this post was submitted on 30 Nov 2023
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Understanding relative focal length with crop sensors (alien.top)
submitted 11 months ago by aLuckyFourteen@alien.top to c/photography@viewfinder.pro
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Hi all,

I'm trying to better understand relative focal length. I shoot with a Nikon D500 (APS-C) and up until now have done mostly sports photography. I'm trying to get more into street photography but trying to understand what I'll be shooting with based on the lenses that I currently own and I'm a little confused. Can you please confirm if my thinking here is correct.

Here are the lenses I currently own and (my assumption about the relative focal length with this crop sensor camera):

  • Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR (105-300mm)
  • Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8G (75mm)
  • Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.8G DX (35mm since it's a "DX" lens)

Are my assumptions correct? If so, do I not have a true 50mm focal length lens for this camera body? I was looking to shoot with a 50mm to start out my street photography journey.

Thank you for the help.

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[–] vaughanbromfield@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

The 35mm lens will have a FFE of 52.5mm. Focal length doesn't change.

What's really happening is "focal length" is being used as a proxy for "angle of view". So the 35mm lens on crop sensor has the same angle of view as a 50mm lens on full frame, which is about 40˚. People relate to 50mm more easily than 40˚.

It actually goes further: a 50mm lens on full frame is about the same as a 150mm lens on 4x5, a 210mm on 5x7 and a 300mm lens on 8x10. On each of those formats the angle of view is about the same so the picture will turn out with about the same framing.