Which Prime Lens Should You Buy? - Focal Lengths Compared
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In this video I'll be comparing prime lens focal lengths! 24mm, 35mm 50mm and 85mm to help you decide which one to buy and which one suits your style of photography.
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Just wanted to quickly add that the video is demonstrating these focal lengths on FULL FRAME cameras. If you're using a crop sensor (aps-c) then times the focal length by x1.5 and for micro four thirds x2 to get an idea of what the lens will look like on your camera. So for example for aps-c a 24 will look more like the 35 shots in this video and the 50 more like the 85 etc etc.
thank you for this. I have been shooting with a Nikon DX camera and I found the 35mm DX to have a very natural look. Essentially I should be getting a 50mm on a full-frame, to get the same FOV. Almost pressed that buy button too soon.
But the DOF on DX will never be as on FX if you use a 35mm lens to compensate for a 50! I hated DX cameras since i got my first one 13 years ago,i didn't understand why my shots never looked like what i was seeing at others and after shooting some films i understand why. After 13 years since i first put my hands on my first camera and i had a few,lens wise,i always found the 50mm perfect for most situations. I was obsessed with the 85 and 135 (even got the Zeiss 135mm f/2) nut after a while,using Sigma-s 50mm f/1.4 A and Voigtlander 58mm f/1.4 on D800,i never needed to use a 85 or 135.
@@ganeapaul-marius7121 DX FX terms are only used by Nikon !
@@cameraprepper7938 so? Who cares,it's still about crop,full frame,medium and large format.
Im just wondering if i need a 35mm if I already have a 24-75mm?
35mm 1.4 and 85mm 1.4 combo. 🔥
Big time combo!! 👌🏼
I need them
Nah...50mm and 85 mm combo😉
24 & 50 mm great combo
50mm and 85mm
I like these type of videos because you're not trying to force feed your viewers a right/wrong approach, you're actually providing useable content! I like that you also provide samples in an easy to digest manner. You reference to your friend who only shoots 24mm was a great example. In the end where you demonstrate some 'alternative' lenses like the 16mm for portraits really drove home the theme of the video. Very well done, and a lot more practical than the 'Lab' type gear reviews looking for 'chromatic aberation' LOL. Great Job ! Cheers !
First vid I've ever seen of yours. Really dug the straight forward explanation. The layout in presentation made it really easy to follow along and notice the differences you were explaining. Well done, thanks for the info!
Like you mentioned in the end of the video, I also been using the 24mm for candid shots. Has a lot of character, and brings somewhat of a raw street element to my portraits.
Well said my friend. Photography is the artist expression of the scene. Pick the lens that portrays how you’re feeling.
I've experienced recently as well the "telephoto for landscapes", but I never would have thought of wide-angle for portraits. This has been very useful, thank you!
Just don't get too close to the subject's nose. Notice those wide-angle portraits are usually from a low perspective - for a reason.
Thank you for making the approach that photography is a form of expression and it shouldn't matter which lens to use, I really loved that. Great video btw, it helped me to confirm which one was the one that I'm going to purchase next :)
I love shooting with only prime lenses also. I use my 50mm the most out of the ones I have so far. I just got my hand on an rf85mm f2 and I'm loving it because I can stay a bit further away and still get that 50mm look. I love how you said there is not standard focal length for a situation. I work with what I have.
Thank you, that was extremely helpful for understanding and visualizing the differences between different focal lengths. I've watched quite many KZhead videos with a similar setup, but none of them was nearly as good as yours. Mainly because none of them was quite as consistent in its effort to change only the focal length and nothing else (same model, same scene, ....)
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it!
You could also check out julia trotti's videos for another perspective. She did this w/both 35mm format and aps-c format.
Very true. What lens did you get in the end? How you like it?
Thank you for explaining that each lens doesn’t just give you a different distance and width that it captures. But they also give you a different perspective of how the subject of the photo looks.
