Lenses are the lifeblood of food photography, so it is important to understand your options.

Usually, if you are buying a DSLR for the first time, the seller (or online store) will convince you of its superiority by offering one or two lenses at a “package” price.

However, these “packaged” lenses or kit lenses usually do not tell you that they are very inexpensive and of poor quality. They will be fun to use at first, but it won’t be long before you can’t do without these types of lenses.

You might want to wait a little longer if you need to, and save up enough money to buy at least one very good lens instead of succumbing to the kit lenses

Best Lenses For Food Photography 2022

While a good camera, proper lighting, and artistic style are essential to good food photography, having the right focal length and lens type is also important.

A good rule of thumb is to use a full-size camera with a 50mm lens (35mm if using a crop-sensor body).

Tilt-shift lenses and macro lenses are also popular, and some zoom lenses allow framing, so you can shoot from multiple viewpoints without moving the tripod.

Also, large-aperture lenses are recommended for food photography because they can blur the background and create dreamy shots. It is also useful when shooting in restaurants where light is scarce.

(This guide does not cover the use of tilt-shift lenses, as their high price and lack of versatility make them unsuitable for many food photographers.)

Best Lenses For Food Photography | Comparison Table 2022

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Best Lenses For Food Photography | 2022 Products Overview

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It is recommended to photograph a cooked meal at an f/1.8, f/2.4 or f/3.5 aperture. With this fairly small depth of field margins, the dishes or food will be well detached from the background of the photo, which will be blurred.

50mm Prime Lens: Quality on a Budget

The 50mm lens can also be a useful lens, especially if you don’t have a zoom. This lens is good for top-down food photography and tablescapes.

The 50mm f/1.8 is often referred to as the “clever fifty” because it gives you decent results for a very low price. If you’re just starting out and your budget is tight, get this.

For food photography, 50mm is actually considered a wide-angle lens. If you’re shooting just an item or two in a straight line or at a 3/4 angle, you’ll have too much background and surface in your frame.

You need to have large backgrounds if you use the lens this way. Compare images of Shaved Broccoli Salad below.

The one on the left is at 50 mm. You can see that the background does not fill the entire frame. You can also see the edge of the surface. The food is too far away to really see the inside of the plate.

I did the shot on the right at 60mm. I did not move the camera or the tripod. You can see that the extra 10mm makes a big difference.

Get closer with the 24-70mm zoom lens

Although primes are ideal, it’s helpful to have a zoom lens, such as a 24-70mm f/2.8 or 24-105mm f/4

I have both on the Canon L-series and find the 24-70mm much sharper than the 24-105mm. The 24-105mm lens is kit when you buy a Canon 5D.

Yes, the 24-70mm is a zoom lens, but I find it very sharp compared to most zoom lenses. Many food photographers consider it a staple in their kit.

60mm macro lens: for less distortion

A 60mm macro is a great option if you shoot with a cropped frame sensor.

On a cropped sensor, it’s more like having a 100mm sensor. If you upgrade to full frame, you can use it like you would a 50mm. This lens will allow you to get 3/4 angle view shots of your subject with beautiful bokeh.

You also won’t get the distortion at this angle that you would when shooting with a wider focal length such as 50mm.

100/110mm macro: for portrait-style food shots

A great lens to have in your kit is a 100mm macro lens. This lens is not just for macro or close-ups. By moving further away from your set, you can also get beautiful portrait-style shots. You will get a great blurred background.

I have the consumer-grade 100mm f/2.8 and it is very sharp. In fact, I’ve read reviews where the photographer preferred the consumer-grade to the 100mm macro on the L-Series. And it’s half the cost.

If you go for the 100mm/105mm macro lens on a cropped frame sensor, you’ll be shooting at a 150mm focal length. This will be a very tight crop. Especially if space is an issue, or if you have multiple props or a narrative aspect to your images.

