Lens – Features

Wide Angle Lens

A wide angle lens has a wide angle of view, a large depth of field range and exaggerates perspective.

Wide Angle

The wide angle of view of a wide angle lens shows a lot of the surroundings. This places the subject in context and gives the photography a feeling of wide open space.

Large Depth of Field Range

The depth of field range of a wide angle lens ranges from close to the lens to ∞ (infinity). All elements in the photograph are depicted sharp and in focus (unless they are very close to the lens). Therefore you will often find fixed wide angle lenses in compact cameras and mobile phones.

The depth of field range depends both on the selected type of lens and the selected aperture. At equal distance between the camera and subject and at equal aperture, a wide angle lens has a much larger depth of field than a tele lens.

Wide Angle Lens Exaggerates Perspective

Objects seem to be further apart then they really are. This give a feeling of space. Image elements close to the lens seem extra large and elements far from the lens seem extra small. Note the large headlight and the difference in size of the front and back wheel. More in the post Perspective.

Normal Lens

A normal lens has an angle of view comparable to the human eye, an average depth of field range and perspective comparable with the human eye.

Normal Angle

The angle of view of a normal lens is similar to the angle of view of the human eye. For a normal lens has a focal length ( f ) that is similar to the diagonal ( d ) of the light sensitive surface, so f ≈ d . The diagonal of 24×36 mm (full-frame) is roughly 43.3 mm. The lens depicted above has a focal length of 45 mm. from 45 ≈ 43,3 follows that this a a normal lens. More on angles in Tips – Lens angle of view.

Normal Depth of Field Range

The depth of field range of normal lenses can be described as average. The depth of field range depends both on the selected type of lens and the selected aperture.

Normal Perspective

Normal lenses have normal perspective comparable with the human eye. More in the post Perspective.

Tele Lens

A tele lens has a small angle of view, a limited depth of field range and compresses the perspective.

The four photographs below are taken with a zoom lens with a variable focal length ranging from 70 mm to 200 mm. As the focal length increases, the angle of view becomes smaller and the depth of field reduces. The latter can be observed in the increase of blur in the background.

Small Angle

Tele lenses have a limited angle of view that allow you to photograph subjects full screen at great distance.

Small Depth of Field Range

The depth of field range of a tele lens is limited. For this photograph the focus is on the bassist. The violinist, singer and audience in front are outside the depth of field range and become more blurred the further away they are from the bassist. The depth of field range depends both on the selected type of lens and the selected aperture.

Tele Lens Compresses Perspective

In this crowd people seem to walk closer together then they really were. A tele lens causes a flat perspective. More in the post Perspective.