The New Best Focal Length?

[@andrewbrooks2001]

I really love the shots where the pale and cool in appearance icy/snowy trees juxtaposed against the bright warm and green evergreen trees on the sunlit hilltops.

[@OneHourPhotos]

It’s dated now, but World at War is a fantastic documentary. As it was made in the 1970s it was able to interview many of the people who participated in the war. Especially fascinating is the episode on the Atlantic Convoys - it states how radar and the RAF’s strategy for covering convoys was what led to them sinking so many u-boats. In reality it was because we’d cracked the enigma code; but in the 1970s this was still under the official secrets act. Laurence Olivier is also an amazing narrator.

[@jj9nf]

Probably the greatest war documentary ever made.

[@jodeanesullens6588]

I really enjoyed it. I still am bothered by the Holocaust episode. As everyone should be.

[@jj9nf]

The holocaust episode Should be compulsory watching in schools. I was only a primary school kids when it aired back in the day, but as there were only 3 channels at the time you watched what your dad watched most of the time. I remember watching and asking questions of my grandad who had fought in North Africa.

[@jodeanesullens6588]

@@jj9nf Absolutely

[@nh-ss5pw]

It is epic

[@VirtualGuth]

Back in the day when fixed-lens 35mm film rangefinder cameras were very popular, the focal length designers typically chose for such cameras was 40mm (or generally somewhere in the 38-42mm range). As it proved to work so well in the past, it's not surprising that more and more photographers are once again enjoying this focal length today.

[@pauliusgrigas2653]

Fuji 27mm is glued to my camera ❤

[@donkeybizle]

Didn’t have enough money to buy the Nikkor 50mm S, but there’s a 40mm Nikkor Z Lens also offered. Well I got the 40mm f2 and it’s my favorite lens now because sits not way Zoomed in and not also too far away. Not only that but if you want more reach you can use DX mode for some cool results. 40mm is 100% here to stay. 👍

[@Pantheragem]

I have both, but found I've gotten more use from the 40mm f2. I've always found 50mm a little bit tight. 40mm is totally comfortable for me, especially for indoor shooting.

[@joemiller7296]

Not too long ago I picked up the Voigtlander 40mm Ultron f2, and I love it. It's like 35mm without the extra bits and bobs that I'd normally crop out, and it just feels a little more versatile and flexible than 50mm. The lens lives on my SLR now.

[@FrankLeeRoberts]

Love this lens. See comment above. Im on my third copy.

[@xander1052]

Still a big fan of my Yashica ML 50mm f/1.9. I wish I could stop down to f/22 but it's just a lovely lens to use.

[@craigwilson1604]

Ive got the 27mm pancake for my fuji which is about 40mm and i love it 👍

[@grainandfern]

I think 95% of my photos, if not more, are shot on my 20mm F1.4 from OM System these days. I love the lens and the focal length! And I definitely agree with the power of limitations. Young me would bring so many lenses, but these days I only bring one or two. Also, I am older and don't have the energy to carry as much haha. I look forward to more videos from you using 40mm this year!

[@ralfjansen9118]

The "standard lens" that offered the same angle of view as the human eye always got defined in any format as the diagonal of the image (film frame or sensor), and this is, with full frame, 43 mm. The closest aproximation to this in common lenses actually is the 40 mm focus length.

[@joetrent4753]

I use a Voigtlander 40mm which has quite a big focus throw. I'd love to know the actual focal range the large focus throw actually gives me.

[@vargavideo]

Lovey frosty, snowy landscape!

[@WhatsleftofTom]

I absolutely love my 20mm Pany 1.7 for my GX9. It helps that it's such a physically small lens but I also just find it so easy to compose interesting frames at that focal length

[@weisserth]

One of the oldest MFT lenses, I have the original version that came with my GF1. It's an evergreen lens that stood the test of time. I got a lot of great shots with that lens. I've gone a little wider with the Panasonic Leica 15mm now, but I come back to the 20mm occasionally.