80mm Prime Lens: For Wider Scenes

This probably won’t be one of the main goals of your kit. But if you already have a pair of lenses for your full-frame, like a 100mm macro and a 50mm or 24-70mm, consider the 80mm prime lens.

This is a good lens for food photography and shooting wider scenes, but not as wide as you would with a 50mm.

I do a lot of food portraits. And sometimes I find that shooting at 70mm is not close enough. But the 100mm gets me too close.

Also, when you shoot wide open, say at 70mm on a 24-70mm lens, you risk more distortion. Zoom lenses typically work best somewhere in the middle of their available focal lengths.

85mm / 90mm Tilt-Shift – For the best angle

The price is restrictive for many photographers. But I need to mention a tilt-shift lens for your food photography. You can always rent one if you can’t afford to buy one.

This is a lens used by food photographers in the advertising world.

A tilt-shift lens allows you to control the plane of focus very precisely. You can move the lens up or down, left or right, to minimize distortion.

Tilt features allow you to keep different items in focus at different focal planes.

You can focus on the subject sharply with a very blurred background.

When you focus at a certain angle, everything at that angle will be in focus.

With this lens, you can shoot food at the best angle. You also control how many of the props or how much of the larger story appears within the frame. All without changing the angle or distance of the camera.

It’s a fantastic lens and once you’ve worked with the one you’ll be amazed.

Frequently asked questions about food photography lenses

What is the best Canon lens for food photography?

The best Canon lenses for food photography depend on your camera mount and your preferences. For full-frame mirrorless Canon cameras, many food photographers choose the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM. Digital SLR photographers looking for a zoom lens should consider the Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM.

What is the best focal length for food photography?

The best focal length for food photography is 50-90mm (full-frame equivalent).

The 50-90mm focal length has excellent compositional value, with a compressed angle of view and few background elements. Coincidentally, the 50-90mm focal length range is also the best area for portrait photography.

Is 35mm suitable for food photography?

The 35mm focal length is ideal for journalistic food photography; at 35mm, the background is not too obtrusive and provides enough compression to bring the food to the foreground.

Which Nikon lenses are best for food photography?

Photographers shooting food with a Nikon DX cropped camera are recommended to use the Nikon AF-S DX 40mm f/2.8G Microlens for sharp images.

The Tamron SP 90mm F2.8 Di Macro VC USD is the best lens for shooting food on a full-size camera. It provides excellent image quality even in low light conditions.

Is the 18-55mm lens suitable for food photography?

Beginning food photographers need a great lens, and they should consider using the 18-55mm lens from the kit lens that came with the camera. Kit lenses are often underestimated.

The 18mm wide-angle lens is ideal for taking close-ups, and the 55mm long-focus lens is ideal for aerial shots with minimal background elements, making it the best lens for food photography for beginners.

How to take a good food photo?

Above all, to get beautiful photos, it’s not all about the camera, or the lens to be used on its case. A few conditions are necessary to obtain beautiful photos of the foods you want to photograph.

Natural lighting

In food photography, there’s nothing better than using natural light. It is therefore important to choose the place and time to take the photo.

Aperture Priority

For the photographic mode to use, put yourself in Aperture Priority mode to better manage the brightness of your camera. This allows you to focus well to get beautiful photos, without exposing them to direct light. 

Polished images

In the era of digital marketing, it’s all about image. Food photos are no exception. Thus, it is necessary to take good care of the composition of the image of the dishes to be photographed.

To conclude:

Choosing the best lens for food photography is not easy. Before you buy, you should always consider the type of photos you want to take.

If you are working in a studio, you often have more space, so a longer focal length will be more appropriate. Also, you can control the lighting, so a narrow f-number aperture is not a big problem.

On the other hand, if you’re working outdoors, you’ll be visiting kitchens with a variety of conditions, so a versatile lens is a must.