Best prime lens comparison yet!!!!! I’ve been watching videos for about three weeks STRONG! Majority recommend the 85mm 1.8 and 50mm 1.8 to begin. I appreciate your prospective since I’m getting into photography!
I use a range of lenses for my portraits. 14-24mm is great for landscape shots with a small figure in them, although I have done some close-up shots with it as well but it's difficult to avoid weird distortion. The 40mm focal length is my most used lens for portraits because I shoot in nature and I like to include the background in the story. I also use the 70-200mm at the long end in some cases if I have enough space, but it doesn't suit everyone because of how flat they look. The 70-200mm is great for blurring out the background though. I think an 85mm would be a great lens to use as well but I don't think it would be as versatile as my other lenses.
Amazing video man! Loved the part where you explain that it doesn’t matter what lens you use in any given situation, it’s how you use them :) Keep killing it brother x
Ayy thanks bro means a lot coming from you! Link soon!
"Loved the part where you explain that it doesn’t matter what lens you use in any given situation, it’s how you use them". That little bit literally made me subscribe to his channel lol.
When I have sent a picture of mine to a youtuber to critique it in a live video (not to mention it is not easy to be chosen for the live video), someone wrote in the chat: "This happens when you use a 35mm shooting portrait" with a negative tone. How I am releaved to read from real pros it does not matter until you have fun and your picture delivers. Thank you both.
omg !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6
First time on this channel. I was immediately struck by two points you made in plain, easy-to-understand terms. You have earned a sub. I hope you continue to keep your communication style effortless.
This video was so helpful. I’m just starting out and I always thought the 85mm would be my favorite but I too find the 35mm so versatile that it’s quickly become my favorite.
I just love my 35mm lens, especially because of the fact that the background isn't that irellevant as it would be with the 50mm or 85mm. 24mm looks nice as well! I can also completley agree with what you said, shooting portraits with wider lenses and landscape with tele lenses, I love to do this! 😍
if i havea 20mm sony what could i pair it with?
I have a 16mm and a 50mm and I love them. I wanted either a 30 or 85mm lens next and I chose the 85. I want to focus more on portraits (like weddings, couple, etc) so the 85 would be perfect! 😁 I love your photos btw! 😍
Nicely done, Mitch. Thanks for your open perspective. It's an interesting paradox - choose a lens/subject combination that is unique to you and more creative - but then repeat the process over and over to develop your "identifiable" look/brand. Personally, my first (and only) 35mm lens was the Tamron 35mm f/1.4 and I immediately started to gravitate to "the look". I've been experimenting on either side with extremes of 24mm f/`1.4 and 200mm f/2. I've learned a lot in the process and have used that knowledge to further refine where I am headed with my photography and what focal length best works for what kind of story telling. I agree, keep an open mind, and put aside the comments "this lens is for that". You're style will find you. Stop chasing it.
yours and Carlo's photos made me so much into wide lens portraits recently! i keep coming back to watch these 24mm and 35mm videos : )
Thanks for sharing this content and the comparison between lenses! My current fave is the 85mm. I am curious, during a typical photo shoot, how often do you change lenses? I photograph maternity and high school seniors (and every age and stage in between) and I almost always use the same lens for all the shots at one location, I guess I don't slow down enough or think about changing until we finish at that spot and then move to a different location.
I share the same goal as well, but having trouble keeping the images consistent. I will definitely work on that this year
Love that man! 👏🏼
I've seen a lot of videos on this subject and this is by FAR the best. Thank you!
Great video. I mainly use my 50mm 1.4 with my Canon R6. I started with the 50mm 1.8. I love the 50mm and my work consists of a lot of portraits. I recently picked up the RF 35mm 1.8. Going to get some shot with that and see how it turns out. The 85mm 1.4 would be an amazing lens to add to my gear. Might look into picking one of those up as well.