[@WhatsleftofTom]

@@weisserth I think I also have the first gen one, I bought secondhand and I recall seeing that the updated one didn’t really improve on it. I’m curious about going wider but I’ve not yet got the hang of anything wider; I’m never satisfied with the photos I take. Perhaps I’ll look at the 15 or the Oly 17 one of these days

[@jgaffney567]

Lumix was hip before hip was a thing

[@RdTrpBrgr]

@@WhatsleftofTom I was happy with the Panny 20mm, until I got the Oly 17mm f/1.8. Way faster autofocus. (If buying 2nd hand and you shoot videos, just make sure it doesn't make the loud clicking noise in movie mode)

[@viktorpaulsen627]

Which focal length that looks more natural can be calculated. It depends also on viewing conditions. Here is the formula: f/w = d/s, where f=focal length, w=width of sensor, d=viewing distance eye-image, s=screen (or print) width. It means that two length/width relationships are equal. With example numbers (from my place): My screen is 60 cm wide (s), my eye-screen distance is also 60 cm (d), my sensor is 36 mm wide (full frame 24mmx36mm). So, what is f, then? (drum roll...) from formula f/w = d/s, we get f = w*d/s, and substitute with numbers: f = 36mm * 60cm / 60cm = 36mm. Which means that on my screen setup the most natural looking focal length is f=36mm. With this focal length, my eye movements looking from detail A to detail B in the image is the same as when I look from A to B in reality (where I photographed) (i.e., sweeping over the same angle). Therefore the picture looks just like reality in that sense. Cool! If I switch to looking at a print which is 30 cm wide (using 'landscape' orientation to align with the sensor's orientation in this exercise), and looking at it from 40 cm distance, the most natural looking focal length is f = 36mm * 40cm / 30cm = 48mm. Yeah, one can't just argue about which f is more natural looking without considering the viewing conditions.

[@michaelneumann1865]

Agreed! So that 40mm Sony is truly wonderful. Been testing it against the 50mm 2.5 G brother and the 40mm has some kind of magic by comparison. So light and tiny too. Ive got the 40mm Voigtlander 1.2, the 1.4 and the 40mm Rokkor all being shot adapted to sony cameras. LOVE LOVE LOVE THE 40MM!!!

[@bryanladdphotography]

Love my Rokkor 40 too!

[@Stop-All-War]

Yup, Sigma Art 40mm f1.4 is one of the best lenses for full frame nowadays.. On same level as Zeiss Otus However, it's large & heavy.

[@Michael-Hammerschmidt]

Honestly, this is why I love my Rokinon 45mm f1.8. Amazing focal length, with a bright aperture in a tiny package.

[@RandomThinker10]

I use the same lens! Love the 45mm focal length

[@nelsonm.5044]

I recently purchased the Fuji 27mm (40 mm equivalent) for my X-T20 especially because I find 50mm to be too long and 40 mm to be a better lens for my style. Super nice for street and style wide enough for landscape .... and also the fact that it's a pancake lens is the cherry on the top

[@pk6221]

Man, I had similar journey, if you want one FL which rules them all this is 42 mm for FF (close in APS-C is Fuji 27/2.8 and Kamlan 28/1.4 - look for the samples), when combo of 2 lenses it's 38 and 58 or one 38-40mm which on HR sensor can be cropped to ca. 58-60 mm.

[@andydean9479]

I have just rediscovered my own Panasonic 20mm lens, on the front of my GF2 it's very pocketable and enjoyable combination

[@maggnet4829]

Tip: Anyone that uses APSC and FF can consider getting the Sony 28mm f2. It's 42.5mm equivalent on APSC and all around a very good performer for the price and rather lightweight and very usable for both formats. You can get a converter for it that transforms it into a 21mm (30.5mm equivalent), which is quite good and makes this a versatile yet price conscious solution.

[@hoverboverer]

WWII doc well worth watching: 'Destination D-day'. All about the planning, build up and diversionary tactics used for the Normandy landings. Until recently, was only available on VHS but has now been released on DVD.

[@PrismFoxes]

I absoluetly agree. I got the sony 40mm as a small always on lens and I‘ve really come to love it. It‘s just fun to shoot and quite versatile.

