25MM, 27MM, 32MM: A reflection on wide storytelling; compromises and preferences

Benjamin Reece · October 3, 2023

In the context of being asked why he does not use zoom lenses, Bruno Delbonnel said in FDT June 2019,

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I always asked myself why a 27mm is much nicer than a 25mm which is very close? I don't have the answer but it is a nicer lens.

He also said when speaking about his journey to establishing his wide style

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I always liked wide angles. If I could shoot an entire movie with a 27mm lens only, I would. I'd be happy to do it. But it's not really wide angle. In some ways, Amélie was a bit wider than that. We use the 25mm and the 18mm a lot, which I don't use much any-more. The wide angle has always been interesting for me.

I don't like long lenses because of the lack of depth of field. The background is usually soft. The character on screen is suddenly in a soft void were there is no connection with any environment.

This lack of environment seems wrong to me; it's just talking heads.

I entirely agree with Bruno. As I've shot thousands of hours of footage, with one lens at a time for periods of time, I've evolved to agree with this eye for storytelling over the years. Polanski seems to have the same eye as well as Bradford Young, Joshua James Richards, Chivo, Janusz kamiński, and many other modern DPs. Generally, I love the look of these filmmakers' work and aspire to reach their aesthetic in my own way.

Questions for general storytelling

Deakins recently told me on his forums, he would choose a 32MM catch-all, what would you choose, and why? Any specific lens? S4, Ultra, etc
Would there be types of emotions or projects you would lean towards the wider 24/25, and some, you would lean towards the 35 end?
Do you see any general advantage for storytelling that a 25MM offers over 27MM other than a few degrees of FOV? Disadvantage being the rendering of the human face at close-ups. Any others?

Questions for my situation

Following up on my last post, I recently acquired a crazy good deal on a 25MM Master Prime, I would have never purchased such a high-end lens except for the deal I got. I've shot extensively on 28, 24, and now I will be on the 25.

How sad should I be, that I am not sitting in this comfortable sweet spot of cinema history. And in fact, I am "stuck" in a compromise, without the "much nicer" 27?
Can I convince myself that a 25 MP (due to its increased DOF and rectilinear correction tech) may render facial character/close-up distortion as nicely as a 28 Ultra? ?
Or will I be forever unhappy and should I start the long journey of selling the MP while enjoying it, and start looking out for a single 28 Ultra, or 27 MP?

Edited October 3, 2023 by Benjamin Reece