rob_ww wrote:
I have the GM35 and love the results but I have to say I usually choose lighter lenses for walk around photography -- e.g. a day in a new city. Apart from weight, I always feel larger lenses are more intrusive when you point them at people. It's just psychological I guess, but a more compact lens looks more non-specific and not threatening. One of several reasons I do not like using zoom lenses.
Maybe it's just my background in 30+ years of rangefinder photography though!
People see the whole package (camera body + lens), not just the lens, and if the lens is pointed at them, they don't really see how long the lens is, since it's facing them. In other words, it's not going to make much of a difference in the eyes of people if you use this lens or an ultra compact one.
octo wrote:
People see the whole package (camera body + lens), not just the lens, and if the lens is pointed at them, they don't really see how long the lens is, since it's facing them. In other words, it's not going to make much of a difference in the eyes of people if you use this lens or an ultra compact one.
Taking pictures of people in the streets using display on the back is much more discrete and less intimidating than using viewfinder.
But I tend to agree that bigger glass draws more attention of the subjects. I convinced myself I don't care - this is just one quick shot. If I don't show I'm really focusing on those people - they quickly forget about it. I'm used to point at people in the street with 82mm thread, and much less with 77mm.
Taking pictures with DSLRs within 1-2 seconds (DSLR with 24-70 or 70-200) helped a lot compared to modern mirrorless, which take long to wake up and be ready for action.
If someone points a lens with an 82mm (or thereabouts) filter thread lens at you, the average person will have a very different facial expression compared with say, a 49-52-55mm filter thread lens. They are less relaxed, more suspicious, less natural. If you first talk to subjects about the shoot, you get the dull-eyed 'being photographed' look in your setup shots:
This YT video shows the effect of the huge frontal area of the Otus 100/1.4, as the muscular Bobby Tonelli waves it around (this is why we need small great lenses for MILCs):
Subjects can't see the camera if you have a large lens in front of it, even with a DSLR let alone a regular mirrorless. It's only about 'frontal area' - that big black void inside the lens, aiming straight at you. On shot prep: you can wake up the camera as you setup for the shot, have your focus ring near where it needs to be, aperture you need already set. Three seconds is the target, from start to finish. Longer shot prep times have the same effect as the big lenses.
35GM is great, no doubt. But I never realized how much I can appreciate a small package. 35APO gives basically the same real life results provided I don't need autofocus. Frankly, don't want to carry it during the day.
And if if don't carry 35mm during the day - what's the point of it. I'm afraid Voigtlander might have killed if for me on small Sony bodies. 35APO, and 50APO especially. Although I'm tempted to get 50GM to shoot it at f1.2 while I know for sure I don't need it and wont be using it after test session...
lensfan wrote:
35GM is great, no doubt. But I never realized how much I can appreciate a small package. 35APO gives basically the same real life results provided I don't need autofocus. Frankly, don't want to carry it during the day.
And if if don't carry 35mm during the day - what's the point of it. I'm afraid Voigtlander might have killed if for me on small Sony bodies. 35APO, and 50APO especially. Although I'm tempted to get 50GM to shoot it at f1.2 while I know for sure I don't need it and wont be using it after test session...
Well, if you don't want to carry 35GM, you certainly won't want to do so with 50GM, as it's substantially heftier. CV50/1.2 might be the better option for you...
j4nu wrote:
Well, if you don't want to carry 35GM, you certainly won't want to do so with 50GM, as it's substantially heftier. CV50/1.2 might be the better option for you...
I'm already getting used to small lenses. I own CV40/1.2 (regular version) and not planning to get CV50/1.2.
But I realize how fun and easy could be shooting 50GM 1.2 with great autofocus - that is different experience.
lensfan wrote:
I'm already getting used to small lenses. I own CV40/1.2 (regular version) and not planning to get CV50/1.2.
But I realize how fun and easy could be shooting 50GM 1.2 with great autofocus - that is different experience.
Ok, maybe I missed something. What I wanted to say is that if you find 35GM too big/heavy, 50GM is substantially worse in that regard...
lensfan wrote:
35GM is great, no doubt. But I never realized how much I can appreciate a small package. 35APO gives basically the same real life results provided I don't need autofocus. Frankly, don't want to carry it during the day.
And if if don't carry 35mm during the day - what's the point of it. I'm afraid Voigtlander might have killed if for me on small Sony bodies. 35APO, and 50APO especially. Although I'm tempted to get 50GM to shoot it at f1.2 while I know for sure I don't need it and wont be using it after test session...
