135mm for Street Photography

Shooting with the Leica SL2s and Nikon 135mm F2.8. Experimenting with a telephoto lens for street photography.
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Camera: Leica SL2-s
Lens: Nikon 135mm F2.8 AI-S
Location: Central, Hong Kong
#streetphotography​ #leica​ #nikon

[@acedia4453]

135mm is my go to lens. Crisp focus candid shots from enough distance to not be completely obvious.

[@nicolasyoakim854]

I personally think it is one of your best series of pics in a single video..... as you said, full of potential. All the best !

[@ivunchow]

Happy and sad to hear it 😂

[@kriscuthbertson5787]

Recently watched an interview of Ralph Gibson (talking about “points of departures” and so on) where he mentioned that he’s been challenging himself to shoot at 135 for the past 5 years. It definitely has a unique visual signature. Keep killing it man!

[@ivunchow]

Interesting, gonna look it up. Thanks for watching!

[@berndvandecruys]

Saul Leiter popped up in my head a couple of times while watching this video, so when you mentioned him it felt right :). Also cool to see how you adapted the Nikon to the Leica body. To me still the #1 selling point of the SL system, being able to adapt M lenses to it but also a vast arsenal of other vintage glass from Canon and Nikon. Love the cinematography as well, quite the inspiration for my own channel

[@ivunchow]

Thanks man 🙏🏻 yea the SL system is great, offers a ton of flexibility.

[@infinecho]

Okay I just bought a 135 Zeiss and used it today for the first time and I was filled with doubt. Like I made a pricey mistake (bc Zeiss). The lens is a hard focal length for my first go. And then I found this video and you gave me some hope. So thank you. I’m chalking it up to bad weather and inexperience with this focal length. Cheers!

[@aptmix]

carl Zeiss is a legend, you made a good choice

[@GajanBalan]

Loved the edit and the perspective you’ve shared. 90 is as far as I go in street photography but you have me tempted to give the 135 an honest try. Keep it up brother 👌🏾

[@ivunchow]

Thanks man! Used to think 50 was my limit, guess you won’t know until you try 🏃🏻‍♂️

[@hmuz8388]

4:50 that's why as a street photographer (mainly) i recently got a D500 and a 200-500mm, and every weekend I find myself in a forest/mountain being mesmerized by birds, animals, insects...etc plus the skills from shooting wildlife carry over to the streets (being stealthy and all that).

[@sixthdutch]

I'm always impressed by these surreal looking reflection shots that are loaded with color. I never see them myself when I'm out on the street. It's like a mystical power I haven't been able to tap into. 🤷‍♂ Looks great though!

[@ZoCineStreet]

I have a lens that has been sitting around for awhile and this motivated me to try and practice for video and photo. The photos here are 👌🏼 thank you for sharing Ivan, always a good day when seeing a upload from you!

[@ivunchow]

Have fun with it 💪🏻

[@AlexOnStreets]

I recently took out just a 50mm for the first time in over a year. I actually really struggled trying to force my usual style into such a "tight" focal length in Tokyo. Comparatively, now your 135 experience makes me feel dumb. I need a little more patience. I liked your photos using the red taxi's.

[@ivunchow]

Used to find 50 way too tight for cities like HK and Japan. After this, 50 feels wide again 💀 200 and above let’s go 💪🏻

[@aerozg]

I have an old Tokina 135 f/2.8 RMC, got it from a local photog for $40. I used it a couple of times on my D750 for POV street photography and i just loved it. Of course it's nowhere near as sharp and the bokeh is far from the modern contemporary lenses but it still has a lot of compression, nice color rendering and that vintage look. It's also a full metal and glass body, no plastic, feels very solid in the hand. I didn't shoot it for quite a while, but now i might go and take it out again after seeing this video of yours. Thanks!

[@Elements795]

Nice. Still experimenting with Street photography. Purchased an old Helios 135 2.8. Eager to try this soon.

[@jacuswoczega9180]

Congratulation for exploring new areas in photography, alternative, fresh attempts to old ideas

[@AManWhoWasntThere]

Seeing your more abstract shots in this video I was thinking of Saul Leiter & Ernst Haas... And then you mentioned them. Nailed it! :D

[@ivunchow]

A homage to the greats 🙏🏻

[@rexgigout1472]

Liked! Thanks for creating this presentation. 135mm does makes sense for photographing while out and about in the streets.

