For street photography, 35mm and 50mm are the most popular. The 50mm allows for a more intimate composition, while 35mm will include more of the surrounding to establish context. Some have also recommended 28 or 24mm to provide an even larger field of view to give a better sense of the environment. Often with such wide focal lengths, you’ll want to be closer to the subject.

To fix this, the optical designer must add one or more additional elements — which do not affect the center of the image, but rather force the edges to come to a focus farther away to “flatten” them out onto a flat imaging plane such as film or a digital sensor. Every new lens element provides its own spherical problems while correcting others from the element in front of it, and the designer must address these cascading problems and balance them out.

A macro lens, used for close-up photography of small subjects like flowers and insects, lets the photographer get physically close to the subject and show it as larger than life within the frame. Macro lenses can have a focal length ranging from 60mm to 200mm. The best focal length is the one that lets you maintain an appropriate distance from the subject.

Cinematographer Mikyla Jonck bravely posed for this example, which shows how the representation of her facial features changes dramatically between a 14mm lens a few inches away to a 135mm about 20' away. With the lens very close, her features are exaggerated, but with a long lens very far away, they flatten out.

A perfectly rectilinear lens will represent straight lines from the real world as straight lines in the produced image. A lens that fails to achieve rectilinearity will represent those straight lines as curved or bowed. An extreme example of a non-rectilinear lens is a fisheye lens, which makes no attempt to correct the geometric distortion, instead presenting straight lines as very curved, especially around the edges of the image.

For travel photography, using a zoom lens is convenient because you can achieve a variety of focal lengths with the same lens, allowing you to you carry less equipment. Some photographers prefer prime lenses because they often feature higher quality glass and wider apertures. Ultimately, the decision comes down to personal preference.

Some lenses have a variable focal length (like 18-55mm or 70-200mm) and are called zoom lenses, while others have a fixed focal length (like 50mm or 100mm) and are referred to as prime lenses. The choice between a zoom lens and prime lens is often based on preference and subject matter.

Short focal length lenses are used in architectural, documentary, and landscape photography because they have a wide angle of view. These wide-angle lenses make subjects appear smaller, which requires photographers to stand closer to fill the frame. Short focal lengths are suitable for environmental portraiture, large groups, and small spaces.

Focal length is often a photographer’s first consideration when deciding what lens to use to capture a given scene or subject. But what is focal length? And how do photographers use it to create compelling images?

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50mm (or the nifty fifty) is generally considered the focal length that most closely approximates the human field of view. Focal lengths closer to 50mm are flexible and used for almost every genre of photography, aside from niche genres that require specialized lenses.

Geometric DistortionThis phenomenon is a property of the glass elements inside the lens that refract the light — a composite of the lens’ prescription and a failure of the optical system to render a perfectly rectilinear world.

Lenses and focal lengthchart

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In the series of three images below, the top-most photo is frequent ASC collaborator Brittany Belt captured with a 135mm lens from a distance of 3' 8", and the second image is a 14mm lens from the same distance of 3' 8". The third image is a crop of the middle portion of the wide-angle shot to match the framing of the long-lens shot. Note that there is no discernible difference in distortion of her features.

This small distance between their features, compared to the person’s distance from you, makes their face appear “normal” and natural to you. However, if they were to close the distance between you and put their nose just 1" from yours — making the distance between their nose and their ear larger than the distance between you — their face will appear distorted to you. (You’ll also probably be very uncomfortable with someone invading your personal space!)

It is not the wide lens that creates the type of distortion seen in the photos in the sidebar below, but the proximity of the lens that creates the effect. Such distortion is commonly attributed to wide-angle lenses because we cannot see the effect with a longer lens, as the angle of view is so small.

Two of the biggest misconceptions about perspective distortion regard the use of larger-imager formats (i.e., larger than Super 35). The first is a belief that there is less distortion from lenses when shooting with a larger-imager camera because the format requires longer focal-length lenses for a given distance and angle of view. This is not true. It is not the focal length of the lens that creates perspective distortion.

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The relative distance from the tip of her nose to her ear is large when the lens is close and extremely small when the lens is far. Therefore, there is a “Goldilocks” zone where the features are presented at their most natural, flattering and “just right.” This distance/focal-length combination is different for every face. One of your lead actors might look amazing on an 85mm close-up, but their co-star might look better on a 65mm or even a 50mm. Understanding this and learning to recognize what is best for each face takes your photography to the next level.

It’s important for photographers to know the practical effects that focal length has on image-making. The focal length of the lens impacts three key areas:

While the lens controls the angle of view, the field of view in a photograph depends on interaction between the focal length and the camera sensor. Full frame camera sensors capture the full angle of view that the focal length can deliver, but crop sensors can’t capture all the data adequately. So, depending on the crop factor of the sensor, a 35mm focal length could look more like 50mm.

Focal lengthof lens formula

Is the distance between subjects in a scene. Longer focal lengths compress the distance, making it appear as if the foreground, middle, and background are closer together.Shorter focal lengths increase the appearance of distance between planes.

