When comparing the two images, the shape of the truck and the compression of the parts of the image are very different. I moved back away from the truck for the 105mm focal length image.

It is also important to understand that the size of your sensor affects your focal length. “Full Frame”, “FF” or “FX” sensors are the same size as 35mm film (24mm by 36mm). Cameras with these larger sensors tend to be more expensive that crop sensor cameras with smaller sensors.

Barreldistortion

With barrel distortion, straight lines appear to bend outward, away from the center of the image. It is called barrel distortion because the effect can cause a geometric square image to take on the shape of a barrel.

TV distortion, on the other hand, measures distortion based on a single square plane filling the vertical field of view. The resulting graphic can resemble a television screen. TV distortion tables measure the “straightness” of a line (or lack thereof) against the edge of a lens. While this method is effective for measuring within a given field of view, it does not account for distortion levels beyond that field of view.

Pincushiondistortion

I have heard photographers say that they don’t need a wide angle lens because they don’t really like landscape photography. And if they need get more into the scene then they can just back up.

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What distortion actually refers to is the bending of lines in an image that, in reality, are actually straight. Distortion is usually unavoidable with most lenses, though in many cases it is hardly perceptible at all.

Optical distortioncalculator

Understanding focal lengths is incredibly important in photography. You need to understand how different focal lengths see the world because that will enable you to choose the best focal length for your image.

But in some cases, distortion can have a negative impact on image quality. This is especially true for highly technical applications, such as architecture photography or medical imaging. In these fields, reducing distortion is a top priority.

A 100mm lens on a full frame camera will act like a 150mm lens on a 1.5X cropped sensor camera or like a 160mm lens on a 1.6X cropped sensor camera. So this will affect the field of view of your lens.

Lensdistortionmeaning

Either type of distortion table superimposes a matrix of lines or dots representing the distorted image over an equivalent undistorted matrix. These charts make it very easy to gauge distortion levels at certain points in a frame. Distortion is not linear, and thus optical distortion tables are effective when accounting for field of view.

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Start with your widest angle lens and make sure your subject is in a position where there is something in the background (so not right up against a wall). Get close to the subject so you can almost fill the frame with the foreground subject and capture an image. Then select a longer focal length and back away from your subject so you can fill the frame with the foreground subject and still see the same thing in the background. Compare the images. You can actually do this for multiple focal lengths and not just your widest and longest focal lengths.

Distortion can affect the appearance of any image on any lens. Adjusting for field of vision can lessen distortion levels, but that alone does not eliminate distortion. The best way to minimize distortion is to use specialized equipment and advanced, customized lenses for exact image quality.

Focal length is a number represented in mm that tells you the angle of view that your lens will capture. The lower the focal length number, the wider the angle of view. For example, a 14mm lens has an angle of view of 114 degrees while a 200mm lens has a focal length of 12 degrees.

Distortion tables, or distortion charts, are tools used to measure distortion levels with certain lenses. Once again, there are two general categories for measuring distortions: Optical and TV distortion.

One of the best ways to understand the concept of focal length is to capture images of the same subject using different lenses.

So wide angle lenses like the 14-24mm F2.8 have a wide field of view and telephoto lenses like the 70-200mm F2.8 have a narrower field of view.

Optical distortion measures the space between where an object appears in a frame versus where it appears in reality, or where it should be. Optical distortion can be easily read using a distortion dot chart, or a lattice pattern chart.

The example of the ferries wheel illustrates the way that many people think about lenses. You use wide angle lenses to capture a wide view of the world and you use telephoto lenses to capture images of things far away. But you need to shift that thinking to to truly understand lenses and focal length.

Optical distortionmeaning

Optical distortionexamples

When accounting for levels of distortion in optics, there are a few different ways to read and measure its effects. Understanding distortion tables can help decide lens selection and lens specifications.

Pincushion distortion has the opposite effect, causing straight lines to bend inward toward the center. The result is an image shape resembling that of a pincushion.

It is really important for photographers to understand how their different focal lenses see the world because they will be able to choose the lens that fits their vision for the image they have in their mind.

Optical distortiontest

Look at the shape of the marker and the size of the buildings in the background. In the 28mm example, I was quite close to the marker while I moved back to capture the image with a 150mm focal length.

Here are some more examples of how focal length affects your image. Be sure to pay attention to the size of the objects in the background.

There are two main types of distortion in optics to be aware of, barrel distortion and pincushion distortion. Both distortion types are named for the apparent shape of the images which are affected by distortion.

While they might be able to back up, the image they capture will be different. You can’t just replicate the look of a wide angle lens by backing up with a longer lens. Just like you can’t replicate the way a long telephoto sees the world by getting closer. It doesn’t work that way.

“Distortion” might be the most widely misunderstood, or misused, word when it comes to optics. Many people will use “distortion” to refer to any aberration or error in a photographed image.

There are two things to notice in this series of images using different focal lengths. 1. The size of the tree and the rubbish bin the background 2. How the shape of the bench changes and becomes more compressed the longer the focal length is used.

However, distortion actually has a more specific definition and refers to a certain type of photographic aberration. Understanding what distortion is, and how to measure it, can be very helpful when trying to determine the right lens for the right application.