Finally, don’t forget to consider your budget. Our recommended lenses cost anywhere from under $400 to over $2,500, so if a lens is important to you, there’s no need to limit your spending. The size of your investment should always be related to your level of experience. Are you a beginner or do you already have a professional job? If you do food photography for a living, a high-end lens is worth considering. Otherwise, stick with the less expensive ones.

That’s up to you.

What kind of food photography lenses are you thinking of buying? And do you have any recommendations? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Nikon’s range of full-frame cameras is impressive, but perhaps even more so is the large collection of FX (full-frame) lenses.

You can mount Nikon fx lenses on Nikon Z cameras with Nikon’s FTZ adapter, but it’s not ideal as a long-term solution. You cannot mount Nikon Z lenses on a Nikon DSLR.

Do you own a full-frame Nikon DSLR camera body, but don’t know which lens to buy? Below are the best Nikon fx lens models from wide-angle and portrait to telephoto, along with 7 others that just missed the cut.

Best Nikon fx Lens 2022

Finding full-size lenses for Nikon cameras can quickly become tedious and confusing. Fortunately, there’s no need to start all over again. The complicated part is no longer necessary. The list below shows the best Nikon FX lenses. Choose the one that best suits your work style.

Best Nikon fx Lens | Comparison Table 2022

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Performance in low light conditions

One of the strongest correlates with the price of the lens is its low-light performance. This is primarily measured by the aperture or amount of light a lens is able to pass through.

Professionals need quick goals, amateurs want them, and your decision should be dictated by budget and intended use.

There are no hard and fast rules here, but we do the professional / non-professional lens cut-off at f / 2.8. Most pro-grade lenses have a maximum aperture of f / 2.8 or less (f / 2.8, f / 1.8, and f / 1.4, for example), and many budget zoom lenses are f / 3.5 and above.

Prime versus zoom lenses

The “focal length” refers to the distance between the lens and the image sensor, usually measured in millimeters. Wide angle lenses have shorter focal lengths, while telephoto lenses have longer focal lengths.

The focal length can be fixed (main lenses) or adjustable (zoom lenses). They both have their advantages and disadvantages – so which one is best in the prime versus zoom debate?

Dimensions and weight

With some exceptions, zoom lenses tend to be heavier than prime lenses. But keep in mind that they’re also more versatile – one zoom lens can cover the same focal length as three or more prime lenses.

Consider where to store the lens: Camera bags and backpacks are often too small to fit a telephoto lens attached to the camera body. As a result, you may miss some shots due to the time it takes to attach and remove the lens.

Distortion

Distortion in photographs occurs when straight lines appear slightly curved and can be barrel or pincushion type. In general, zoom lenses have more distortion than fixed focal length lenses.

Wide angle lenses have the most distortion of any type. And the cheaper the lens, the more likely it is to suffer from distortion.

Price

Although the best Nikon fx wide angle lens is priced at around $ 3,199.00 and the cheapest option costs around. However, shopping on a budget should be done after you’ve ascertained your needs. For example, there may be an option that may be within your budget but is unable to perform the business you are buying it for.

So what we learn here is that, you should first find out your usage needs and then try to look at the nikon fx wide angle option which can, once done set a budget and choose the option according to your budget preferences .

It is better to wait and save a little more money for the wide angle nikon fx hat can do all the tasks you are buying it for rather than getting the one that cannot do the basic job you are buying it for.

Brands

Buying a nikon fx branded wide angle lens not only improves the using experience, but also ensures that you won’t face any problems in the future. Based on my research, some of the reputable brands you should consider are: Nikon, Nikon, Nikon, Nikon, Nikon.

Current and good offers

While your buying decision shouldn’t hinge much on offers, it’s always a good idea to check out current offers. Not only is there a chance to save money, but sometimes you might even get a better product for a much lower price. Isn’t that something everyone wants?

Warranty

Most branded nikon fx wide angle cameras have a decent warranty period where any manufacturing defect is covered or non-accidental issues are fixed for free. While most of us don’t think about it much, getting the option that comes with longer warranties can save you a lot of money and also ensure that the product is of the highest quality.

