos R (this combo belongs together) ..... I also own the Canon 50mm EF 1.4 USM that I use on my Canon 5DSR for large 50 mp portraits ...... It's nice having a couple of prime lenses.... never tried a 35mm, and thanks for your perspective !!!!
Considering you like all of though, 35mm may be worth a try! Thanks for watching 🤜🤛
I still find it a bit strange how many people are saying 35mm is boring. Most smartphone main cameras are between 24-28mm. That's all we see most of the time. 35mm isn't common, thus isn't boring, in my opinion.
many people just make excuses 😂
Focal lengths aren't boring. Photos may be boring but it's certainly not down to the lens used :)
I just started shooting street photography… I’ve got 135, 85, 58, 50, 35 and 28mm lenses. So far my favorite are 50mm and 85mm. Easier to compose and I’m still feeling uncomfortable coming close to people… but I’m still trying to use the 35mm lens.
They say that the longer you shoot, the wider you tend to go. It’ll feel more natural as time goes on
I did a little bit of street photography at first with my EOS RP and 50 1.8. Nice, little combo.
But its true, 50mm is "tight", and since i have "downgraded" to APS-C i either have to rely on my 17-55 2.8 lens or in the case of cities i also use the 10-20mm 3.5 lens for architecture and so.
But on APS-C a classic 50mm is also interesting for 75-80mm for street and portrait! In which i really like my actual nifty fifty, a vintage 50mm 1.4 SMC Takumar (radioactive 7 element version)
The 75-85mm zone is a lot of fun, I agree. 50 can take some getting used to as well. Have fun out there!
Great points. Solid video! Would you get the Ricoh GRIIIx?
i’d consider it! i’ve used 40mm a lot throughout the years, and enjoy the perspective. i do like the freedom of interchangeable lenses tho, that’s the tough part
4:29 … “And not in a good way”…lol
Standard lens you own is 50mm then next is 35mm , not wide enough just a bit wider so 28mm is the best general for most occasions . I recommend 4 lens that I personal pick , 50mm , 28mm , 21mm and 90mm . If you have these 4 will cover all you need . I shoot range finder manual cameras .
That’s a great setup!
I was born and raised in Cleveland. Love your shots. Great advice. Sub.
Thank you! Take care.
With the right Fuji camera and using sports finder I can put on an 18mm pancake and then have 27 and 35 on the one camera without the need to carry another lens. Or 23mm gives me 35 and 44. Yeah there is less megapixels but man it’s a good option.
the homie dee rosa introduced that to me! still have yet to try it but it makes for a versatile degree of options
I almost spent thousands to buy the xf 85 mm for night photography but when I discovered the works of garry winogrand and daido moriyama, i was blown away with the many details that a 28 mm can capture. i started using the 28 mm and man the results I got are something I would never imagine myself taking ever in my life.
glad that you’re making work that you love and learning about those before us. keep that going! 🚀
@@doriyancoleman for sure! i love photography and it's a whole world itself. I still have lots of it to explore and I'll keep exploring. I appreciate what you do on youtube, sharing your perspective on these technical stuff. keep them videos coming :))
Dope video, I personally bounce between 35mm and 50mm.
the street photography bread & butter 💪🏾
Was using 35 for a 3 years and sometimes was not 100% , sold it (but the lens was awesome ) and got now 17-28 2.8 + 85mm 1.8 ( think that Kombination is good for me )
glad that’s working out for you 🤝
“With higher degree of information comes higher degree of variation”. Thanks uncle photographer Ben
i need to rewatch this and see what i said 😂
Just picked up my first 28mm, and I've been cropping the hell out of my photos lol. I didn't realise how close I have to get to my subject.
I feel like that's definitely part of the learning curve. It'll start to feel natural as time goes on!
Buy a mouthguard! ha. Really enjoyed the video. Great description on how these lenses pan out in the real world.
28mm is so much fun lol, glad you enjoyed the video. 35 is my true love in this crazy world ❤️
Sam Abell is a master of 28mm documentary style photography. I think he’s compositionally one of the strongest photographers of the street/documentary genre. Well worth looking at his work. Primarily used a 28 and 90.
thanks i’ll have to check him out!
Great video. Really comprehensive. I went for 40mm ;)
Enjoy yourself 📸
21/35 has been my go to all over the world! :)
30mm is the perfect FL for everyone and iam happy with panasonic leica 15mm f1.7 its a truly gem in photography universe
i would definitely be interested in a 30mm equiv. focal length to replace the 18mm f/2 on the x-system
I'm rather fond of the 42mm f2 'standard' lens of my Contax G1 over the alternate 28mm f2.8 for 'street photography'.
The 40 range is great 👍🏾
Nice video with some handy street tips. "Mouth guard"! :-)
Glad you liked it!
Summed it up thanks 🙏🏻
You’re welcome 🤝
With my A7RV, I can use my Samyang 24mm and then put it in crop mode and achieve 36mm. Although I go from 61mp to 26mp which is fine.
36mm and still great for high resolution and quality prints 👍🏾
I think I read in the past that 40mm is the equivalent of a human eyes pov which is why 35mm feels good/natural. Obviously not peripheral vision as that is wider but focused eyesight
i’m inclined to agree. i’ve spent a lot of time with 40mm over the years, and it almost feels like your sight isn’t changing when you raise the camera to your eye
Impressive video. In nyc 28mm is a must if you want to be in the thick of it. In fact 24mm may also be interesting. I have done 35mm in NY as well it’s possible it just has a different feel more intimate and less kinetic feeling. Outside of nyc I find 35-40 as a more friendly length
I now where you're coming from when you briefly mention 40mm - which I've been using more and more lately on my work.
Are you intending to do a feature on it anytime soon?
BTW: This many words of wisdom are rarely found on your average YT vid. Liking it and subscribing!
Congrats from a passionate street photog from "the streets of Brazil".
40mm is interesting! i’ve used it (and 45mm) at various times throughout the years, and definitely want to share my experience with it
i appreciate the high praise Scott, thank you 🙏🏾