One other thing to consider is distance to subject. With a 24 you are very close to your subject, they know you are taking their picture, you are almost in their personal space. With the 85, you can get more cadid shots. My best photos have come from when people don't know they are being shot. Also, if you need a wide shot with a tight lens, just shoot it like a pano. You get a really unique perspective.
It depends on what you shoot. With 85mm you can become a paparazzi, you are detached from your subject, there is no engagement
You are only close to your subject when using a 24mm lens if you choose to be. Stop worrying about filling the frame in camera. Instead, worry about capturing the expression, the pose, the lighting, and then frame and crop on the computer after the fact. If your final cropped image is at least 6MP, you are fine and dandy. You don't need a 24MP or 48MP final image, Forget about it. Capture great images, and no one will give a rat's ass about resolution. In fact, some the most attractive and iconic portraits appear a bit soft and grainy. Who wants an image where one can count the pores except for a dermatologist?
lmao@@joansmith7649
You can get 70-200 f2.8. Good for not invading personal space.
I own 24-70 2.8 and 70-200 2.8 and a 50mm 1.2. Love all of the lenses but my fav right now is the 70-200 rf soo good! 🤟🏼👏🏻 nice video btw! I would love to try the 15-35mm rf 🚀
Really enjoyed this video on the different lenses! Straight to the point with great examples. Keep crushing it! :D
Best video about photography / lenses that I have seen... maybe ever! Great job, keep up the great work!
Great, as always! Thanks to some of your previous videos I finally made the choice to splurge on the EOS R + Tamron 35mm f1.4 lens! And after watching this, I feel good about having went with a 35mm lens :)
So many people tell me they bought this combo because of me! Plus no one has said they regret it yet - Haha. Happy shooting! :)
Wow, this video has made me rethink my photography style. Very informative, thanks. As I was looking at the four photos, I was thinking of the difference between them exactly as you described them. It looks like I have to add the 24mm or the 35mm to my lens collection. Which aperture did you use for the comparison?
Looking at your photos really tells me I need to get better, like WAY better. Your pictures are so simple but so powerful to look at. It's not cluttered or overbearing to gaze at.
Thanks Jake!
I liked your comments about your job as a photographer, and your goals as a photographer, so much that I wrote them down to remind myself WHY I'm taking pictures.. Good job Mitch!
I shoot most of my photo with 85mm. But lately I’ve gotten my interest on 35mm ! Love your vid bro. New subs here!
I have shooting with primes and started getting tired of switching out lenses. Tamron came out with a 35-150mm 2.8-4 lens. I completely love it. Covers all my favorite portrait focal lengths and the zoom ring is marked for all the popular portrait primes. Game changer for me.
it is not a bad lens, but i shoot street and landscape. so 23mm is the only one i use. and when i know i am going to shoot portrait i put a 85mm on it. i have one 2 lenses and it is perfect for me personally and extreme sharp
isn’t it 2-2.8?
Since I'm not a profesional, nor i intend to be, i use a Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 and for my sport pictures a Sigma150-600mm 5-6.3 contemporary, they do the job and i'm more than happy with them.
ur work is so so neat! love your color schemes and comps
Great comparison. Maybe because the first and only I had for many years was a 50mm, it does become my default choice. However, as I expand from shooting people to landscape, I found 28mm my new default.
I think I need the 24mm lens. I shoot nature with people in it, but my focus is to show how beautiful and cozy the place is. My instagram viewers wouldn't care who are in the pics, and I don't want them to. Thank you now I've found a perfect lens to blur the person's image (foreground) in the sharp wide angled backgrounds. It'll help me make stories with the place as the main subject.
From an artistic point of view i do agree with you. I own all of these lenses as well. I do a lot of event photography(not so much lately) and i do like the wider lenses up close when I have a beautiful background that adds to my story,, however in wedding photography bride shots compression of the 85-105-135 and even 200mm can be unbelievably flattering to a person's face especially if they tend to be on the heavier side. The compression flatters and isolates. In that situation i prefer my nikon 85 1.4. But there are times when i shoot the bride and groom at 200 during a special moment that is flattering and allows for all focus to be on that moment. It is tough to balance your artistic side with the pragmatic side of earning money.
