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09-13-2015, 07:35 AM - 1 Like   #46
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QuoteOriginally posted by UncleVanya Quote
Do you have a kit zoom?
If so, set it to 21 (or 35) mm and try it. Turn to Av mode and dial in f8. Set ISO to float between 100-3200. Try it and see if 35 or 21 fits you better.

The 35 Macro is great from what I read, but for street shooting manual focus using hyperfocus may be required due to the long focus throw on that lens. Also the lens requires a lot closer working distance than a longer macro. Just be aware of that.

Personally I think the 21ltd is a fantastic choice. But again I don't own it. I have owned and used the da35 2.4 and SMC 40 ltd and kept the 40 over the plastic fantastic but not for street photography specifically.
Awesome advice re trialling kit lens. I tried this and two lessons

1 I either need 24 or 35mm depending on a 'scape' type theme or a people type theme.

And
2 the kit lens is not too shabby. I'm going hold off on buying a prime.


Last edited by Waratah; 09-13-2015 at 07:39 AM. Reason: typo
09-13-2015, 10:38 AM   #47
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QuoteOriginally posted by Waratah Quote
Awesome advice re trialling kit lens. I tried this and two lessons

1 I either need 24 or 35mm depending on a 'scape' type theme or a people type theme.

And
2 the kit lens is not too shabby. I'm going hold off on buying a prime.
That is fantastic to hear. At those focal lengths it should really be quite good, many primes would mainly gain you f stops but if you are shooting with higher f stops for depth of field that isn't going to be a big consideration anyway. Enjoy the shooting!
09-13-2015, 02:03 PM   #48
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QuoteOriginally posted by Waratah Quote
Awesome advice re trialling kit lens. I tried this and two lessons

1 I either need 24 or 35mm depending on a 'scape' type theme or a people type theme.

And
2 the kit lens is not too shabby. I'm going hold off on buying a prime.
Hi Waratah,

As the OP this was my conclusion also. Now I just have to find one of the many wristbands I have lying around the house to act as a lensband to stop the zoom creep as I walk around town.

Hope to see some of your 'street' shots soon.
09-14-2015, 02:41 AM   #49
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QuoteOriginally posted by joebarfly Quote
Hi Waratah,

As the OP this was my conclusion also. Now I just have to find one of the many wristbands I have lying around the house to act as a lensband to stop the zoom creep as I walk around town.

Hope to see some of your 'street' shots soon.
Here ya go. Remember this isn't 50-135 or 24-60, its just the wee little kit lens.

And I'm still working up to getting up close and personal for a while

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09-14-2015, 05:23 AM   #50
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During the film days (FF body) I was using a 35mm lens most of the time (after trying a 28mm) but also carried a 25mm (which I hardly ever used), a 50mm and an 80-200mm zoom.

You'll find that most people doing street photography tend to have a preference for either 28mm, 35mm or something between 40-to-50mm.
On an APS-C body this means 18mm, 24mm or 28-to-35mm.

The 21mm (31.5mm FOV on FF) that I have been using sits somewhere in the midle of the two aforementioned wides but I find it too wide for my taste so recently I got myself an SMC A2.8/28mm (42mm FOV on FF).
Unfortunately the performance is way below my expectations (soft/weird edge performance even when stopped down to f/11).

I think that a 35mm lens on an APS-C body (52.5 mm FOV on FF) is too narrow for street photography.

The DA21mm, FA28mm or FA31mm are probably your best options.

R

Last edited by Iberia; 09-14-2015 at 05:59 AM. Reason: typos
09-14-2015, 05:33 AM   #51
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QuoteOriginally posted by Iberia Quote
During the film days (FF body) I was using a 35mm lens most of the time (after trying a 28mm) but also carried a 25mm (which I hardly ever used), a 50mm and an 80-200mm zoom.

You'll find that most people doing street photography tend to have a preference for either 28mm, 35mm or something between 40 to 50mm.
On an APS-C body this means 18mm, 24mm or 28 to 35.

The 21mm (42mm FOV on FF) that I have been using sits somewhere in the midle of the two aforementioned wides but I find it too wide for my taste so recently I got myself an SMC A2.8/28mm (42mm FOV on FF).
Unfortunately the performance is way below my expectations (soft/weird edge performance even when stopped down to f/11).

I think that a 35mm lens on an APS-C body (52.5 mm FOV on FF) is too wide for street photography.

The DA21mm, FA28mm or FA31mm are probably your best options.

