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05/28/2011 01:01:29 PM · #1 |
Hello Everyone,
I'm using Nikon D7000. Currently I own these two lenses:
1. Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D
2. Nikon AF-S DX 18-105 f/3.5-5.6 ED VR
After reading about street photography, I'm considering Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm F1.8D. What is your thought on this? I thought of getting this lens so that I don't have to get too near to the subject.
I read that a lot of street photographers use point-and-shoot camera. It's small and thus make them "invisible". It is more quiet than an SLR too.
Should I get Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm F1.8D for street photography (I love the bokeh effect)? I know that I can use it for portraiture shots too. Or should I get a simple point-and-shoot camera (no beautiful effect of bokeh)?
Please advise. Thank you!
Ang |
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05/28/2011 01:13:12 PM · #2 |
| I like street photography and i have the same camera as you, although of course you can do street photography with any lens, i now tend to use my 35mm 1.8, its very light and discreet and also very sharp from F2.5 onwards, sometimes i take my other lenses but if i want to be discreet this is the one i take. |
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05/28/2011 01:26:38 PM · #3 |
| IMHO for street photography, lighter, shorter, wider and faster are the goals. The 85 is a very nice portrait lens, but 28-35 is the range I think of for street photography, but it all depends on how you like to shoot. If you like sniping from range, longer is good; if you walk up and talk with people while you shoot, wide is the game. |
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05/28/2011 01:26:44 PM · #4 |
Originally posted by jagar:
I like street photography and i have the same camera as you, although of course you can do street photography with any lens, i now tend to use my 35mm 1.8, its very light and discreet and also very sharp from F2.5 onwards, sometimes i take my other lenses but if i want to be discreet this is the one i take. |
Just wondering, with 35mm lens I guess you have to get really close to the subject? Doesn't the loud shutter sound make it more difficult to be discreet and "invisible" on the street? Please share your experience with me. |
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05/28/2011 01:57:18 PM · #5 |
What i have found is the smaller your lens the less initial fear people have, if i go out with the 24-70 which i often do, i find that people notice me about the same time as i notice them and they might turn away or avoid your line of fire. Its very important to be both confident and friendly, it shows in your posture and people will relax and forget about you, so what if they hear the shutter sound, just smile and continue, i have yet to get any negative reactions for taking candid shots, perhaps its where i live but i doubt that. I agree with  BrennanOB about the range and yes you have to get in close but you get so absorbed in what you are doing that it doesn't matter. I prefer a fixed focal length for street shots, its just one less thing to think about. |
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05/28/2011 02:10:24 PM · #6 |
| You can use a DSLR and a long lens if you want surveillance type shots. Or a DSLR and a wide lens if you want to draw a lot of attention to yourself. I would pick up a small point and shoot. I'm currently using the Ricoh GRD3 and Sigma DP2. I use manual focus (for zone foucusing) and a fast shutter speed. The 28mm lens of the Ricoh allows me to get CLOSE. Both cameras are small, quiet and pocketable, which allows me to be discreet. |
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05/28/2011 02:38:55 PM · #7 |
IMHO, you should get prosumer P&S camera. Reason:-
1. You already have 50mm 1.8D, extra 25mm don't make much.
2. If you want "lovely" bokeh, go 70-200 Nikon or 3rd Party.
70-200 street
Message edited by author 2011-07-17 10:07:55. |
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05/28/2011 03:05:12 PM · #8 |
I did my current HCB entry with my Powershot G11. It looks like a casual P&S and using the swivel screen to frame the image, nobody was even aware if I was aiming at them. It takes good shots, though for minimal editing it does not have nearly the oomph on image quality that my 50D does.
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05/28/2011 10:44:45 PM · #9 |
| For your consideration: Kelby Training is doing a "A Day with Jay Maisel" on street photography. In his first session he described why he uses a long lens but admits that it is because that is his vision and others have a wide angle vision. It doesn't really matter which lens is used. It depends upon the look you are going for and how comfortable you and your subjects are. |
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05/28/2011 11:33:44 PM · #10 |
I took some of my best street photography people portraits with my 100 f/2.8 macro lens. That is people head shots. My thinking is a good point and shoot, Canon G12 comes to mind, is less intimidating to the street subjects. gimmick like the 'small/toy effect will be helpful.
But then, as said, depends entirely what you want to shoot. I love my 10-22 and 24-105 in the streets more than any other lens. |
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05/29/2011 12:11:44 AM · #11 |
Originally posted by docpjv:
I took some of my best street photography people portraits with my 100 f/2.8 macro lens. That is people head shots. My thinking is a good point and shoot, Canon G12 comes to mind, is less intimidating to the street subjects. gimmick like the 'small/toy effect will be helpful.
But then, as said, depends entirely what you want to shoot. I love my 10-22 and 24-105 in the streets more than any other lens. |
I seconded Doc opinion. Macro lens to capture the face crack lines of old man/lady or glistering eyes of the children, that's' the best...
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05/29/2011 03:41:57 AM · #12 |
It really comes down to what you think makes good street photography. If you want headshots and portraits of strangers, long works great. If you feel a strong sense of place as is important the subjects face, then it is hard to get that with a long lens that tends to compress backgrounds.
If you tend to scare the people you point your camera at, big scary lenses don't help. That said, I do like to snipe with my 50-500mm sigma which is very long, but at 50mm it is long enough to hold in the elbow and blind shoot without raising the lens, and wide enough to get something, sometimes. But look at HCB of any of the really great street photographers and they all shoot wide and almost all of them have some interaction with the subject, which you just can't get if you snipe from range. |
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05/29/2011 12:14:29 PM · #13 |
I've been very happy with my 85 f/1.8 on the 1.6x sensor. Giving an effective focal length of 135mm or so, it's a good length.
But.......
I've seriously been considering just buying a Fuji X100 with that 35mm f/2 lens on a 1.6x sensor, giving about a 50mm effective... The thing actually beats the D7000 in ISO performance, and still manages to look like a sexy 1970's rangefinder, much less imposing, and quite a bit easier to haul around.. Well worth a grand I think.
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05/29/2011 12:34:27 PM · #14 |
Originally posted by Cory:
I've been very happy with my 85 f/1.8 on the 1.6x sensor. Giving an effective focal length of 135mm or so, it's a good length.
But.......
I've seriously been considering just buying a Fuji X100 with that 35mm f/2 lens on a 1.6x sensor, giving about a 50mm effective... The thing actually beats the D7000 in ISO performance, and still manages to look like a sexy 1970's rangefinder, much less imposing, and quite a bit easier to haul around.. Well worth a grand I think. |
Me to Cory, i actually bid on one the other day on e-bay but didn't get out of bed in time for the closing minutes and lost as a consequence, its still not available here in France so i might try again soon. The only thing that gets me a bit is the focal length, its slightly wider than i would like, its the equivalent of a 35mm on FF not 50mm which i would prefer.
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