ann_overland Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 <p>Since there are a lot of you guys out there that <em>are using</em> or <em>has been using</em> 35mm film cameras, I was hoping that you would like to share which camera and lenses you prefer. And which focal length is your preferred focal length, i.e. the prime you use(d) the most?</p> <p>The intention of the thread is to learn as much as possible about 35mm camera and lenses, and have it as a guidance for future gear shopping :-)</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drjoder Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 <p>As a sort of serious, casual shooter of landscapes and outdoor sports like climbing and backpacking, I carried around a Canon AE-1 with three lenses--a 28mm, a 50mm and a 135mm. Worked for me at the time. But, as I say, I wasn't nearly as "into" the photography thing as I am now.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ann_overland Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 <p>Which one of those lenses did you use the most, Daniel? The 28mm?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric merrill Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 35/1.4, 85/1.8, 135/2 Those three lenses accounted for the vast majority of my photos in film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanky Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 <p>I'm using a Nikon F3 with a 35mm f2 Zeiss lens. I shoot black and white street photography. I've always liked primes over zooms and this is the only lens I use. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ann_overland Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 <p>So you don't feel the need for a wider lens for street photography?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
railphotog Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 <p>Way back last century when I used film cameras, the "standard" lenses were the 28, 50 and 135. I had them all at one time, but what lenses one used (or used) depends upon what kind of photography one did. I accumulated other lenses, including 17, 24, 300, 70-210, 100-200, and probably others I forget. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDMvW Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 <p>After I went to Nikon mount, a long time ago, I used my Nikon 55mm f/1.2 to squeeze photons, a PC-Nikkor 35mm f/2.8 for architecture, a 20mm f/4 for wide angles. When I needed longer, I used a Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm (the original, not the current name-only version). I also had a 50mm f/2 available for places where photons were not an endangered species.<br> What got used depended on what I was doing. Obviously, I used telephoto on safari. When I was traveling, I liked to do night photography. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve m smith Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 <p>My current favourite is the 105mm f2.5 on my Nikon F.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve m smith Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 <p>My current favourite is the 105mm f2.5 on my Nikon F.</p> <p><br /><br /><br /></p> <blockquote> <p>So you don't feel the need for a wider lens for street photography?</p> </blockquote> <p>It depends on the width of the street!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ann_overland Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 <blockquote> <p>It depends on the width of the street!</p> </blockquote> <p>Aha, now I get it! I have to measure the streets first :-)</p> <p>What are you shooting with the 105mm f2.5, Steve?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ann_overland Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 <blockquote> <p>I used my Nikon 55mm f/1.2 to squeeze photons</p> </blockquote> <p>JDM, what kind of motifs did you use it for? It must have been a very expensive lens at the time, wasn't it?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christopher_ward2 Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 <p>Ann,<br> My standard carry kit is a Nikon F2 ,24f/2.8 ,35f/2 ,Micro55 and 105f/2.5. I shoot mostly B&W nature/scenic.<br> If I'm after animals ,the kit would be 35f/2, 300f/4.5 and 500f/8cat.<br> Chris</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Seaman Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 <p>Why restrict the discussion to primes? In film days many people used zooms for the convenience, particularly when shooting slides when you needed to get the framing right in the camera. I often used the Minolta 35-70 f3.5 on manual focus, and the 28-135 f3.5-4.5 on AF. Both give excellent image quality.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimcee Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 <p>The lens that I purchased when I was shooting film with a Nikon F3HP camera were these:<br> 1. Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 AI-S<br> 2. Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 AI-S<br> 3. Nikkor 105mm f/1.8 AI-S<br> <br />I used these lens for years until I purchased my first Nikon auto-focus 35mm camera (a Nikon N90s). After I bought the N90s I subsequently bought a Nikkor 20mm f/2.8D, Nikkor 35-70mm f/2.8D and a Micro-Nikkor 70-180mm f/4.5-5.6D ED lens.</p> <p>One of my favorite lens was the 28mm f/2.8 AI-S. This is a superb optic.