[@fredintheshead]

Completely agree with your assessment. I purchased an old Canon Eos 650 SLR a couple of months back. I have just finished my first roll of film through it, that's a total of 24 exposures in two months! In comparison, I'm on Anglesey at the moment, only been here since last Saturday and have shot 370 on my DSLR!! Film makes you think more about the shots you take.

[@carlmcneill1139]

I just bought a 40mm lens for my z6 ii on black Friday. I finally got to use it this week for street photography. That's what I bought it for. So far I like it.

[@GaryBox]

I don't do much landscapes currently and when I do I use f2.8 zooms. I do more portraits and I often use 85mm or even 135mm sometimes. Found for street portraits I needed something wider so bought cheap and small Samyang 45mm f1.8. Haven't owned a 50mm for ages.

[@pfmusic1636]

My current fav lens setup is: a Tamron SP 35 f1.4 and a Canon 17-40 f4, both speed-boosted. I don’t mind the image quality loss most of the time at this point but I miss the ability to shoot semi macro so I switch out for the Canon 24-70 f4 since it has a great macro option on aps-c.

[@georgedavall9449]

Tamron SP 45mm f1.8 VC F mount lens, on a D700. Great combo!

[@DigiDriftZone]

If you're wondering, it's 40mm full frame equiv, similar to the 27mm Fuji Pancake on APS-C. I tried to love this focal length but I really struggle with it, it's not quite the 55mm that's pretty good for portraits and it's not quite the 35mm for street, it's like a do nothing great lens but then it's so compact I still try to bring it and it's... ok.. I never "love" what comes out of it.

[@GavinThomas-pix]

I have small Canon M200, I have FF eq 35mm, 50mm, 65mm 80mm primes. I select two lenses depending on the day, camera in one pocket and second lens in other pocket. That essentially gives me the entire range from 35-80. Nobody sees my photography so I have the license to do whatever I want.

[@54rpp41337]

I like how you are showing to others.... Its not about equipment, but how you are going to use it. Greetings from Finland! 😄 Oh btw, content you make is just pure gold! Thank you!

[@allanvietmeier228]

Band of Brothers is a phenomenal show. Worth the time it takes to watch it.

[@leskeen1179]

Hi James. I love the 40mm focal length too. I have the Ricoh GRIIIX and have owned the Fuji xf 27mm on a number of occasions. Regarding WW2 documentaries take a look at "Ken Burns: The War." It's based on how a selection of people from towns across the USA were impacted by the war. It covers all theatres of war, Europe and SE Asia, on land, sea and in the air. It also covers life on the home front too. Ken Burns is one of the best documentary makers in the world. (that's coming from someone from the UK). He has also made documentaries on the American Civil War, The American West, Prohibition and many others. All highly recommended viewing. Most of the documentaries are available on Apple TV, Amazon Prime and DVD.

[@svend-erikeriksen6138]

I like using my Zeiss 40mm 2.8 - from my Contax G1, with my Sony A7R4…..all manual, but I grew up with that….but nice sharp lens with a good angle for many things…..

[@jerzyjablonski1432]

I am airplane photographer so ultrawide is anything below 100 for me and normal is 300 :) but I think people are overusing wide lenses for landscapes. I think wide lenses are there to pronounce what is close (distortions are fun), make it pop. And, of course, allow to take a photo in closed spaces like architectural photography etc. Not to show as much as possible from a landscape. That said for walkarounds or museums I tend to gravitate toward 25-35 on APS-C which is, more or less 35-50 on full frame. It is kinda pleasing experience to watch such photos and it is just right focal length to get everything right. On the other hand I rather use short zooms (20-40) then primes.

[@StefanBeyer]

I really like that 50mm look for environmental portraits when traveling, but it's often to tight to get a shot of a building or landscape. So 40mm and crop to a 50mm angle of view with high res sensors seemed the most sensible compromise. Plus, these 40mm lenses (Sony f2.5 and Voighlander f1.2) are perfect travel size.

[@gitpho]

The diagonal of a typical sensor is ~43mm (FF equivalent), so the closer a lens is to that focal length, the more “normal” it is. I’ve always wondered why more lens manufacturers don’t make 43mm primes.

