135mm or 180mm For Tabletop Still-Life Photos

[Bonnephoto]

I use my Mamiya C330f and 80mm lens for tabletop still-life images and I'd like
to get either a 135mm or 180mm (the super version) to reduce both the size of
the background and perspective distortion, but I can't decide which lens would
be better suited to my needs. The price difference between the two lenses is
small so cost is not an issue.

My still-life setups tend to cover a two-and-a-half foot square area and I'd
like to maintain relatively good depth of field, and that is my major concern
about the 180mm lens. Would the 135mm give a pleasing perspective with this
area of coverage? Are most still-lifes of this size shot with telephoto rather
than normal lenses?

Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jim

[Patrick Bartek]

I opted for the 135 over the too long (for me) 180. It worked well
for standard, 3/4 or full length portraits or still life. The 135 is
about equivalent to an 85 or 90 on a 35.

And as far as depth of field is concerned: Even with different focal
length lenses, if the reproduction ratio is the same, the depth of
field will be the same regardless of the focal length. So, if your
subject is 1/3 life size on film with both the 135 and 180, the depth
of field will be the same with both. The camera to subject distance
will be different, but the DOFs will be equal.

--
Patrick Bartek
NoLife Polymath Group
bar...@skylink.net

[Joe McCary]

That Mamiya is a 6x6? If so I would like to add that I have used the
Hassey 135mm for doing table tops and had great success. As a focal
length it works great. Short enough that you are close enough to be
woking on the table and long enough to be able to not have to use a
wide paper so as to not show the room. You can check my website for
some samples. About half are MF and the rest are LF you have to guess
which is which.

Joe McCary
Photo Response
http://www.erols.com/mccary

On 27 May 1999 01:28:18 GMT, bonne...@aol.com (Bonnephoto) wrote:

|I use my Mamiya C330f and 80mm lens for tabletop still-life images and I'd like
|to get either a 135mm or 180mm (the super version) to reduce both the size of
|the background and perspective distortion, but I can't decide which lens would
|be better suited to my needs. The price difference between the two lenses is
|small so cost is not an issue.
|
|My still-life setups tend to cover a two-and-a-half foot square area and I'd
|like to maintain relatively good depth of field, and that is my major concern
|about the 180mm lens. Would the 135mm give a pleasing perspective with this
|area of coverage? Are most still-lifes of this size shot with telephoto rather
|than normal lenses?
|
|Your advice would be greatly appreciated.
|

|Thanks,
|Jim
|
|