Street photography is a genre of photography that captures everyday life in public settings. It can be an exciting and challenging form of photography, as it requires you to be quick and creative. To capture the best street photos, you need the right equipment. A 35mm lens is often considered the best lens for street photography because it offers a wide field of view and allows you to back away from your subject while still capturing intimate details.
The 35mm lens has been used by many renowned street photographers over the years, including Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Doisneau, and Vivian Maier. The reason why this lens is so popular among street photographers is because it provides a natural perspective that closely resembles what we see with our own eyes. This makes it easier to capture candid moments without being too intrusive or distracting your subject.
The 35mm lens also offers a wide angle of view which makes it ideal for capturing larger scenes with multiple subjects in them. This allows you to tell stories through your images by including more context and detail in your shots. Additionally, this focal length gives you enough space to include interesting elements in the background without making them too distracting or overwhelming.
Another advantage of using a 35mm lens for street photography is its ability to blur out distracting elements in the background while still keeping your main subject sharp and in focus. This helps create a sense of depth and dimension in your images that can make them stand out from other photographs taken with different lenses.
Finally, the 35mm lens is also great for shooting portraits on the streets as it allows you to capture intimate portraits of people (waist-level up) without having to get too close or make them feel uncomfortable. This makes it perfect for capturing candid moments between strangers or friends on the streets without intruding on their privacy.
Overall, the 35mm lens is one of the most versatile lenses available for street photography due to its wide angle of view, natural perspective, ability to blur out distractions, and its suitability for shooting portraits on the streets. If you are looking for an all-around great lens for street photography then look no further than a 35mm prime!
These shots were all made with a 35mm prime lens (Fuji x100v):
The best 35mm prime lenses for Street Photography
- Fuji X100V: The Fuji X100V is a great choice for street photographers who want a compact camera with excellent image quality and fast autofocus performance. It has a fixed 23mm f/2 lens which provides a 35mm equivalent focal length when shooting in APS-C mode. This makes it perfect for capturing wide-angle shots while still providing enough detail to get close up shots of people or objects on the street. Additionally, it has an advanced hybrid autofocus system which allows you to quickly lock onto your subject and take sharp images even in low light conditions.
- Sony FE 28mm f/2: The Sony FE 28mm f/2 is another great choice for street photographers who want a lightweight prime lens with excellent image quality and fast autofocus performance. It has a fixed 28mm focal length which gives you an equivalent field of view of 42mm when shooting in full frame mode – perfect for capturing wider scenes without having to step back too far from your subject. Additionally, it has an advanced linear motor autofocus system which allows you to quickly lock onto your subject and take sharp images even in low light conditions.
- Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM: The Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a high-quality prime lens with excellent image quality and fast autofocus performance at an affordable price point. It has a fixed 24mm focal length which gives you an equivalent field of view of 36mm when shooting in full frame mode – perfect for capturing wider scenes without having to step back too far from your subject while still providing enough detail to get close up shots of people or objects on the street.. Additionally, it has an advanced ring-type ultrasonic motor autofocus system which allows you to quickly lock onto your subject and take sharp images even in low light conditions..
- Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35 mm f/1 .8G: The Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35 mm f/1 .8G is another great choice if you’re looking for a lightweight prime lens with excellent image quality and fast autofocus performance at an affordable price point . It has a fixed 35 mm focal length which gives you an equivalent field of view of 52 mm when shooting in APS-C mode – perfect for capturing wider scenes without having to step back too far from your subject while still providing enough detail to get close up shots of people or objects on the street.. Additionally, it has an advanced Silent Wave Motor (SWM) autofocus system which allows you to quickly lock onto your subject and take sharp images even in low light conditions..
- Sigma 30 mm F 1 .4 DC HSM Art: Last but not least is the Sigma 30 mm F 1 .4 DC HSM Art – another great choice if you’re looking for a high-quality prime lens with excellent image quality and fast autofocus performance at an affordable price point . It has a fixed 30 mm focal length which gives you an equivalent field of view of 45 mm when shooting in full frame mode – perfect for capturing wider scenes without having to step back too far from your subject while still providing enough detail to get close up shots of people or objects on the street.. Additionally, it has an advanced Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) autofocus system which allows you to quickly lock onto your subject and take sharp images even in low light conditions..
These five lenses are some of the best choices available today if you’re looking for top quality optics combined with fast autofocus performance at reasonable prices points – making them ideal choices for any serious street photographer!