Yeah, yeah…just a dry practice run till tomorrow.
So since about 1985 I have been struggling with the idea of using the 50mm FOV as a main focal length. I mean of course I’ve used it in many occasions but I never felt that it was a real part of my vision. Well, the Leica’s are retired and no other camera has ever offered me the excitement of another focal length. I am or shall I say, I was always a 35mm FOV guy and never switched hit in anything. Hey, hey…married and anyway, there ain’t nuttin wrong with it anyways….
so I’m using the Fuji X PRO 1 and the X E1 and I have to say….I have the 35mm 1.4 for a good spell already and thought I’d sell it cause once again….50mm ain’t my thing. Well one day, don’t remember when I looked at my photos and my camera and low and behold…it was all working with 28mm. Oh, that’s just great….I mean let’s add fuel to the mental fire in me poor head…. So I use 28mm for many years, so much so that it went from an acquired FOV to a Natural FOV. Horrors, I thought!
I was just about to unload the Fuji 35mm and the 27mm and maybe the 18mm. I really like the Voigtlander lenses. I mean they have a focus scale, a DOF scale….a real lens! I was ready to make a few eBay listings and then the Fuji Engineers got word of me getting ready to move their stuff out of my coat pocket and then, all the sudden, without fair warning to all good Fuji users of any level of commitment, released a firmware update that rocked my uh…uh…nah, not world but got me to thinking again…..
The X-PPRO 1 now does things it tried to do before the update but couldn’t get it right.
They got the frame lines very accurate at all but the closest distances and even then, it ain’t bad. The framing box is so accurate that I decided to take the 35mm out for a spin. Well, for the 1st time since 1985, I am really excited with this focal length. I am seeing the frame box a little more accurate then the Leica M cameras. That doesn’t matter but to me it really does. I do not now nor ever like cropping my images. I know, I know…but it’s my process to crop before release…..not after…unless it’s a Million $$$ shot then crop the heck out of it…..sheeeeesh! I tested the frame box with all my lenses that I like to use and accuracy is incredible, even the Voigtlander 15mm and 21mm are right on.
Antwayz….I’ll be around tomorrow and hopefully make a few photos but if not…..Mummers Day is just a few shots away……NO NO….not photo shots…..Single Malt Shots…….
Till we meet again……..shooter out…………………….
I reckon you have the perfect FOV in that kit. I love 50mm but only have that lens on my big Nikon DSLR. My everyday camera is the 23mm Fuji X100 (35mm equivalent apparently??) which I LOVE but it’s a bit wide. 35mm 1.4 just sound so nice!
Nathan, don’t get this wrong. I love 35mm FOV but don’t spread this around…..when I put it on my Fuji’s…some kinda transposition happens…without my consent. Ok…it’s like this….I put the 35mm on the XP1 and then, all the sudden, outta nowhere in the known or unknown streets…the lens magically turns to something like 52.5 mm. I know this is strange behavior but I hear tell, it’s not just my cameras this happens too. See that guy up above…yeah, Duane….he thinks I’m crazy…well for other reasons too but…he doesn’t have that problem with his Leica. I guess that’s the biggest reason to go FF……
So the course would be to go after that 23mm from Fuji, just don’t get freaked if it starts to act like a 35mm.
So if your X100 is a little wide for you, how would a 35mm FOV satisfy you more….Here in NE Philly, those to things are about the same……
Have a Happy New Years and always share a little joke with the world….. I hope you get my humor….don
Big one, Don. For a fellow shooter, who has seen hundreds of your images
here, on SC, DPR and elsewhere, AFAIR most of them shot with 35mm, 28mm
and recently 15(23)mm a sudden switch to a 35(53)mm perspective, well
… It’s almost like a musician you’ve come to know for a while changed
his instrument. Do you still recognize him/her ? Does the message still
get through ? How is it affected by the change ? yadda yadda …
I’ve
been mainly shooting a 30(45)mm Sigma on my NEX-7 since I got that lens
last year, I used to like the field of view, the versatility, the
tighter frame (far less bloody cars in my images) but I’m slowly moving back into wide angles; been using 35mm glass
most of my life, maybe pick something really wide for a while…
The hunt goes on 🙂
All the best for 2014 to you and your loved ones – keep it up !
Kay
Kay, thanks again. I used the Nex6 and was completely in love..I still feel the loss of it. The 15mm Heliar is amazing on any camera but on the Nex, well…it just sings as does the 21mm Skopar. If your looking for wide, those 2 make a perfect set. In fact, the City of Philadelphia has graciously decided to make another Mummers Day Parade for the shooters of the world that will come to it. I’ll be there again and have the XP1 with the 35mm 1.4, the XE1 with the 15mm and the 21mm as a change off if I want to move tighter. I don’t see taking anything else but a lenspen and some batteries. No camera bag as it’s not needed.
Great kit…..photos to follow on an upcoming blog post…..
Have a safe, healthy Happy New Years……don
I don’t know Don, but when I put my 50 on my M-E now I feel like I’m in some strange world. I guess we’ve switched places as to FL.
Enjoy Mummer’s Day and Happy New Year!
Whoah…..take a little time before hitting the gas pedal in that jet fella…….
I am trying the 50mm fov because I feel the need to get closer and maybe investigate details a little closer. I guess that’s part of the story but not a big part.
Your in the pocket you were always in. Even in the GXR dayz…you were seeing 50mm more than anything and I remember the dealings with the 35mm Lux/Cron.
You do more control with light with the Lux than almost any other shooter in the known Leica universe.
Anywayz….have a Happy New Years and safe traveling my brother……
don
It is a good thing to change our point-of-view in life once in a while.
Dan, I agree completely. I mention this to my wifey sometimes but divorce is out of the question. So I continue to see and agree with her vision on everything….
Happy New Years my friend…..