Lens focal length / aperture for Car Stills

[christurbo]

Hi,

I have had a number of cameras and lenses but have been out of the game for years.

My last was a Sony A7RII and various lenses, but have been using an iPhone 14 Pro Max for what I mainly shoot = cars (static, non motion).

I am getting a bit fed but with the limitations of using a smartphone (but love the convenience), so I'm buying a used Sony A7III body. But I am looking for a lens/options.

I believe the most common used for static car photography is the 35mm and 50mm focal lengths (FF), f1.8 or faster.

I can't decide on choosing this or a zoom lens (looking at the Tamron 28-75mm, f2.8) to give me some flexibility at a compromise on speed.

Are there any car photographers on here who could advise on this, obviously a considerable investment so want get it right.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

Hi,

I believe the most common used for static car photography is the 35mm and 50mm focal lengths (FF), f1.8 or faster.

The lens you use will depend on what you're trying to achieve. I use everything from 14mm to 800mm (courtesy of zooms, of course) depending on the situation.

I can't decide on choosing this or a zoom lens (looking at the Tamron 28-75mm, f2.8) to give me some flexibility at a compromise on speed.

With digital cameras, lens speed is nothing like as important as it was with film. I find that depth of field is the important thing, to get the subject sharp where you want it.

To be fair, my interest is more towards what might be described as recording or reportage - I don't set out to "prettify" the subject...

 

[Topsy]

Hi,

I have had a number of cameras and lenses but have been out of the game for years.

My last was a Sony A7RII and various lenses, but have been using an iPhone 14 Pro Max for what I mainly shoot = cars (static, non motion).

I am getting a bit fed but with the limitations of using a smartphone (but love the convenience), so I'm buying a used Sony A7III body. But I am looking for a lens/options.

I believe the most common used for static car photography is the 35mm and 50mm focal lengths (FF), f1.8 or faster.

I can't decide on choosing this or a zoom lens (looking at the Tamron 28-75mm, f2.8) to give me some flexibility at a compromise on speed.

Are there any car photographers on here who could advise on this, obviously a considerable investment so want get it right.

Thanks,

Chris

I think you'd be best served with the standard zoom, f2.8 is plenty wide enough aperture since unless you are trying to isolate a particular feature of the car you'll likley be around f8 to keep the whole car sharp enough. Unless you can garuantee s constant subject distance a zoom will give you best options for compositions even if you don't have a lot of room, 28 is as wide as I would go, any wider and you will need to deal with perspective distrotion that comes with the wider lenses (unless you are shooting straight on (90 degrees to the subject)).

These 2 were shot at 35mm equiv, I was tight for space on this shot.



Less so with this one.

 

[christurbo]

Great shots guys and thank you.

You make a good point about the 2.8, to capture the whole car for certain shots I would be using a higher apature.

Sounds like for a one lens killer kit the Tamron 2.8 28-75 would be perfect for my needs.

To answer the question about what I was trying to get. Some interesting closeups for cars with standout features (I have a GT4 so things like intakes and wing etc), but also nice full shots of the car but with separation with depth of field.

 

[LongLensPhotography]

Just like there is no hard set combination / rule for portraits, or for that matter anything - same applies here. It depends on mood you try to create, car, lighting, background, customer requirements...

 

[Topsy]

To answer the question about what I was trying to get. Some interesting closeups for cars with standout features (I have a GT4 so things like intakes and wing etc), but also nice full shots of the car but with separation with depth of field.

The longer end of the zoom will be good for that, standing further away will create that look. Is that zoom a constant f2.8 or does the aperture change as you zoom?

 

[christurbo]

The longer end of the zoom will be good for that, standing further away will create that look. Is that zoom a constant f2.8 or does the aperture change as you zoom?

It's a constant 2.8 and has great reviews on Flickr for sharpness as well as bokeh quality.

 

[justpix]

It's a constant 2.8 and has great reviews on Flickr for sharpness as well as bokeh quality.

Hi, for static car pics I generally use 35mm or 50mm primes at f 2,8.