A beautiful example of this was assembled by cinematographer Manuel Luebbers, who used a beam-splitting 3D rig with a 35mm-sized imager and a 65mm-sized imager to photograph the same subject simultaneously. (See Shot Craft, AC Sept. ’21.) When comparing the Super 35mm and the 65mm, it was shown that the sense of perspective is exactly the same.

Camera lens distance chart

Focal length is the distance measured in millimeters, between the optical center of the lens and the camera sensor, where the light information is recorded. When light enters the front of a lens, the elements inside the housing bend and shape it so it converges into a single point of focus, known as the “optical center.” It is important to note that this measurement is determined with the camera focused on infinity and that lenses are named by their focal length which can be found on the barrel of the lens.

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The second misconception regarding larger-format cameras is a belief in the inverse: that the necessity of longer lenses when shooting with these cameras causes foreground/background compression. Again, this is not true. It is not the focal length of the lens that causes the distance between foreground and background to be compressed, but rather the relative distance of the lens to the subject.

Generally, but not always, wider lenses have more geometric distortion, especially negative/barrel distortion, as this becomes increasingly difficult to correct as the angle of view increases. Conversely, longer lenses tend to have more positive/pincushion distortion.

Lenses and focal lengthcomparison

This allows photographers to keep distance between themselves and their subjects. As a result, these focal lengths are ideal for situations where you may want to remain unobtrusive, such as sports, wildlife, or wedding photography.

This allows photographers to keep distance between themselves and their subjects. As a result, these focal lengths are ideal for situations where you may want to remain unobtrusive, such as sports, wildlife, or wedding photography.

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Because cameras feature a variety of sensor sizes, not all models will tell you the true focal length of a lens. Lens focal length is based on a 35mm sensor size, based on 35mm film. Most full frame camera sensors are the equivalent of 35mm, so a 100mm lens will actually have a 100mm focal length.

The images below were generated in the storyboarding program Frame Forge 3D, and they illustrate this phenomenon quite well. At the top is a simulation of a 100mm lens 52' from the nurse in the foreground. The next is a 50mm lens 26' from the nurse; then a 25mm lens 13'; and finally a 10mm lens about 5'6" from the nurse.

Once you understand the practical nature of how focal length functions in photography, you’ll be better prepared to choose the proper focal length for your next shoot. Are you looking for a new lens for your camera? Or maybe you want to revamp your setup entirely with a new camera? At Adorama, we have everything you need to get started, with great products from Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fujifilm, Olympus, Panasonic, and other fantastic brands.

50mm is generally considered the focal length that most closely approximates the human field of view. Focal lengths closer to 50mm are flexible and used for almost every genre of photography, aside from niche genres that require specialized lenses.

Camerafocal lengthcomparison

Focal lengthcamera

When you stand 4-6' away from another person and have a conversation, the distance between the tip of the nose and the ear of the person you’re talking to is very small compared to the physical distance between the two of you. For most people, it’s about 4".

The distance between the photographer and the subject, objects will appear smaller in images taken with short focal length lenses, and larger in those with longer focal lengths.

Keep in mind that photos taken at short focal lengths will often experience distortion, particularly around the edges. It’s important to take care if you want to maintain straight lines.

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These types of distortion are part of the optical design of the lens and cannot be corrected by the cinematographer. With a complex lens, such as a zoom, the geometric distortion might change from negative at the wide end of the lens to positive at the long end, with various stages of transition and complex distortion between.

Yet even after all the elements are assembled, there are many cases wherein the finished lens still produces bent or curved lines in the image that are straight in the real world. Such image characteristics often become accepted — and even sought-after — as a signature “look” of a given lens.

Keep in mind that photos taken at short focal lengths will often experience distortion, particularly around the edges. It’s important to take care if you want to maintain straight lines.

The challenge is that spherical elements, while easy to manufacture, project spherical images. This means that for such images to appear accurately, they would have to be projected onto a curved surface.

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This same phenomenon happens when a camera and lens are placed unusually close to a subject: The subject appears distorted in the image. (See sidebar below.) This is not a property unique to wide-angle lenses — it happens with every lens — but we can discern more of the face with a wider-angle lens due to the increased field of view.

For portrait photography, you want to choose a focal length that will be flattering to the subject. Try to avoid wide angle lenses, especially if the person is close to the camera or positioned off center as this can exaggerate features. For a head and upper body composition, 50mm is great. If getting a tighter view of the head and shoulders, try 85-90mm. For a pure headshot, then 135-200mm is recommended.

Classic architecture images of interiors and large building are often taken with an ultrawide angle lens, usually in the 14-21mm range.  The wide angle allows you to capture more of the subject in tight environments.  The demagnification can also make an area appear more spacious.  It’s important to keep the lens/camera system level so straight lines are not distorted.

Lenses have a large range of focal lengths from extremely short like 8mm, to extremely long like 600mm and beyond. The best focal length for a photograph varies based on the subject matter and situation. Fortunately, with a DSLR, mirrorless, or other interchangeable lens camera, you can choose the right focal length every time you shoot.