You may still have some doubts when choosing a full frame camera accessory that meets your needs, so we’ll give you some information to consider before deciding. This way you can figure out which of the 5 best Nikon FX lenses you will find in 2020 is right for you.

Opening the diaphragm

Camera lenses always have the option to change the aperture depending on the photo you want. For example, the wider it is, the lower the f / number and depth of field to get, so you will get a short focused image. On the other hand, if the aperture is closed, you will have greater focus and a higher f / number.

The maximum aperture such products can give you is f / 1.4, which is mostly expressed by manufacturers as 1: 1.4. In addition to these, you will find models with an aperture of 1: 3.5-5, i.e. ranging from f / 3.5 to about f / 5.

Autofocus

It’s rare to find lenses that only have manual focus – they are often combined technologies, but it should be noted that not all models have included autofocus mode. This feature will help you take pictures quickly without losing focus. The Nikon brand makes models of various types: there are both some that contain it and others that don’t.

If you want it included in your lens, you should choose AF-S models which are quiet, accurate and compatible with all Nikon cameras. If you prefer not to have it, you will find the AF or AF-D which are the oldest and do not offer this function. The latest technology you will have is the AF-P, ideal for video recording, but with the only drawback that it is not compatible with all cameras of the brand.

Zoom focus

• Variable zoom

Variable focus or zoom lenses are the ones where you can zoom in or out as much as you like, without having to take any steps forward. They are quite versatile, as they allow you to change the perspective and viewing angle comfortably.

In our ranking we offer you options ranging from 3.6x to 10x, but you will find many other types, among which you can choose according to your needs. It should be noted that these will not allow you to open the aperture much and will provide less brightness.

• Fixed zoom

Fixed focus lenses are the opposite of variable lenses, because they will give you more brightness and more image quality in every capture. They are made in many different focal lengths – there are some with great angles, others super long. Using this type of focus, you will need to constantly change models, but looking at the results it will be worth it.

Type of photography

Last but not least, you will need to take into account how you will use the lens, because for each type of photography you will need different models. For example, you want to capture the memories of a trip, choose the ones that cover a wide range of action. If it comes to taking portraits, you need to use bright models with a fixed focus.

If you need a model to capture landscapes and / or architecture, you should choose those that are not only bright, but also have an angular zoom. Instead, if you are going to use them in indoor events, you will have to look for one with a telephoto zoom lens to take pictures without having to be very close.

Lists

Tips One of the most popular ways to find a reliable nikon fx wide angle is by looking at the tip lists. Not just ours, but do a Google search and you may find endless listings that are highly researched and contain in-depth information. For example, this list of ours only includes high-quality options suitable for different use cases.

Frequent questions

Verdict

I have tried to list the Best Nikon Fx Lens , hope you have managed to find a reliable option. You can take a look at the following for clarity:

• If you want the best, consider getting: Nikon Nikkor AF-S 80 lens
• If you want high value for your money then you get: Nikon AF-S Nikkor
• If you want the cheapest, get: Nikon Nikkor AF-S DX lens

If you still haven’t found the right one, comment below and I’ll help you find one within 1-3 weeks.

In today’s article, we will see How to Photograph Sport and which are the best lenses for sports photography.

The sports photographer can be easily “recognized” by the contents of his photographic backpack.

Today’s Sports Photography Guide wants to give you small useful tips to apply if you are a beginner,

Peering inside you will surely find many telephoto lenses, some monopods, many batteries, and many very large memory cards.

Think you can only find super-telephoto lenses in a sports photographer’s backpack? You are very wrong.

Best Lenses For Sports Photography

If you look closely, you’ll notice much more complex equipment, such as super wide-angle, fisheye, and portrait lenses. These are also part of a sports photographer’s kit and for good reason.

