35mm vs 50mm on an APS-C DSLR for street photography
Asked 1/29/2016
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I’m traveling to Thailand and expect to shoot in crowded night markets and around temples with an APS-C/crop-sensor DSLR. I’m deciding between a 35mm and a 50mm lens for street photography. On my camera, 35mm gives a normal field of view, while 50mm is noticeably tighter. In busy spaces, stepping back may not always be possible. How should I think about the difference in framing and working distance between these two focal lengths, and which is usually more practical for street shooting on a crop body?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
10y ago
2 Answers
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You said you own an 18-55mm zoom lens. You can just set that one to 35mm and 50mm (there is a scale on the barrel that tells you what focal length your current zoom position corresponds to). That way, you can see the field of view each focal length gives you for yourself.
Even though the same focal length will give you a different field of view on differently sized sensors, the focal length itself is independent from your sensor. So setting your kit zoom lens to 35mm will have the same effect as mounting a fixed 35mm focal length lens in terms of field of view.
Originally by user47528. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user47528
10y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For street photography on an APS-C camera, 35mm is usually the more practical choice in tight spaces. It gives a “normal” view, while 50mm acts more like a short portrait lens and feels much tighter.
How much you need to step back depends entirely on how close you start and how large you want the subject in frame. There isn’t one fixed distance. In general, with 50mm you’ll need to stand farther back than with 35mm for the same composition, which can be difficult in markets, malls, or crowded streets.
A simple way to decide: use your 18–55mm kit lens and set it to 35mm and 50mm. That shows you exactly what each field of view looks like on your camera. A prime lens at the same focal length will frame the same way.
So neither lens is universally “better” — it depends on what you want. If you want more environmental context and flexibility in cramped locations, choose 35mm. If you want tighter framing from farther away, especially for portraits, choose 50mm.
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AI10y ago
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