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SpecialK · 01-07-2011, 06:57 PM

Like all shots, the subject determines the focal length. Trying to shoe-horn every subject into one FL seems futile.

10mm

14mm

18mm

50mm
[IMGtall]http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q78/KylePix/Places%20Generally/Arizona%20Mostly%2009/D1%20Giant%20Rk-Oatman-Kgman/090905-2861BrocksGrave.jpg[/IMGtall]

12mm

70mm

170mm

260mm

Carry on :-)

KxBlaze · 01-07-2011, 08:12 PM

Since I do not have a 15mm limited I use my 16-45 @ 16mm. I am a big fan of super-wide angles because I feel like landscapes should encompass as much of the landscape as possible, but like most things photography it's all about personal preference.

les3547 · 01-07-2011, 08:23 PM

Originally posted by SpecialK

Like all shots, the subject determines the focal length. Trying to shoe-horn every subject into one FL seems futile.

Possibly, but what if, hypothetically speaking, you can afford only one lens below 35mm?

panoguy · 01-07-2011, 08:39 PM

Originally posted by les3547

Possibly, but what if, hypothetically speaking, you can afford only one lens below 35mm?

Get a zoom!

Really, I primarily use a 12-24, but I also have a 50mm tilt/shift which gets regular use...
Oh, and I stitch fisheye frames if I need super-duper extra-wide (like 360x180 degrees!)

Jewelltrail · 01-07-2011, 09:06 PM

I love 24mm on crop sensor.

les3547 · 01-07-2011, 10:20 PM

Originally posted by grainbelt

Excellent thread topic. I owned an ultrawide for a brief time, thinking I wanted to get everything in the vast western Canadian sky in the frame. I ended up with some really boring, thoughtless images.

So what was your final solution for landscapes.

les3547 · 01-07-2011, 10:25 PM

Originally posted by ChatMechant

damn, Pal, those are awesome. i wanna go to Norway now!

me too, i often pick out some small segment of the scene, and that's what makes me feel like "i'm there". you can see the atmosphere and whatnot. it's something my dad taught me as a kid, just a simple thing to make my pictures a little different, and it stuck as my fav.

btw- yay, sebastopol! luv it up there.

So, what is your favorite focal length (if you had to choose one) for landscapes?

les3547 · 01-07-2011, 10:26 PM

Originally posted by Jewelltrail

I love 24mm on crop sensor.

Do you have examples? I would love to see something.

SpecialK · 01-07-2011, 10:35 PM

Originally posted by les3547

Possibly, but what if, hypothetically speaking, you can afford only one lens below 35mm?

A used 12-24 runs about $600. It's more than a 14 or 15 prime but it offers more flexibility, it's wider, and has high IQ.

**Ash** · 01-07-2011, 10:41 PM

Originally posted by les3547

Possibly, but what if, hypothetically speaking, you can afford only one lens below 35mm?

12mm on APS-C (18mm on 35mm film).
I find myself going to this FL a lot even though I have the 12-24.
It seems to add such amazing perspective to landscapes, but in order to do this to my liking, I need to come right up close to the foreground.

les3547 · 01-07-2011, 10:45 PM

Originally posted by SpecialK

A used 12-24 runs about $600. It's more than a 14 or 15 prime but it offers more flexibility, it's wider, and has high IQ.

Yes, I know about that option. I might end up going that way, but I'm a prime lens kind of guy. I've posed this hypothetical to see what, if a landscape lover were forced to choose, he/she would select as his primary landscape focal length. What would you choose?

stevebrot · 01-07-2011, 10:47 PM

Originally posted by SpecialK

Like all shots, the subject determines the focal length. Trying to shoe-horn every subject into one FL seems futile.

So true. I have traditionally shot landscape at the wide end due to the "closed in" nature of many of our subjects here in the northwest. In more open country, longer lenses come into their own. I was very surprised when I first shooting with the view camera to find that many of the large format guys shoot landscape with mostly moderately long glass. The camera movements provide significant compensation for the tighter FOV.

Steve

les3547 · 01-07-2011, 10:52 PM

Originally posted by Ash

12mm on APS-C (18mm on 35mm film).
I find myself going to this FL a lot even though I have the 12-24.
It seems to add such amazing perspective to landscapes, but in order to do this to my liking, I need to come right up close to the foreground.

I'm surprised . . . I like the first pic a lot. Below 35, you'd choose a 12mm FL to live with?

stevebrot · 01-07-2011, 11:01 PM

Figured I could make a few contributions here...First a sampler of shots on 35mm (FF) film for the traditionalists. (Sorry, I don't have any truly long glass...)

16mm Fisheye on 35mm Film

28mm on 35mm Film

35mm on 35mm Film

50mm on 35mm Film

100mm on 35mm Film

150mm on 35mm Film

Steve

les3547 · 01-07-2011, 11:01 PM

Originally posted by stevebrot

So true. I have traditionally shot landscape at the wide end due to the "closed in" nature of many of our subjects here in the northwest. In more open country, longer lenses come into their own. I was very surprised when I first shooting with the view camera to find that many of the large format guys shoot landscape with mostly moderately long glass. The camera movements provide significant compensation for the tighter FOV.

Steve

How about if you got to choose 2 focal lengths under 35mm, what would they be?

01-07-2011, 10:52 PM	#28
les3547 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Sebastopol, California Photos: Albums Posts: 2,020 Original Poster	Originally posted by Ash 12mm on APS-C (18mm on 35mm film). I find myself going to this FL a lot even though I have the 12-24. It seems to add such amazing perspective to landscapes, but in order to do this to my liking, I need to come right up close to the foreground. I'm surprised . . . I like the first pic a lot. Below 35, you'd choose a 12mm FL to live with? Last edited by les3547; 01-08-2011 at 01:01 AM.