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ann_overland Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 <p>Nice set, Christopher. Do you bring the four primes with you on a regular basis?</p> <p>John, I would like to know about the good zoom lenses as well. Many of the 35mm film cameras are sold with some kind of zoom lenses. They don't come along that often with primes.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ann_overland Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 <p>Was a 105mm the portrait lens on a film body?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Helmke Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 The 28/3.5 was a revelation early on and has skewed my view of things ever since. I keep a 28 always. The 20/3.5 was a favorite in my newspaper days. I was in almost constant conflict with one editor over it. The 55/1.2 and 135/ 2.8 went everywhere. My favorite zooms are the old 85-250 which I have and 80-200/2.8 which I don't. The 300/ 4.5 is still there and a 500/8 cat went to many ball games. These lenses were mostly used on F2's and F4's, the greatest cameras ever made. Rick H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve m smith Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 <blockquote> <p>What are you shooting with the 105mm f2.5, Steve?</p> </blockquote> <p><br /><br />Nothing in particular. I have always had the standard set of 28mm, 50mm and 135mm. Sometimes I like to go out with just one lens. If I have the 50mm it seems to wide and the 135mm seems too long but the 105mm seems just right.<br /><br />I have only had this lens for a few months and haven't used it much but I think I will get a lot of use from it</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andylynn Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 <p>I've been most into two systems: Minolta manual focus and Nikon autofocus. In Minolta, the 58mm f/1.4 is probably what I've used most, followed by the Vivitar Series 1 28-90 and Minolta late MD 50/1.7. In Nikon, the 50/1.8 D and later G, the Tamron 28-75 (which has put in a lot of miles on my F100 and on digital) and more recently Tamron 70-300 VC. That lens has let me do stuff that just shouldn't work, like shooting landscapes on Reala 100 in overcast conditions at f/11 and 300mm then scanning at 5400 PPI and getting a sharp image.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andylynn Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 <p>I've been most into two systems: Minolta manual focus and Nikon autofocus. In Minolta, the 58mm f/1.4 is probably what I've used most, followed by the Vivitar Series 1 28-90 and Minolta late MD 50/1.7. In Nikon, the 50/1.8 D and later G, the Tamron 28-75 (which has put in a lot of miles on my F100 and on digital) and more recently Tamron 70-300 VC. That lens has let me do stuff that just shouldn't work, like shooting landscapes on Reala 100 in overcast conditions at f/11 and 300mm then scanning at 5400 PPI and getting a sharp image.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ann_overland Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 <p>Which Minolta body were you using, Andy?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCL Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 <p>For the better part of 43 years, I used mostly a 35mm lens on my Leica RF, but leaned toward a 50-100mm on my SLR cameras. In the Canon FD world, I really liked the 28mm/f2.0, and to 50/3.5 macro. The Leica SLRs had a great 35mm Elmarit. I have a bunch of fixed lens RFs, most have about 43-45mm lenses. Exakta had a really enjoyable 20mm Flektagon. The Olympus OM series has lots of good choices, but as I critically look at results (pixel peeping) I'm seeing more CA than I ever noticed before.As far as the Nikons, I've been all over the place, in primes the 28/2.8 Ai is a favorite along with the 50/1.8 Series E. In the (film) Nikon zoom department, I used the first version of the 24-120 for several years...although not a top notch performer, it was a really handy lens to have with me. I recently got a Pentax Spotmatic(been lusting since the 1960s) with a 50/1.4 Super-Takumar which I'm still learning to get the best results from. I need to pare down the cameras I've accumulated...but what a lot of fun having choices based on my mood.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve m smith Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 <blockquote> <p>I need to pare down the cameras I've accumulated</p> </blockquote> <p><br /><br />I keep telling myself that too.</p> <p>Inheriting my father's collection effectively doubled the size of mine so that didn't help. It did give me access to a couple of Nikon Fs and some lenses of a similar period and four Mamiya TLRs with a good range of lenses so I have started to sell and give away some of the lesser examples from my own collection - especially where I now have duplicates.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ann_overland Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 <blockquote> <p>I have a bunch of fixed lens RFs, most have about 43-45mm lenses.</p> </blockquote> <p>That is a focal length you don't see much of today, if any. I wonder why they chose those focal lengths.</p> <blockquote> <p>The Olympus OM series has lots of good choices</p> </blockquote> <p>I would like to learn more about those lenses, too.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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