[@LoFiAxolotl]

because even before the 35mm film format came out "50mm" equivalents were the most used lenses and it's nicely between 35 and 85mm which are also very very popular focal length.... in addition.... as humans we love round numbers.... so 43 sounds awkward.... 50 sounds great.... also most 50mm lenses (or any focal length) isn't exactly 50mm but +/- a few mm (Nikon F Mount lenses you can see it pretty well... Nikon lenses are a bit wider than Tamron/Sigma lenses at the same focal length)

[@geoffreypiltz271]

Pentax make a 43mm f1.9

[@agenericaccount3935]

@@geoffreypiltz271 Yeah, but you'd have to use a Pentax.

[@jaybleu6169]

@@agenericaccount3935 Or adapt it to another FF camera

[@agenericaccount3935]

@@jaybleu6169 I know. I just have to kick Pentax in the ribs. Part of my contract with the internet. Right next to the clause about Panasonic autofocus mirth.

[@nellh]

I love this 40mm lens on Sony. I initially picked up photography with the Panasonic 20mm F1.7 and the Olympus E-P1, it has been great to return to the 40mm equivalent focal length and I love the perspective it gives. Thanks for highlighting it, James!

[@bastian.michel]

Same here. But I kept the 20mm ind addition with a Panasonic GX880. 350g in total. Hard to beat.

[@raymeedc]

EyE loves 40mm for street work. I use the LUMIX 20mm f1.7 for micro 4/3, Fujifilm 27mm for APS-C, and a legacy vintage Konica Hexagon 40mm f1.8 & Samyang 45mm f1.8 for full frame. ✅

[@TheOffertonhatter]

I have to admit, I do love using my Pentax DA 40mm Limited on my FF K-1. It is not supposed to be full frame compatible, and yet it is. Wonderful rendition and FOV from it, just a bit wider than my 50mm, and just that little bit tighter than my 35mm.

[@garwim2k]

Maybe it was just my copy, but my DA 40 was mushy in the corners even when stopped down on my K-1. I ended up getting the FA 43 Limited and it's been giving me great results, and the FOV is close enough.

[@TheOffertonhatter]

@@garwim2k I agree that at times, some of the corners are mushy, but not all the time I have found. It depends on the distance to subject and aperture. However, I just love the rendition of the DA40 on the K-1 and the resultant images. Still it IS better than the old SMC-M 40mm manual focus one. Maybe I should give the 43 another try as the last time I tried one, I was underwhelmed, but it was on a K10D. If they made a new "Perfect" 40mm, I think it will lose a lot of it's character, which would be a shame.

[@Riccardo_Mori]

Dear James, you do live in a beautiful region. I'm mostly an urban photographer, and sometimes finding inspiration when wandering the same city streets and among the same buildings is hard. Which is why I try using different focal lengths, to keep looking at my surroundings with fresh eyes. And I agree - while 35mm and 40mm look close on paper, they can provide perceivably different perspectives. Cheers, and happy 2023! //Rick

[@Olly.]

This is a perspective that I have very much been thinking of over the past few weeks. Just got the A7IV and a 50 1.8 to use on it until I can spend more lenses. During those few weeks I have found that 50mm is too long for a lot of close subjects and compositions but not long enough for anything a little far away. About the buy the Sigma 24-70 2.8 Art so will be a good breath of fresh air. Love the videos, just found your channel over the past few days 👌

[@carlboman3035]

They make a 28-70 that's alot smaller and lighter and cheaper. I have the 24-70 though and it is very nice but large.

[@Olly.]

@@carlboman3035 After review, the 24-70 has much better weather sealing, better image quality and the bigger range. Only downside is that its 300g heavier which isn't an issue for me. And as its less than £300 more than the 28-70 I'm happy to spend that for that lens.

[@piotrgraniszewski8544]

I use the 28-70 and I do not see any image quality issues on my A7 II and then A7 IV. Maybe landscape shots at infinity at 70mm require some stopping down, but that's it. 28mm is tack sharp and it is my favourite wide angle focal length anyway. I've made a couple large prints with it and the limiting factor is still the sensor. I love using it in the mountains. Very light and compact, easy to pack. My reasoning was the flawed sealing in 24-70 causing dust buildup on the inside of the front lens. A complete deal breaker for me. I do not trust Sigma to fix that issue completely.

