Shall I Keep my Nifty?

"Using a 20mm is fine, but your image will be full of distortions."

Why? And who is to say that distortion is banned?

Distortion might be just what you're going for...not to say that you have to have distortion if using a 20mm lens, you don't. You only get distortion in certain specific circumstances.

I just get a bit tired of reading that you simply have to use 85, 135 or 200mm or whatever when the fact is that working distance and effect should decide what length you use and much of what people think they see such as flattening and depth of field is nothing other than framing and optical illusion.
 
woof woof said:
"Using a 20mm is fine, but your image will be full of distortions."

Why? And who is to say that distortion is banned?

Distortion might be just what you're going for...not to say that you have to have distortion if using a 20mm lens, you don't. You only get distortion in certain specific circumstances.
Click to expand...

I never said distortion was banned did I? I am implying that it is undesirable for portraits.

If you are taking a 'portrait' shot with a 20mm lens, you need to be nearly up the person's nose in order to frame it (we are talking 'portrait' here, not full body), which will cause distortion. And no, a group of people from head to toe is not a portrait, dear. And cropping really doesn't count - just to cover the pedant's corner.


I just get a bit tired of reading that you simply have to use 85, 135 or 200mm or whatever when the fact is that working distance and effect should decide what length you use and much of what people think they see such as flattening and depth of field is nothing other than framing and optical illusion.
Click to expand...

As I already said. You try selling a photo 'portrait' of someone which was taken with a 20mm, where their nose looks bigger than pinnochios, and see how much they like that.

Yes, in certain circumstances, you can use wides and ultrawides (or fisheyes) for special effects, for instance, a 'looking down' shot where you are close to someone's head with a fisheye will make them look much taller and give a funky big head effect. But you can't do that every time and to imply that a 20mm is as good a portrait lens as an 85 or a 135 is laughable; because all the pros must be doing it wrong then!
 
abooth2909 said:
Blimey, I seem to have divided opinion here!

I will have a play with both the Canon 1.4 and Sigma 1.4 when funds will allow I think. Only about £30 difference between them on Onestopdigital at the mo so will have to find somewhere that stocks both and have a good mess with them on my 40D.:bang:
Click to expand...

The Sigma comes with the hood - it's extra on the Canon.
You really want one of them on it ....
 
trencheel,

Soz mate but after reading your above post I hardly know where to start as you just make me wonder if you've ever actually tried what you're talking about and writing off so...

Please think for yourself and be open minded and if you're pronouncing on something you have limited knowledge of try looking at images different to your own and also think about including IMHO in your posts now and again.

Oh, and thanks for providing the world of photography with a definition of what a portrait is and at what focal length it should be taken. Dear.
 
Until recently I owned a 10-20 wideangle lens and I can assure you, I have tried it. I actually wonder if you have tried it because you obviously still don't believe that there will be distortions on a 20mm lens framing a portrait style pic :lol:

Either that or you're too dense to realise what a distorted picture looks like?

The second and third paras in your post are just complete garbage so whatever you've been drinking or smoking I'd take a break now ;) :lol:

Just in case you're not aware, this is roughly what a portrait pic is 'framed' like:
portrait.jpg


Give or take some of the shoulders. Now take whatever 20mm lens you have, clamp it on a camera, frame that kind of pic, snap it and tell me it isn't distorted to ferk ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top