Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
11-23-2013, 04:45 PM   #1
Veteran Member
reivax's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: California
Posts: 826
50mm vs 55mm For Interview

I'm going to shoot some interviews in a couple of days and I was hoping to get some recommendations on which lens to use. The idea is to interview a few people, one by one. I will be shooting waist up (medium shots).

Here are the lenses I'm debating:
  1. FA 50 1.4
  2. M 50 1.7
  3. Super Tak 55 1.8
  4. Super Tak 50 1.4

I will probably shoot at 5.6 or 8 (11, if needed. I'll be shooting in the day and I don't want too shallow a depth of field).

I also have these two lenses that I've considered:
  1. Super Tak 35 3.5
  2. DA 40mm XS 2.8

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

11-23-2013, 05:59 PM   #2
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
arnold's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Queensland
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 4,292
Since you won't be asking for wide apertures, that is a non issue between the lenses. The 55mm will allow a little more personal space if they are strangers.
11-23-2013, 06:20 PM   #3
Veteran Member
reivax's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: California
Posts: 826
Original Poster
Even though I'm not going to shoot at a wide aperture, I think it still matters. Each lens has its own behavior. I'm curious to see what the more experienced would recommend. Here's a quick test (it was about to rain so I was in a hurry and the focus may not be identical on every shot) with the lenses. All were shot at 5.6.

Top left: FA 50 1.4
Top right: M 50 1.7
Bottom left: Super Tak 55 1.8
Bottom right: Super Tak 50 1.4

I hadn't thought about the extra reach with the 55. That might be a good thing to consider.
Attached Images
 
11-23-2013, 06:41 PM   #4
Veteran Member
lguckert79's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 601
I would use the fa 50mm because you still have the f1.4 aperture if needed and the AF is handy to have also.

11-23-2013, 06:58 PM - 1 Like   #5
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
rbefly's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Denver, Colorado
Photos: Albums
Posts: 2,030
Talking Heads?

Hello reivax,
The problem as I see it, is that we (as photographers) get pretty caught up in rendering, I.Q., color accuracy and the finer details of lens performance.
All well and good, great thread subject material and coffee-table talk. I'm as guilty as anyone!
But, this job sounds like a professional, or at least more critical assignment than our more casual shooting ops.
So, the important aspect, I'd say the primary job is 'Get the shot'. Forget DxO Mark, legacy lens quality, Bokeh, etc., all that gear stuff.
Then, (again in my personal opinion) manual focus is out. Manual aperture (green button) is out. No matter how good you may be at these, they slow you down and can lead to missed shots, with no chance of a do-over.
Virtually all the fine points of lens qualities can be corrected or changed in PP. Except....focus or movement (blur).
Once you've established the proper exposure for the existing lighting, another potential problem solved with auto aperture and EV.
Every shot properly exposed, every shot as accurately focused as the AF can achieve.
Leaving you free to compose, wait for the perfect expression, emotion or gesture. The things that separate a great photo from a good snapshot.
One last point, I wouldn't be so eager to use a high f/stop. The great thing about a 50mm (75mm in APS-C) is the short-tele isolation factor. Unless the background is critical to the story, it's much better 'wiped' out. Lead the viewer's eye to the subject, avoid clutter or a too-busy photo.
JMO,
Ron
11-23-2013, 07:47 PM - 1 Like   #6
Veteran Member
reivax's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: California
Posts: 826
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by rbefly Quote
Hello reivax,
The problem as I see it, is that we (as photographers) get pretty caught up in rendering, I.Q., color accuracy and the finer details of lens performance.
All well and good, great thread subject material and coffee-table talk. I'm as guilty as anyone!
But, this job sounds like a professional, or at least more critical assignment than our more casual shooting ops.
So, the important aspect, I'd say the primary job is 'Get the shot'. Forget DxO Mark, legacy lens quality, Bokeh, etc., all that gear stuff.
Then, (again in my personal opinion) manual focus is out. Manual aperture (green button) is out. No matter how good you may be at these, they slow you down and can lead to missed shots, with no chance of a do-over.
Virtually all the fine points of lens qualities can be corrected or changed in PP. Except....focus or movement (blur).
Once you've established the proper exposure for the existing lighting, another potential problem solved with auto aperture and EV.
Every shot properly exposed, every shot as accurately focused as the AF can achieve.
Leaving you free to compose, wait for the perfect expression, emotion or gesture. The things that separate a great photo from a good snapshot.
One last point, I wouldn't be so eager to use a high f/stop. The great thing about a 50mm (75mm in APS-C) is the short-tele isolation factor. Unless the background is critical to the story, it's much better 'wiped' out. Lead the viewer's eye to the subject, avoid clutter or a too-busy photo.
JMO,
Ron
This is everything that the little voice in the back of my head was telling me. I guess I'll use the FA 50 1.4 for the interview and I'll try using auto exposure. Since I'm shooting outside, conditions can change quickly. Thanks for the reality check. I'll bring a manual lens just in case I feel a little adventurous (but I'll keep it at the bottom of the bag).
11-23-2013, 08:28 PM   #7
Veteran Member
mtux's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: the Netherlands
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 2,444
I'd use an AF lens. so the FA 50 would be my choice.

11-25-2013, 06:29 AM   #8
Veteran Member
Na Horuk's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Slovenia, probably
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 11,186
I think those lenses will all deliver good enough IQ, especially if you are planning on doing video recordings.
What I would suggest you do is follow a plan:
1) Decide what kind of photos you want. Do you want 3/4 body? Shoulders and up? I think 55mm is best for intimate shots, for example face-only portraits. I would use 40mm for waist up photos (and I have). With a 55mm you have to stand pretty far away from the person to take a body portrait
2) Do you want the photos to looks dreamy, beautiful, or do you want them to look documentary, realistic? This depends on the genre of what you are doing. You can't have glamorous photos of people when they are talking about bad life experiences, for example. Interviews are usually not meant to make the person look great, but to convey some truth. So beautiful bokeh might not be important.
3) Do a test run with a friend, see how it works out. Maybe you think a 55mm will be great, but on the terrain you will notice that you don't get the whole subject in frame. This is very important, you don't want your first time to be for real, because you will make mistakes
4) Write down the settings, distance and angle from subject, and camera height (are you aiming up, or down? What if the next person is taller?). Maybe sketch the frame ahead of time. Shoot Av. This will help you keep consistent with all your subjects and make the photos look like they all fit together into a series. Unless you want every photo to look different
5) Think about using tripod and flash, these can make photos look much more "pro." Exposure bracketing, deflectors, fill flash, flash diffuser,.. use everything.

I would suggest the 40mm XS, so you can stand closer to the person and get a good modern rendering, sharp and contrasty, more documentary than beautiful. Make sure you have a good WB so people look normal Don't worry, it will get easy once you get started and look at some results

Last edited by Na Horuk; 11-25-2013 at 06:42 AM.
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
hdslr, interview, lenses, tak, video
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Pentax SMC vs Tomioka Prime Lens Normals 50mm & 55mm Silkman Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 10 04-08-2021 09:57 PM
Pentax 18-55mm vs Tamron 17-50mm lens richardstringer Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 18 09-16-2013 11:16 AM
Bokeh at f/2.8: DA* 55mm vs. D-FA 50mm Macro GregL65 Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 5 01-01-2012 12:26 PM
50mm vs. 55mm paperbag846 Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 15 09-20-2010 08:59 AM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 10:48 PM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top