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In a crop sensor camera, the sensor is smaller and will magnify the image accordingly. Canon’s crop sensor will effectively magnify the image by 1.6x. That means a photograph taken with a 100mm lens will be the equivalent of a 160mm (or 1.6 times the focal length).

Perspective DistortionAn entirely different form of optical distortion, which is imposed on the image by the spatial relationship between the camera/lens and subject, is known as perspective distortion.

You can photograph unmoving objects like rocks, shells, and plants more easily with a shorter focal length, while moving subjects or living creatures are easier to capture with longer focal lengths.

Focal lengths from 70mm to 85mm and above are generally considered longer focal lengths, and they’re often referred to as “telephoto lenses.” Whether you use zoom lenses or prime lenses, you can expect to see compression of distance and less distortion in longer focal lengths.

A frequently misunderstood concept in the field of cinematography, which can lead to confusion about format and lens choices, is optical distortion and its causes.

Canonlenses and focal length

Short focal length lenses are used in architectural, documentary, and landscape photography because they have a wide angle of view. These wide-angle lenses make subjects appear smaller, which requires photographers to stand closer to fill the frame. Short focal lengths are suitable for environmental portraiture, large groups, and small spaces.

Nikon’s crop sensor cameras have a 1.5x magnification, so that same 100mm lens will be the equivalent of 150mm. Some cameras have even smaller sensors, so the magnification will be larger. It’s important to know if your camera has a magnification factor so you can predict focal length adjustments accordingly.

Most photographic-lens elements are spherical, meaning they have constant radii of curvature across their surface. These elements are relatively easy to manufacture; the process of grinding and polishing glass to form lenses has been used for hundreds of years. (It even predates the invention of photography.)

Focal lengths from 70mm to 85mm and above are generally considered longer focal lengths, and they’re often referred to as “telephoto lenses.” Whether you use zoom lenses or prime lenses, you can expect to see compression of distance and less distortion in longer focal lengths.

The difference in focal length between the two lenses — which is required to maintain an identical field of view for each respective format — results in absolutely no difference in perspective distortion.

Because of the cascading nature of corrections/problems when adding optical elements, we can also end up with a geometric distortion that is a non-linear combination of barrel and pincushion distortion. This is often affectionately called “mustache distortion,” as it can resemble the shape of a handlebar mustache.

Focal lengthexamples

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The distance between the nurse and the doctor behind her never changes, yet that distance is reduced (compressed) with the longer lens farther away and exaggerated with the shorter lens closer to her. This is all because of relative distances. The doctor is about 20' from the nurse — so, when captured with a 10mm lens from 5' 6", the lens is one-quarter the distance to her than she is to him, which exaggerates the spatial relationship between them. At 100mm, the lens is more than twice the distance away from the nurse than the doctor, and, therefore, the spatial relationship between them is minimized or compressed. Again, this is due to the spatial relationship between the lens and subjects, and not a property of the lens.

Understanding perspective distortion leads to the critical understanding of how the choice of focal length and relative distance to subject render the features of the human face. You can photograph a close-up of a person with a 10mm lens and with a 135mm lens and have the same-size subject in frame by adjusting the distance of lens to subject — but the rendering of their features will be completely different.

There are two types of optical distortion — geometric and perspective — and it’s important to understand the differences between them and how they may affect your creative decisions.

If the corners of the image appear to be farther away than the center, we call that “negative geometric distortion” or, more commonly, “barrel distortion,” as this causes the center to bulge much like the sides of a barrel.

These lenses start as a round of glass cut from a larger block — imagine a crystalline hockey-puck — that is then placed on a rotating spindle. An abrasive fluid is applied to the surface of the puck, and a hollow dome shape is pressed down onto it as it rotates, which grinds the edges off the glass and forms it into the shape of the inside of the dome. Eventually, the lens is ground to have a perfectly symmetrical curvature. The dome’s very specific curve is set for the prescription of that lens element.

If the corners of the image appear to be closer than the center, it is called “positive geometric distortion” or, more commonly, “pincushion distortion,” as it causes the center to “push” away from the sides as though you’ve pressed your finger into a cushion.

How much of the scene a lens shows to the camera sensor. Shorter lens focal lengths have wide angles of view, while long focal lengths have narrower angles of view. Mid-length, around 50mm, have a similar angle of view to the human eye.

Great landscapes can be made with any focal length, depending on the composition and feel you’re after. “Classic” landscapes with well-defined foreground, midground, and background elements are usually shot with an ultrawide or wide-angle lens (16-24mm range).  For the “compressed” look where far away objects appear close to each other, a telephoto range (200-400mm) may be used.

Most will agree that wildlife and sports are best shot with a long telephoto lens, typically greater than 400mm, depending on the animal and event.  In fact, one of the golden rules in bird photography is, “No matter how long your lens is, it’s never long enough.”

Example Lenses: Full-format approx. 70 – 200mm / Crop sensor approx. 55 – 200mm; Full-frame approx. 300 – 600mm / Crop sensor approx. 200 – 600mm