Thanks for sharing your insights! :)
Nice comparison video. I own 35mm, 50mm and 85mm. 35mm was the last purchased but I agree with you in that it is my favorite by far. Find that i have it on the camera 4x more than the other two, Thanks for the great video.
I appreciate the content of this video. I'm new to the world of photography and I am learning as I go. This was super informative in helping me decide on a new lens for portraits!
Really appreciated your thoughts on this, I literally just got off the phone with a shop where they insisted 85mm is the only way to go, but I like the story of WHERE are perosn is, I have been hesitating on the total compression of the landscape vibe. A great reminder that photography is art also and you are allowed to have your own style.
I tend to like the 35mm but I think the 50mm lens is really good in practice as well. I'll definitely think of getting one lower than 35 at some point.
Amazing informative comparison! I always come to ur videos to gain more knowledge, ur videos have helped me become more versatile and creative as a photographer. Thank you!
That’s awesome! Thank you!
I always find myself back at this video!!! Fantastic work mate!!! Well guided, thank you!
Appreciate it :)
I had a 20mm 1.4, 35mm 1.4, 50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8 and 135mm 1.8 and all I can say is that I love the 35mm, 85mm and 135mm the most. I sold the 20mm since I never used it after I've got a 35mm, I want to sell the 50mm as well because of the same reason. 85mm is great for portraits like you said it's generally small and light. I use the 135mm for portraits at range, like dogs running around in the park or beach. For a beginner I'd suggest getting a 35mm first. After that 85mm.
Soo many lenses! At least you’ve figured out what works for you! :)
Hi, do you have APS-C camera or full frame?
@@nAcolz full frame
I used to stick exclusively to the "portrait" lens, only having wide angle focal lengths for utility or videos, but eventually it felt kind of limiting and "samey" and I wanted to get more creative with the backgrounds so I bought the Nikkor 20mm 1.8s and the first photoshoot I did with it completely complimented the 85mm 1.8s, giving me two completely different kinds of photos and better allowing me to tell the story that my friend and I were going for. I personally don't really care for 35mm and 50mm because as a photographer, I want to get away from what our eyes naturally see hence why the 20mm and 85mm (and 135mm when I had one) are far more appealing to me.
Super helpful video for someone just starting out and trying to understand different lenses! Thanks for sharing!
good tips. Great stuff and advice on actual photography. love it mate. Subbed
Loved it!! 85mm for portraits because of that beautiful blur in the background but 35mm also because of how much of the background I can include! :)
Great combo those two - very popular with the professional wedding photographers that I know
Yes I have switched between the two at weddings pretty often! I actually sold my 35 and got a 24-70mm which I like but it’s not the same :/
24 and 50 are currently my two most used lenses. I want to go 35 and 85 next tho, but I tend to find I don't have enough room to use a 85 a lot (UK locations).
24 and 50 is a great combo too.
@@MitchLally All to much distortion. I'm using 70-200mm mostly now and 90% of the time i'm at 100mm+. Love the compression.
Crop sensor or full-frame.....
@@b.r.srihari4099 full frame
This video answered all of my questions and helps me choose the lenses. Thanks!
Great video, and great down to earth mindset towards making choices between lenses. Thanks!
My favorite focal length is the 50mm; it's wide enough for group/landscape shots while also allowing me to take tight portraits at a long enough distance not to cause much distortion to the facial features from the lens curvature.
I find 50mm too in-between. Too tight when you want the background to be part of the story - prefer 24-35mm for that. Too short when you want to really isolate the subject - prefer my 70-200 f/2.8 for that. The best thing you can say about 50mm is that it doesn't draw too much attention.
