All photos edited with my Lightroom Preset Packs which are available here: www.digitalfilmactions.com/lightroom-presets#/new-amalfi-lightroom-preset/ And thank you so much for watching!
Lol. As soon as I read the title, I was like “Ah, Julia is chatting about her 35mm again!” I, like many others (I am sure) have you to thank for the introduction to just how good a 35mm can be. I love mine too!
@@justinhatch279 I knew it was coming too! My favorite lens is the samyang 35mm 1.8. I own several high end lenses, but the light rays + lens flares I capture with the samyang are so amazing.
@@jkinze I could probably shoot with a 35mm, but I struggle shooting with primes. I should just go ahead and purchase a 35mm and a 85mm and shoot with only those two for like 6 months so I can build on being more creative with those restrictions.
@@justinhatch279I can also recommend trying a 50mm as it's kind of in between 35mm and 85mm. It's my personal favorite and shoot 99% of my photos with it :) I own a 35mm and used to have a 56mm on my previous Sony aps-c camera, so I've had some experience with all of them
I agree with you wholeheartedly, when I shot weddings, I used my 35F2 and my 85 F2 on two cameras and that did the majority of my shooting. If you need less distortion with the 35 you can just back up a little bit And then crop in later which works just great. Thank you for your excellent video. I always enjoy watching them.
35mm is my favorite lens! Julia's videos are some of the best photography tutorials on RU-vid. Informative, fun, creative, pretty, down to earth and well produced. Bravo Julia and team!
Shooting on a DSLR with an APS-C sensor (Nikon D5100), my most used focal length is 55mm (similar to 85mm on full frame), and I shoot mostly landscapes and nature. And even years later, as "slow" as it may be, my main go-to lens is still my kit lens (18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6). For whatever reason, over the years I've owned that camera, the idea of upgrading that lens to something faster never crossed my mind.
...the (very) cheap Canon 18-55 IS lenses are great quality. Just goes to show that, at f8, most lenses are very similar. The most important thing is to get OUT and SHOOT 📸📸📸
I have always felt a certain kinship with Julia because of a shared love for the 35mm. Lo and behold it was the width I craved and I am now infatuated with a 24mm prime. Love this hobby. ❤
A 35 is an interesting choice. I adore the 35 GM, and I do use it for some of my portraits. It’s great for settings where you can’t get much distance from your subject. You can always crop in if the background is suboptimal, and you still get beautiful bokeh. My absolute favorite is the 135 GM. But I think I would choose the 50 1.2 GM if I could only have one lens. The 135 isn’t practical for most indoor shoots, or even for some outdoor ones. The 50 1.2 is practical for nearly every shooting situation I’m in, gives me better control over the background, and is light enough for a long day of shooting. But I would be sad, because I am so in love with the 85 GM and 135 GM. 135 is my signature focal length, and I just couldn’t get that kind of look from a 50. I guess the premise of the question is a bit like asking a parent which of their children they would keep if they could only keep one. I love them all, just in different ways. ;)
You basically took the words out of my mouth. I think anything much longer than a 50mm would make shooting indoors pretty tough. But I personally don't feel a 35mm separates a pro photo from most cell phone cameras nowadays, so I usually prefer to to shoot on longer lenses for portraits. That being said, 35mm is a pretty standard focal length for me for down the aisle shots and First Kiss at a wedding. It's really tough to pick just one. Haha
@@paulmichaelcooper5762 I think that what makes a photo "pro" is the person using the camera. It's that knowledge of, and ability to apply, composition, lighting, direction, the camera itself, etc. that makes an image great. Plus, a real camera gives the photographer so much more control over the resulting photo than a phone does.
Same with you. The 50 1.2GM is also my go-to lens. But when it comes to 135GM, I guess it requires really gorgeous models to shoot with. And it has to be held far away from your sweetheart when you're composing.
The 35mm is the like the Godfather of all focal length. Its a very precise measurrment to grasp best of both worlds. This 🙏 definitely added onto the value of exactly how versatile the 35mm is. 😊
This was so affirming for me as a growing creative! I used to shoot on the 24-70mm G master and found myself defaulting to 70mm, 50mm or 24mm because they required the least thought. Looking back, I guess I relied on bokeh and background compression as a creative crutch. Recently I got a pancake 35mm to turn my workhorse Sony A7III into an everyday shooter & fell in love!! Took some adjustment, but after going through the growing pains I 100% agree that it allows us to capture environmental portraits so well and is the one prime focal length I’d choose as well.
