Understanding the focal length of a lens in photography is important. Many people misunderstand it by thinking that the focal length could be the measurement of the lens itself. But let me tell you, the focal length of a lens has nothing to do with its physical lens.
Let’s keep reading to learn everything important about the focal length of a lens.
What is focal length?
The focal length of a lens tells you about the angle of view. It tells you about the magnification, the area of a scene that’ll be captured, and how large individual objects will look. Your focal length should be longer to get a narrower angle of view and higher magnification.
Simply put, the focal length is the distance between the lens and the sensor when your primary subject is focused. It is determined by setting the focus of the length to infinity.
How is the focal length measured?
The measurement of the focal length of a lens is the measurement of the magnification properties of the lens, which is measured in millimeters. The measurement of the focal length of a lens is based on the distance, in mm, between the imaging sensor and the convergence point.
The focal length of different camera lenses can range from 8mm to 600mm or more. You can easily find the focal length of a lens written clearly on its barrel with the denotation—mm.
What are the types of focal lengths?
There are six different types of focal lengths used in different lenses. These lenses can be distinguished as:
- Standard prime lens (50mm)
- Zoom lens (70mm-200mm)
- Macro lens (35mm-200mm)
- Telephoto lens (100mm-600mm)
- Wide-angle lens (16mm-35mm)
- Fisheye lens (8mm-18mm).
Which focal length is best for photography?
The best focal length in photography should be the one that best focuses on your subject, keeps the distractions away, and make the whole image look well-composed.
You should have a camera lens with a focal length between 70mm to 200mm that works for all kinds of photography and helps you capture stunning photos. Also, according to the rule in photography, you must have a standard prime lens of 50mm in your photography equipment.
It’s easy to carry and helps you capture well-focused, sharp, and professional images.
How does focal length affect photography?
The focal length of a lens determines how much of the scene will be captured in an image. Smaller the focal length, the wider the angle it would cover. On the other hand, the higher the number of the focal length in photography, the narrower the angle it would cover and capture less.
It depends on what type of image you want to capture. For example, the 70mm to 200mm lens can help you achieve the purpose if you want to capture portraits. If you wish to capture a wider view, like landscapes, you may want to go for a 12mm to 20mm lens.
Bonus Read
Focal length is one of the essential elements in photography. Without determining the focal length, you can not decide how many scenes you want in your image. Also, you can not remove or add anything to your image without keeping the focal length right.
Thus, understanding the use of focal length in photography and using different lenses with different focal lengths is crucial to becoming a successful photographer.
It’s recommended to have different camera lenses in your equipment to capture different types of photos as required.
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