TOMMY SHIH PHOTOGRAPHY

Click here for part 1 of this review

This is part 2 of my overlong review on the Nikon 35mm f/2.0, which I refer to as The 35. If you haven’t read part 1, do so. That’s not a command, just a strong suggestion, since this post picks up where the first part left off.

One thing I didn’t mention in part 1 is why I like to use prime lenses. One reason is the sharpness. Nikon’s primes are for the most part extremely sharp, and The 35 is no exception, even though the way I use the lens that isn’t always critical. I’ll show you an example below. The other reason is the way they handle out of focus areas, or the “bokeh.” The bokeh in most primes has a very appealing look and it makes a difference. Yes, many high end zoom lenses such as the Nikon 24-70 f/2.8 excel in both those areas, but it also cost me $1700. For under $500 I got my most frequently used focal length in that range in a much smaller and lighter form factor. Oh and as for those who complain about not being able to zoom…zoom with your feet!

So you know that I like this lens for lifestyle photography because 1) I can “get right in there,” effectively including the viewer in the photo experience, 2) it shows a lot of the environment behind the subject, and 3) I like the slight edge distortion because it creates a slightly different reality. The other reason I like to use this lens is its versatility. It is the only prime lens that I can shoot an entire lifestyle shoot with and still get everything I need to get. The next set of images are all from a personal shoot that I did with lovely Michele.

I can take standard portraits like the one below. There is little discernible distortion from this distance and I feel very comfortable framing and composing from this distance with this lens.

Another thing to notice here is that The 35 handles back light and flare pretty well. This is very important to me because it’s a lighting scenario that I use very often. In this case I expose for Michele, and allow the sky and highlights in the background to blow out. Yes, I lost contrast on her face. That will happen when there is some lens flare, but it isn’t egregious and I like the effect in moderation. It has to feel right for the subject matter, and I felt this intimate portrait would benefit from the dreamy quality of the lens flare.

Just as easy as it is to compose a standard portrait, I can easily back off and shoot a full length shot without being too far away. Composing full length shots works well when I know that I’ll be cropping down from the original aspect ratio of 2×3 to my portfolio size of 11×14 or for magazine covers and full page layouts that are closer to 8.5×11. I can comfortably capture enough of the background so that when I crop down there is still a sense of the environment. Again, I exposed for the shadow side and used the sun as a rim light here in a standard back lit scenario.

Here is the previously mentioned example of lens sharpness. You can shoot beauty with this lens! I shot this with the lens wide open (f/2.0), and the areas in focus (eyes, lips, hand) are very sharp. Just be careful about what you put in the corners because there is some distortion. In this case her hair bleeds off the top right corner so the distortion isn’t noticeable. Also be careful when shooting wide open because it’s easy to miss your focus point, and if you do it’s very obvious. Also note the nice way that the background elements melt out of focus. Since it’s a wide angle lens the background won’t completely melt out of focus like the 85mm f/1.4, but it looks pleasant. You just need to be a little careful where you put objects in the background in relation to the subject.

So all three of those shots are very different, but still have the same feel to them. It helps me to create a cohesive photo story when I use the same lens throughout, and with The 35 I am confident that I can comfortably do that.

I’ll finish this up with a couple example of travel photography images created using this lens. It’s a great walk around lens due to the diversity I mentioned above, and the wide aperture of f/2 makes it an ideal lens for low light shooting. The first was shot at around 9 AM in NYC while I waited for my subject for an editorial shoot to arrive. Even when on assignment, I always have my camera ready from the get go and am on the look out for potential personal images.

This second shot was taken at dusk, just after the sun had set. The way the light fell delicately on the buildings and the cobblestones was very appealing to me. I knew that I liked the location and wanted to get the buildings in focus, so it was a matter of waiting for the right type of vehicle to speed through the intersection. I spent a good 15-20 minutes crouching watching different types of cars and bicycles pass. The small size of the lens really made this easier on my arms. This shot was my favorite of the bunch, because of the look of the hat/helmet on his head and his bicycle look classic. The perspective of The 35 completed the look for me.

And that’s why I love The 35.