150mm seems a bit too long 100mm 120mm

[Gregarpp]

I have been trying to force myself to use my 150mm lens.. But it seems a bit too long.
I like to take photos of my son handholding the camera with the waistlevel finder. Doing this with the 80mm is fine, but at times is a bit too short.

The 120mm seems like it could be good, but it is a macro lens. Does it have a long focus throw like my macros for 35mm film?

I see the other option is the 100mm lens, but that might be too close to the 80mm..

Any use the 120mm for normal shooting?

 

[pcp80]

The Hasselblad FE 110/2 seems to be the perfect candidate for you. But it requires a camerabody in the 200/2000-series...

 

[qnu]

The 120 mm would be the right one. The 100 and 110 mm lenses are a bit short, too close to the 80 mm, still.

Though a macro-lens, the 120 mm is perfectly good for 'normal' shooting, yes.

The focussing throw is a bit longer than in other lenses of comparable focal lengths, but not much, and not so it would make focussing different.

 

[simonpg]

Pete, I have to agree with QG (dam... again

)!

I have the 80, 120 and 150 (among others) and bought my 120 and 150 lenses in the reverse order to what you are considering - but either way the 120mm (for me) is the ideal fit between the other 2 (80 and 150).

While this is a personal choice thing; on a focal length angle of view basis it makes sense to put the 120 between the 80 and 150 - 40mm more than the 80 and 30mm less than the 150 - nice spacing.

BUT another issue that would have to make you seriously consider the 120 above the 100 to fit between the 80 and 150 is the key point of difference that the 120 has - optimised for closer focusing (rather than optimised for infinity). So the 120 would give you the added benefit (additional to the "comfortably" spaced focal length fit) - superb macro or non-macro close focusing performance.

Since I got my 120 Makro-Planar CF lens nearly a year ago, it has become one of my most regularly used lenses - superb (to my eyes) AOV for landscapes and couple/small group portraits.

I had the 80, 180 and 250 lenses and was looking for something to fit between the 180 and 80 and got the 120 for its added close focus benefit.

Now, I have the 150mm too (to fill the gap between 120 and 180) which I also love using - my long "street" lens. So, each of the 80, 120, 150 and 180 lenses has its special roles in my kit.

Finally, like QG says: the 120 is superb for "normal" shooting of many types. It becomes a wonderful high magnification macro lens when you add tubes etc. The occasional comments one sees around suggesting less than excellent "normal" imaging performance at infinity are, IMHO, nonsense.


So unless you really prefer the AOV given by the 100mm, the 120 makes very good sense within your lens kit.