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01-07-2011, 06:57 PM	#16
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,482	Like all shots, the subject determines the focal length. Trying to shoe-horn every subject into one FL seems futile. 10mm 14mm 18mm 50mm [IMGtall]http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q78/KylePix/Places%20Generally/Arizona%20Mostly%2009/D1%20Giant%20Rk-Oatman-Kgman/090905-2861BrocksGrave.jpg[/IMGtall] 12mm 70mm 170mm 260mm Carry on :-)

01-07-2011, 08:12 PM	#17
KxBlaze Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: California Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,602	Since I do not have a 15mm limited I use my 16-45 @ 16mm. I am a big fan of super-wide angles because I feel like landscapes should encompass as much of the landscape as possible, but like most things photography it's all about personal preference.

01-07-2011, 08:23 PM	#18
les3547 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Sebastopol, California Photos: Albums Posts: 2,020 Original Poster	Originally posted by SpecialK Like all shots, the subject determines the focal length. Trying to shoe-horn every subject into one FL seems futile. Possibly, but what if, hypothetically speaking, you can afford only one lens below 35mm?

01-07-2011, 08:39 PM	#19
panoguy Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Washington, D.C. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,327	Originally posted by les3547 Possibly, but what if, hypothetically speaking, you can afford only one lens below 35mm? Get a zoom! Really, I primarily use a 12-24, but I also have a 50mm tilt/shift which gets regular use... Oh, and I stitch fisheye frames if I need super-duper extra-wide (like 360x180 degrees!)

01-07-2011, 09:06 PM	#20
Jewelltrail Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Rhode Island Photos: Albums Posts: 4,180	I love 24mm on crop sensor.

01-07-2011, 10:20 PM	#21
les3547 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Sebastopol, California Photos: Albums Posts: 2,020 Original Poster	Originally posted by grainbelt Excellent thread topic. I owned an ultrawide for a brief time, thinking I wanted to get everything in the vast western Canadian sky in the frame. I ended up with some really boring, thoughtless images. So what was your final solution for landscapes.

01-07-2011, 10:25 PM	#22
les3547 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Sebastopol, California Photos: Albums Posts: 2,020 Original Poster	Originally posted by ChatMechant damn, Pal, those are awesome. i wanna go to Norway now! me too, i often pick out some small segment of the scene, and that's what makes me feel like "i'm there". you can see the atmosphere and whatnot. it's something my dad taught me as a kid, just a simple thing to make my pictures a little different, and it stuck as my fav. btw- yay, sebastopol! luv it up there. So, what is your favorite focal length (if you had to choose one) for landscapes?

01-07-2011, 10:26 PM	#23
les3547 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Sebastopol, California Photos: Albums Posts: 2,020 Original Poster	Originally posted by Jewelltrail I love 24mm on crop sensor. Do you have examples? I would love to see something.

01-07-2011, 10:35 PM	#24
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,482	Originally posted by les3547 Possibly, but what if, hypothetically speaking, you can afford only one lens below 35mm? A used 12-24 runs about $600. It's more than a 14 or 15 prime but it offers more flexibility, it's wider, and has high IQ.

01-07-2011, 10:41 PM	#25
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Originally posted by les3547 Possibly, but what if, hypothetically speaking, you can afford only one lens below 35mm? 12mm on APS-C (18mm on 35mm film). I find myself going to this FL a lot even though I have the 12-24. It seems to add such amazing perspective to landscapes, but in order to do this to my liking, I need to come right up close to the foreground.

01-07-2011, 10:45 PM	#26
les3547 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Sebastopol, California Photos: Albums Posts: 2,020 Original Poster	Originally posted by SpecialK A used 12-24 runs about $600. It's more than a 14 or 15 prime but it offers more flexibility, it's wider, and has high IQ. Yes, I know about that option. I might end up going that way, but I'm a prime lens kind of guy. I've posed this hypothetical to see what, if a landscape lover were forced to choose, he/she would select as his primary landscape focal length. What would you choose?

01-07-2011, 10:47 PM	#27
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by SpecialK Like all shots, the subject determines the focal length. Trying to shoe-horn every subject into one FL seems futile. So true. I have traditionally shot landscape at the wide end due to the "closed in" nature of many of our subjects here in the northwest. In more open country, longer lenses come into their own. I was very surprised when I first shooting with the view camera to find that many of the large format guys shoot landscape with mostly moderately long glass. The camera movements provide significant compensation for the tighter FOV. Steve

01-07-2011, 11:01 PM	#29
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Figured I could make a few contributions here...First a sampler of shots on 35mm (FF) film for the traditionalists. (Sorry, I don't have any truly long glass...) 16mm Fisheye on 35mm Film 28mm on 35mm Film 35mm on 35mm Film 50mm on 35mm Film 100mm on 35mm Film 150mm on 35mm Film Steve

01-07-2011, 11:01 PM	#30
les3547 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Sebastopol, California Photos: Albums Posts: 2,020 Original Poster	Originally posted by stevebrot So true. I have traditionally shot landscape at the wide end due to the "closed in" nature of many of our subjects here in the northwest. In more open country, longer lenses come into their own. I was very surprised when I first shooting with the view camera to find that many of the large format guys shoot landscape with mostly moderately long glass. The camera movements provide significant compensation for the tighter FOV. Steve How about if you got to choose 2 focal lengths under 35mm, what would they be?

Landscape Lovers: Choose A Focal Length, Explain Why, Post Examples

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