[@richardlim7536]

Thank you Mr Chow finally I have found someone who says what I want to hear :) cheer!

[@danielglabazna1479]

Wow, what a great video to be honest. Nice words, amazing video parts, how the video itself nicely flows and lovely lovely photos. I mean it, thanks, good work man. I was think of buying a 135mm Pentacon for my old Praktica and my thinking came to an end here

[@paullafleur6112]

Good to see you back in Hong Kong. Streetphotography with a telelens definitely needs some patience. Results are worth it though

[@alma175w]

Great work - really enjoyed the coloring and commentary. Coming from a landscape perspective where 135 is a versatile focal length, I’ve taken my 135 to Chicago and really enjoyed the scale that it offered.

[@martyjwalker]

Excellent work. I've got that exact lens and use it mostly on my D3 but occasionally it's on my S1r when I need the resolution. I've been contemplating it overseas this year and may just do that.

[@jacobbb-t7i]

Great cinematography as usual! You're largely responsible for piquing my interest in street photography. I lean more towards landscape photography because I really enjoy the sense of isolation while doing it. Your videos have taught me that same sense can be applied to street photography to make interesting compositions. Keep up the good work!

[@ivunchow]

Happy it hear it! 🙏🏻

[@Maartenols]

Great upload man, thanks! I am asking myself; if I only would be able to have 2 lenses on me, for every circumstance. Which one would I pick. Maybe a 28 mm. and a 135 mm. is the answer, after seeing this. Thanks.

[@Atokinox]

I'v really been waiting for ur upload and it made me happy seeing it ! Keep up the good work!

[@ivunchow]

Thanks!

[@alhOOO2O]

I have to admit I found this video a little harder to get into compared to your other work, but I found the introspection around the 7min mark so interesting, thank you

[@elbork1]

That picture @7:43 is stunning dude. I love it

[@ivunchow]

Thank you!

[@jacuswoczega9180]

I have two 135's. Soviet era Yupiter f/3.5 (I'm first user since 40yes, my very first non-50mm), and Soligor C/D f/2.8 purchased 2yrs ago. Soligor (with nikon mount) is used more frequently on FF Canon 6D with dandelion. Thans for refreshing memories

[@ikaros4203]

great video and shots, more abstract is certainly a nice change. A lot of the reflection pics tripped me out hahah

[@ivunchow]

🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@Jose-lk2kx]

Great video, been waiting for it. Beautiful work ❤

[@obscur_yoann]

Great video ! 👍 I have a vintage 135mm Takumar sleeping in his bag... I used it once a few years ago, and despite kinda liking the compression, I never took it out again.😅 Now I wanna try it again... It's interesting to challenge our eyes with a new perspective.

[@ivunchow]

Time to give it another shot!

[@cookiecookie9458]

Thank you for your video, it’s gave so much good feeling.. especially first minute

[@aleksey.kerkin]

Hello. This video reminded me of my 75mm lens that I haven't used it for a long time. You convinced me to try it out again, thank you.

[@ivunchow]

Have fun!

[@tittfestx3]

telephoto work always reminds me of Saul Leiter's stuff also that shot at 4:01 is amazing looks like the car is on fire.

[@alanma3864]

Love it!!! I wonder if the longer lens also lends a sense of separation from your surroundings as Hk may now feel more surreal or distanced from the place of our childhoods. I loved watching the scenes and guessing which part you would frame up for a shot.

[@ivunchow]

Thanks man, I think I’m doing this because I’m just really tired of photographing people in masks. If I’m going to be bold and get up close with a 28, I want to be rewarded with emotion and feeling. You get none of that these days, so why not just sit back and shoot from a distance.