[@LoFiAxolotl]

The Fuji 27mm has been my favorite for years.... not just because it fits perfectly on my X-Pro1 but the focal length just is very very natural on the eye

[@grumpyrocker]

The same for me. The Fuji 27mm (41mm equiv) is such a wonderful lens. And it's a focal length that feels more pleasing to me than my 35mm f/1.4. The 27mm is one of the first Fuji lenses I bought back in 2013.

[@jimmason8502]

@@grumpyrocker It's a perfect street photography lens.

[@CianMcsweeney]

Love that lens, just wish they made an f2 version of it

[@photohiker81]

Love it as Well, wo zu ld Love top See a f2 with closer focusing distance.

[@marcusmphotography]

same(by that i mean on a canon camea though) i have a 17-40mm but i have a crop sensor so that would come out to 27mm and I find that most of my photos seem to come out around that range..

[@nickyfoulkes8476]

Hi James, I do own a Nikon 35mm & 50mm F1.8. Having checked my Lightroom catalogue and I was amazed how many of my best images were shot around 40mm. I too have now sold my 14-30mm F4 because I hardly ever used it. You never know you could be right ! Happy New Year to you & the family.

[@aarghitsjesta]

Can you explain how your bringing out the frostiness in the photos?

[@johnbanks9392]

After watching your videos about the Ricoh GR3x I bought one and could not be happier - that tiny little thing is fekkin brilliant! I love everything about it and the astonishingly sharp yet characterful 40mm equiv lens is a big part of that.

[@cinemaipswich4636]

The image circle/frame diagonal is still the best all round. It is when straight lines are in shot that wider lenses show barreling. Usually twice the image circle/frame diagonal gives portrait shots the best depth of field. Wider shots of landscapes is the new norm.

[@uwetrenkner9716]

Maybe it makes sense to explain the definition of the standard lens. It’s the diagonal of the negativ. On a medium size camera like the Hasselblad 500 you have a 56mm size of each side of the negative. Apply your Phytagoras you get 79mm diagonal as the standard lens, which is the standard 80mm lens on that kind of a camera. If you apply the same math to the small frame format 24x36 you get a diagonal of 43mm which is exactly in the middle between 35 and 50mm. And that’s the beauty of those 40mm lens. You get the same impression as you got on your Hasselblad but with a deeper depth of field. For APS-C you get an 27mm lens as a standard lens and there is a beautiful pancake in Fujis lens set up.

[@cmmates885]

I find that shooting at 40mm most of the time is better because 50mm can be limiting at times and I have missed shots or compromised on composition while using 50mm usually because my back is against the wall of a building. However 50mm does provide more compression to the photo which I prefer the style of as it helps to focus the viewer on the subject of the photo instead of looking behind and in front of the subject. I stick to 50mm. If it wasn't for the compression of the 50mm I would use 40mm.

[@royprasad]

Very nice. People who shoot with a Fujifilm GFX camera and a Fuji 55mm f/1.7 GFX lens should certainly take note. It is a little longer than 40mm (~44mm equivalent) but much of what was covered in this video applies to this lens. The 55mm f/1.7 is an optical masterpiece.

[@Quaker521]

I think that one of the best documentaries (if not the best) is the BBC's The World At War. Filmed in the 1970's it benefits from input from people who were actually there. Also on KZbin is an excellent channel called Mark Felton Productions and he covers many WW2 topics. Hope you had a great Christmas and Happy New Year.

[@simoneguttadauro1325]

I just bought a FE40 2.5 for my R3 with a Nisi back mist 1/4, can't wait to use it.. ❤

[@TristanColgate]

I've always quite fancied getting the panasonic 20mm f1.7 pancake (40mm equiv.),

[@ianrandy]

Clear, interesting and game changing! Excellent stuff. I’m going to try it

[@urselfandtom]

Your videos inspire me to get out and take more photos. More than any other KZbinr.

[@BobDiaz123]

This is very subjective, but speaking from my personal viewpoint, I always found 50mm (Full Frame Equivalent) was a bit too narrow for my liking. The 35mm seemed about how I saw the world and it was my "normal" lens. The 35mm gave the wider field of view without the distortion of the wider lenses.

