Standard lenses are popular as they are closest to the angle of view we humans see. These lenses have minimal distortion, which can be flattering to the subject. They tend to use large apertures and allow a lot of light to enter the lens which makes them fast in low light conditions. Large apertures (f/1.8 – f/1.4) also produce a pleasing out-of-focus effect to the background which concentrates the attention of the viewer on the subject. Standard lenses are the popular choice for a wide range of photography including portraiture, nature and low light situations where the photographer can not use a flash or is looking to capture the scene with available light.

Types ofcamera lensespdf

Wide angle lenses are popular lenses for landscape photography, interiors, large group photos and when working in confined situations.

These lenses provide a good range for wildlife and sports photography where the photographer is limited as to how close they can get to the subject.

Types ofcamera lensesand their uses

Close-up photography uses a specific range of lenses that allow up to 1:1 reproduction. These lenses allow the photographer to focus very close to the subject and reproduce them at a 1:1 life-size ratio on film or an imaging sensor. These lenses are popular for subjects such as flowers, insects and small products.

Lens focal length tells us the angle of view—how much of the scene will be captured—and the magnification—how large individual elements will be. The longer the focal length, the narrower the angle of view and the higher the magnification. The shorter the focal length, the wider the angle of view and the lower the magnification.

Camera lensesmm Explained

Edmund Optics® TECHSPEC® machine vision lenses offer unique imaging capabilities that are not available with standard lenses. They are a leading global manufacturer and supplier of high quality imaging lenses for machine vision. For industrial applications where precise measurement is essential, Edmund Optics manufactures high quality, high resolution telecentric lenses including SWIR telecentric lenses and telecentric lenses with inline illumination.

Fashion photography with Dixie Dixon, Visual Storytelling with Joe McNally, Wedding photography with Jerry Ghionis and Sports photography with Rod Mar

There are two types of lenses-prime and zoom. Prime lenses have a fixed focal length and zoom lenses have variable focal lengths.

Howdocamera lenses workphysics

Telephoto lenses between 70 – 200mm are very popular lenses for portraiture and product photography as well as nature and wildlife imagery. They allow the photographer to produce close crops on the subject. In the case of portraiture a telephoto allows the photographer to take the photo at a distance that does not intrude upon the subject.

By clicking Sign Up, you are opting to receive promotional, educational, e-commerce and product registration emails from Nikon Inc. You can update your preferences or unsubscribe any time.

Camera lensesExplained for Beginners

Focal length, usually represented in millimeters (mm), is the basic description of a photographic lens. It is not a measurement of the actual length of a lens, but a calculation of an optical distance from the point where light rays converge to form a sharp image of an object to the digital sensor or 35mm film at the focal plane in the camera. The focal length of a lens is determined when the lens is focused at infinity.

Fashion photography with Dixie Dixon, Visual Storytelling with Joe McNally, Wedding photography with Jerry Ghionis and Sports photography with Rod Mar

The main advantages of prime lenses or fixed focal length lenses are their size and weight as well as their maximum aperture or f/stop. Prime lenses tend to be more compact and lightweight than zoom lenses.

Prime lenses also tend to have a larger maximum aperture (f/1.4 to f/2.8). This is an advantage when shooting in low light conditions as it will increase the possibility of hand holding the camera and freezing the subject without shake or blur caused by the longer exposures. Photographing using prime lenses with large apertures also means you can get a shallow depth of field which is useful for portraiture where you might want a softer or blurred background (also known as bokeh).