Favorite and/or most used focal length

**BigMackCam** · 12-05-2019, 12:23 PM

Looking through my shots, it seems I chop and change a lot on focal lengths - possibly because I often shoot with a zoom lens.

On APS-C, my most used - by a country mile - is 28mm (which is also the wide end of my favourite zoom lens), followed at some gap by 35mm, then 21mm. It's difficult to know for sure on full frame, as a lot of the lenses I shoot are manual vintage models, and I've been dreadful with editing (or rather, not editing) EXIF data

But an educated guess would suggest 50mm and 58mm are my most used... After that, on both formats, it's a real mish-mash of focal lengths.

It's difficult to pick a favourite focal length, but I really like the field of view that 28mm (give or take) provides on APS-C. Then again, I really like 35mm too. So - although it's not what you asked for in your post - I'll say that my favourite range is 28 - 35mm on APS-C

Last edited by BigMackCam; 12-05-2019 at 12:30 PM.

Paul the Sunman · 12-05-2019, 02:58 PM

15 mm, by a comfortable margin. Especially with the DA 15 Ltd on APS-C (and a little in 1:1 ratio on FF), but also DFA 15-30 on FF.

danielblues · 12-05-2019, 06:25 PM

According to ExposurePlot jpg exif lens length analyzer for photographers my 2019 was centred around 25mm, mainly because of the new toy the oly tg-6.
(wifi access to the network NAS is a bit slow to get the rest of the years...)

NotMyFatDog · 12-05-2019, 07:40 PM

^ Those are really cool graphs!

I would say my favourite would be 200mm, or 16mm. But, we'll see how that changes more with my two recently acquired lenses. I solely had the 50-200mm for about 8 years, so I find comfort in it.

garywakeling · 12-05-2019, 10:31 PM

15mm on APSC and 24mm on K1
I just see the world this way......

**pepperberry farm** · 12-06-2019, 12:55 PM - **1 Like**

the range that seems to be my favorite stretches from 50 to 60mm - in that thin 10mm band, I have 14 lenses....

next would be the 35 to 40mm range, with 10 lenses.....

then the 24mm focal length, by itself, I have 5 lenses....

my current favorite is on my K-3 right now: Voigtlander Nokton 58mm f1.4 SL II

**Sir Nameless** · 12-06-2019, 12:59 PM

Originally posted by pepperberry farm

the range that seems to be my favorite stretches from 50 to 60mm

You've got some great shots with those 50-somethings. I think they suit you well.

**pepperberry farm** · 12-06-2019, 01:00 PM

Originally posted by Sir Nameless

You've got some great shots with those 50-somethings. I think they suit you well.

thank you....

**Kerrowdown** · 12-06-2019, 01:28 PM

Originally posted by ChristianRock

Favorite and/or most used focal length

Lightroom has a very handy little feature where you can interrogate the Metadata, about all sorts of things.

One being the focal lengths used over a given period of time... for each of the last fours years, my 50mm has been the most used.

So my "Special Lady" is even more special than I thought.

**Madaboutpix** · 12-06-2019, 01:43 PM

Originally posted by ChristianRock

That's a bit vague isn't it? Are you sure there isn't one or maybe two focal lengths that you just end up using a bit more than the others?

I'd suggest reading my whole post: If anything, it would be the 50-mil.

(No offence.) To avoid sounding vague, I did a similar analysis as danielblues above (even using the same software), based on all the exported JPEGs on my computer, and reported the pattern(s) I saw.

ChristianRock · 12-06-2019, 02:04 PM

Originally posted by Madaboutpix

I'd suggest reading my whole post: If anything, it would be the 50-mil.

(No offence.) To avoid sounding vague, I did a similar analysis as danielblues above (even using the same software), based on all the exported JPEGs on my computer, and reported the pattern(s) I saw.

That makes it more clear, I think...

ChristianRock · 12-06-2019, 02:07 PM

Originally posted by Kerrowdown

Lightroom has a very handy little feature where you can interrogate the Metadata, about all sorts of things.

One being the focal lengths used over a given period of time... for each of the last fours years, my 50mm has been the most used.

So my "Special Lady" is even more special than I thought.

I can understand... having the older version of the 50 1.2, it's a very special lens indeed. But even before I had that, I used 50mm more than other focal lengths.

Interestingly, I think you switched to the K-1 during these 4 years, no? Or has it been 4 years already that the K-1 has been out?

richfam · 12-06-2019, 02:14 PM

I've always favored telephoto lenses: the first accessory lens that I ever bought was a Spiratone 400mm f/6.3 pre-set! These days my favorite and most used focal length is 300mm, which I use constantly for sports, events, landscapes, nature, and wildlife.

**Kerrowdown** · 12-06-2019, 02:22 PM

Originally posted by ChristianRock

I think you switched to the K-1 during these 4 years, no?

