The optical structure of the 35mm lens provides a wider Angle of view and a shorter closest shooting distance, bringing different shooting purposes.  If you like street photography and landscapes, you must include a 35mm lens as part of the kit.  The wide-angle range of the 35mm lens makes it ideal for taking both subject and background photos.  This also reveals the context of the subject by revealing the context.  It helps to tell the story of the image.  The wide Angle of view created by the lens allows more scenes to be captured on digital sensors or film.  Let’s learn more about 35mm prime lenses.  

1. When is a 35mm lens appropriate?  

Sometimes, you need to go further and tell a story.  For this reason, 35mm is easily the most versatile focal length.  It gets enough context, not super-wide.  The 35mm dates back to the days of good old film cameras.  Because of this versatility, it’s the perfect companion for walking around the city and taking everyday photos.  That said, it certainly has its place in portraiture.  

While 50mm is generally considered the top choice for those new to the world of photography, 35mm is a close second.  Generally, it has a slightly smaller maximum aperture, so there is less light and less bokeh.  However, if you get close enough to your subject and turn the lens on to or near full open, it can create gorgeous bokeh all day long.  

2. Three common uses of 35mm prime lenses  

(1) Street photography  

The 35mm lens is perfect for street photography.  The 35mm lens allows you to capture the entire scene.  It’s wide, but not too wide.  It’s just a little wider than what you see with your eyes, so it’s a pretty realistic representation of your worldview.  When photographing people at markets or music festivals, the compact 35mm lens allows you to get close to your subject.  

You make a connection before the photoshoot, which makes the experience more enjoyable for both of you.  It’s a shot wide enough that you can see into the background, which means the viewer can get a better idea of where the portrait was taken.  As long as the camera is not too close to the subject’s face, the lens does not distort their features.  As long as you keep a little distance, its point is relatively correct.  

(2) Scenery and seascape  

When you’re hiking a trail through the wilderness, standing on a ridge overlooking a lake, forest on either side and mountains in the distance, the 35mm lens will capture the scene just right.  It will show all the lakes in the foreground as well as the green forests on either side, and you can also capture the beautiful views of the mountains in the distance.  A wider lens would make the majestic mountains look like specks on the horizon.  

Longer lenses, such as a 50mm lens, maybe cut from the forest on the side.  With an 85mm lens, you may not even be able to see the lake in front of you.  This means it is no longer a landscape photograph, but just a close-up image of a mountain.  The same goes for the seascape.  

You want to see the waves, the beach, and the people running into the waves.  If the sun goes down, you also need to include a colorful sky.  A 35mm lens gives you all of this without compromising clarity.  It allows you to get close to breaking waves while keeping everything else in the frame.  It can help you tell more stories and generate some emotion.  You can imagine the excitement people experience when they hit the waves.  If you just want to capture a sunset, a distance shot might be more appropriate.  

(3) Video  

Interested in photography?  Most modern digital cameras have a video mode, and 35mm lenses are perfect for making movies.  Because the view is similar to your natural vision, the movie’s audience will feel like they are part of the action.  When making YouTube’s “Talk to camera” format, the 35mm lens was an ideal choice.  It doesn’t feel too cinematic, but there’s a similar intimacy to when you’re standing around talking to friends.