To date, sports photography has evolved a lot through technological adaptation, going digital. New technologies have changed the way people watch sports on TV and multimedia content experts have changed the way images are created.

Cameras in “remote” mode, digital transmission, and video frame acquisition have made the sports photographer a cutting-edge professional.

Best Lenses For Sports Photography | Comparison Table 2022

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Best Lenses For Sports Photography | 2022 Products Overview

Best Lenses For Sports Photography | Unrivaled Guide 2022

What is a photographic lens and what is it for

The photographic lens is nothing more than an optical device with which images are collected and reproduced, which are imprinted on sensitive support that can be represented either by films, in the case of analog cameras, or by sensors in the case of digital cameras.

They usually have a cylindrical shape and inside there is a system of lenses, concave or convex which capture the light and help reproduce the desired image. This part for me is pure magic, the light enters the lens, goes to the sensor and an image is reproduced.

The lenses can rotate thanks to the adjustment rings, present on the outside of the lens, and depending on the position taken, I focus on the desired subject or not.

Main features to consider in a photographic lens

Now that we have clarified the difference between the various lenses, it is time to go into more detail and see what are the main characteristics to consider when evaluating the purchase and use of a particular lens.

There are many factors to take into consideration, and you are not always able to understand them right away.
Those who approach photography for the first time do not always have a clear idea of ​​what terms such as focal length, brightness, angle of view, etc. mean. That is why it is good to clarify a bit about it.

Focal length

this term indicates the distance, generally expressed in millimeters, that separates the lens from the focal plane (i.e. the sensor or the film), whose position is indicated with a symbol (a circle with a rod in the center), and that it is usually found on the camera body at the viewfinder.

This distance is generally measured starting from the ” rear nodal point ” of a lens, which coincides with the diaphragm. This point is also known as the optical center of the lens.

The focal length also determines the angle of view, which is closely related to the size of the sensor on which the image is imprinted. As the size of the sensor varies, the shooting angle also varies, which can be wider or narrower.
In fact, the same lens on cameras with different sensors produces clearly different results.

Aperture or brightness

the aperture of a lens diaphragm determines its brightness accordingly.

Usually, this value is expressed as a fraction, which indicates the maximum opening.

The smaller the value of this fraction, the larger the aperture of the diaphragm diameter, therefore also brighter.

To be clearer, a lens with an f / 1.4 value (hence a small aperture number), is brighter than an f / 8 value lens, which will have the smallest diameter and therefore allow less entry. light.

The diaphragm is therefore that device inside the lenses that regulates the amount of light that must pass.

Focus

To be able to have clear photos you must operate on the focus.

This means positioning the lens at a suitable distance between the focal plane and the subject to be portrayed.

In older generation lenses, the focus was done manually, using a special ring that allowed the optical group inside the lens to be moved.

In the most modern lenses, focusing can take place automatically, thanks to an internal motor and the camera sensor that calculates the distance between the sensor and the subject to be portrayed.

Although autofocus is quite useful, modern lenses offer the possibility of using manual focus, this can be done via the special ring on the front of the lens.

All these factors must be taken into consideration when buying a photographic lens, both to understand how the lens works, and to understand how it behaves with different types of sensors.

For example, a lens with fast autofocus is more suitable for sports or bird photography, because the subjects move quickly, but it is not essential if you will focus mainly on product photography, or photography where the subjects are still or very slow, such as for example if you decide to photograph landscapes.

Stabilized objectives

The last point to consider is the stabilization of the lens.

When we talk about image stabilization, we are normally talking about optical image stabilization, which is found in many lenses.

Canon calls the Image Stabilization ( IS ) function and Nikon calls it Vibration Reduction ( VR ). 

With optical image stabilization, part of the lens physically moves to counteract any camera movement when taking the picture; if the hands are shaking, an element inside the lens also shakes, in the opposite direction to counteract the movement.

Long lenses and… pedaling!