@@thegorn My comment was obviously meant to apply if I could only get one prime lens in which case 50mm is the most versatile imo. If we include other lenses in the equation, the sky is the limit!
Your photos look amazing. Will definitely give you a follow! I'm struggling a bit on translating this to a crop sensor. I only just started and right away invested in two primes. They are actually 35mm and 50mm. But with the crop I guess that translates more to having a 50mm and 85mm (but also, not really, lol). Maybe I should go for a 23mm for my system too, because I do really like that 35mm look as well!
23mm.. you’re on fuji? I love the look of 35mm equivalent - very versatile! Let me know how you go!
Great video, Thank you for the valuable info and great sample comparisons Mitch.. Cheers!!
Mitch’s style and editing colors are life. One of my favorite KZhead photographers of them all.
Thanks Jackie!
Thank you so much, this was so helpful ❤️ Greetings from Italy 🇮🇹
Glad you enjoyed it! grazie mille 🙏🏼☺️
Loved how you explained everything...I love photography and what to get into a a bit more seriously... based on all the videos I’ve seen over the years, whenever I get a camera, I would like a 35mm, 85 mm, and possibly a 24-70mm lens...lol I love taking macros as well but I don’t recall my choice of lens for that. I felt at the time that these lenses would be beneficial for a range of shots, but I’m not 100% on that since I haven’t used any yet lol. If anyone has suggestions for macro and astrophotography (Whether it’s advice on using the lenses I chose to do it or other lenses), and cameras, I’m all ears lol
Laowa Venus 100mm Macro does 2:1. Unless you shoot cannon it's 100% manual. You can view the images on the site. They are amazing. I almost bought it but ended up happy with my Kenko tubes and saved over $400! It was also hard to justify dropping $500 and only be able to shoot manual in my Nikon with no ability to control aperture. Also, the lens is not sealed- minor point but annoying for $500- again if IQ is your #1, it's great glass.
i mostly use either a 28mm 1.8 if it should be more environmental portraits (for me a very good middle point of 24 and 35mm) and 85mm 1.8 for the more compressed look - alltough i think that something like a 105-135 mm might work even better for those "compressed" Portraits, also lets you choose a smaller background area
Spot on! I've always liked the 50mm and that would most likely my choice because I also do video and I like the way the 50 separated the subject a little more... I've been using a variable zoom lens a lot because I needed a workhorse lens for video but I do miss using primes... My ideal prime kit would be something close to a 16, 35, 50, & 200 if I could have 4.
Try Vintage Manual lenses. A set of 17 3.5 35 2.8 50 1.8 & 200 2.8 costed me 400€!!
I'm not a photographer because I'm too poor to afford a proper camera lol, but with all the pictures I've seen, there is just something about those 24mm 1.4 gm lenses that I just can't get enough of. Every single picture or video I see shot on this lens looks absolutely stunning to my eyes. Also, thanks so much for the bit about using whichever lens suits your style and not getting caught up in the "which lens is proper for this" debate, I was literally thinking the exact same thing when I clicked on the video. Subscribed!!!
I used to know a pro photographer that made a good living at his craft and captured wonderful images, using nothing but an Olympus 35mm compact. It's not about the equipment but seems to be more about the vision and skill. I have great gear, but I'm not a photographer because my images suck. All the gear and no idea, the saying goes. If you want to be a photographer, be one. Somewhere there may well be people who would enjoy your vision, if you hone your skill with the kit you have.
@@daemon1143 Thanks! I just got an old point and shoot canon, just need a memory card then I'm good to go.
@@RondellKB How's your photo journey been?
@@L.Spencer Hasn't really started yet, but I do have a fledgling travel KZhead channel.