I am listening to you from Switzerland. Your videos and your way of explaining is always a delight. In addition you have a mood that transmits joy. I love it! Thank you so much! ❤
I paired up my new Sony a6700 with the New Sigma 24 mm 1.4 art that came out last year to get 36 mm on APSC, and I love it! I was shooting on the a6300 with the 16 mm 1.4 for portraits and travel for like 5 years. I really had to learn how to make better compositions for my shots, and I got used to always showing the context of my photo, and I'm glad that I have experience doing that instead of just using a large lens to make portraits with a super blurry background. Now with the 24 mm 1.4 on my a6700, I still get a wide lens to make portraits, but I can get close enough to the face without seeing that distortion from the 16 mm 1.4 (24 mm FF)
Yall are cuuute. I actually did a large family photoshoot with various pairing solely on an 85 mm. I didn't know I could do it! So fun. Panasonic 85 1.8
Perfect timing! I’m off to Paris tomorrow and wanting to only take 1 lens was a difficult choice for me! I’m a prime shooter so 35/50/85 are the options, and I’ve decided on the 35 🙌 Edit - Paris is a dump and I didn’t find inspiration anywhere Edit 2 - bought a 24-70 G master 🤣
Thanks Julia! If I was travelling lightweight I would probably pick up the Sigma 28-70 f/2.8, for a heavier setup I would probably go with Tamron 35-150 f/2-2.8. If I really had to carry just a prime lens, I would probably opt for the Sigma 40 mm f1.4, which is slightly longer than the 35, but still manageable for the wider aspect. Or if I was going to be taking portraits rather than landscaping, I would probably opt for the Sigma 65 mm f/2 since that focal length makes it pretty interesting for environmental portraits as well as close ups. Odd choices, both of them, but I think those are my picks
My thoughts exactly! I'd add to that Zeiss T 55 mm f/1,8 (in place of 65 mm), and for kicks - Samyang 85 mm f/1,4 for its beautiful direct sunlight shots. Too bad Sigma 40 mm is so big and heavy. So is the Tamron, but it's fine since it's so versatile with no other downsides.
Great to know. So I have a cropped sensor, so 24 mm would be ideal then. Thank you. So far I don't have 35 or 24, but glad to hear about your review and will look into that. Even though I am pretty happy with using 24-70 mm in variety of cases, still would be great to see what prime would be ideal for multiple scenarios. I own 50mm and love it, enjoyed your review on that one, but now need to look into other primes and sounds like 24 mm is what I might be looking into.
Well you already have the 24 (and 35) focal length in your zoom lens. Check your images if you shoot at that focal length a lot, and try to leave the zoom at 24mm next time taking photos and you'll get a good idea if it's something you would get use out of as a prime.
@@GothRush that’s true and helpful tip. Thank you very much. Will do and have done. I did notice that prime has top quality glass, but your point is a good one. Thank you.
Hi Julia, that's very interesting to hear, I would have guessed a 50 or an 85. Thank you for sharing. I have 35mm prime which I don't use all that often (preferring a 24-70 zoom), but I will definitely give it more thought in the future. Your portraits are wonderful.
85 its way too limiting you have to be tens of feet away to capture full body and its only good for close up like waist up and shoulder-head. It's not worth it in my opinion. You can't shoot inside as you'd have to be in another room to shoot. Getting into cameras I was fooled by the "85mm is the ideal portrait lens", it's shit, all you need is a 35mm and 24-70, nothing else.
I always uses the 50mm for everything. But seeing your style of photo inspired me to struggle with the 35mm, and after 6 months I'm starting to get to real keepers of a shot. Though, for street, that 50mm gives me the needed reach, while taking alot of the environment in, and of course giving me that dreamy classic look. So for the most part unless I'm alone doing street, when I go out with my family it's always the 35mm.
I'd choose the 35 for the reasons you mentioned. I traveled for a year once in Eastern Europe with only a 35 to keep things light, and the 35 can be used for so many situations. My favorite primes are the 24, 35, 75 and 90., in either f1.4 (for portraits) or f2 (for clarity in landscapes).
For years I was using my 28mm on a crop sensor coming to 44.8 FF equivalent (Canon) this was a great sweet spot between the two focal lengths you mentioned. There is not a similar focal length so I would prefer 50mm on FF.
