The "normal" lens for 35mm, the one that gives the perspective most like the human eye is equal to the diagonal of the 24mm x 36mm frame, which is 43mm.
However, in the early 35mm SLR's of the 1950's, with the viewfinder magnification (eye relief) that was applied in those early cameras, a 58mm lens allowed you to look through the viewfinder and see objects the exact size as with your bare eye, allowing you to keep both eyes open.
Why, 58mm got reduced to 55 or 50, I don't remember from the article, but in the early days of SLR's there were a few 58mm lenses (Exacta, Minolta, etc.).
Mr. Bill
Tom Pfeiffer wrote:
Minolta normal lenses were 45mm, 50mm and 58mm. You're probably thinking of the 58mm, which WERE porpular in the SRT days. The 58mm f/1.2 was a legend (but don't tell Jim because it's too fast).
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