[@jordanblossom4873]

Great as always! I just bought a 90mm for my M10… my first lens over 50mm. It’s been a fun experiment so far and I’ve learned to appreciate the Leiter and Haas portfolios a lot more. Gonna keep experimenting today✌️

[@ivunchow]

Definitely made me appreciate their work a lot more as well. Good luck with it 🙏🏻

[@d.idowuolutosin4250]

The 85mm and 135mm focal length are fantastic portrait lenses but when it comes to street you have to have particular compositions in mind. While they’re not my typical focal lengths for street, 28mm, 35mm and 50mm are, I’ve used them with fantastic results. Keep experimenting.

[@jacuswoczega9180]

Yes .... but ... @Ivan uses words "street photo" in his own sense, wider than common patterns: people with gesturing, street sellers at work etc. For me ... I must say strongly, Ivan's meaning is well founded. Not only "acceptable", but "very good"

[@ohjajohh]

I never tried this particular 135mm lens, but I love vintage 135mm lenses in general. Great video!

[@ivunchow]

Thanks!

[@Richie5480]

I was a long time Nikon shooter like over 40 years back in the film days, but I’ve Since switched to Sony a7Riii camera with these lenses Sigma 24mm art, 50mm Sony, 85mm sony, and my best glasses of all is the Samyang 135mm 1.8 .

[@thesecretlifeofmichal]

Amazing work as always Ivan, interesting take. I myself shoot 35 mm mostly, sometimes 28. Sold my 56 mm for Olympus (basically 112 mm), because I couldn't get it to work. Now I wish I hadn't because you make good points on how to use the lens... I used it mostly as a common 85-mm-Sony-shooter, who's hunting for people with hats from behind.. My lack of vision. Ah well, happens.

[@ivunchow]

Thanks! I think that was exactly the reason why I didn’t enjoy my first experience with the lens. I was making photos of the most obvious subjects on the streets, and they sucked 😂

[@winedemonium]

Wow, Ivan! You have an affinity for 135. In the sequence from 3.38 I immediately thought of Saul Leiter - that abstracted layered thing, but also some colour signature. Yet, I don't think it was a pastiche of his NY scenes - you showed that you know HK well. You have inspired me to take my 135 out of the cabinet. Seeing your series I think you could go further with 135. you mentioned Haas, have you seen Rene Burri's telephoto work?

[@joeltunnah]

Nice shots Ivan. I have the f2 ai-s. What I like is that you can get a pseudo medium format looking subject isolation at a distance with a 135 (or 200). I frame the subject full body in the frame, head to toe. I'm not a fan of telephoto glamor headshots.

[@ivunchow]

I’ll give it a try sometime 😏

[@iainmc9859]

Love the vlog as usual and always thought that longer focal length lenses might suit your style ..... but you do realise that 'compression' is a figment of lens manufacturer's publicity departments; originally 1970's Kodak zoom lens sales speel and they were very careful to couch it, even back then, to suggest rather than state it changed the foreground/background size ratio. Lenses just focus the light and crop the scene, they don't change proportions. That's just you standing further away - reference Giotto, perspective and Renaissance art.

[@ivunchow]

Had me fooled 🚶🏻‍♂️

[@RS-Amsterdam]

Since the 135 is out of your comfort zone, you have to admit it makes you think out of the box and tickles your creativity. I like the shots but the use is a bit limited, Too much 135mm will get boring soon. But fun to watch and the result was excellent.

[@christoombes7875]

Great video and nice shots. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@ivunchow]

Thank you!

[@jpjacobsenbr]

Great photos. Loved the colors. Which adapter Nikon F to Leica L adapter did you use? Perhaps add that to the video description?

[@ivunchow]

Just a cheap one I got at a local camera shop 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@jpjacobsenbr]

@@ivunchow Be careful with those compromises. Aren't these cheap adapters known for damaging lenses and camera mounts?

[@ezekielkok1848]

2nd!!! Love your work! They look great! Feel like I shld go try a 135mm too

[@ivunchow]

Thanks 🙏🏻

[@aramdavid]

this has the feel of Haas or Leiter. My faves. Absolutely loving this long lens stuff, I sold my Q recently because I realized I wanted to take photos like this.

[@aramdavid]

Ha! I wrote this before I got to the point in the video where you mention them

[@ivunchow]

😅 28 for life, but I’ll dabble in other focal lengths for fun

[@WodiesDad]

great vid dude. nice nuanced edit. very nice touches. Where do you source music?

