Why use 35mm focal length? / What do you use 35mm lenses for?

When I had sigma 30mm f1.4 on my 1dmk2 I loved it. Now moved to FF with 35L. I mainly shoot kid shots with it. Trying to do some model shots with it also.

maverick75 wrote in post #15327690
If i had to live with one prime it'd be a 35mm.

+1, on FF.

35mm being popular harks back to film days when the 35mm was a bread and butter lens for photojournalists. A little wider than a standard lens and wonderful for environmental portraits.

When I was working as a pro during the film days by favourite lenses were 24mm, 35mm, 85mm, 200mm and 300mm. I also always carried a 20mm.

for my kid running around the house 35mm on FF is great. I can be playing and sitting next to him and still take interesting pics. And I can crop to 50mm equivalent most of the time without much problem.

Mookalafalas wrote in post #15328883
I was just looking at your website. Terrific photos. The Leica look is really stunning. I just recently told a guy I had all the best canon gear, so my "Gear Acquisition Syndrome" was cured. He said, "just wait, now you'll want Leica". I just laughed...til I saw those pics

Thanks for the very nice comment, and I have truly enjoyed living and shooting in mainland China. My wife and I live in a very small town and I have been documenting the lives of a cross section of the people for a book due out next year. I have used Leica exclusively for decades, and while the M9 has many limitations (slow buffer, slow continuous shooting, horrible LCD screen, max usable ISO of 1250) when you shoot at base ISO with that CCD sensor, using those magical Leica lenses, it rewards you in kind.

I am however extremely impressed with the 5D3 (purchased only two weeks ago), especially when using prime lenses. I'm off to Cambodia in a few days and plan to shoot the Canon and Leica side by side, and it will be interesting to see how my 85/1.2L portraits compare to those from the 50/0.95 Noctilux. For me the 5D3 substantially expands my capabilities, as I can now shoot this new Sigma 35/1.4 at crazy high ISO (by Leica standards) and still have very clean files. Many of the rural homes in China are so dim and dark I need all the help I can get with ISO in addition to fast glass, and in this regard Canon is light years ahead of Leica. Add in amazing autofocus, fast fps, fast buffer, weather sealed and all the rest and it's really the best bang for your buck.

As for Leica GAS I would recommend something less expensive, like a drug habit. Anything except going down the path of wanting to accumulate all those shiny silver boxes with the little red dot...

VBR,
Stephen

maverick75 wrote in post #15327690
If i had to live with one prime it'd be a 35mm.

If I had to live with one prime, it'd be a 50mm - on full frame.

On 1.3x it'd be a 35mm.

StephenPatterson wrote in post #15332850
plan to shoot the Canon and Leica side by side, and it will be interesting to see how my 85/1.2L portraits compare to those from the 50/0.95 Noctilux. For me the 5D3 substantially expands my capabilities, as I can now shoot this new Sigma 35/1.4 at crazy high ISO (by Leica standards) and still have very clean files. Many of the rural homes in China are so dim and dark I need all the help I can get with ISO in addition to fast glass, and in this regard Canon is light years ahead of Leica. Add in amazing autofocus, fast fps, fast buffer, weather sealed and all the rest and it's really the best bang for your buck.

As for Leica GAS I would recommend something less expensive, like a drug habit. Anything except going down the path of wanting to accumulate all those shiny silver boxes with the little red dot...

VBR,
Stephen

That Noctilux is what, $11,000 dollars?! Pretty steep. That's too much for me to even fantasize about. I'll be very curious to see how your comparisons come out, though. Post lots of pictures!