[@bastian.michel]

So funny... MFT 20mm, Ricoh GR, 40mm Sony... Same here. I also kept the 20mm with a tiny Panasonic GX880. (What a great cam with 270g)

[@johnlinney8685]

Much as I have some more expensive Canon l glass, I enjoy using the 40mm f2.8 stm lens. Super sharp and I like the 40mm length for pretty much the same reasons as do you.

[@klausmoritzpeitzsch690]

Thx for sharing your thoughts, I can totally relate. A couple of years back I noticed that when using my 17-40mm zoom lens I would either go with 17mm or with 40mm but nearly never with sth in-between. That is why I then added a 40mm prime pancake lens which has become my standard lens and body cap replacement ever since.

[@neilpiper9889]

42 mm is considered the natural angle. I like the 28mm equivalent on my Ricoh GR digital camera. I like getting in really close on the street. When I used my Pentax 67 I used a 55mm lens. That's about 30mm equivalent.

[@WalkingDevon]

I have a 24mm on a crop that I like to go out with for the same reasons you give in your video but to be honest I generally prefer to use my 70-300 on a FF. I like to pick out little vignettes and compress scenes. Each to their own and all that but I do agree that a 40mm or equivalent is a great way to focus your mind on compositions.

[@shinymetal]

I've been rocking the 40mm on my Z6 for a while now and love it. Great focal length.

[@terricarpenter1798]

I really enjoyed this week's vlog...especially since I just purchased a 40mm prime two weeks ago....I can't wait to see how you use yours in up coming videos. Thanks for sharing.

[@TVe200]

With a lot of mp (61) you don't need to crop much to make a 35 mm lens 40 or 45.

[@ansynmeacham5212]

I love my sigma 30 on asp-c so a full frame 45. First prime and it has stayed my favorite lens since I got it. Feels very natural to me.

[@austinman1234567]

Spent the first few minutes attempting to remove the ‘spot’ off my iPad screen, only to realize it’s a spot of light to the left (as viewing) of James’s arm. I have a 40mm prime and use it more than I thought I would. The Nikon Z7 does allow for cropping, which I take advantage of, when needed

[@olgadekell]

I switch between 35mm and 50mm too, agree 40mm is a great middle ground 😁🎥!

[@ipetrovbg]

Can't get enough of your photos and the man made aspect in them as well ❤

[@RealRaynedance]

Well, given that the actual focal length that provides the closest distortion and FOV as your typical useful vision is around 43mm, your logic is pretty sound for why 40 feels more useful and natural than 50. One of the reasons it's nice that Samyang make a 45mm f/1.8 for Sony, Sigma make their 45mm f/2.8, and Tamron has their 45mm f/1.8 for DSLRs.

[@FFVoyager]

I have a Contax G 45mm Carl Zeiss Planar converted to Leica M mount. It is stunning, I use it a lot.

[@frstesiste7670]

My first camera in the mid-seventies had a 43mm. Really good compromise IMO for a single focal length camera. A 50 has advantages too, but the 40-45 range is easier to use in tight spaces.

[@GrainAndPixels]

I agree with you on the 40mm, it really is a nice focal length. Not too tight, not too wide. I've been using a Konica Hexanon 40mm on my Sony for a few years and will probably pick up that Sony 40mm at some point.

[@hukumongdu]

40mm is what I shoot 90% of the time, its "wide" enough to shoot street scenes with context, but also can double as a portrait lens (especially if u use super 35 mode on Sony cam). This would be the one lens I'd bring to travel. 35mm is tad bit wide, 50mm too tight

[@piotrgraniszewski8544]

When I use my 28-70 Sigma zoom, I also tend to use either 30mm, 40mm or 70mm for event photography. 50? Mostly when I make a conscious decision. That said, I used to shoot on a 35mm 1.8 APS-C exclusively for years, so maybe my mind is gravitating towards the other focal lengths for a change. ;)

[@scs6757]

WWI - They Shall Not Grow Old. Amazing job of restoring and colorizing the footage alone. But then analyzing the uniform insignia and going over countless hours of post war BBC radio interview archives to match a unit or at least region appropriate voice in context to the footage to let the soldiers tell their own story 100 years later was simply incredible.