I think the K1 was announced in February 2016 and started to ship here in the UK in April 2016 (my K1s came on board in May 2016).

timb64 · 12-06-2019, 05:26 PM

16-85 (DA/WR variety)

12-05-2019, 06:25 PM	#33
danielblues Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Cascais, Portugal Posts: 173	According to ExposurePlot jpg exif lens length analyzer for photographers my 2019 was centred around 25mm, mainly because of the new toy the oly tg-6. (wifi access to the network NAS is a bit slow to get the rest of the years...) Attached Images

12-06-2019, 01:43 PM	#40
Madaboutpix Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: North Rhine-Westphalia Posts: 1,440	Originally posted by ChristianRock That's a bit vague isn't it? Are you sure there isn't one or maybe two focal lengths that you just end up using a bit more than the others? I'd suggest reading my whole post: If anything, it would be the 50-mil. (No offence.) To avoid sounding vague, I did a similar analysis as danielblues above (even using the same software), based on all the exported JPEGs on my computer, and reported the pattern(s) I saw. Last edited by Madaboutpix; 12-06-2019 at 01:55 PM.

12-06-2019, 02:22 PM	#44
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,819	Originally posted by ChristianRock I think you switched to the K-1 during these 4 years, no? I think the K1 was announced in February 2016 and started to ship here in the UK in April 2016 (my K1s came on board in May 2016). Last edited by Kerrowdown; 12-06-2019 at 03:50 PM.

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12-05-2019, 12:23 PM	#31
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,674	Looking through my shots, it seems I chop and change a lot on focal lengths - possibly because I often shoot with a zoom lens. On APS-C, my most used - by a country mile - is 28mm (which is also the wide end of my favourite zoom lens), followed at some gap by 35mm, then 21mm. It's difficult to know for sure on full frame, as a lot of the lenses I shoot are manual vintage models, and I've been dreadful with editing (or rather, not editing) EXIF data But an educated guess would suggest 50mm and 58mm are my most used... After that, on both formats, it's a real mish-mash of focal lengths. It's difficult to pick a favourite focal length, but I really like the field of view that 28mm (give or take) provides on APS-C. Then again, I really like 35mm too. So - although it's not what you asked for in your post - I'll say that my favourite range is 28 - 35mm on APS-C Last edited by BigMackCam; 12-05-2019 at 12:30 PM.

12-05-2019, 02:58 PM	#32
Paul the Sunman Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,843	15 mm, by a comfortable margin. Especially with the DA 15 Ltd on APS-C (and a little in 1:1 ratio on FF), but also DFA 15-30 on FF.

12-05-2019, 07:40 PM	#34
NotMyFatDog Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Beautiful British Columbia, Canada Photos: Albums Posts: 143	^ Those are really cool graphs! I would say my favourite would be 200mm, or 16mm. But, we'll see how that changes more with my two recently acquired lenses. I solely had the 50-200mm for about 8 years, so I find comfort in it.

12-05-2019, 10:31 PM	#35
garywakeling Moderator Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,759	15mm on APSC and 24mm on K1 I just see the world this way......

12-06-2019, 12:55 PM - 1 Like	#36
pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 41,679	the range that seems to be my favorite stretches from 50 to 60mm - in that thin 10mm band, I have 14 lenses.... next would be the 35 to 40mm range, with 10 lenses..... then the 24mm focal length, by itself, I have 5 lenses.... my current favorite is on my K-3 right now: Voigtlander Nokton 58mm f1.4 SL II

12-06-2019, 12:59 PM	#37
Sir Nameless Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Mass a chew sits Photos: Gallery Posts: 574	Originally posted by pepperberry farm the range that seems to be my favorite stretches from 50 to 60mm You've got some great shots with those 50-somethings. I think they suit you well.

12-06-2019, 01:00 PM	#38
pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 41,679	Originally posted by Sir Nameless You've got some great shots with those 50-somethings. I think they suit you well. thank you....

12-06-2019, 01:28 PM	#39
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,819	Originally posted by ChristianRock Favorite and/or most used focal length Lightroom has a very handy little feature where you can interrogate the Metadata, about all sorts of things. One being the focal lengths used over a given period of time... for each of the last fours years, my 50mm has been the most used. So my "Special Lady" is even more special than I thought.

12-06-2019, 02:04 PM	#41
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,910 Original Poster	Originally posted by Madaboutpix I'd suggest reading my whole post: If anything, it would be the 50-mil. (No offence.) To avoid sounding vague, I did a similar analysis as danielblues above (even using the same software), based on all the exported JPEGs on my computer, and reported the pattern(s) I saw. That makes it more clear, I think...

12-06-2019, 02:07 PM	#42
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,910 Original Poster	Originally posted by Kerrowdown Lightroom has a very handy little feature where you can interrogate the Metadata, about all sorts of things. One being the focal lengths used over a given period of time... for each of the last fours years, my 50mm has been the most used. So my "Special Lady" is even more special than I thought. I can understand... having the older version of the 50 1.2, it's a very special lens indeed. But even before I had that, I used 50mm more than other focal lengths. Interestingly, I think you switched to the K-1 during these 4 years, no? Or has it been 4 years already that the K-1 has been out?

12-06-2019, 02:14 PM	#43
richfam Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Lindsborg, Kansas Photos: Gallery Posts: 89	I've always favored telephoto lenses: the first accessory lens that I ever bought was a Spiratone 400mm f/6.3 pre-set! These days my favorite and most used focal length is 300mm, which I use constantly for sports, events, landscapes, nature, and wildlife.

12-06-2019, 05:26 PM	#45
timb64 Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: /Situation : Doing my best to avoid idiots! Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,510	16-85 (DA/WR variety)