I've had every focal length of prime lens and now I only use a 35mm (Tamron on Sony A7iii). It's the most flattering lens for headshots-- longer focal lengths make faces look flatter and wider. That may be more accurate, but the 35mm looks better because it "bends" the sides of the face back. For full body shots the 35mm doesn't require you to be 20 feet away
tamron is garbage, buy a 85 sigma or a 50 g master, those two are pretty much the top sharpness quality for sony cameras
@@Archonsx I’m also not a fan of Tamron
@@Archonsx in the hands of a professional, even a regular camera from a smartphone will take brilliant shots 😉
but by the way, I also advise you to switch to Sony G or Sigma. Don't lose potential in poor quality
Never agreed more to another photographer. Great video! Really like your work. 👍🏻
Great video alongside the explanation of the various lenses and their output
Love your videos Mitch! I'm one of the noobies that needed this kind of information! Also when I see your images on IG I can always tell it's yours before looking at who did it lol
Haha that’s awesome! Thanks Charlie!
50mm is my favourite by far. It can be used for anything. The natural compression means one can use any crazy angle but lines and shapes never get deformed unlike wider or longer lenses. 40mm lenses work equally well for this being slightly better for narrative and slightly worse for portrait. Currently using a 20mm and not sure yet. I always preferred 28 to 24 because the 28 looks somewhat natural, just like a 35, but at the same time offers more of the wide view.
definitely agree with You : )
Good point. I noticed since getting the 28-70 f2, that I often use 28mm as it gets me more of the distinct subtle distortion I like to see. 28 has a distortion you should be aware of when getting to close. But it’s something you can handle as it’s not too extreme.
Same here. Waiting for the Sony 28 1.4 G /GM. A very accustomed focal length in today's smartphone & social media world. A little wider than the 35mm but yet not too wide like the 24mm. The 28 1.4 in 1.5x crop will give you 42mm 2.0.., still very usable DOF characteristics for a quick portrait session.
There is no "natural compression" caused by a lens. Instead, the degree of compression is caused strictly by the lens-subject distance and nothing more. Where is all this misinformation coming from? The day of having to fill the frame in the camera is over. Buy a camera with a high resolution full-frame sensor and a 35mm lens. Do all cropping at the computer and make all decisions regarding how much extension of compression you want by adjusting the lens-subject distance at the time of image capture. If you want the look of distortion to accentuate a body part or for effect, then shoot close to the subject. If you want a more compressed look with less apparent distortion then stand back from the subject at least 6'. These are the decisions that must be made at the time of image capture. The cropping should be made at the computer. By doing this, you are able to use a 35mm lens to achieve the look of a 35mm, a 50mm, an 85mm, and 135mm just by varying the distance to the subject, and cropping into the image on the computer. Forget about creating high resolution final portrait images of women, unless you really want to piss them off. Instead produce low resolution images, using a bit of selective lens blur, a bit of grain and glow, and make women look like goddesses. As long as the final cropped image is at least 6MP, you will be good to go. And forget about buying all the other lenses, because you do not need them at all. 35mm. That's it. For all portraits. Get a 28mm lens if you want to have the capability to create cartoonish portraits with bulbous noses and huge fat asses.
Great video! My go-to primes for individual and family portraits here in Hawaii are the 35mm f/1.4 and the 85mm f/1.2.
Thanks man! Very detailed content, love it.
I just broke my nifty 50 a few days ago 😭 Thanks for this video; your work is gorgeous!
Aww that sucks!! Thanks for watching! 😄
Mitch you’ve got me addicted to that wide 24mm f1.4 look from that pro mist video. I’m going to sell my 85 for the 24 to pair with my 28-75mm. Thank u
LIkewise! He convinced me to buy a 24 1.4 as well
Haha! Hope you’re enjoying it bro!
@@migsflicks 24mm baby
@@CARLO.OBRIEN yessir!!
Can't resist. I like the combo of 50 and 24, both of which are pretty affordable, because the 24 is great for vlogging and small studios where the camera can't be 10 feet back from the subject, and the 50 is there for a-roll when you really need that "like butter" shallow DOF.
extremely useful with the visual comparison side by side and very informative and straight to the point.
