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Hey everyone! Today I am comparing all my main prime focal lengths on location side by side at a portrait photoshoot to show you the differences. I am comparing 14mm vs 24mm vs 35mm vs 50mm vs 85mm vs 105mm vs 135mm and talking about each of their strengths and weaknesses. Let me know in the comments if you found this video helpful!
I have an entire series taking a closer look at some focal length comparisons which you can watch below:
24mm vs 35mm:
35mm vs 50mm:
50mm vs 85mm:
85mm vs 135mm:
50mm vs 85mm vs 135mm:
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Comments
50 responses to “I Tested Every Focal Length to find the BEST One”
Shall we assume that you are strictly talking about using these primes with a full frame camera? A lot of us shoot APS-C with a 1.5 – 1.6 crop factor.
Nah, you got it wrong. The 85mm shows what your face really looks like. It is what it is. 🤷♂
Great video as always, thank you Julia
Watching this video totally confirmed that going with the 50mm was the right call! Sure, the 85mm and 135mm take super dreamy portraits, but for someone like me looking for a more versatile lens, the 50mm is definitely worth considering.
Doesn’t matter… it’s the skill not the gear
Good video. I am on APSC system and I want to photograph my cat a lot. Do you recommend 35mm lens or 50mm lens on this system for cats? Thank you!
I started with a 50mm and can’t break away from it I do like the 85mm but always revert back to wanting to shoot with a 50
I wish you could make a printable PDF with descriptions of what each lens is doing. I would like to study that
I am not a professional, just ocassional photographer and I really love taking portraits with Sigma 56mm DC DN f1.4 with my APS-C camera. Its equivalent of 84mm on full frame.
Full frame?
good illustrations also those close-ups of Maya melted me lol
You can take portraits with wide angles "But not head shots" .. Lets, do I say full shots standing next to Classic Car that would be sweet.
Julia your still all right and cute. "just saying"
50mm for sure!
Make sure to watch the video at a slower speed if you want to see the difference on focal length since she only leave it there for a split second 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
Your models are stunning. I've missed nearly 80% of information about lenses.
i Love 50mm
Thank you for an outstanding comparison and beautiful images. My most used, 50mm.
135mm is the most fantastic for portraits. It simply transports you to a fantasy world full of dreams.
At 1:17, you said you were walking and talking while setting the mode (shutter speed, aperture, and ISO).
105 Гуд Фэйс
I'm a prime shooter but I found that with the 50-150f2 zoom it's easier to just go with the flow for each setting without thinking too much
85mm is really the 🐐 OF portrait ❤
Hey I recently downloaded some of your lightroom pre sets and can not figure out how to download them to my lightoom. Please let me know if youre able to help
Plz dubbing hindi language on all video youtube settings 🙏
really well explained!! 50 / 85 is what I use the most hehe it's totally subjective indeed ❤
The best is 135mm
135mm does add a ton of weight, and is best avoided for portraiture. These lenses work best for candid, or long distance landscape photos.
I lie 58mm lenses in landscape orientation for couples or trios.
lots of hideous backlighting!
Great video. You remind me so much of of a young actress Heather Graham.
I always think that the 12-24 ones look the most pleasant to look at, as your subject doesn't look like a 2D sheet of paper. Closeup portraits with a fisheye are probably the most fun pictures I've ever seen. I really like a nice bokeh but it quickly starts to look clinical.
I am so close to pulling the trigger on the Sony 28-70 f/2.0 since I can get away with the F2 aperture most of the time and I photograph a combination of portraits and events. I love my primes but the flexibility of that range when I’m moving fast combined with that F2 is finally making me consider a zoom. The 24-70 f2.8 was okay but something about the f2.0 images has a character that just looks so nice. More separation and less sterile. I attached it to a Sony body and held it in B&H the other day. It’s not light but definitely manageable compared to the weight of the Canon version for sure. I was originally saving for the 50-150 f2 but at over 1400kgs I think I may stick to lenses in the sub 1k kg weight range for multi hour shoots. Or finally go back to the gym.. I could probably just curl that lens attached to a body in between shoots. 💪🏻 📸
I have everything from 17 to 300… I can't say why, but my Sony SEL-85F18 just rules them all.
Which is kind of ironic, because 85mm wouldn't be my first choice for ANYTHING. 😀
Different focal lengths for different face shapes. I just learned something new today. Thanks Julia!
I run a 50 mm and an 85 mm for portraits, but I always end up with the 50 on my camera. It basically never leaves. I might have to try the 105 though, because she looked gorgeous with that length.
how about 100mm macro. I've tried it it was amazing. can you try it too on how you gonna do it if you were to use it
You forgot the 200mm focal length, which creates some really amazing compression and background separation,
As a male I can say, untill model is young and georgous I don't care about focal lengths.
You can shoot even with 600 mm and x2.0 TC on top of that! 🙂
Great video, super easy to get concepts and great examples!
I pretty much live on 2 focal lengths: 21mm and 50mm. I will occasionally use a 75mm. I think 50mm is just so perfect for the majority of situations.
I did my daughters maternity shoot with a 100-400mm on my canon 200d, i think the tightest i went was 140mm
It starts to look good at 35mm but 85mm 👍
Nothing is worst or best, all depends on what kinds of images you are working on.
50 all day every day
Great content. THX a lot.
But how on earth your voice and pronunciation is can be 100% identical to Lucy Lumen ??? Even the melody of your voice. Fascinating !
14mm seems to be the only one that does not work.
It depends on the facial type of the individual (amongst a whole range of other considerations). Some of the prettiest models I've shot look odd (really exaggerated features) in real life, but a long lens flattens and transforms them into something else far more easier to model/shape with light……while a wider lens can just further highlight their exaggerated oddness (which you might want). Many of the old movie stars used to know their own and most personally aesthetically pleasing lens (and how to filter it!)
i have sigma EF 35mm f1.4, sigma EF 135mm f1.8…….and TTartisan RF 11mm f2.8 Fish eye
I’m not clear on why anyone would assume there’s a BEST focal length.
Bigger the head the wider the lens 😅
I really can’t get myself to like 85mm. I’ve tried multiple times but it’s obviously not for me. I’ve just don’t like the look. 35 and 50 most of the time. 24/28 some of the time. I also like long focal lengths 135mm plus, but only for half body and headshots. Full body just looks too voyeuristic and uncomfortably creepy to me.
The 85mm for portraits, namely the Canon RF 85 1.2L. Nothing like it.
Do you have any cameras for sale?