Agree. I love my 35mm GM for portrait shoots but for street work its too big. Hopefully pick up the 35mm APO Lanthar next year.
I agree re the size of the 35GM, which I own, but the Apo-L is not small and MF is a problem in catching brief moments. Does anyone actually use hyper focal settings anymore, and if they did wouldn’t that negate the Apo-L’s amazing qualities anyway?
Many use and like hyperfocal. Others shooting nature or street or whatever use other methods: main subject, halfway into scene, favour distance, favour closest object to be in focus, to name a few.
The 35/2 APO retain colour purity regardless of aperture or taking distance.
Not to be reported on by any but a few enthusiast sites, it's an awkward fit for Sony (Cosina seems to agree). Being MF in 2022 is enough to guarantee obscurity, outside of the Leica M world. You could say it's a red pill lens for those ready to leave the reservation, but mostly intended for those already outside the city walls.
SNJOps wrote:
Agree. I love my 35mm GM for portrait shoots but for street work its too big. Hopefully pick up the 35mm APO Lanthar next year.
You should not regret it.
I own several 35mm:
- 35GM - recent purchase, best overall, largest modern lens I own (second is Batis 85), don't like the noise aperture makes to expose if aperture manually set below f2;
- 35APO-L (E mount) - love that just like with 35GM, aperture is not a factor I consider when thinking about IQ. DOF, lightning conditions - yes, but not IQ. Agree that it is not tiny, but still noticeably more compact than 35GM. Longer then Loxia 35, but weight feels almost the same
- 35APO-L (M mount) - does not play well on Sony thick sensor stack, had to get E mount;
- Loxia 2/35 - second beloved lens ever after CV Nokton 1.5/50 (Ver 1) Chrome edition, but its a love and hate relationship - love the handling, 'pop' but not a fan of performance wide open in bright sun;
- Zeiss 2.8/35 ZA - 120grams, most compact lens I own today, confident and quick autofocus, best lens hood ever, silent (really silent, not GM-silent) autofocus, nothing special about its IQ so use it for a change.
lensfan wrote:
- 35GM - recent purchase, best overall, largest modern lens I own (second is Batis 85), don't like the noise aperture makes to expose if aperture manually set below f2;
Hmm, this is something "Aperture Drive in AF (still image)" should be able to alleviate at least to some extent, depending on the body you're using.
Personally, I like 35GM matched with a recent non-C body, as I think it balances well. Maybe something a bit smaller/lighter like 20G would be even better, but that's pretty close already. On the other hand, I find really small lenses, like CV 35/1.4 Classic, simply too small for comfortable use ...
j4nu wrote:
Hmm, this is something "Aperture Drive in AF (still image)" should be able to alleviate at least to some extent, depending on the body you're using.
Personally, I like 35GM matched with a recent non-C body, as I think it balances well. Maybe something a bit smaller/lighter like 20G would be even better, but that's pretty close already. On the other hand, I find really small lenses, like CV 35/1.4 Classic, simply too small for comfortable use ...
I don't see any difference on my copy in any focus/drive modes. Noticeable sound in indoors when aperture opens.
Only Sony I have is a7rIV. Not a big fan of these physical parameters: a) body is a bit small for my non-giant hands without grip extension b) battery is too small compared to what I'm used to on 5D series c) would like EVF to be larger d) display could have a more decent resolution (yes, I understand that a7rIVa has it). Otherwise, happy with it.
lensfan wrote:
I don't see any difference on my copy in any focus/drive modes. Noticeable sound in indoors when aperture opens.
Only Sony I have is a7rIV. Not a big fan of these physical parameters: a) body is a bit small for my non-giant hands without grip extension b) battery is too small compared to what I'm used to on 5D series c) would like EVF to be larger d) display could have a more decent resolution (yes, I understand that a7rIVa has it). Otherwise, happy with it.
Hmm, that's weird about aperture as it should not close down for focusing if set accordingly in "Aperture Drive in AF" (in AF-C at least I think): https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1631387/0
j4nu wrote:
Hmm, that's weird about aperture as it should not close down for focusing if set accordingly in "Aperture Drive in AF" (in AF-C at least I think):
It does not close down. It opens up to f2 if stopped down. I can shoot 35GM at f1.4 all the time, as I can w/o significant IQ penalty.
Been shooting 35GM (in parallel with light and compact Zony 2.8/35) recently while traveling and realized I find it flat and boring (just like Zony).
Loxia 35 and APO-L 35 got me excited about the the focal length but 35GM is not as fun in real life as it is with test shots for me.
35GM gives modern well-corrected results with smooth bokeh but does not click so far.
...
