What's your most used focal length?

[C. D. Keth]

Another curiosity poll. What's your most used focal length?

Choices and maths are for 4x5/5x7/8x10. You all know how to do the maths for other formats.

[Drew Bedo]

Its more a function of what I actually own right now.



On my 4x5:

90mm/150mm/210mm

For my 8x10:

210mm/380mm

[Vaughn]

150/210/300, but close enough to choice #5

[E. von Hoegh]

Why not put this up for more than the little 4x5 format?

It is, for instance "163/218/325mm" is for 4x5, 5x7, 8x10.

I don't understand the point of the poll, though.

[C. D. Keth]

Why not put this up for more than the little 4x5 format?

I did it for what I think are the three most popular formats here.


Choices and maths are for 4x5/5x7/8x10. You all know how to do the maths for other formats.




I don't understand the point of the poll, though.


Another curiosity poll.

[rdenney]

If you really want to know the answer to this, instead of asking what people use for lenses, ask them what sorts of pictures they make. That dictates the lens they will use.

I'm a wide-angle freak, but my last 15 4x5 photographs never used anything shorter than 90, and used a 12" lens more often than a 210mm lens. A 12" lens kinda sucks for architectural interiors, but that 90 is likely to make it impossible to key on a subject in a general landscape. This question, in my case, becomes a surrogate for something like "Do you only shoot architectural interiors?"

There are people who only use one lens, but they tend to make only one kind of photograph. A few of them will defend that practice, saying that lens diversity leads to an inability to find subjects in the infinitude of nature. But then all their photos often look kinda similar. When I see an image within a scene, I want to use the equipment that gives expression to that image with the greatest fidelity. If I'm limited in the equipment I have on hand, I have to filter out those images that appear for which the equipment is unsuited. So, I might make a photo that compels me less just because that's what my equipment will support on that occasion. I've given myself those assignments (spend a day with only one lens, etc.), and I still made photos, some of which were good. But I like being able to respond to what I see with sufficient versatility.

Rick "who might do an interior, followed by a tree in the distance, followed by a closeup, all in the same day" Denney

[Eric Rose]

I quite often go on a one focal length only binge for an extended period of time. Say I put on my 65mm, I will only take shots that work with the 65mm for maybe a few months. That is unless something so mind blowing faces me that I have to change lenses.

[rdenney]

I quite often go on a one focal length only binge for an extended period of time. Say I put on my 65mm, I will only take shots that work with the 65mm for maybe a few months. That is unless something so mind blowing faces me that I have to change lenses.

I've done that, too. It's not that I give up mind-blowing photographs, it's that I waste precious opportunities to make photographs at all. If I have a few days to devote to photography, which happens maybe once a year, the last thing I want to do is pass up opportunities to make photographs on those occasions merely because I didn't bring the appropriate lens.

If I was able to make photographs every day, according to a highly characteristic style that I had developed (which has never really happened for me), then maybe I'd feel differently.

Rick "with different requirements and constraints" Denney

[jnantz]

whatever is the equiv of a 150 on a 4x5, on all the formats i use ...
unless it is a box camera then i am not sure what it is,
...probably a little wider