What is the correct "Normal" lens for APSC?

R

ralfmouth

Well-known member
In other words which lens matches "normal" human perspective on an APSC sensor? I thought it was 28mm (44mm full frame/1.6) but at that focal length my 18-55mm looks crazy unnatural. 55mm seems "correct" to me on the T2i. What gives? I find this stuff confusing.
 
My advice take it or leave it.... The human eye works differently than a camera lens. Forget about trying to pick a lens which emulates how the eye works, and instead pick a lens focal length which works best for telling your story.

Good Luck!

Dave
 
I think 35mm is a nice all around focal length for APS-C for a variety of shooting scenarios. You don't have to be up one's nose for a close shot, and yet you can get some decent wide shots.
 
Well now i'm wondering what a traditional "nifty fifty" 50mm full frame perspective look like, because according to my eyes the gold standard shoud be 88mm (55mm x 1.6). Anybody with full frame know which one looks more natural?
 
For APS-C video work, 50mm use whatever you would use if shooting film. This is because APS-C is just about the same size as motion picture film. Some full frame snobs may try to convince you otherwise, but is simply not true. The size of APS-C is one of the major reasons why I like shooting it over FF-It's characteristics are more filmic because the sensor is the same size.
 
ralfmouth said:
Well now i'm wondering what a traditional "nifty fifty" 50mm full frame perspective look like, because according to my eyes the gold standard shoud be 88mm (55mm x 1.6). Anybody with full frame know which one looks more natural?
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Its the reverse. 50/1.6 = ~31mm on ASP-C.

I also think this is silly, look at the frame and it if feel right shoot. Remember though that even though the FOV might be compensated for by moving down in focal length as you move down in sensor size, image depth and magnification of the z-axis changes as well. There is no "direct equivalent" as a result of physics.
 
Gary Huff said:
I think 35mm is a nice all around focal length for APS-C for a variety of shooting scenarios. You don't have to be up one's nose for a close shot, and yet you can get some decent wide shots.
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Yeah, I agree. I shoot with a Canon T2i and a Sony FS-100 and have a Nikon 35mm f2.8 lens that is my go to lens for "Normal" fictional narrative work. The 35mm lens, with an APS-C sensor, gives me a field of view that is, IMHO, more representative of the field of view of normal vision when concentrating an other person's face or their actions. This is the bread and butter of cinematography, again IMHO.
 
Samuel H said:
if what you're looking for is a 50mm equivalent, then 28mm to 35mm should be fine (actually, 30.8mm on Canon APS-C and 32.9mm on Nikon APS-C)
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Samuel, you are right, and that totally jogged my memory about using a 30mm (not a 35). My Sigma 30mm f/1.4 is my "go-to" lens on the Canon 60D because of its versitility. I would highly recommend either that one or a Nikkor F 35mm f/1.4. I have both of them and they are great lenses.
 
Often forgotten in these never-ending "normal" discussions - are you a wide or a tight guy? (Either overall or from project to project). Architectural & landscape guys often want to see the world wide... fashion guys sometimes tend to like a tighter, flatter look. I can see anywhere from around 24mm - 35mm being considered "normal" for APS-C... but in something like a quarter century of shooting professionally, I don't think I've ever once chosen a lens based on "normal field of view". I've often chosen a lens based on not distorting or augmenting reality (via wide distortion or compression of perspective - IE, noticeably wide or tele) but my final focal length choice will be "what looks like I'm picturing in my head".

It's not an invaluable discussion as far as "if you can only afford one prime", the "normal" one may be the best choice for many- unless you have a kit lens that can cover the wider angles without the image falling apart... and so on...
 
Michael Carter said:
Often forgotten in these never-ending "normal" discussions - are you a wide or a tight guy?
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This is definitely something to think about. Coming from shooting full-frame stills, I tend to favour a slightly wider "normal" lens, marginally preferring a 35mm over a 50mm. I believe pretty strongly in the idea of pairing up a slightly-wide and a slightly-tele lens as a pretty versatile way of seeing things - when shooting 35mm format I would use a 35 and 85mm (or now, a 35-70 zoom), when shooting medium format on Hasselblad I would use a 60 and 150mm. That said though... if I have to keep it strictly to one lens, I will usually go with the 50mm.

My advice would be to just try picking up a few cheap M42 mount lenses and seeing what works for you. I tend to find that shooting with a prime over a zoom really forces you to think a lot more about how you use a particular focal length.
 
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