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24mm vs 35mm: Comparing Wide Angle Lenses

In: 
Published: 23/03/2023

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Although you can use 24mm and 35mm lenses for travel, wildlife, portrait, landscape, and real estate photography, one performs better than the other in certain shooting conditions. The following in-depth comparison of 24 vs 35mm reveals how their focal length difference determines their suitability and applicability.

24mm vs 35mm Lens Overview

Whether you are shooting wide-angle real estate exterior photos or interior photos in tight spaces, you will want a lens with a wide field of view that can capture the entire scene with minimal optical distortions.

A person holding a black Nikkor 24mm camera lens near a black wall

Although both the 35mm and 24mm lenses can suit these applications, I will help you understand how their focal length difference affects their angle of view and overall performance and which lens might suit your circumstances best.

24mm Lens

A 24mm lens is a lens with a focal length of 24mm when paired with a full-frame camera, an equivalent focal length of 38.4mm on a Canon APS-C camera with a crop factor of 1.6x and 36mm equivalent on other camera brands such as Sony, Nikon, and Fuji with a crop factor of 1.5x.

 
Brand:
Sony E-mount FE 24mm
 
Brand:
Nikon NIKKOR Z 24mm f/1
 
Brand:
Sigma 24mm f/1.4
Compatible Mountings:
Sony E
Compatible Mountings:
Nikon Z
Compatible Mountings:
Canon EF
Lens Type:
Wide Angle
Lens Type:
Wide Angle
Lens Type:
Wide Angle
4.7
4.6
4.4
Brand:
Sony E-mount FE 24mm
Compatible Mountings:
Sony E
Lens Type:
Wide Angle
4.7
Brand:
Nikon NIKKOR Z 24mm f/1
Compatible Mountings:
Nikon Z
Lens Type:
Wide Angle
4.6
Brand:
Sigma 24mm f/1.4
Compatible Mountings:
Canon EF
Lens Type:
Wide Angle
4.4

35mm Lens

A 35mm lens is a lens with a focal length of 35mm when paired with a full-frame camera and an equivalent normal perspective of 56mm on a Canon APS-C camera with a crop factor of 1.6x and 52.5mm equivalent on camera brands such as Sony, Nikon, and Fuji with a crop factor of 1.5x.

 
Brand:
Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.8
 
Brand:
Canon EF 35mm f/2
 
Brand:
Sony FE 35mm f/1.8
Compatible Mountings:
Nikon F
Compatible Mountings:
Canon EF
Compatible Mountings:
Sony FE, Sony E
Lens Type:
Standard
Lens Type:
Wide Angle
Lens Type:
Wide Angle
4.7
4.7
4.7
Brand:
Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.8
Compatible Mountings:
Nikon F
Lens Type:
Standard
4.7
Brand:
Canon EF 35mm f/2
Compatible Mountings:
Canon EF
Lens Type:
Wide Angle
4.7
Brand:
Sony FE 35mm f/1.8
Compatible Mountings:
Sony FE, Sony E
Lens Type:
Wide Angle
4.7

Comparing 24mm vs 35mm Lenses

Keeping in mind that lenses are considered wide-angle if they have focal lengths of 35mm and below, they are categorized as wide-angle and share some similarities. However, their focal lengths are different, affecting their suitability in certain situations.

Similarities

Although there is a difference in the angle of view between these two lenses, both have short and fixed focal lengths, making them have the following similarities.

  • The two lenses result in wide-angle distortions where the elements around the edges of the frame look deformed
  • Both lenses lack optical zoom, and you will need to physically draw closer or further away from the subject to adjust the field of view

Differences

Although both 35mm and 24mm lenses are wide angles when paired with a full-frame camera, the focal length difference gives them the following field of view, depth of field, and image stability differences.

Depth of Field

Depth of field is in focus and relatively sharp on a portion of an image. A deep depth of field is when the entire image from the foreground to the background is in focus. On the other hand, a shallow depth of field results in blurry elements in the foreground and background.

In most cases, portrait photography uses a shallow depth of field to blur the background and draw the viewer's attention to the main subject. In contrast, landscape photography utilizes a deeper depth of field to bring the entire frame into focus.