So, the TAMRON zoom covers this.

Any Zoom (and any lens) is a compromise. According to a review I just read the TAMRON is a good one:

Testbericht: Tamron 28-75 mm F2.8 Di III VXD G2 (A063S)

In diesem Test zeigen wir, was das Vollformat-Zoom kann, wo es Schwächen hat und wieso es einen USB-C-Anschluss besitzt.

www.digitalkamera.de

 

[LeeRatters]

My go to for static is 85/1.8 - It is nice to throw the odd 35/1.4 shot in there too though for some environment or a bit of interior. So, a standard'ish zoom might do you fine if f/2.8 is okay such as the Tamron 28-75mm.

I used to shoot a lot of static at 135mm but having the space can be a pain.

I am not a fan of wide angle car stuff personally.

 

[Nod]

At shows, access is often patchy (at best!) so a wide angle can get you close enough to keep most people out of shot, although that does restrict the viewpoints you can get. I usually use either a compact (with about a 24-100mm range [35mm/ff equivalent]) or a similar range zoom on an interchangeable lens body. The compact I tend to use has a decent close up capability and is reasonably fast so I can get detail shots with limited DoF should I want to. Flip out screens make higher (or lower) PoVs a breeze!

 

[woof woof]

Pick your focal length for the perspective you want or based on where you can stand and pick your aperture for the depth of field you want.

I don't suppose you want a lot of perspective distortion and I don't suppose you want very thin depth of field or if you want these things I don't suppose you'll want to use them for every picture?

 

[Mr Perceptive]

I think this depends on personal style, me, I like to shoot static cars with faster lenses than F2.8 on FF, but I would agree with a lot of posters here than the sweet spot is probably between 35mm and 50mm, most of my static shots are around 50mm, and those taken with wider lenses I often crop into (its an intentional crop, I'll frame the overall view with the crop in mind)

I would suggest that the OP thinks about what kind of style he wants to adopt, someone who is after record shots won't want to shoot as fast as I do, I'd rather have something that leaps off the page at you!!

 

[christurbo]

Thanks for your advice.

I have now taken delivery of:-

Sigma 85mm f1.4
Tamron 28-75mm f2.8

This should cover most bases, I like the compression I will get from the 85mm as long as I get the space to shoot!

 

[LeeRatters]

Thanks for your advice.

I have now taken delivery of:-

Sigma 85mm f1.4
Tamron 28-75mm f2.8

This should cover most bases, I like the compression I will get from the 85mm as long as I get the space to shoot!

That ^^

I took some at 85mm of my car on Saturday. Probably the best I've ever taken of it in many many years. The look from it knocks anything wide angle out of the park imo

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

someone who is after record shots won't want to shoot as fast as I do,

Could you clarify that?

If I'm recording an interesting vehicle, it's moving as often as not. If so, I often have only a few seconds to frame the image. Is that different from what you mean?

 

[Mr Perceptive]

Could you clarify that?

If I'm recording an interesting vehicle, it's moving as often as not. If so, I often have only a few seconds to frame the image. Is that different from what you mean?

Andrew, I meant fast as in fast aperture, sorry if I wasn't clear

Whilst I appreciate your style is documentray/reportage, thats not what I'm looking for in my automative shots.


Oulton Park - Autos De France - 1973 TVR 3000M by David Yeoman, on Flickr

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

Andrew, I meant fast as in fast aperture, sorry if I wasn't clear

Whilst I appreciate your style is documentray/reportage, thats not what I'm looking for in my automative shots.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Dave Goodier]

I generally use a 24-70 f2.8, but the 105 f2.8 macro comes at at times too for details or if I can get far enough away

 

[kman]

I tend to find a 24-70 2.8 is most used and practical lens for car photography.

Ferrari 812 GTS by Khalid Bari, on Flickr

Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster by Khalid Bari, on Flickr

Porsche 911GT3 by Khalid Bari, on Flickr

BMW 840i London Shard by Khalid Bari, on Flickr