Most suitable lens on 6x4.5 for portraits?

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myshkin_

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Alex
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Hi, what would be the most suitable lens on 6x4.5 for portraits that include most of the legs upwards, in a subject that is 1-2 meters away?

Would a standard 75mm be suitable?

Thanks for any input
 
I would suggest a 75mm will be far too long from that distance. You don't say what camera either, so no idea if you are talking about FF or cropped sensor.
 
Gary Kinghorn said:
I would suggest a 75mm will be far too long from that distance. You don't say what camera either, so no idea if you are talking about FF or cropped sensor.
Click to expand...

None of that miniature nonsense, he's talking about film, 6cm x 4.5cm.

About 150mm would be right.


Steve.
 
I'm guessing that the 6x4.5 is a clue to the format - MF film. I would ask for this thread to be moved to the Film and Conventional section if I'm correct.
 
Actually, if you are framing most of the person, the standard 75mm will probably be about right.

An easy way to work it out is to draw a triangle. Start with a vertical line which is equal to the film height. In this case, 60mm. Then draw a horizontal line from the middle of the first line, the length of the focal length of the lens. e.g. 75mm. A triangle drawn to these three points will show the angle of view of the lens.

You can also scale that triangle to show how far away you need to be to cover the height you want to photograph.

As an example, if you wanted to photograph someone from their knees up to their head, this is a height of 1.5 metres to cover the 60mm frame height (vertical line). This translates to 1.875m (horizontal line) with the same angle of view. So the 75mm lens at about 2m will probably do what you want.


Steve.
 
Last edited:
At only 3'- 6' distance from the subject would the 75mm get in knees-to-eyebrows? With MF I'm more familiar with 6x7 than 6x4.5 and I'm not sure I could get a three-quarter portrait at such a short distance with a standard (non-wide) lens.
 
Steve Smith said:
Actually, if you are framing most of the person, the standard 75mm will probably be about right.

An easy way to work it out is to draw a triangle. Start with a vertical line which is equal to the film height. In this case, 60mm. Then draw a horizontal line from the middle of the first line, the length of the focal length of the lens. e.g. 75mm. A triangle drawn to these three points will show the angle of view of the lens.

You can also scale that triangle to show how far away you need to be to cover the height you want to photograph.

As an example, if you wanted to photograph someone from their knees up to their head, this is a height of 1.5 metres to cover the 60mm frame height (vertical line). This translates to 1.875m (horizontal line) with the same angle of view. So the 75mm lens at about 2m will probably do what you want.


Steve.
Click to expand...


Hi, :plus1:
 
Actually, it was the numbers that gave it away! :D
 
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