I’ve been using my Sigma 30mm for years on my Sony A6000.. never take it off. I did two engagement photo sessions with it, taken countless sceneries on vacations and did a maternity photo session and the composition always looks great. My camera has a crop sensor so a 30mm is basically a 45mm, which is a tinyyy bit close to a 50mm, so I get best of both worlds. I can physically back up away from a subject and a get a full view of the background and I can also physically go up real close to a subject to get a nice blurry background look. I would love to get my hands on a 85mm because that would definitely provide a new look for photos and be cool for far away shots in street photography
That 30mm is great! I had the Sigma trio and it was my most used lens out of the three. I've upgraded since to a full frame A7RIII and shoot almost exclusively on the 50mm F2.5G, but I also have the Sigma 35mm F1.2 though it's very large so I don't shoot with it often.
Just picked up a sigma 35mm 1.4 after watching a bunch of your vids. Mixed results so far. I'm so used to my 85mm that working with the distortion is hard to get used to, when it's good it's gooood but more bad right now for me. Going to force myself to only shoot 35 for the next little bit to get it dialed in.
If you have Lightroom pro version you can fix distortion in the Geometry section and it can “pull” the scene out when you use a slider to fix the distortion. I use it often
If I had a do a shoot with only one prime, it would be the 50 1.2 GM! All of your images, that you share, are fantastic. But I can tell the 35 is your jam!
such a great video! i really like and use a lot of the 85mm and 135mm focal length, trying very hard to master the 35mm and story telling in my portraits. great video!
35…ish. I like the 40mm equivalent on the RicohIIIx (26.1 APSC). For travel photos in an urban setting in the US it feels like a good balance - you can get some background but not too much. A wider lens might be better in cities with narrower streets in Europe or Asia. Great video - thank you! Really like the side-by-side comparisons 🙏
Julia, your photography videos never cease to amaze me! 🤩 Your artistic vision, combined with your incredible talent and skill, create such inspiring content. Watching your channel has truly opened my eyes to the beauty of photography and has motivated me to explore this creative outlet myself. Thank you for sharing your passion and expertise with the world 📸 Keep up the fantastic work, and I can't wait to see what you'll create next! 😊🌟 #PhotographyInspiration #JuliaTrottiFan
Great points and nice photos. If you are shooting with a longer lens that naturally creates blurry backgrounds with the aperture wide open, don't be reluctant to close it down a bit to incorporate more of the background into the shot. It is easier to make the background sharper with longer lenses than it is to make the background really blurry with shorter lenses..... unless you do so in PhotoShop. However, the longer lens will always provide a tighter view than the shorter lens, but the shorter lens can provide both a wide view and also a narrow view if the image is cropped on the computer.
You are not alone on this one. 35 felt a little wide and 50 a bit too tight. So, i went with a 45 1.8 from Samyang. If I ever move from that, I'll head straight for the 50mm 1.4
Thanks for your (as always), interesting videos, Julia. As a mainly wedding photographer, I really like my Tamron Go to zoom lens 35-150, 2-2.8. I however agree it's a heavy one but so versatile and you don't always have the time to change lenses in certain situations. I have this lens on my A7RV and the Sony 50mm 1.2 on my other camera, the A7IV.
I’m also a wedding photographer and own the Tamron - what a lens! Right now I’m looking for a second lens for my second camera. Can’t decide between 24 1.4, 50 1.4 or 85 1.4. Why did you choose the 50?
@@maxedel2180 I have the 50 Sony 1.2 on my second body specially for the couple session, for candid pictures during the reception and for the wonderful bokeh you get with this lens. There is also now the Sony 50 1.4 that is a little bit less expensive and lighter than the 1.2
@@olivierbornand7282 thanks for your answer! Yes I also thought about the 1.2 for the candid pictures. Do you think the 1.4 is also a good addition instead of the 1.2 and is the 1.4 worth carrying although the 50mm in the Tamron is 2.2? I can’t decide between the 50 and the 24 (which would give me a total new perspective).
Well, I use 18-55 kit lens on a nikon dx body. As long as the lighting is good on the subject, it works well. As a non-pro, I always tell myself that an average viewer has no idea about these things, so keep the 18-55. But this was a helpful video.
I currently have only 2 lens in my bag which is, RF 35mm f1.8 and Samyang RF 85mm f1.4, love shooting with these 2 lens so much now I am saving money to get either EF 70-200mm or RF 70-200mm to my final collection.