[@ivunchow]

Thanks man 🙏🏻 music is from epidemicsound and audiio

[@glenho1335]

Bro.. not all 135s are created equal... But this Nikkor 135 f28 you're holding.. is as good as it gets.. or should I say. There's none like it. Haha. The small size and the small price.. with the best quality optics ever.. But I have to say... I love your keen eyes.. what a pleasant surprise to see you using my favourite lens ever. For Street. Lol

[@andgainingspeed]

I like the flattening/compression that has compositions eshwwing leading lines and perspective, for more shapes and balances between those shapes. In wide streets you can keep a respectful distance from your subjects, but it requires more patience and yields fewer chances as more elements go in and out of the frame. It's biggest weakness in the street is low light because who is going to make room in their bag for a 135 with a F2 or bigger aperture? 🤔 Maybe if you had a dedicated "night" bag?

[@ivunchow]

💯 it’s not easy getting all the elements you want into a 135 frame. As for low light, many modern cameras can handle low shutter speeds and high iso, f2.8 really isn’t that bad.

[@andgainingspeed]

@@ivunchow I just swap in an 85mm f1.8 and adjust accordingly. I'll trade some focal length for a better chance with moving subjects and lower iso. Batis 135 is lovely but curious about Sony's GM.

[@eddie_g]

this is why I had to get rid of my m10 and am experimenting with different cameras formats and focal lengths. "encouraging further exploration".

[@ivunchow]

💯💯💯

[@Rheaded]

Everytime i watch his video there's a moment i pause just to comment this is that moment

[@stuartconnelly5397]

I have a Nikon 135mm but it’s very slow to focus. Is that the same for you guys? Trying to workout whether I need a cla on it.

[@robertpaulson1055]

Very good work 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻

[@calebchan314]

3:58 shot is 🤌🤌🤌🤌🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@JayRegular]

When you find yourself in tight situations on the street, you're looking through a telephoto lens 🤣 the photos that you took remind me of how I use my telephoto zoom, might dust mine off and give it a spin

[@ivunchow]

Haha go for it man 🔭

[@coachkimandme4634]

🙏sweet video brother Love Art.

[@gowniizu]

i love your voice dude!!!

[@ivunchow]

😂 thanks

[@Rheaded]

Finally new video

[@ivunchow]

Can’t tell if this is a complaint 😂

[@derrenleepoole]

Nice Saul Leiter vibe going on here.

[@ivunchow]

🖤

[@MarcosAlvez]

What’s the adapter for L mount ?

[@ivunchow]

Leica M-L adaptor

[@AngeloHinojosa]

Okay but what brand are those pants from in the outro 🤔

[@ivunchow]

Issey Miyake 👀

[@henrywyau]

So Inspirational. Encourage to me to bring out my 135mm again on the street to try. Thanks bro

[@ivunchow]

Thanks man 🙏🏻

[@tulasnaps]

I love your videos and love your photos but honestly I’d go crazy there trying to do photography. I can hardly stand the sight of seeing someone with a mask on let alone in my pictures. Literally everyone is wearing a mask is insane. And outside, and in nature, everywhere lol. I can’t. 😮

[@ivunchow]

It’s against the law to not wear one here. I’m also tired of photographing masked faces, and that’s why I’m experimenting with abstract street photos and longer focal lengths.

[@couch_potato_v1826]

Come visit India 😅

[@ChrisCarson]

A camera is a tool to achieve an end product. You can get the same results and picture product from any other camera. Leica are extortionately priced costume jewellery. Unless you work for National Geographic, save your money and concentrate on the pictures. Like you I bought dozens of cameras and wasted a lot of money. Buying a camera and then selling it again on eBay, and having to run the gauntlet of the scammers.. is a mugs game. Thankfully I finally reached the point where I found the focal length I want to work with that suits my style of photography and which type of camera you want to use. Use the same camera and eventually you get used to working with each other and become one, working happily together. It's that relationship with one camera and lens that sets up great pictures. Because you are thinking more in terms of pictures, than the camera you are using. Although I will agree, you do have to go through a lot of trial and error before you can finally reach that point. But it's immensely satisfying when you do.