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Old 9th August 2013, 03:13 PM
alexmuir alexmuir is online now
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Default 50mm lenses on 35mm cameras

Does anyone regularly produce interesting images with a 50mm 'standard' lens? I used to use them on my various 35mm SLRs in the past, but the results were largely boring. After a long break, I bought a new one for my current Nikon cameras. I took it on a weekend to Oban recently, attached to my Nikon F75, as a lightweight option. The results were frankly disappointing. The pictures were sharp and contrasty, but largely unsatisfactory. I'm sure I would have fared better with my 28-105, or even a prime 28,35 or 100. Has anyone else found similar problems with a 50? Alex
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Old 9th August 2013, 03:56 PM
Lostlabours Lostlabours is offline
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When I used 35mm I only had a 50mm for my Leica and constantly got great shots with it, I now use TLRs with fixed standard lenses again no issues.

It's how you look and see when you make images rather than the focal lenght.

Ian
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Old 9th August 2013, 04:19 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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All but one of my 35mm cameras are fixed lens and I get great shots with them,the only execption are my Werra 3 and werramatic, which take a 100mm and 35mm lens as well as the 50mm, also all of the MF cameras I use are either TLR's or folders, all with fixed standard lenses.I have no problems getting great shots with them either.
Richard
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Old 9th August 2013, 05:09 PM
big paul big paul is offline
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I have a 50mm zoom lens when I want to zoom in I walk towards the subject and when I want to zoom out I walk away,,,,,hee hee hee..
I know that its not what you ask but I like to use a 24mm lens most of the time ,,,if you use a lens a lot you will find different ways to use it .



www.essexcockney.com
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Old 9th August 2013, 06:41 PM
marty marty is offline
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I think it largely depends on the kind of pictures you like to take usually.
For example I like to photograph details of things more than an ensemble view and for this kind of pictures I find the fifty to work good. I find it good too for casual portraiture too. Usually I try to look for a different framing if I see it doesn't quite work, but I think I developed a particular "eye", if you know what I mean, in a sense that I move around the scene, I tilt, I rise the camera until a composition just falls in place... Sometimes I simply am not in the right mood and just doesn't "click" but that's another story... And sometimes I just need something wider or longer, period... My point is that it takes a bit of effort and observation to make a photograph that works with the tool you have in your hands at the moment...

Cheers, M.
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Old 9th August 2013, 06:43 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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Alex you might want to define what "largely unsatisfactory" means to you. Until we know this then we may be in danger of defining the phrase differently from you and then our comments become unhelpful. It sounds from your comments as if the lens is technically good and as someone has said your legs are the zoom mechanism with a prime 50.

What do you think that a wide angle or short telephoto prime would have given you that the 50 doesn't?

Mike
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Old 9th August 2013, 07:50 PM
DavidH DavidH is offline
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I think it's a good thing to use a camera with a fixed lens from time to time, even if you normally use a zoom. It makes you think more about where to stand, what angle the subject is viewed from etc.
I think you can surprise yourself occasionally by how much you can do without changing focal length.
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Old 9th August 2013, 08:04 PM
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Martin Aislabie Martin Aislabie is offline
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I too, never found the standard 50mm lens a comfortable focal length.

I only have prime lenses but my preference was a 28mm lens for a 35mm, which was perhaps a fraction wide for every day use.

I never had a 35mm length lens - but wondered if it would be a more satisfactory/comfortable standard lens.

YMMV

Martin
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Old 9th August 2013, 08:40 PM
John King John King is online now
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My 35mm cameras use zoom lenses but my Bronica ETRS has a 75mm standard (a little bit wider on 645 when compared to a 50mm on 35mm)

It is a cracker of a lens and can guarantee that all will be sharp at whatever apperture I use. The 50mm and 150 get used too but not as much as the 75.
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Old 9th August 2013, 08:42 PM
alexmuir alexmuir is online now
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I feel that I produce more pleasing images with lenses of different focal length than 'standard' in 35mm. I have a different experience with my Rolleicord, but that produces square images. I thought my current 50mm would be good for low light, with its f1.8 max aperture, and for informal portraits, however, they tend to show distortion in facial features. I know this is caused by getting in too close, but even shots framed to include two or three people in head and shoulders show the same sort of distortion. I know that you should move around a scene, and use your legs to zoom in or out, but that doesn't seem to help. Having revisited the 50mm, I think this one will be going 'on the market' sometime soon. Alex
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