[@louisburley1597]

I love hunting for a shot with primes. I love my 14mm GM because I really have to make it work. When it does though it’s exciting

[@northof-62]

60mm for me. Sigma has a 30mm prime for MFT which I've got some great shots with. There's a Micro Nikkor 60mm too. Both are small and unobtrusive esp. the Sigma. For 40mm I use Konica's Hexanon f1.8 I agree that it's a good focal length.

[@dorothydahli734]

I have a 28mm that I use with my apsc camera so that works about the same. But I can’t leave the house without a zoom lens. Thanks James - always great videos. Happy New Year to you and your family.

[@CHoudijk]

30 mm on apsc here. But I use my 17-70 also a lot. May be due to the fact that moving around is pretty difficult if you can't leave the paths

[@uwetrenkner9716]

I do not even own a zoom lens. Yesterday I shot 95% of my pictures in the studio with 33mm on my APS-C Fuji and some portraits with the 80mm.

[@WestEpicVisuals]

My trusty G85 and panny 20mm 1.7 come with me on any day trip, camping trip, vacation, etc. I originally bought it because I grew bored of the 15mm 1.7 being too wide and expensive to stay in my bag, the 20mm was smaller, optically worse, had no C-AF and was noisy...but it's now one of my favorite lenses I've ever owned! 40mm is an awesome focal length!

[@bastian.michel]

Same here. Technical not an impressivr lens. But the user experience is great.

[@suew6307]

James, thanks as always for great information. I really liked your comment "all of photography is observation" ; that says it all doesn't it. Looking forward to your next videos.

[@peteg330]

I find it fascinating that, in the video, the skies are blue with lovely clouds, yet in your final image you allow the sky to be blown out slightly. I'd have spent ages messing round in Lightroom, trying to bring the blue skies back, but your pics really work without the blue skies. This is something I need to explore more.

[@Cliffthomasphotography]

Just finished Lancaster on Sky documentary’s… worth a watch… Great footage too of the Lancaster … then you would hope so wouldn’t you.. happy new year

[@raymondbenton5928]

I, recently, returned to photography as a hobby, after decades away, and purchased a Nikon Z50. So far, my favorite street lens is the S series Z 28mm f/2.8, because on my camera it becomes a 42mm and is small and non-intrusive looking on the street.

[@awoodfield]

VERY interesting timing on me coming across his vid of yours. I've been recently screening my photos to determine my favorite focal length to shoot, and I found that I have A LOT between 40-45... And I had actually been hunting for the best lens solution for my R5 to cover that focal length. Ha! I might have to join you on that photo project concept my friend! ✌️

[@LeeRatcliffe]

Great shots in this Vlog James. I've shot 40mm since 2015 when I bought the A7 and used an M mount Voigtlander 40/1.4 Classic! I later bought the Voigtlander 40/1.2E mount & about 18 months ago the 35GM for AF - well, for what AF the A7 manages.......! I do still have the 40/1.2E though & it's still a firm favourite! Also, the A7 relates to your recent Sony/Leica vlogs regarding the simplicity of cameras. Nice one!

[@44492611]

Nice video. I skip 50mm lenses when possible and prefer to use either 40mm or 58mm depending on what I’m planning. 58mm lenses are old though. I don’t know many modern options for the 58-65 range on full frame.

[@richardhale9664]

I am a huge fan of lenses in the 40-45mm FOV equivalent, but I do think that this preference does depend on what you shoot and where you do it. For people, things and wide continental cities I think 50-60mm is better. It can be better also for cutting out distracting foreground detail (like my local canals have). For more intimate towns and general landscape - give me the 40mm any day. For more dedicated landscape use either a 35mm and/or a short telephoto would be my choice. However, if I were forced to choose just one FOV it would be in that 40-45mm range.

