24 mm vs 35 mm: which should you choose?
24 mm is wider and suits landscapes, interiors and big scenes up close. 35 mm is tighter and more natural, and suits streets, travel and people in their surroundings. On a full-frame camera, 24 mm sees 73.7° across and covers 4.5 × 3.0 m at 3 m. 35 mm sees 54.4° and covers 3.1 × 2.1 m. From the same spot, 35 mm makes everything 1.46x bigger.
How 24 mm and 35 mm frame the same scene
Which one to choose
- Pick 24 mm for landscapes, architecture and small rooms, where you can't step back far enough for 35 mm.
- Pick 35 mm if people are often in the picture. At 24 mm you stand closer, and faces near the edges of the frame look stretched.
- With 24 mm you tend to stand close, so near things look big and far things small. That adds depth to a foreground, and makes distant mountains look smaller.
- If you have a 24-70 mm zoom, both are on it. Spend a week at each end and see which one you keep coming back to.
To see 24 mm and 35 mm on your own scene before you buy either, Prospekt (Lens Simulator: Prospekt on the App Store) turns your iPhone into a viewfinder for your camera body: pick the body, switch between the two focal lengths, and the screen frames what each lens would. iPhone app, $3.99 once, no subscription.
24 mm and 35 mm on each sensor size
The same two lenses on different cameras. A smaller sensor frames tighter, so each lens covers less and you stand farther back. Coverage is with the camera held horizontally. The distance fits a 1.8 m person in 90% of the frame height, with the camera held vertically.
| Focal length | Full-frame equivalent | Horizontal angle | Covers at 3 m | Distance to fit 1.8 m |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full frame 1x | ||||
| 24 mm | 24 mm | 73.7° | 4.5 × 3.0 m | 1.3 m (4.4 ft) |
| 35 mm | 35 mm | 54.4° | 3.1 × 2.1 m | 1.9 m (6.4 ft) |
| APS-C 1.5x | ||||
| 24 mm | 36 mm | 53.1° | 3.0 × 2.0 m | 2.0 m (6.6 ft) |
| 35 mm | 52 mm | 37.8° | 2.1 × 1.4 m | 2.9 m (9.6 ft) |
| Canon APS-C 1.6x | ||||
| 24 mm | 38 mm | 50.2° | 2.8 × 1.9 m | 2.1 m (7.0 ft) |
| 35 mm | 56 mm | 35.6° | 1.9 × 1.3 m | 3.1 m (10 ft) |
| Micro Four Thirds 2x | ||||
| 24 mm | 48 mm | 39.7° | 2.2 × 1.6 m | 2.8 m (9.1 ft) |
| 35 mm | 70 mm | 27.8° | 1.5 × 1.1 m | 4.0 m (13 ft) |
Questions
Should I get a 24 mm or a 35 mm lens?
24 mm is wider and suits landscapes, interiors and big scenes up close. 35 mm is tighter and more natural, and suits streets, travel and people in their surroundings. On full frame, 24 mm covers 4.5 × 3.0 m at 3 m and 35 mm covers 3.1 × 2.1 m. Compare both over a photo in the free lens comparison tool.
How far do I stand for a full-body portrait with 24 mm or 35 mm?
On full frame, with the camera held vertically, about 1.3 m (4.4 ft) with 24 mm and 1.9 m (6.4 ft) with 35 mm. That fits a 1.8 m person in 90% of the frame height. On 1.5x APS-C, about 2.0 m (6.6 ft) and 2.9 m (9.6 ft).
What do 24 mm and 35 mm frame like on APS-C?
On a 1.5x APS-C camera, 24 mm frames like 36 mm on full frame and 35 mm like 52 mm. On Canon APS-C (1.6x), like 38 mm and 56 mm. For the full-frame look on 1.5x APS-C, use about 16 mm and 23 mm.