I love the way Cat looks in the 24mm (I mean...insert obvious statement about gorgeous at every..) 03:45
The demo images are fantastic. If I may be bold enough to suggest a video; it would be cool to see a video comparing a single zoom lens, say a 24 -70mm against three primes lenses, the 24mm, 35mm & 50mm. It could be a test of image quality at those specific focal lengths and cost!
Omg I just filmed this exact video two days ago 😂😂😂
Like from that video? 24-70 vs 24/35/50
Great video! Art & creativity is what it's about and primes have become my go to lenses as I do more and more creative photography as opposed to journalism.
I like the 50 and 85 for portraits but if I had to pick one it would be the 50, it just gives you more options to include more of the scene but still give you a nice shallow DOF. For landscapes I use a 24-105 and 100-400 but never wide angles.
I bought a 85 mm prime lense that was a highly rated portrait lense and it takes very good pics and works great outside but it is difficult to use indoors if you want a full body shot. You essentially run out of room.
Nice one Mitch. Cheers from North Carolina, USA mate! Crazy to see how far you've came my guy. My fav lens has to be the 85mm the compression gets me so excited!
Thanks for being here for the ride Gabe! Legend! Can’t wait to visit USA soon.
@@MitchLally Keep being awesome man you have a subscriber for life. I will be in Australia once all of this is pandemic stuff over. My church is there Hillsong.
I got a G85 with the standard 12-60 lens and happy with. Our teacher is always trying to push the boundaries of photography. Looking forward to buy a few prime lenses. Just subscribed to your channel…….👍👍
really dope! i love your photo edits
I just want to have one lens and one camera, so I choose 50mm. However, each focal length has its own strength depending on what image and situation.
Love your idea of ‘unconventional focal length’
Thanks for sharing..as a hobbyist I still get confused which prime lens to use outdoors & so I often take my 18-55mm kit lens to cover most situations....I only have the 35 & 50mm prime lenses... cheers 😀
This video was amazing! Thank you this helped so much!
You said it best when you said “with the 24 and 35, the background becomes part of the story, not so much with the 50 and definitely not with the 85.” (In those words, more or less.) I’m really wanting the new Sony 35 gm 1.4 but the lens breathing is a turn off.
The lens to human eye comparisons are inaccurate and false. The eye, a healthy human eye, sees all 180 degrees in front of it. There's a little something called peripheral vision. Eye sees in what is called a 3 point section view aka. a 60/60/60 degree view aka. full 180 degree view. The reason we split in three sections is that the center view point of 60 degrees aka. where we are looking at, is always in focus and the other 120 degrees aka. peripheral views that are; 60 degrees left of the center and 60 degrees right of the center view point, is out of focus but we still see slightly blurred out shapes. A camera (lens) on the other hand, doesn't see in full 180 degree radius from its outermost point of the lens, it only sees a set view angle and then nothing beyond it, e.g. a 50mm lens, aka. ''the most human eye like lens,'' has a viewing angle of only 39.5 degrees aka. 20 degrees left and 20 degrees right of the (0 degree) center point, there's nothing beyond that, it just stops, it's all black, it's just a square/rectangle, you don't see the other 140 degrees aka. 70 degrees left and 70 degrees right of the center 40 degrees that the camera (lens) sees, for a full 180 degree view like the human eye. Even a 10mm camera lens only has a 121 degree view angle, not 180 degrees + it is all distorted and ''fish eye'' like. There is no such thing as a lens that sees the same as the human eye.
A 35mm is absolutely classic, often considered by many the true "normal" lens and not the 50. Scores of National Geographic photographers prowled the world with two Leica rangefinder cameras, a 21mm, 35mm and 90mm lenses, all in one small bag.
