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

les3547 · 01-07-2011, 05:46 PM - **1 Like**

I'd value insights from people who love to shoot landscapes. I'm not asking about a specific lens brand, but the focal length that you find yourself most often turning to.

If you could explain what makes you choose that lens, what is does for the pictures you are trying to create, and then provide a sample(s) for study, that would be great.

Thanks.

JohnBee · 01-07-2011, 05:49 PM

35mm: best FOV for distortion
Prefer K35 for higher F-Stop(f16) sharpness performance over competition.

les3547 · 01-07-2011, 05:53 PM

Originally posted by JohnBee

35mm: best FOV for distortion
Prefer K35 for higher F-Stop(f16) sharpness performance over competition.

Could you explain a little more? You choose it most often to avoid distortion? But does it cover the field enough for you?

**Pål Jensen** · 01-07-2011, 05:54 PM

These are all shot with the FA645 75/2.8 giving the angle of view of a 43mm lens on a 35mm camera. A very nice focal lengt about the longest I use regularly for landscapes.
I use this when I want a "natural" look as oposed to the vista wher I prefer approximately 31mm (on 35mm)

[the mountain top to the left of picture 2 is the leftmost mountain top of picture 3]

Last edited by Pål Jensen; 01-07-2011 at 06:00 PM.

ChatMechant · 01-07-2011, 06:02 PM

wow, nice, Pal. is that Norway?

i've always really liked a long lens for landscapes. this one's probably 250mm or so. i dunno why i like it in technical terms, maybe it's just the way i see things.

les3547 · 01-07-2011, 06:18 PM

Originally posted by Pål Jensen

These are all shot with the FA645 75/2.8 giving the angle of view of a 43mm lens on a 35mm camera. A very nice focal lengt about the longest I use regularly for landscapes.
I use this when I want a "natural" look as oposed to the vista wher I prefer approximately 31mm (on 35mm)

[the mountain top to the left of picture 2 is the leftmost mountain top of picture 3]

So interesting to me. So no traditional "wide angle" for your landscapes?

**Pål Jensen** · 01-07-2011, 06:20 PM

Originally posted by ChatMechant

wow, nice, Pal. is that Norway?

Yes that is Northern Norway.

les3547 · 01-07-2011, 06:21 PM

Originally posted by ChatMechant

wow, nice, Pal. is that Norway?

i've always really liked a long lens for landscapes. this one's probably 250mm or so. i dunno why i like it in technical terms, maybe it's just the way i see things.

Please explain your concept more, I really am interested in it. I like the longer lens sometimes because the scene I see is off in the distance. Too wide an angle and it's going to suffer from cropping. I'd rather "crop" with the lens than in post processing.

**Pål Jensen** · 01-07-2011, 06:23 PM

Originally posted by les3547

So interesting to me. So no traditional "wide angle" for your landscapes?

Oh yes. These are shot between 24 - 35mm (in 35mm terms), but they are mostly shoot with a zoom lens so there are no absolute focal lenght used. My FA645 33-55/4.5 is my most used lens.

**gofour3** · 01-07-2011, 06:25 PM

I like 28mm on a film camera the best for landscapes:

Phil.

ChatMechant · 01-07-2011, 06:32 PM

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

Quote:

I like the longer lens sometimes because the scene I see is off in the distance.

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.

**Pål Jensen** · 01-07-2011, 06:47 PM

Originally posted by ChatMechant

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

They are all shot in the Lofoten Islands. More photos here (not by me!):

lofoten - Google-søk

grainbelt · 01-07-2011, 06:48 PM

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.

stover98074 · 01-07-2011, 06:49 PM

One thing that is consistent for landscape for me - using manual focus prime lenses. Both lenses used for these photos were f3.5 and were stopped down. Older slow primes are small and inexpensive so you can carry a few and be covered. They can also be inexpensive and hold resale value.

The photo below was taken with a 35mm old Takumar.

The photo below was taken with a longer 135mm older Takumar.

MikeW · 01-07-2011, 06:51 PM

Pål, these are simply amazing. I MUST get to Norway someday after seeing these.

01-07-2011, 05:46 PM - 1 Like	#1
les3547 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Sebastopol, California Photos: Albums Posts: 2,020	Landscape Lovers: Choose A Focal Length, Explain Why, Post Examples I'd value insights from people who love to shoot landscapes. I'm not asking about a specific lens brand, but the focal length that you find yourself most often turning to. If you could explain what makes you choose that lens, what is does for the pictures you are trying to create, and then provide a sample(s) for study, that would be great. Thanks.

