What Focal Length Do I Need for a Particular Shot?
| Range* | APS-C Focal Length | Full-frame Focal Length |
|---|---|---|
| Wide | 15-22mm | 24-35mm |
| Normal | 24-32mm | 40-55mm |
| Moderate | 50-60mm | 80-100mm |
| Long | 80mm+ | 130mm+ |
What focal length lenses do I need?
Focal length size guide
| Focal Length | Type of Lens | What is it used for? |
|---|---|---|
| 14mm – 35mm | Wide angle | Landscape, architecture |
| 35mm – 85mm | Standard | Street, travel, portrait |
| 85mm – 135mm | Short telephoto | Street photography and portraits |
| 135mm+ | Medium telephoto | Sports, wildlife, action |
How do I choose the right focal length?
The lower the focal length number, like 11 or 14 or 24, the more of the scene in front of you gets included in the frame. If you want to fill the frame with a small portion of the scene in front of you, use higher-number focal lengths, like 100, 200 or 400.
What is a 58mm lens used for?
Professional photographers often use 58mm lenses on a crop sensor—around 85mm on full frame—to shoot portraits.
What is a 35 80mm lens used for?
Even point and shoot cameras come with a standard 35–80mm lens. The standard lens is also known as “normal-lens.” The term “normal” is used for this type because it captures a scene just as the human eye sees it. A standard lens is great for everyday shots, such as flowers, people, or pets.
Is 75mm a good focal length?
On an APS camera, the 50mm is the equivalent of a 75mm, which is an ideal focal length for portraits. Not bad for a small, lightweight lens. The only disadvantage? When shooting close-ups, noses might look a bit larger than when using a true telephoto, which would compress the space for a more flattering shot.
Which lens is better 35mm or 50mm?
You would see that the 50mm gives you a shallower depth of field and better bokeh. The 35mm, on the other hand, will fit more into the frame, making it more suitable for landscape and indoor photos.
What focal length do movies use?
Wide-angle lenses with focal lengths of 35mm or less are common in film. Common focal lengths for wide-angle lenses include 18mm, 21mm, 24mm, 25mm, and 27mm.
How far is 300mm focal length?
56.5 yards
First Priority is Focal Length
| Focal Length | Distance (Crop frame) | Distance (Full frame) |
|---|---|---|
| 50mm | 10 yards | 6 yards |
| 100mm | 19 yards | 12 yards |
| 200mm | 38 yards | 23.5 yards |
| 300mm | 56.5 yards | 38 yards |
What is the most versatile focal length?
50mm
Standard Focal Lengths
A standard or medium telephoto focal length (in this example, 50mm) has often been considered the most versatile and popular. A standard focal length has a somewhat “zoomed in” perspective and doesn’t create any distortion. You can get a close up picture without having to be quite so up close.
What is the focal length of a 50mm lens?
Technical Information
| Focal Length | A | D |
|---|---|---|
| 25mm | 31.0mm | 1.3mm |
| 35mm | 33.0mm | 0.0mm |
| 50mm | 35.8mm | 2.85mm |
| 100mm | 52.0mm | 7.0mm |
What is a 30mm lens used for?
As you can see, the 30mm lens allows more content into the photo. This is great if you’d like to feature a beautiful background or if you’d like to have the person in your portrait be shown from head to toe and don’t have much room to physically back away to take the photo.
What do you use a 70 300mm lens for?
Covering a versatile 70-300mm focal length range (105-450mm equivalent on DX-format cameras), it’s an excellent choice for most daylight telephoto subjects, from portraiture to wildlife, on Nikon DSLRs that have a built-in focusing motor. Bring the action closer with vivid, lifelike detail.
What is a 300mm lens used for?
Focal lengths such as 300mm or 400mm would be a large, heavy telephoto lens for taking photos of birds or airplanes. Just remember – a small number is wide, a large number is telephoto. Two numbers together, e.g. 35-105mm, means that the lens zooms from one focal length to another.
What is an 80 mm lens good for?
And it would also allow for photography in low light, which is perfect for those who shoot indoors or at night. Plus, the 50-80mm focal length is great for portrait photography of any kind. At 50mm, portrait photographers can get some standard shots. At 80mm, you can go in for a tighter image.
When would you use a 75 300mm lens?
If you’re interested in sports, aircraft or other photography where you need a tight angle but it isn’t possible or practical to get close to the subject then go for the 75-300. If you will be photographing landscapes, cityscapes and people then the kit lens should be enough.
What mm lens is best for portraits?
50mm lenses
For portrait photography, 50mm lenses are great for full-length and waist-level portraits, both on location and in the studio. This is thanks to the wide field of view compared to an 85mm or 135mm lens, and you don’t need to be too far away from the model to achieve these crops.
When would you use a 24mm lens?
For landscapes, a 24mm lens is an extremely popular choice for capturing those wide, epic scenes of city skylines or mountain ranges. 24mm allows you to play with your foreground and at the same time still get an epic view into the distance. So if mountain vistas or waterfalls are your things, 24mm could be for you.
What focal length did Bresson use?
It is no coincidence that Henri Cartier-Bresson preferred a 50mm lens on his Leica 35mm rangefinder camera. His special ability was to use a 50mm lens but allow the photo to “breathe” almost as if shot with a 35mm.
What is the 85mm lens best for?
What Type of Photography Is Best With an 85mm Lens? An 85mm lens is excellent for portrait work. By isolating the subject and minimizing distortion, this lens can produce captivating, flattering portraits, headshots, and full-body images.
Why is 35mm so popular?
#1: Focal Length – In terms of composition, the 35mm lens is the closest to the focal composition of the human eye. That is why it is used so often in movies because it gives a much more realistic vantage point for the viewer.
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