In praise of the 22

Back2M wrote:

I've found I'm reaching for my 22mm to my surprise quite often actually during the holidays even though I'm smitten by the 32mm.

Although the 32mm produces simply stunning results when you fire it on a newer M like my M50 (which has FAST AF, particularly in the dark, necessary for that thin DOF), the 22mm fills the same role as the 35mm does on a FF; 50mm is not 35mm and indoors in tight places, like you've well sampled (thank you, wonderful shots) and the 11-22 is simply too slow at f/5.6 at 22mm indoors, as is the 15-45 at around f/3.5...

I still have my G1X III, and 15mm @ f/2.8, is something to be desired indoors. I really think Canon should produce a faster 20-ish prime. Whether they will? Dunno. Perhaps that 16-80 f/2-6 patent may emerge which would at least give us a wider option at f/2... That's likely at least (but probably not anytime soon though). Combine it with say IBIS which I suspect will be available around the same time? Yeah, double nice.

Anyhow, I'm finding at 32mm f/1.4, you need to think about your composition as at f/1.4 the 32mm can be too thin of a DOF. But, at f/2 at 22mm, nope, usually not. I usually fire the 22mm wide open indoors with spectacular results. Where things get dicey is if my subject is moving quickly, then that extra stop is really nice to have for faster shutters without blowing my ISO out.

The 22mm definitely has it's place. Point and case? I was so smitten with the 32mm when I got it, I did an outing just with it, no bag (with the 22mm in it) and I had a gut feeling the 22mm would've been more appropriate... The venue: indoor play area for kids. Uh huh, tight places, indoor lighting. The lady working the venue took some shots with a Nikon point and shoot and an onboard flash (yuck!) and got better results as she got shots I didn't due to wider framing. I kept kicking myself for not bringing that 22 instead. Oh well, you live and learn. Had I brought my 22mm and EL-100 (and bounced it)? It would've just delivered. Holy cow. I didn't though. Hindsight is 20-20.

Morale of the story: Tight indoor venues = 22mm (35mm), particularly if the subjects aren't as fast moving, or even if they are.

Portraits and things, or more fast moving subjects in the dark (with less tight quarters): 32mm f/1.4.

Each has it's place. Rest assured. Folks (that own both) should dust off their 22mm in my opinion for the right venues. It's no slouch.

That was my conclusion about 50mm eq. Tried it on FF (50mm f1.2 and nifty fifty) and on M50 - 32mm f1.4 but in both cases I quickly went back to 35mm equivalent for versatility. 35mm and 85mm eq. combo just works better for me.