A Wider View - 28mm From A 50mm Perspective
There is much debate over which focal length is the best for this genre or that. If you search the internet you will surely find droves of people claiming Xmm is the only lens you need. In the realm of street photography that debate typically revolves around 28, 35 and 50mm. There is so much to unpack in order to even scratch the surface of my opinion. I will spare you. This article is not about which is best. It is about the experience of the widest from the perspective of the tightest— 28mm from a 50mm perspective.
The Nifty-50 is my all time favorite focal length and go-to for most projects. One is attached to my digital camera most of the time and it is the only focal length that I have for my film cameras. However, on occasion there is an itch to reach through some crevice of this minimalistic nature and challenge myself to get a little wider. I recently scratched that itch with the purchase of a 28mm lens.
The first outing with it ended with me switching to the 50mm just a few shots into the project.
The second outing resulted in my staying strong enough to keep it on the camera the entire day only to be frustrated for the following week with the images and overall experience.
Regardless, I set my mind to have a venture successful enough to develop an informed opinion.
The third quest with this lens came on a day when I knew there would be plenty of opportunities for decent photos. I started where I was sure to find some people moving about, and then headed to my nephew’s football game. That evening my wife and I were to attend the OU game in Norman, OK. This would provide multiple scenarios, varying light and diverse locations.
This is not a lens review. However, if you are interested in knowing which 28mm and my thoughts on it, I’ll share briefly at the end.
First and foremost, I am an introvert. I like to keep my distance. This is more than likely why I lean toward a focal length that allows me to hang back a little. This indeed has an effect on my photos.
“If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough” —Robert Capa
This is so true when it comes to documentary photography. The 28mm is an involved focal length and causes me to press in way past my comfort zone. In order to fill the frame, you virtually have to join the action. Thus the frustration with my first two outings. My shots were simply too far away. I was shooting a wider lens with my tighter lens techniques.
This photo is a good example of what I am talking about. There is something going on, but there is not enough emphasis to isolate what it is. There is more context, sure. So much so that the subject is a bit aimless within frame. I needed to improve the angle, and I am still too far away.
There was a group of BMX’ers assembling mid-park, and I began to work my way toward them. They welcomed me as they were casually chatting and taking turns with different stunts. As I became more comfortable I decided to try and move in for some closer shots.
Composition improved immediately when moving a few steps closer.
The 28mm really shines when you use the geometric angles that come along with a wider-than-normal perspective. Higher and lower angles provide a larger than life experience within the photo. It can add an exclamation point to a subject and/or action that falls slightly short of exaggeration.
The field of focus is significantly deeper than with the 50mm, allowing you to capture more detail within the frame at any given aperture. This is why zone focusing is a popular technique among wider shooters. The 28mm at f8 provides such a depth of focus that it can nearly be used as a point and shoot. Although this is a major strength of shooting wide, the 28mm is no slouch when it comes to subject isolation. Most 28mm primes are f2.8, f2 or as in my test lens f1.4. These faster apertures allow for a shallower depth of field when in close proximity to the subject. Context and soft backgrounds can live side by side.
This opens the 28mm up to portrait possibilities. There are portrait photographers using 28mm exclusively.
As I traversed through the day and started to grasp a little more on the workings of this field of view, my frustrations melted in to some measure of enjoyment. It is far more versatile than I expected. And honestly, since that day this lens has been on my camera many times.
The 50mm is an observer lens. It says I was there and saw this thing happening.
The 28mm is an involved lens which says I was there and experienced this thing happening.
The 28mm used in this story is the 7Artisans 28mm f1.4 m mount lens. It is inexpensive new and downright cheap when found used, especially in the Leica world. You would be hard pressed to find a better bargain for the M system in this focal length. Is it as good as the $7k+ 28mm f1.4 Summilux? Probably not. Is the Summilux $6700 better than the 7Artisans? Probably not. It really comes down to your needs, wants and budget.
A direct comparison between these two lenses was done by Benj Haisch.
As for my opinion, the 7Artisans is more than capable of everything that I am doing with a 28mm. I use it mostly for travel but would use it for paid work with zero hesitation. It is sharp enough with good focus fall off. The focus ring is smooth and has a clicked aperture ring. The size and weight are on the upper end of the spectrum. That’s what an f1.4 lens brings with it. If size and weight are an issue, the f2 and 2.8 options can be found much smaller and lighter.
I bought this focus tab to provide a more Leica like experience, and it works great.