@anthonyc1883 That is interesting. That triplet seems very efficient. I am tempted to try it myself.
The tip I heard for choosing a first prime lens is to look through a good random selection of your images, look at the EXIF info and make a note of what focal length each shot was taken at, then add them up and the focal length that most of your photos were taken at should be your first prime lens, simple.
Very helpful!! thanks so much! I have the 50mm, but deciding to get another one, thinking the 35mm would be best for a next step. i LOVE the 50mm
My favourite is 85, used 50mm dedicatedly on my APSC cameras and now 85 on the FF bodies along with 50mm. Beautiful video of course 👍🏽
Such a hard decision on lenses but this helped me massively 👌🏻
What did you choose?
Hi Mitch, Your video is just what I looked for! I was considering between 35mm and 50mm and now found your examples very revealing and on point. Thanks, Ron from Israel
Loved this video, thank you. My fav focal length is the tried and true nifty fifty haha
I got that tamron 1.4 ...I think it’s the best lens I got, it is so sharp too. I can honestly say, if I didn’t have this lens, I would have switched to Sony a couple times this year! But, in the switch to Sony I keep feeling like my 35 options are downgrades unless I get the new GM 35... but that’s so expensive :(
Sony got some killer specs. Just waiting for the RF lens line up to fill out.
Save up man. That GM is 🔥
I have the sigma 35mm 1.4 for my sony a7riii and a7iii! It’s a great lens for the value honestly! I’ve made a few videos with it if you need to get examples!
I only ever had a 85mm 1.8 lens with my first-gen 5D because I never could afford something else. Nonetheless I took it on numerous hiking trips, events, to the streets or for product photography and the results were always stunning. Sure, you have to move a lot as a photographer and think a lot more about the motif but that makes the whole experience a lot more creative as well.
We learned so much from this. Thanks Mitch!
Which Prime Lens Should You Buy? :-)))) Answer : Canon EF/RF F/2.8 16-35 ; 24-70 ; 70-200
50mm for me . .. hehe
Great. Do a "Do you need a high megapixel camera'' next. Lol.
Thanks! The answer is ‘it depends’ so it could be a fun video to make 😂
Do you need a high megapixel camera? no, Can it save your ass? yes it sure can!! I did a shoot once with a 42mp camera, and there was a boring vertical image that I saved by cropping in a whole lot and making it horizontal, I wouldn't have been able to make it as good with a 24mp, but that's about the only reason to have high megapixles, being able to reframe the shots in post and crop in a lot
@@gunnarbjarkiii in theory yes, but it also depends on the lens. Not every lens offers great corner sharpness
I got 20MP on my pro camera, and 108MP on my phone. Guess the best results 😉
@@joshuadxlee lens is much more important than the MP in the camera 😉
My favourite primes are Olympus 25mm 1:8 and Sigma 56mm 1:4. Double the lens to get the 35mm full frame equivalent values. I like the flat look of the 56 for portraits and the 25 doubles up as a portrait and general purpose lens. If it had been possible I would ideally chose 55 over 50 in full frame terms because that had been my first prime when using film cameras . Since sharpness of the lens is also critical , my choices reflect this. I enjoy working close to my subject , except in portraits , where I value distance to acquire a sense of surroundings , but weaken their impact on the central figure . I also like to work light and whilst a pro zoom could handle my shooting choices , it comes with a handicap in that the f stop is around 2:8 compared to 1:8 or faster . The net result I can shoot faster shutter speeds and retain a lower ISO. Of course, that does not mean that wide angle lenses are bad, but more that I have not used them frequently enough . I am also able to cover the rest of my needs with the kit zoom and the camera on the phone , where a wide angle view is required . Hope that helps in answering your question .
I have a 18-140 mm lens I use for street photography. When I was going through a bunch of photos I had taken I noticed that most were shot at around 105 mm. I guess that is what I am drawn to when shooting street scenes. I can get close to subjects without being intrusive.