The short focal length of the 24mm lens gives it a deeper depth of field, allowing you to get the main subject and the background in focus. On the other hand, the longer focal length of the 35mm lens gives it a shallower field depth, allowing you to blur the background.

A close-up black DSLR camera with a 35mm lens is placed on a wooden table in the living room

Field of View

Field of view, also known as angle of view, is the area a camera lens views at a given time. Generally, camera lenses are categorized depending on the angle of view, such as telephoto, normal, or even ultra-wide angle.

Lenses below 35mm are categorized as wide angles, while those below 16mm are categorized as ultra-wide angles. That means even if 35mm and 24mm are wide-angle lenses, the 24mm angle is wider than the 35mm and can capture a wider scene at the same subject distance.

For instance, the 24mm lens can capture the real estate interior of an entire room when shooting from the doorway. However, the wide-angle perspective creates optical distortions that might make the subject look deformed.

Size and Weight

Generally, the lens size and weight depend on the construction materials, the barrel's length, and the lens's diameters, depending on whether it's designed for a full-frame or crop factor camera. Usually, a 35mm lens is larger and heavier due to the longer lens barrel.

Image Shake

The image shake effect is the blurriness that results from the camera shaking or the subject moving when the camera shutter is open. In most cases, this happens when using slower shutter speeds or shooting handheld.

Although the lens's focal length doesn't directly affect the shaking effect, it affects its magnification. Since a lens with a wider angle of view, like the 24mm lens for Sony captures a larger scene of nearby subjects, there is not much amplification of the camera shake as there is no zooming effect.

Sony FE 24mm f/1.4
4.7
Pros:
  • It has the best performance in poor lighting on my list.
  • The switch button helps change from autofocus to manual control.
  • It produces an impressive bokeh quality.
Cons:
  • The aperture is unsuitable for capturing in strongly lit conditions.
  • It lacks image stabilization functionality.
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On the other hand, 35 mm lens for Sony has a narrower angle of view that creates a cropping effect that tends to fill the frame with a distant subject, creating a magnification effect. This magnification also magnifies the camera's movements or subject, causing more noticeable camera shakes than a 24mm lens.

Sony FE 35mm f/1.8
4.7
Pros:
  • It's the most lightweight on my list and suitable for carrying.
  • The focus design is ideal for capturing camera-shy objects.
Cons:
  • The bokeh quality is less impressive than that of the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8.
  • Unlike the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8, it's not weather resistant.
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Major Distinguishing Factor

The major distinguishing factor between a 24mm and 35mm lens is perspective compression, which is how objects in an image look closer or further from each other. Since the 24mm lens has a wider angle of view, it tends to expand the perspective and make the space between the subjects appear larger.

On the other hand, a 35mm lens has a narrower angle of view which constricts the perspective, making elements in the image look closer together. For instance, a room in a real estate interior photo might look more spacious when shot with a 24mm lens than when shot with a 35mm lens.

A black 24mm camera lens beside a box placed on top of a white table

When to Use a 24mm Lens

Keeping in mind that a 24mm lens has a shorter focal length and a wider field of view, it might be the best lens to use when shooting under the following conditions.

  • When taking real estate interior photos as it makes the room look spacious
  • When shooting landscapes and real estate exterior photos as it can make all elements in the frame to be in focus
  • The compact and lightweight design makes it ideal for shooting handheld
  • When you want to add effects to your photos using wide-angle distortions

When to Use a 35mm Lens

Since a 35mm lens has a narrower angle of view and can magnify distant subjects, it might be the best lens to use in the following photography situations.

  • When capturing portraits or close-ups because the shallow depth of field can allow you to add a pleasing bokeh effect
  • If shooting distant subjects because the cropping effect can help to magnify and fill the frame with the main subject
  • When shooting with a tripod setup because the heavier weight can help to stabilize the tripod

Which Lens Is Better

Although both lenses have a wide field of view when paired with a full-frame camera, the 35mm lens is a more versatile and better option as the focal length can change to an equivalent of a normal 50mm lens when paired with a crop-factor camera.

That means you can use this lens to shoot both wide and normal perspective photos depending on your camera.

Verdict

Whether you want to take close-ups of tiny subjects with a crop-factor camera or wide-angle exterior real estate photos with a full-frame camera, the above 24mm vs 35mm guide helps you choose a lens that can suit your camera sensor size for the right perspective.

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