28MM WAS RUINING MY PHOTOGRAPHY

Hi All,

In todays video we talk about the fact that Ive ended up in a position where I don't have my favourite focal length! But... this experience has actually highlighted a few things for me! And show that my favourite lens was actually holding me back! Maybe... just maybe... yours is doing the same!

-- MY GEAR --
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[TylerAldrich]

I had a similar experience with the 35mm and 50mm. I shot nearly a decade thinking I disliked the 50mm focal length and I shot pretty much exclusively with the 35mm. I found myself slowly cropping more and more as the years passed until I realized I was basically shooting a 35 cropped down to 50.

[Emariess]

The fear of missing out works both ways for me, I fear I won’t get everything in frame, but I also fear I won’t get close enough to the thing I want to capture (even with a crop)

So I don’t go anywhere without a 50mm, I find i rarely I would ever put anything wider than that on my camera. With the 50 you get natural lens compression so it feels more like a human eye. You can get nice and close to things to get detail but it’s also wide enough to generally get a photo that tells a story with the wider context In frame.

[aawonnewton]

Was in the same boat. I went on vacation last month and accidentally left my 28mm at home. Only had my 50mm on me and haven’t taken it off since. Always fun to try something new!

[luxdalet]

Another great video Goughie!

Throughout the years I settled with the 24mm (16mm f/1.4 Fujinon in specific). Because of the love of landscape and as you mentioned getting all in frame. My recent travel limited me to carrying only the X100V, and it got me out of my comfort zone and gave me a bit more reach.

Cheers mate!

[KleizRicafort]

I have two lenses for my Fuji X-S10, a Fuji 18-55mm and a Viltrox 75mm. Interestingly, I also experienced something similar.

The 18-55mm is my comfort lens and spent the better part of 11 years with that focal length. It is as familiar as an old pair of shoes. However, while the 75mm isn't as familiar and is far more compositionally demanding, the discomfort pushes me to put in more effort both conciously and subconciously. This has led to far more keeper shots per hundred photos (from a handful to a dozen).

Discomfort can prevent complacency.

[Carolyne_games]

It's always a great thing to break habits and experiment! It's been kind of the opposite for me: the 35mm focal length has been my go to for years, but I recently got the 18mm f2 along with the X-Pro1 as my everyday fun setup, and the 18mm has been forcing me to really embrace a wider FoV. I've always preferred the slightly tighter 35 or 40 look because I felt that 24 or 28 would include too much in the frame and make it hard for me to focus on what I want to shoot. While that is still true, the 28mm FoV has forced me to be more aware of my surroundings and get closer to what I'm photographing, and the wider look makes things look just a bit closer and more personal. While I still love the 35mm look, the experience so far has been very fun :)

[paulsehstedt]

I've a Q, but I don't use it often. It's a backup camera, to be honest. My favourite local length is still the 50 (LUX) followed by the 90 (Summarit). For dramatic landscapes or very tight spaces, I use the Elmar-M 24/3.8. Humans are focusing on an object a bit far away, and your sight is 'zooming' in. Therefore, it's logical to have focal length between 50 and 100 mm. The famous Danish photographer Mogens Gunnar Stryhn (1936-2019) preferred the 135 mm focal length and often used a 400 mm for portraits. It's the way how you want to bring the motive to live in your photos, that direct the choice of the focal length. Keep on rolling!

[j.k]

I used to be this confused as well, till I discovered what focal length to use in what situations.
In Urland Landscapes I do;
28mm for city/landscapes (not for me)
35mm for people and their immediate surroundings for context. 35mm is my every day carry, mostly for story telling. But I hardly use it for landscapes.
50mm for isolating people and their actions ONLY without any need of context.
100mm for isolating things, but a 50mm can do as well. I just move in.

In rural or open field landscapes;
50mm for landscapes. I never go wider than this.
100mm for isolating subjects

It’s not clear cut science but you get the point.

Edited;
When in the cities, I would mostly use the 50mm horizontally while the 35mm will almost always be used vertically. I don’t like having a lot of things in my frames.

[ekonkante]

The "I can always crop" attitude is what I'm trying to get away from.

[manfromtitan]

I used to love doing wide angle stuff like 35mm for street photography, and never tried 50mm. But after finally trying out 50mm, it seems like 50 is more my cup of tea! Switching to 50 gave me a different perspective on how to frame things, and overal pushed me out of the comfort zone. It gave me inspiration to shoot more! Nice pictures goughie!

[malteplath]

Very good point(s). Since buying the 35mm for my Fuji X-T20 (i.e. 50mm equivalent) it is the default lens if I go for a walk. I have the 13mm Viltrox and the tele zoom (50-230) if I want variety, And I do use them: the 13mm because it can focus very close - so it's not really about the panoramic views; the long lens for macro (with extension tubes) and for details (architecture).

