" Which Lens Should I Get Next? "

We have all been asked this question by a new photographer - my most recent conversation was at a wedding - and as usual I gave the answer " A standard focal length prime lens with a wide aperture ".

My own first photographic experiences were based upon this as it was the only option available then - zooms were horrid and dodgey at the time - and I learned my craft/trade/art/hobby/horrible mistakes using that one lens. As it happened, that lens was one of the sharpest ones ever made for the camera it fronted, and I never realized how good I had it until I moved on...story of our lives, isn't it?

Well, the story for the new photographer who asked is going to revolve around this lens. She's got a perfectly good Nikon DSLR with the kit lens...also perfectly good...and this will be the equally perfect key to portraits for her family.

It is the Nikkor AF-S DX 35mm f:1.8G. It's been out for years and has not had to be revised from the original recipe - the taste was great to begin with. It has never been an expensive lens, either.

I used it with the Nikon APS-C cameras in the studio for dance pictures and found it to be fast and razor-sharp at full-length shots. Closer in, the depth of field of a 35mm focal length was kind to the head and shoulders portraits while still keeping that sharp focus. The fact that it was physically light was a bonus - I was starting to flag at a certain point dragging an 18-200 lens everywhere.

In fact, if a person had a Nikon DX DSLR body of any sort, and wanted one lens to use for a year...and was determined to use only that lens...I think they would finish the year a far better photographer than when they started. Then they could go back to the kit zoom and learn more things at different focal lengths.

As terrible as this may sound in a column designed to get you to come in and spend money for photographic equipment, that year of discipline would make for greater success in the future. Umm...let's save the retail situation by saying that you could spend some money on a new tripod and bag...

The Flirty Thirty: the Sigma 30 mm f:1.4 DC Art lens

Well what the heck. We have talked about 50mm focal length lenses as "The Nifty Fifty" for years. Why not push the linguistic boat out, eh?

Why not indeed. And there are good mathematical reasons why you should consider this focal length. As mathematics are the food of the photographer let us begin the feast.

The standard focal length of a lens for a 35mm camera used to be stated as 50mm. It also used to be stated that the standard focal length was the diagonal length of the gate in the film plane. Here's where the two statements differed: the diagonal of the 35mm frame is about 43.4 mm. Thus if you were shooting with a 50 mm, 52 mm, or 55 mm said to be standard you were really shooting with a very mild telephoto...

That's enough to disturb some people so we'll pause while they breathe into a paper bag or lie down briefly.

There were some manufacturers - like Voigtländer - who put out good fast lenses close to this focal length - you could still get them a few years ago for the Nikon mounting and they were cracker sharp affairs. And just that bit wider than the 50 mm jobs. In many cases that were considered just perfect for universal use.

Roll on the digital time and the APS-C camera sensor...and the 18 mm x 24 mm sensor size approximating the half-frame of the  film era, but not hoiked vertically. ( Separate blog post will be coming on the naming conventions and sales mystique of sensors in the near future. Prepare to be infuriated...). If we apply the mathematics to this sensor that we did to the film gate we get a standard measurement of 30 mm...and we arrive at the subject of this post:

the Sigma 30 mm f:1.4 DC Art lens

It's only for the small frame cameras - the DC defines that - but there are no restrictions after that. It is MEANT to be the standard lens for a small DSLR and to do that job superbly.

Sigma have immensely improved their lenses in the last few years, in both optical design and barrel construction. They offer a full two-year warranty. They can compete with in-house branded lenses from the major body makers and users can confidently use them as their complete kit.

My investigations with this lens were via a mirrorless camera and adapter - this has been explained before. Thus I cannot comment on autofocus performance - but they were completely successful as far as resolution and freedom from the various forms of colour and shape distortion. So extrapolating my experience for those who have Sony, Nikon, Canon, or Pentax bodies, you can go for it with full confidence - you're not restricted to your own optical paddock.

The New/Old Lens

I bought a pre-owned lens for my Fujifilm X-E2 camera this week. If this sort of behaviour  does not shock you, read on.

Pre-owned lenses used to be secondhand lenses here at the shop. Then there was a change in the computer designation. I am not sure if this made a practical difference to the goods, but it is more letters to type on the keyboard. Despite this, I am very glad I got the optic.

The 35mm f:1.4 lens n the X-E2 takes a view of the world very much like a 50mm lens on an old 35mm camera. A very, very good 50mm lens on an old camera, I might add. Actually in this case it is better than any 50 I ever had before. I am immensely pleased.

The big aperture allows plenty of light in for the autofocusing imps inside the Fujifilm camera to  work - they work quickly, even in dim conditions. They work precisely - I was unable to catch them out in a mis-focus even in poorly-lit interior shots of my house*.

There it is - the "standard" lens refined to such a degree as to make it fashionable and useful - just as it used to be. The resolution of a prime lens is far above what can be done with a zoom, and the absence of distortion means I will not be trying vainly to move pixels in the computer to straighten door lintels. Or teeth. Never did feel comfortable straightening teeth, and neither did the patients...

I am not so certain whether I love the lens hood - that rectangular opening at the front is a little jangling to look at. It is effective, though - even with a Fong flash diffuser on the EF42 a little in advance of the front plate of the camera, I saw no contrast degradation.

Next acquisition? Well... I did put a lay-by on another pre-owned secondhand used Fujifilm lens yesterday. A zoom this time. I was able to justify it by reminding myself that it was actually making the world safe for democracy. I feel certain that you will support me in this.

* We keep it dark to avoid having to see the dust.