Ok, first off I will explain that I do things in a semi deliberate manner. That also means that I do things in a semi un-deliberate manner.
Flashback to 1970. I have my M-4 with a 35mm Cron on it. My M-16 at the ready. WE are going thru a small village near Chu Lai and I’m snapping away making photos. There’s some press corp guys with us cause they wanna see where theB52’s dropped their load and how close it was to the village. Click, click….yup, I’m working. Jock is about 25′ away from me. Jock is a tall guy thin stature and from OZ. OZ = Australia. He works for the Press Corp for France and OZ. We became friends and I looked forward to him being around because it gave me the illusion that I might survive this shit hole.
Jock comes over to me and says “Jingles, why don’t you use your 50mm more?” Eureka! I replied that I wasn’t comfortable with the compression and the crop of the frame. I wanted to portray the scene the best I could and a 35mm was perfect. … it dawned on me at that moment that I should try the 50mm and be serious with it. With all the film I shot over there, I don’t think I used 2 rolls with the 50mm. It just didn’t click with me.
Inside me, I had this nagging feeling that Jock was implanting in me to use the 50mm. Flash forward to the mid 70’s and I shooting the street with my 35mm Cron and of course my trusty 50mm Cron in the waste pack. it’s been years since Jock mentioned the 50mm to me. I still have that nagging feeling that I need to get the 50mm and use it.
Yeah sure, sometimes I’d use the 50mm just to do it and prove to myself I can. Then another year would pass and I’d have it with me but not use it. If I did use it, I didn’t have a sense of being with it.
So, the issue for me is to adapt my aspect and frame to the 50mm FOV. Let’s get something straight from the get go. PERSPECTIVE. There are 2 perspectives that we deal with in photography. The first is, stance. Where you stand sets your perspective….but really the position of the camer is setting perspective. Set your camera on a tripod and then move all around but leave the camera where it is and the perspective changes for you but not the camera. When the camera moves, the perspective changes. If you hold your stance and then change the lens on the camera, the perspective stays the same but the Field of View changes. If you change aspect ratio, perspective stays the same.
So, the reason for me to wrestle with the 50mm is not perspective but the FOV crop. I guess most take it for granted that just changing lenses is an easy thing and requires not much thought or practice. Lucky for them, for me it’s like a new set of eyes and a new way to think. It challenges me to see the world thru different eyes and to think and work differently all the while protecting my 35mm FOV.
So I’ve had many cameras and many lenses that wore the 50mm crop. I was not comfy with any of them until the Fuji X-Pro2. When my lady friends gave me the camera and the 35mm = 50mm lens, they knew what they were doing. They knew I would love working with the camera and they also knew that at last, I’d be able to use the long lost love, 50mm FOV.
So, it seems that it took decades for me to find mt stance with this lens and I did. I have to telly youse that for me, the Fuji X-Pro2 is the finest camera I could ever with to work with.
Whenever I get a brain fart, I can always use the Fuji X100F.
seeyas after the weekend my friends…… peace
The 50 makes me stand still. I love the mobility and fluidity of a 28. It makes me move. I can be arm’s length or in your face.
Keith, no doubt the 28mm is the fov for space. No doubt that the Ricoh GRII is the perfect camera for about anything requiring a 28mm. No doubt that I call the GRII a camera killer because it is. Once you start using it, something takes over and ya can’t not use it.
No doubt that I need the restriction and compression of the 50mm because it forces upon me a FOV that is not natural but getting natural.
take care out there….don
Precisely the reason why I find the two vocals a perfect pair. No risk of confusing fields of view (Don’s issue, and I agree about keeping an auto-framing eye/brain reflex). One for crowded dynamic space, one for detail and flat geometric composition. I went to Japan this past winter and the two lenses were permanently glued each to a body. Ended up shooting 60% in 28mm and 40% in 50%. Loved the experience.
Most of my street stuff has been with the GR IV / GR V . But recently have started to use the X100s and Pen-F with Oly 17 1.8 so getting used to the 35 FOV. Next step I’ll have to try the 50 FOV as I have a X-Pro 1 with 35 1.4 and Oly cameras with the Pan Leica 25 1.4 . GAS is wonderful!
Dave, agreed gas is wonderful and should not be taken lightly. Many write that gas is a detriment to your work but I disagree. The only detriment is what you put your mind to.
You know Don, having more than one camera/lens is like an artist who has more than one brush/color in his/her kit. It expands the opportunity to be more creative. And of course you can still have your favorite camera / brush – but it’s nice to know the others are available. Happy shooting!
Hey Don, I just made an article on using the 27mm fuji pancake. Not really the 35 mm but not far. I bought this cos I wanted someting light, cheap. I was afraid of the 35 mm. I’m not use to that focal. You can’t zone focus with the 35 mm can you ? It’s easy to use zone focusing with wider focal but when I used the 27 mm, I had to rely on the AF. Not that easy for me. This made me realize that definitely 18 mm (28 Full Frame) is my FOV to go.
Jean,
I get where your coming from. I find that my cameras have implanted in me the preferred FOV they like. My Olympus Pen-F loves the 12mm = 24mm.My X-Pro2 is favoring the 35mm = 50mm FOV. Of course it’s a collaboration between the cameras and me but it’s one I pay strict attention to. For the very 1st time in about 50 years I am groovin’ with the 50mm and it’s turning me on. The X-Pro2 has given me that whereas no other camera has made that available to me in this way.
Anyway, many think I’m nuts for naming my cameras and things. Perhaps I am but I prefer to have a friend with me when I go out vs a machine that just responds.
don since getting my xpro2 i find the camera almost asks for the lens i need … lately its been a hexanon57mm 1.2 or the 20mm 2.8 nikkor with a speedbooster
who am i to argue
cheers from paul in nyc aka cosinaphile
Paul, I use the 35mm (50mm) almost all the time. I love the camera as much as my Leica and in many ways, more.
cheers, don