R
DA 21 Field of view should be around 32mm equivalent on full frame. The FA* 24 might fit your needs at a 36mm effective field of view equivalent.
09-14-2015, 05:36 AM   #52
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QuoteOriginally posted by UncleVanya Quote
DA 21 Field of view should be around 32mm equivalent on full frame. The FA* 24 might fit your needs at a 36mm effective field of view equivalent.
Yes, I had already spotted the mistake and have just corrected it.

QuoteOriginally posted by UncleVanya Quote
DA 21 Field of view should be around 32mm equivalent on full frame. The FA* 24 might fit your needs at a 36mm effective field of view equivalent.
The FA24mm is a big, bulky and ugly/shouty monster of a lens.
Not the inconspicuous and light lens one should use for street photography.

R

09-14-2015, 05:46 AM   #53
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QuoteOriginally posted by Iberia Quote
I think that a 35mm lens on an APS-C body (52.5 mm FOV on FF) is too wide for street photography.
You mean "too narrow", don't you?

I badly want the Magic Lens Fairy to drop me an APS-C 18mm f/3.5 plastic-fantastic style prime for daytime street photography. It would be light, compact, mechanically simple (much more so than any zoom which started at 18mm) and would have WR and screwdrive to keep the size and weight (and hence cost) down as far as possible. Because Pentax already know how to design the light path for this focal length and aperture, it would also be less expensive to develop.
09-14-2015, 05:58 AM   #54
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QuoteOriginally posted by pathdoc Quote
You mean "too narrow", don't you?

I badly want the Magic Lens Fairy to drop me an APS-C 18mm f/3.5 plastic-fantastic style prime for daytime street photography. It would be light, compact, mechanically simple (much more so than any zoom which started at 18mm) and would have WR and screwdrive to keep the size and weight (and hence cost) down as far as possible. Because Pentax already know how to design the light path for this focal length and aperture, it would also be less expensive to develop.
Yes.
09-14-2015, 06:02 AM   #55
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QuoteOriginally posted by Iberia Quote
The FA24mm is a big, bulky and ugly/shouty monster of a lens.
Not the inconspicuous and light lens one should use for street photography.

R
That is a good point. Perhaps another 24mm maybe a manual focus one from days gone by? Set to hyperfocal it should be reasonably easy to use.
09-14-2015, 06:10 AM   #56
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QuoteOriginally posted by UncleVanya Quote
That is a good point. Perhaps another 24mm maybe a manual focus one from days gone by? Set to hyperfocal it should be reasonably easy to use.
After my disapointment with the SMC A2.8/28mm (image quality wise) I am considering the SMC A2.8/24mm and intend to use it as you mention: hyperfocal, TAv.

R
09-18-2015, 10:09 AM   #57
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The kit DA18-55WR is not too bad for street photos, if you use it without the hood. Even in bad light and especially if it is wet and raining.













The trouble with the DA21 is that all your shots end up looking as if they were taken with the DA21 ...
09-18-2015, 10:11 AM   #58
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QuoteOriginally posted by kh1234567890 Quote
The kit DA18-55WR is not too bad for street photos, if you use it without the hood. Even in bad light and especially if it is wet and raining.

The trouble with the DA21 is that all your shots end up looking as if they were taken with the DA21 ...
? The last sentence isn't clear. Can you elaborate?
09-18-2015, 10:30 AM   #59
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QuoteOriginally posted by UncleVanya Quote
The last sentence isn't clear. Can you elaborate?
It is the FoV, 21mm on APS-C is sometimes just a bit too wide. You can end up with a lot of 'street' in the shot













The DA18-55WR zoom gives you just that extra bit of flexibility, especially since in street shots IQ is not necessarily a priority.
09-18-2015, 11:05 AM   #60
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QuoteOriginally posted by kh1234567890 Quote
It is the FoV, 21mm on APS-C is sometimes just a bit too wide. You can end up with a lot of 'street' in the shot
I think that Pentax really needs to produce a DA lens that has a field of view equivalent to that of a 35mm on full frame.

I've bought the DA 21mm with the K10d but sold both because the lens was too wide, then a K-5II with another DA 21mm and sold both again; and now, after using a 7d with the 24mm pancake and then an E-M5 with a 20mm pancake I have bought yet another DA 21mm with a K-5IIs...
I keep coming back because I like the bodies but the DA 21mm is just too wide (and not particularly good).

R
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