Yesterday's Weapons Forums

A "normal" (field of view/focal length) lens is "one with a focal length (at infinity) equal to the diagonal of the image formed".
35mm (24 X 36mm) is actually 34.5mm. but the mechanics of the mirror swinging up & down in modern SLRs has made it cheaper to make & sell a 50~55mm as "normal".
Look at any non SLR & see what length it has!
If you're gone digital look at the sensor dimensions (not pixels) & go from there.

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"Free-oh-free Bwitish": Putting round holes in square heads since 1895

50mm is not that far off the industry calculated 42mm "normal" length.

The easier, slightly wide 35mm lens is a bit different to work with.

Nikon had a lot more to contend with than image dimensions.
The normal going back as far as the nikon S-2 range finder was 50mm- it was easier to get a faster aperture out of a 50 than a 35.

My current full frame D-810 has an image area of exactly 24 x 36mm, as did the nikon F, F-2, and F-3. The vertical travelling shutters in these cameras make full use of the image frame a reality.
Most dlsr's are APSC/DX frame size~ slightly wider than the old 1/2 frame olympus pen-f, but not by much.
The mass market digital cameras- the point and shoot pocket stuff have an image area about the diameter of a .270" bullet.
Phone camera sensors are even tinier.

The recent acquisition 35mm f 2.8 nikkor has been a pleasant surprise for me.
I have much to do with it yet, even though it's performance cannot edge the standby 50mm f2.

Regards,

Doc Sharptail

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"Ain't no Half-Way" -S.R.V.

"Oh Yeah!.....All Right!" -Paul Simon

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What's so funny about Peace Love and Understanding?

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What's so funny about Peace Love and Understanding?

True, Minolta had a couple of 58mm ones for the same reason.
I was really referring to angle of view for "normal" perspective though.

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"Free-oh-free Bwitish": Putting round holes in square heads since 1895

Taken with the oldster Nikkor-H 50mm f2 wide open and at minimum focus distance, just slightly under 2 feet. ISO 1600. Artificial non-ballasted LED lighting.
This approximates what I was getting from Tri-X shot at ASA 320, with a little less "snap".

This lens was the standard of a lot of press photographers by the mid 60's.
My particular sample dates to about 1963.
It's rendering has gone by the way-side, but personally, I still like it a lot.

Regards,

Doc Sharptail

_________________
"Ain't no Half-Way" -S.R.V.

"Oh Yeah!.....All Right!" -Paul Simon