The Best Focal Length

Nice idea for a video DPReview.

So which should really be the contenders? 135mm is way too long for general purpose. 85mm is pretty long too, presumably an intentionally controversial first choice.

50mm of course. The famed nifty fifty. Henri Cartier-Bresson’s lens of choice.

35mm. The Sony RX1R, the Fuji X100.

And 28mm. The Leica Q, the Ricoh GR.

The classics.

Let’s throw in too the 40mm of the Canon Canonet GL17, and more recently the Ricoh GR3x.

Personal preference or course, but here’s my order:

5. 85mm. Great for portraits, yes. Good for events too, in combination with something wider. But too narrow for a single travel lens.

4. 40mm. I always think that I should love 40mm. A sweet spot between 35 and 50, and probably the closest to the way the human eye sees the world. I’m not sure why, but I don’t seem to enjoy it as much as 35 or 50.

3. 28mm. Wide and fun, especially on the Ricoh GR. Great indoors, just a little wide for travel.

2. 50mm. Definitely an all-rounder and I could happily travel with just a 50. Nice for portraits.

1. 35mm. So flexible. For documenting, for portraits, and just wide enough to be good in small spaces and add more of the environment.

One focal length - what would you choose?