A Little Lens History…..

Shot with a 24mm lens.

As we prepare to review the new Fujifilm XF 16mm f 2.8 WR lens let me share a little  of my history with lenses, please.  My professional career started in the early 1970’s at the Harlan Daily Enterprise, in Harlan, Kentucky.  Back then, correction, way back then, most photo photojurnalists carried a Domke camera bag that could accomodate two camera bodies and 4 or 5 lenses.  In that era the vast majority, (over 85%), of all pro newspaper shooters used Nikon cameras and lenses.  In fact, Nikon’s tag line back then was, “the professionals choice” and they had to prove that figure to use that line.

Remember that photojournalists wanted to use lenses that did not distort very much the way things appeared to the human eye and therefore they tended to use less extrememe lenses.  Most newspaper guys and gals carried the following lenses in their bags; a 24mm f 2.8, a 35mm f 1.4, a 85mm f 1,8 and a 180mm f 2.8.  Later the 80-200 f 4.5 introduced the zoom telelphoto to these folks!  Many also carried a 50mm f 1.4 as well for use in low light situations.  The point was that the 20mm or 18mm were both a little wide for the perspective they were seeking.

In the wide angle area photographers gravitated to either the 28mm/20mm set or the 24mm/35mm set.  The vast majority chose the 35mm and the 24mm.  The 24mm became the “standard” wide lens with just enough distorition for affect, but with out looking too out of place.  The 35mm was kind of the normal lens for people and slightly wider than the 50mm normal lens.

I’ve had a long history with the the 24mm lens and I’m very comfortable using it, so I am anxious to try out the new 16mm f 2.8 from Fuji (because the Fujifilm cameras have an APS-C sensor the 16mm is the equivilent of a 24mm.)

Stay tuned!  It’s on the way!

Blessings,

the pilgrim