35 or 50mm? (Page 6): This is simply the optical illusion that goes with change in perspective. We all have observed that if you have a picture which is more "telephoto", distances...

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Mark7829 wrote:

The 5O is better for general photography. The 35 will make people and faces look slightly fatter.

BIG ROB wrote:

Where do you get that from?

This is simply the optical illusion that goes with change in perspective. We all have observed that if you have a picture which is more "telephoto", distances along the axis that goes out from the camera appear to be compressed. So, if you take a picture with a lens that is more "telephoto", distance from nose tip to face will appear to be reduced, as will any other distance along that axis, so lips appear to be thinner, cheeks appear to be thinner, dimples thinner, etc, etc. Likewise, is you take a picture with a lens that is less "telephoto" {or in other words, more "wide angle"}, all those distances appear to be greater. Overall, most human faces benefit from having those distances reduced.

DannyJS Loc: St. Helena Island

Hi, I'd say get BOTH the 35mm and the 50mm if you can afford to. As other hoggers have stated they both have their uses in different given shooting situation. I have the 50mm AF-S f1.8G Nikon lens that I can swap between my D5100 and D7100 DSLRs, but would still like to add the 35mm f1.8 to my bag.

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

I think 35mm is the better choice on your camera body.

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

Wingpilot wrote:

Any recommendations regarding either the 35 or 50mm primes on a D7200, to use on general photography? I just wonder if the 35mm would be a better prime on a D7200?

On crop frame cameras I really like the 35, it is pretty much the equivalent of a 50mm on a full frame camera. Stopped down it brings almost everything into focus because the shorter focal length offers a very deep DOF and it is wide enough for some landscape use. On a crop camera I consider it to be a normal lens, it gives you about the same viewing angle as do your eyes.

You can now buy both f/1.4 and 1.8 35mm lenses so in a pinch you can still get great portraits even if you do have to get a little close...

The 50mm is most like an 85mm lens on a crop frame camera, a short telephoto which I think can be limiting at times, but makes for a great focal length for portraits... So, it does depend on what type of shooting you will mostly be doing.

Just my two cents worth.

BIG ROB Loc: Princeton, NJ 08540

rehess wrote:

This is simply the optical illusion that goes with... (show quote)

On a DX camera the Nikkor AF-S DX 35 mm f/1.8G Lens has the effective focal length of 52.5 mm, and is not a wide angle lens, but rather is a normal lens. It has normal perspective and it does not distort facial features, nor flatter them. It sees as the human eye does.
This lens on a DX body has the angle of view of a normal lens, and not that of a wide angle lens; It is NOT a wide angle lens. This 35 mm lens is a Normal Lens.

wj cody Loc: springfield illinois

Wingpilot wrote:

Any recommendations regarding either the 35 or 50mm primes on a D7200, to use on general photography? I just wonder if the 35mm would be a better prime on a D7200?

i am a great lover of 50mm prime lenses - for about 95 percent of my work. however, and this is a big however, 35mm on a full frame digital imaging device is a wonderful lens for spontaneous picture making; this i must admit!

BIG ROB Loc: Princeton, NJ 08540

wj cody wrote:

i am a great lover of 50mm prime lenses - for about 95 percent of my work. however, and this is a big however, 35mm on a full frame digital imaging device is a wonderful lens for spontaneous picture making; this i must admit!

This thread is about, should the OP purchase a 35 or a 50 mm for his DX format camera.

wj cody Loc: springfield illinois

BIG ROB wrote:

This thread is about, should the OP purchase a 35 or a 50 mm for his DX format camera.

same thing.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

BIG ROB wrote:

On a DX camera the Nikkor AF-S DX 35 mm f/1.8G Lens has the effective focal length of 52.5 mm, and is not a wide angle lens, but rather is a normal lens. It has normal perspective and it does not distort facial features, nor flatter them. It sees as the human eye does.
This lens on a DX body has the angle of view of a normal lens, and not that of a wide angle lens; It is NOT a wide angle lens. This 35 mm lens is a Normal Lens.

That is correct; however, my understanding is that photographers normally use a mildly telephoto lens, like a 70mm on a 35mm camera, when taking portraits, because that provides a more flattering view (and hardly anyone complains about that). I believe the comment which originally caused this detour was saying a 50mm lens would have the same effect on an APS-C camera.

Jim Bob

Wingpilot wrote:

Any recommendations regarding either the 35 or 50mm primes on a D7200, to use on general photography? I just wonder if the 35mm would be a better prime on a D7200?

Better in what way?

BIG ROB Loc: Princeton, NJ 08540

rehess wrote:

That is correct; however, my understanding is that photographers normally use a mildly telephoto lens, like a 70mm on a 35mm camera, when taking portraits, because that provides a more flattering view (and hardly anyone complains about that). I believe the comment which originally caused this detour was saying a 50mm lens would have the same effect on an APS-C camera.

Correct, that the 50 mm, has an effective, 75 mm, focal length, and lends itself to portrait use, by many, but the "detour," that some people seem to be talking, when speaking about the 35 mm lens, when it is used on the DX camera, is to treat it, as though it was being used on an FX body, with the true, effective, wide angle, focal length, of 35 mm, rather than it's 52.5 mm effective, focal length, which it actually has, when used on the DX body, that we are discussing in this thread. The DX 35 mm is NOT a wide angle lens.

Bram boy Loc: Vancouver Island B.C. Canada

just take the shot and , and forget about it .

le boecere

Wingpilot wrote:

Seems like a tough choice, not a simple as I thoug... (show quote)

Greg, I just purchased* a "native" APS-C 35mm f/1.8 lens for my APS-C camera. From what I can learn, that's the full-frame (35mm) equivalent of a 53mm "nifty fifty", much like our 50mm f/1.8 "normal" lenses that we used in ancient (film) times.
If you want to approximate your old 135mm full-frame 35mm medium telephoto prime, you'll be shopping for a 90mm for either the 7200 or the a6000.

*post-moderns would use the term "picked-up" :wink:

le boecere

BIG ROB wrote:

Correct, that the 50 mm, has an effective, 75 mm, ... (show quote)

That's what I've been led to believe. The DX 35mm lens has the approximate FOV (field of view) equivalent of a "nifty fifty" in 35mm "film-speak.

BIG ROB Loc: Princeton, NJ 08540

le boecere wrote:

That's what I've been led to believe. The DX 35mm lens has the approximate FOV (field of view) equivalent of a "nifty fifty" in 35mm "film-speak.

Hello! le boecere! I haven't seen you around in some time... I got a Metabones adapter for my A-6000 and now, all 4, of my Canon lenses work perfectly, on the Sony! Auto Focus, Too! The 50 1.8, 18-135 3.5-5.6 IS, 70-200 4L, & 10-18 4.5-5.6! I was so overjoyed when I found out that they all auto focused! I love that Sony So Much! I also got, a Nikon D7200, w/18-140, 50 1.8, 55-300, 40 2.8, and a big tripod & huge ball head. And now I'm all spent out...but having allot of fun.!