When it comes to art, it's impossible to generalise accurately
Street photography isn't considered a "professional" form of photography by many people because "nobody's paying you to go in the street and take photos of whatever you want". However, some would argue that it's a form of artistic expression, and that it does have commercial value. For example, somebody might buy printed stills of street photography or pay for lessons on how to improve their street photography. I will cover the monetisation of this beloved "hobby" in another post. For now, let's assume we're doing this for pure fun and enjoyment. For me, whether I'm doing street photography or writing about it, it's a great way to disconnect from the world and throw myself into something pure and engaging; that's why I do it. However, the choice of which lens to take out with me is always tough and recently, I've been finding myself taking one lens out more than any other.
I explain which one and why in this post.
In reality, lenses are a subjective topic because everyone will have a different preference. Some photographers will prefer a zoom lens for various reasons. A lot of street photographers would argue that 55mm is not as versatile as 35mm, which when cropped, competes with a 55mm anyway. But then, a 50mm or 55mm in this case (that's what I use) will compete with an 85mm when cropped, and we know that 85mm is extremely popular among street photographers.
It really comes down to choosing the focal length that right for you and then choosing the right brand/aperture
My first lens on my Canon 6D Mark i was a 24-105mm f4. It was nearly as old as me according to the shopkeeper who sold it to me. I quickly realised that London was "dark" most of the year and f4 would hold me back with slow shutter speeds and high ISO. To maximise my potential for achieving sharp photos I had to get a lens with a wider aperture so the 50mm 1.4 became an obvious candidate. Alongside the wider aperture, I learned of other advantages of using prime lenses vs zoom lenses: sharpness, lighter weight and my creative development from having a limited focal length.
Street photography is about expecting the unexpected and being ready to capture something memorable at any moment
There aren't many focal lengths that work better than a 50mm/55mm in my opinion because you can use it for portraits, product shots, events, sports, street and many other genres of photography. The depth of field and low light performance made it a pleasure to use, especially when first starting out in photography.
The 35mm is more versatile and due to its high potential, it means lots of practice is needed to achieve anything close to mastery. This makes it both a pleasure and frustrating at times.
85mm is probably the most fun to use due to its focal length and compression. However, it's very restrictive if you're too close to your subject - you might miss important bits of context in the frame.
The 50mm just felt more intuitive and generally easier for me so that became my favourite street photography lens.
So, when I switched to a mirrorless system with the Sony a7iv, I relied on the 35mm to help me get through a few client shoots so that I could afford the 55mm and 85mm. I sold my 85mm shortly after that as it was like a toy vs other lenses I had; I wasn't really getting my money's worth on paid shoots with the 85mm which is why I decided to upgrade to a Sigma 105mm 1.4. I discuss this in another blog.
It's a hard choice between the Zeiss 55mm and Sony 35mm for the ultimate street photography lens. I love having both in my camera bag. I would say 50mm or 55mm is the ultimate focal length for street photography due to its ease of use at any level and how affordable it is for its quality. I also love how it keeps my photos naturally in proportion and it's a sharp lens too. I take it to all my paid shoots.
I look forward to sharing more of my personal collection using the Zeiss 55mm 1.8.
I am a professional freelance photographer and videographer based in London, UK. I started Martin Creates in order to help empower people and brands worldwide. One of the ways I do that is by publishing blogs with free information to help any creatives out there reading this. I welcome you to check out my work on this website as well as my newly launched site martincreatesweddings.com.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out.
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