Sports photographers have traditionally been known for their mammoth telephoto lenses, such as the Canon 400 f2.8, for example.

Surely you have seen them at the stadium as they flock to take the best position at any major sporting event.

Surely the long lens is the sign that distinguishes a sports photographer.

As you can guess, there must be a certain distance between the players and the media during events for the safety of both professionals.

Surely when choosing to photograph football, it will be necessary to use a very long lens, because you have to position yourself in such a way as to also take the door that is on the opposite side from yours.

Wide angles

They have a focal length of less than 40mm and a wider angle of view. In fact, this can vary from a range of 60 ° -80 ° to about 180 °.

In the latter case, we are faced with an ultra-wide-angle or a fish-eye.

The characteristic of these lenses is that of enormously “deforming” the image, creating effects that are sometimes rather exaggerated, and in the case of fish-eyes also a sphere effect as if the image were seen by the eye of a fish.

The type of objectives

The lenses are divided into three macro-categories: Normal, Wide-angle, and Telephoto lenses.

Each of these categories has different focal lengths and angles of view, as well as other features useful for various situations.

Normal Goals

this type of lens is the one that comes closest in terms of angle of view to that of the human eye. In fact, it returns the correct three-dimensional proportions of the planes: in other words, what the human eye sees is reproduced with the same “fidelity” in the photograph.

The family of Normal lenses includes lenses that have a focal length from 40mm to 50mm, the latter being one of the most used lenses for ambient portrait photography or even for street photography.

APS or Full-Frame?

Surely sports photography is an area where the smaller size of APS sensors can really come in handy.

Of course, the quality of a Full Frame camera is unbeatable, it is no coincidence that I usually shoot with two full frames during events.

The APS sensor is smaller than a full-frame sensor, the full-frame lenses attached to an APS camera have a crop factor that gives the lens a different field of view, and it’s like shooting with a longer lens. So if we want, the positive note of APS cameras is precisely this.

With very favorable weather conditions, the APS can get to make shots almost on par with a FF. Indeed if you compare an APS photo and an FF photo both shot in sunny weather, low ISOs, and whatnot, I’d challenge anyone to recognize the difference. Of course, I can not deny that by raising the ISO, even slightly, the difference is noticeable and not a little.

However, an APS camera with a crop factor of 1.6, using a 300mm full-frame lens (Canon EF Lenses) will give you the field of view of a 350mm lens.

A lens made for an APS camera (Canon EF-S lenses) can offer the same field of view as a full-frame lens in a smaller size and lighter weight. There are many sports photographers who always carry an APS body with them, even if they always prefer a full-frame.

Others, such as some of my Canon colleagues, are lucky enough to have the Canon 1D Mark IV, which is an APS-H (practically already incorporates a 1.3x multiplier inside) and is a great camera, with a completely different format, but perfect for sports photography. To date, it is out of production but is used, albeit with many shots.

Sports photo technical settings {Additional Tips}

Use a fast shutter speed

If you want to freeze the action, the shutter speed of the camera has to be very fast. Depending on the type of sport you could start with a setting of 1/500, up to a speed of 1/2000 of a second. The faster the subject moves, the faster the shutter speed we will set. In some shots, we could also use slower speeds to capture some of the movement. The problem with using a fast shutter speed is that less light will enter the camera and we should, especially in difficult light situations, compensate for the photographic exposure by increasing the ISO.

Use continuous autofocus

Continuous Auto Focus keeps the subject in focus as the distance from the camera changes. The continuous focus option is usually shown as AF-C in the camera settings.

Shoot in burst mode

Burst mode, also known as continuous shooting mode, allows you to take bursts of shots at the same setting. By holding down the shutter button in continuous shooting mode, you can take multiple shots in very quick succession. Most digital cameras released in recent years have some continuous shooting capability.

This function is very advantageous in sports photography because you will be able to capture various phases of fast game action, subsequently having the possibility to choose the best one. If we shoot a lot in continuous shooting mode, we will consume a lot of memory card space. It is therefore necessary to have one large memory card and a spare at your fingertips.