01-07-2011, 06:02 PM	#5
ChatMechant Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Matsuyama Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,284	wow, nice, Pal. is that Norway? i've always really liked a long lens for landscapes. this one's probably 250mm or so. i dunno why i like it in technical terms, maybe it's just the way i see things. Last edited by ChatMechant; 01-07-2011 at 06:09 PM.

01-07-2011, 06:25 PM	#10
gofour3 Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,092	I like 28mm on a film camera the best for landscapes: Phil. Last edited by gofour3; 01-07-2011 at 06:36 PM.

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01-07-2011, 05:49 PM	#2
JohnBee Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Newrfoundland Photos: Albums Posts: 4,667	35mm: best FOV for distortion Prefer K35 for higher F-Stop(f16) sharpness performance over competition.

01-07-2011, 05:53 PM	#3
les3547 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Sebastopol, California Photos: Albums Posts: 2,020 Original Poster	Originally posted by JohnBee 35mm: best FOV for distortion Prefer K35 for higher F-Stop(f16) sharpness performance over competition. Could you explain a little more? You choose it most often to avoid distortion? But does it cover the field enough for you?

01-07-2011, 05:54 PM	#4
Pål Jensen Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Norway Photos: Albums Posts: 4,371	These are all shot with the FA645 75/2.8 giving the angle of view of a 43mm lens on a 35mm camera. A very nice focal lengt about the longest I use regularly for landscapes. I use this when I want a "natural" look as oposed to the vista wher I prefer approximately 31mm (on 35mm) [the mountain top to the left of picture 2 is the leftmost mountain top of picture 3] Last edited by Pål Jensen; 01-07-2011 at 06:00 PM.

01-07-2011, 06:18 PM	#6
les3547 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Sebastopol, California Photos: Albums Posts: 2,020 Original Poster	Originally posted by Pål Jensen These are all shot with the FA645 75/2.8 giving the angle of view of a 43mm lens on a 35mm camera. A very nice focal lengt about the longest I use regularly for landscapes. I use this when I want a "natural" look as oposed to the vista wher I prefer approximately 31mm (on 35mm) [the mountain top to the left of picture 2 is the leftmost mountain top of picture 3] So interesting to me. So no traditional "wide angle" for your landscapes?

01-07-2011, 06:20 PM	#7
Pål Jensen Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Norway Photos: Albums Posts: 4,371	Originally posted by ChatMechant wow, nice, Pal. is that Norway? Yes that is Northern Norway.

01-07-2011, 06:21 PM	#8
les3547 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Sebastopol, California Photos: Albums Posts: 2,020 Original Poster	Originally posted by ChatMechant wow, nice, Pal. is that Norway? i've always really liked a long lens for landscapes. this one's probably 250mm or so. i dunno why i like it in technical terms, maybe it's just the way i see things. Please explain your concept more, I really am interested in it. I like the longer lens sometimes because the scene I see is off in the distance. Too wide an angle and it's going to suffer from cropping. I'd rather "crop" with the lens than in post processing.

01-07-2011, 06:23 PM	#9
Pål Jensen Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Norway Photos: Albums Posts: 4,371	Originally posted by les3547 So interesting to me. So no traditional "wide angle" for your landscapes? Oh yes. These are shot between 24 - 35mm (in 35mm terms), but they are mostly shoot with a zoom lens so there are no absolute focal lenght used. My FA645 33-55/4.5 is my most used lens.

01-07-2011, 06:32 PM	#11
ChatMechant Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Matsuyama Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,284	damn, Pal, those are awesome. i wanna go to Norway now! Quote: I like the longer lens sometimes because the scene I see is off in the distance. 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.

01-07-2011, 06:47 PM	#12
Pål Jensen Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Norway Photos: Albums Posts: 4,371	Originally posted by ChatMechant damn, Pal, those are awesome. i wanna go to Norway now! . They are all shot in the Lofoten Islands. More photos here (not by me!): lofoten - Google-søk

01-07-2011, 06:48 PM	#13
grainbelt Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Minneapolis Photos: Albums Posts: 587	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.

01-07-2011, 06:49 PM	#14
stover98074 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Seattle Photos: Gallery Posts: 153	One thing that is consistent for landscape for me - using manual focus prime lenses. Both lenses used for these photos were f3.5 and were stopped down. Older slow primes are small and inexpensive so you can carry a few and be covered. They can also be inexpensive and hold resale value. The photo below was taken with a 35mm old Takumar. The photo below was taken with a longer 135mm older Takumar.

01-07-2011, 06:51 PM	#15
MikeW Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Indiana Photos: Gallery Posts: 437	Pål, these are simply amazing. I MUST get to Norway someday after seeing these.