Before watching the video I already knew you were going to say 35mm that & 85mm are the best prime lens to me for photo and video. I just love your presets I’m not sure which ones to buy I think I’ll just buy them all 🤣
Oh man, it's so hard to pick just one. If you asked me a few years ago, I'd tell you 24mm (FF) but now I'm not as sure. 35mm has been very kind to me for basically all the reasons you listed, but I think I'm gonna have to go with 50ish. I've been loving using a 50mm on my 35mm film camera the past year or so and my 55mm (FF) on my digital. Never been a huge fan of 85 as it's really restrictive, but 50ish has been an excellent all-rounder for many things.
Of course I guessed it would be a 35. In fact, everyone would faint if you picked something else. I must say that your videos got me to buy a couple real nice 35mm lenses, and I am starting to use them more. I am also spending more time with a 28mm f1.4 and two 135mm lenses I just bought (Sigma art and Nikon f2 dc). If I had to choose just one lens, it would be a zoom because I like photographing wildlife the best. If it had to be a prime, then my Nikon 400mm.
First of all love the way you create some amazing portraits with 35mm 😍 Though i love 35mm for group photos especially indoors, environmental portraits, street photography, landscapes etc , I don't find myself shooting close up of human faces with a 35mm unless for a specific look. But, for shooting small kids 35mm is bit more handy. I personally like an 85mm/105mm/135mm or a 70-200 for portraits. I don't own a 135mm though i have shot with it.I'm not sure if i should own one as i already have my Z 70-200. Yes ! I agree that 35mm is a very versatile focal length. But , it needs to be used bit more carefully than a 50mm as it has more distrortion and hard to keep all the lines straight. 50mm often felt bit tighter for some situations and where i wanted to show bit more of the environment. Recently i shot with Z 40mm f/2 and it immediately became my fav. It's wide enough, less distorted than a 35mm. Enough shallow dof but still revealing the environment. I thus found a 40mm to be more versatile for my needs. If there was a 40mm 1.2/1.4 or even 1.8 which is compact like Sony 50mm 1.2... i would have definitely picked one selling my 35mm & 50mm. For me , a 40mm would be a go to lens as it is said to be a favourite cinematic focal length too. I personally felt there is something special to the images taken with a 40mm. Thank you for bringing up all the wonderful videos that has helped me to keep learning updating ❤️🙏
Greetings from TURKİYE :) my favorite is 35 mm . but these days I'm pretty confused about buying full frame and cropped frame cameras. The reason was the focal length and ISO issue. Your video enlightened me on this subject. I'm curious about your thoughts on Fujifilm xh2 and xh2s. I'm looking forward to your videos with good content.
Hey Julia, I´m sure you are an amazing wedding photographer, don´t you want to share some more wedding photography content on your channel? I´m just starting out my wedding photography busines and I would love to see some tips and bts from your wedding photography!! 🙂
the 35 gives a lot of depth to the person too, where like a 135 seems more like a cardboard cutout. I think 50 or 85 is more flattering for average folks close up tho.
Why am I not not surprised 😀 I prefer 85 but if I only could have one, it would be the 50, a nice in between. Actually a 60mm would be perfect, right between the two. Wish they made some 60mm lenses
I shot on a 50mm FF for a few years. I didn't have any money. I know that focal length like the back of my hand. I feel my 40mm I shoot now is a lot more versatile than either a 35mm or a 50mm. Problem is there are only a handful of camera manufacturer lenses that make a 40mm at or less that f2.0 which isn't too big of a deal. Just depends on your style of shooting. My 40mm f2 Nikon Z lens is under $300 brand new. It's really small and lightweight. Sure, I don't look like "pro" but Idc😂 walking around for 5-6hrs and getting great photos never felt so painless. Literally.
I love the topic of this video! It's absolutely wonderful to watch. Thank you so much for sharing! But I can't find the link you have mentioned in the video. Can you help me?
40mm and I wish it wasn’t the afterthought lens of manufacturers. Usually a smaller slower less expensive option outside of the staples. Give me a premium zeiss/leica 40mm 1.4
The Sony A7iii with the 35mm f1.4 is a beast and I'm a canon shooter with a Eos 650D paired with the 50mm F1.8 Mark ii but after watching this I want a sony 😂
Thank you for this awesome and useful video. I am a fan of the 50mm. I feel it is a good compromise between the advantages of the 35mm and 85mm. What are your pros and cons for the 50mm?
Such a great video!! I actually just purchased Sony a6700 and want to buy a 35mm lens but it sounds like to get the sam effect as what you are using with a full frame I should look at buying a 24mm lens?