[SquirrelHybrid]

I love using wider lenses (16 & 23 for Fuji), but oftentimes I don't love the bokeh or I have to crop to get a framing I like.
Lately I've been using 33 & 56 and doing Panorama stitching so that it mimics the wider focal lengths, but it doesn't always turn out right... probably because I've been making the mistake of rotating the camera at the sensor which causes parallax, when the rotating point should've been somewhere on the lens. 😅🤦‍♂

[stevieb]

Been on a similar journey. I now find it extremely challenging when I go out with just a 28mm Great vid.

[johngreenwood]

I'm mainly a travel/street/occasional landscape photographer.
I've been using the Fuji X system cameras since their inception.
I prefer using "primes", but over the last 5 months with my new X-H2, I've gravitated to using the 16-80mm f/4 zoom. However I began to resent lugging this larger heavier kit around for my "walk-abouts", and again looked towards using my primes.
I then had your dilemma, as I had been contemplating, selling at least 2 or 3 of my then retained lenses - 60/f2.4, 35/f1.4, 23/f1.4, 18/f2 & 14/f2.8. However having put them on eBay and having sold the 35/f1.4 I got cold feet, & withdrew the other lenses from sale.
Like you I went back to the drawing board & looked at the photos taken and reviewed the exif data.
Most, 70% were within the 18-27mm range, weighted more to the shorter focal length. About 10%, were below 18mm, but again the mean was probably closer to the 16mm range, so an 18mm would probably have done in most cars. The remaining 20% were taken above 27mm with most bulking out at 80mm.
During these deliberations I had done relatively little cropping except at the 80mm lens, where latterly I had discovered that the "sports-finder" of the X-H2 gave me greater reach, albeit with a "M" pixel reduction from "L" size.
Could I therefore make do with retaining just the 23/1.4, one of my all-time favourite lenses, much lighter/smaller (& cheaper) than the MK2, & perhaps also retain the 14/2.8 for the wider shots. However carrying both these lenses somewhat defeated the downsizing exercise. Together they would weigh more than the 16-80 zoom, & would be less convenient to boot?
So 2 weeks ago I went out with just the lightweight 18mm pancake lens. Joy of joys, I remembered how & why, it was one of my favourite original Fuji X lenses. Yes I wasn't getting close enough in some instances, but I found, either cropping within the camera or in post production worked satisfactorily for me in most cases. The next day I was out taking more photos, and this time I had the 60mm, as well as the 18mm lens with me. This combination weighs slightly more than the 23/f1.4 but significantly less than the zoom. Also as only one lens is attached to the camera at a time, this combination imposes less stress on my (aging?) wrists!
Have I found the perfect solution!
I would still like to retain the 23/f1.4 for use with the X-H2, but perhaps I should repurchase an X-Pro2 to go with the 18mm? Decisions decisions...
Thanks for your video; it puts another perspective on my lens choice ...as I remain more confused than ever!
John Greenwood

[alanplatt]

Fixed 35mm for me is the ultimate experience on my Hasselblad. Why, because I know what to expect ! I have just purchased a 18 - 55 Fuji for my X-T5 for the times I don't know what to I have the 10 - 24 Fuji but I sort of know what I will use it 3 primes are Leica 28mm, Hassy 35mm and a Fuji 50mm (equivalent). The morel to my story is, I have to make my primes work my scene. The zooms are a luxury for versatility. DoF, low light F stops, ND filters, Polarization, tripod required all have an effect on my choice, IF I have a choice. If I do, I hopefully will make a good choice. Food for thought video, thank you. For me, take as many lenses as you think you will need or the one you love the most. Hassy is coming with me to the studio later. Fuji will be there for back up. The Fuji 10-24 & 18-55 will be with me at Ockham this morning for an outdoor model shoot. However I know the 35mm (equivalent) Hassy will be leaping into my hand at every opportunity. There is no one stop shot

[lukasvanderlende]

great video, as someone who shoots predominately on the 28 and 50mm I have to remind myself to grab longer lenses

[nickeanderssonphoto]

Interesting! I’ve moved from 50 to 35 to 28 on my Leica. Only to realize that the 28 is only great sometimes. When you really nail that focal lenght. And on film it’s too expensive to use it all the time! Not all 36 are bangers… So I think I will start treat the 28 more like a special purpose lens rather than being on the camera full time. But it’s a constant battle what lens to bring😅

[RamonBrito]

I recently discovered the perfect coverage “FOR ME” 28mm & 50mm like you said when using the 16-55 I would appreciate the far end of the photos. I like using 28mm as my establishing shot and get the fine details with the 50mm/90mm. Great video.

[dragomirvalentin]

I own a 85 mm and a 24 mm and i agree, the shots taken from a tele lens are much more intimate, sometimes looking moren"purposeful" and they are also wonderful portrait lenses

[clementc]

Very interesting transmission... Im have something similar going on with 50 and 40 mm. Every year i make an excel sheet of the focal length i used. Its very interesting to see how my preference change along my journey