[@zenlife1200]

I used to use 50mm a lot but I was on a tight budget when I bought this camera and was trying to decide whether to go with the 25mm or the 30mm macro. The macro won at the time. It's a bit too tight at times and I don't think I'll bother with the 25mm now so I'm trying to decide whether to buy the 17mm or a 20mm. I'm leaning more towards the 20mm. I have different requirements to most people though because I'm not shooting for the photo to be the end product anymore. I'm getting heavily into drawing and painting again so most photos I take now are as reference photos for future sketches. So mostly I'm looking for detail, especially in buildings and animals. I don't care if the lighting isn't great because I'll just paint it how I want lol.

[@bazs2k567]

Well this is weird, this afternoon I was looking into the nikon z 40mm f2 and then your video pops up. Oh and I got your book collection for Christmas, love them!

[@imagseer]

Thanks for that video. I've kept an old Yashica GTN 35mm film rangefinder, solely because I enjoyed the 40mm f1.7 lens. Focus was hardly ever difficult to achieve. I use an 18-135mm lens on an APS-C camera but don't seem to be stuck on any particular focal length; so just as you were saying.... a fixed focal length makes you look for subjects that suit it.

[@MeAMuse]

I honestly think that you can love any focal length and see the world through it if you want to. It just takes persistence with applying that constraint. I definitely love 35mm (best ever), but in the past I have loved 50mm, and I do find myself able to easily able to shoot around 85mm, 400mm, and 16mm based on how I use my other lenses. These days I have been experimenting with 28mm (because I am tempted to get a Leica Q2).... I was hating it (because I love 35mm soo much), but I am already starting to get used to it. I think most people don't actually commit to a limitation for long enough to "see" in the focal length. I think if you committed to 85mm for 6 months you would find that you can switch yourself into 85mm mode fairly easily.

[@ml.2770]

Panasonic 20mm has been glued my camera for a decade. Such a fine lens.

[@TheRebelBagel]

I shoot a ton with my Minolta 45mm F2 and Konica 40mm at first I just didn’t mesh with it compared to the 50-60mm focal lengths I love but now they’re my favorite. The Minolta 45mm F2 is an absolute killer lens with its sharpness and it renders to nicely.

[@julieden1820]

The barn photo 👌

[@yorkie2789]

The documentary that you want is 'The World at War', watched this as a schoolboy and picked up the DVD last year, worth every penny.

[@romainplagnol882]

I bought this lens four months ago and I'm still blown away by the field of view, which is wider than a 50mm but smaller than a 35mm. The sharpness is stunning and the lens is lightweight so it's all good :)

[@CHoudijk]

I was delighted (may be a strong word for it but still..) that you made the difference between zooming and "zooming with your feet"! Moving around is good, but changing fov is something different.

[@ddubs43]

I like to find a subject in nature, and then shoot it at different focal length increments, and then attach a rule( has to be portrait, has to be all in frame, etc) and enjoy trying my best to take advantage of each focal lengths advantages

[@bunnytobin]

Agreed! Have always felkt my old Hasselblad with the standard 80mm (42mm equiv.) was the perfect focal length. Recently switching everything from Leica to Nikon, my favorite lens and what's on the camera most is the cheap little plastic 40 f2. Also, FWIW: Irving Penn with his Rollei 40mm eqv, Helmut Newton fav 40mm, Avedon Rollei or 300mm on 8x10 (both around 40mm eqv)

[@AdamHouston]

I hadn’t thought about focal length equivalents for my ‘blad because 1:1 has such a different look and feel to 3:2, but the diagonal angle being equivalent to the diagonal of a 43mm lens on “full frame” may be why it’s the lens I use most with that system.

[@Just_Call_Me_Tim]

My family had a couple of old 35mm film cameras when i was a kid, and once had a 45mm camera. That one became my favorite very quickly on, as it had a different quality to the pictures. It was both more realistic and more fantastic, if that makes any sense.

[@TheKingPrawn114]

The RF24 (38.4 FOV equivalent) has lived on my R7 since I got it.

[@Newrappy]

I hope you had a great Christmas and have a good New Year! I received all three of your photography books for Christmas and have really enjoyed looking through them!🎄

[@BIbiVstf3sx]

i use the 55mm exclusively for the past 2 years,but since last summer i started to use 40mm on a canon film camera and i love it! sweet spot i think