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What is your favorite lens for street photography?
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 07, 2018 1:11 pm    Post subject: What is your favorite lens for street photography? Reply with quote
Getting the Super Takumar 55mm f1.8 has rekindled my love for vintage lenses. On APSC it is 82.5mm, but it works great for me. I have never had such a high keeper rate.

What lens do you use most on the street and what do you like about it?

ps. I checked 2 older threads on this topic, but they could have been better and one was just for Nikon. I have a 37mm lens on the way and use a Ricoh GR for 28mm, but am wondering what lens would be best at 28mm to give me a 42mm FL. Super Takumar again or ...


PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 12:11 am    Post subject: Re: What is your favorite lens for street photography? Reply with quote
BnG_Murphy wrote:
Getting the Super Takumar 55mm f1.8 has rekindled my love for vintage lenses. On APSC it is 82.5mm, but it works great for me. I have never had such a high keeper rate.

What lens do you use most on the street and what do you like about it?

ps. I checked 2 older threads on this topic, but they could have been better and one was just for Nikon. I have a 37mm lens on the way and use a Ricoh GR for 28mm, but am wondering what lens would be best at 28mm to give me a 42mm FL. Super Takumar again or ...


Personally I would prefer an equivalent of 35mm/50mm for street photography. So 28mm on APC would also be fine. But the way, how do you usually make moving things in focus? Prefocus and/or hyperfocus sometimes?


PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 12:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
On APSC - my Fuji - I like 35mm.
On full frame - 35mm film - I like the 35-70 zoom (Pentax ME Super and SMC Pentax-M 35-70)
The wider lenses are good for cityscapes but distort people too much for my taste when I am up close.
Tom


PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 4:06 am    Post subject: Re: What is your favorite lens for street photography? Reply with quote
vivaldibow wrote:

Personally I would prefer an equivalent of 35mm/50mm for street photography. So 28mm on APC would also be fine. By the way, how do you usually make moving things in focus? Prefocus and/or hyperfocus sometimes?


Manually track them, gets easier the more you use the lens, but I will often take a couple of shots if unsure. When shooting pedestrians wide then hyperfocal. But generally here in Thailand the traffic is more interesting so I am not a big fan of hyperfocal when I am moving. Sometimes I will stop outside an old traditional shop or graffiti and pre focus, very satisfying in this heat if there is shade and something to sit on.

If I use digital I won't settle for anything less than the fastest focusing lens, which is often the kit lens. Never had a camera that can do good autofocus tracking so it is a case of smushing the shutter button and it is generally good enough ish. I have only been doing street for about 16 months so still have some learning to do.


PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 6:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have lots of MF Nikon lenses and my most used is the Noct on my Df but for street photography, I usually use my Ricoh GR II. It is small, light and has auto ISO priority for night shots. I have mine set up with a 'stealth' mode with the screen and all lights turned off. While the GF II has excellent B&W, I prefer use Alienskin Exposure for the B&W conversion.
Pete

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PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2018 9:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I usually prefer a fast and lightweight 200mm lens. Sometimes also a fast 135mm, and rarely a 2.8/300, a 1.4/50mm or a 1.2/58mm.

Less intrusive, and a calmer look of the images Wink

Let's start with a 50mm image. Minolta AF 1.4/50mm and Sony A900. Taken at f1.4, as you may seee from the soft overall impression.



Next one is the Sony Zeiss ZA 1.8/135mm. Assisi youngsters enjoying themselves in front of a traditional bakery. And an old woman passing by.



Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 2.8/180mm (early pre-war model), adapted to Sony A900:


Italian Businessmen. Probably Minolta AF 2.8/200mm APO on A900:


Italian youth. Either Sonnar 2.8/180mm or Minolta AF 2.8/200mm APO:



Dolce far niente - which basically means waiting for a nice girl to pass by. Firenze, Piazza della Signoria. Either Sonnar 2.8/180mm or Minolta AF 2.8/200mm APO:


American tourists in front of the Trevi fountain, Rome. Canon 2.8/400mm L.


Stephan


PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2018 9:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
For shooting film -- especially Tri-X or something else with rather pronounced grain --- my favorite lens is my old Canon FL 35mm f/2.5. I'm sure there are better 35s out there, but I just like the way the FL 35 renders a scene.

For APS-C digital, probably any of my 24s would do well.
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