Do not use the flash

Your camera’s built-in flash or a flash unit attached to your camera can distract or even blind players, putting the regularity of the sporting event at risk.

Get to know the sport

First, you need to be familiar with the sport before you start shooting. To successfully resume a sporting event you need to know the rules of the game. Knowing how the sport plays out will help you capture the best moments. Before the time you will know how the action moves and what can happen next.

Get the best view possible

Your job is to get shots that the crowd can’t get, and that means you have a better position than most people. At many events, you will need special accreditation to be able to stay in a privileged position. If you don’t have access to an event pass and want to develop your portfolio, I recommend that you go and photograph smaller events, such as youth competitions.

Remember that when photographing you must respect the athletes and the staff on the field at all times. In general, try to be in a position that places your subject in front of you or that allows you to have an easier view.

Tell a story

As in other types of photography, the goal of our photos must be to freeze emotions and tell stories. Look for the emotionally charged moments, tell the victory and defeat, the important moments, the head to head, and highlight the moments that would risk passing for anonymous.

Check the shots only at the end

When you’re shooting sports photos, you don’t have time to look elsewhere, you need to be fully focused on the in-game action. If you check every single shot on the camera’s LCD screen, you can miss out on other potential good shots.

FAQs

Final conclusions

In conclusion, we can say that there are really a lot of optics that you can use to start with sports photography and this will not be the last article I will do about it.

Surely I will also talk to you about my personal optics, how I use them, but above all about those optics that are second best for a professional sports photographer.

When you start photographing sports it is easy to compromise and make lower investments, it is also right, I did it too.

Professional optics require high investments that not everyone can afford, there are lenses that cost more than $ 10,000, more than a car if you think about it.

You get to make certain purchases after learning a lot and working just as much, saving a lot of money.

Over time you will understand that when you buy a lens, you will pay first and foremost the focal aperture of the lens, there are huge price differences between a ƒ 2.8 lens and an excellent ƒ 4 or ƒ 5.6, but I assure you that the quality is equally abysmal.

In this guide we will cover wide-angle photography, explaining everything you need to know about wide angles and how to best use them.

First of all, we will clarify what are the peculiar characteristics of these objectives, how they are classified, and what are their main fields of application. Later, we will explain in depth how to photograph with a wide-angle and we will analyze the most common problems related to its use.

This article is written thinking above all of those who use a reflex or a mirrorless, and the wide angles are therefore intended as lenses in themselves, separate from the camera body. However, even if you have a camera with an integrated lens (a compact, an iPhone, or another smartphone) you can still apply many of the tips we will give you, especially those concerning composition and perspective.

The essential condition, of course, is that the instrument in your possession offers a very short focal length or, in the case of smartphones, a separate “ wide-angle camera ”.

What is a Wide Angle Lens

A wide-angle is a lens characterized by a shorter focal length than normal lenses, therefore less than 50mm, and which can consequently embrace a wider angle of view.

The diagram below shows how the amplitude of the angle of view covered varies according to the focal length of the lens, taking into account some “standard cuts”.

Let’s also take a tangible example: the sequence of images below shows the framing that can be obtained using some of the most common focal lengths in wide-angle photography, always shooting from the same point.

To give you a reference right away, consider that amateur SLRs and mirrorless cameras are usually sold in kits with an 18-55mm lens, whose equivalent focal length corresponds to about 27-82mm (the precise value varies slightly depending on the camera).

Used at its shortest focal length, already moderately wide-angle, a shot very similar to that of the third photo in the example above would have been obtained. Notice how evident the difference is compared to the shots taken at a shorter focal length: at 14mm, the amplitude of the angle of view is exactly double!

Below, you will find another comparison between the framing offered by this lens (in fact the shortest focal length available to many novice photographers) and that offered by the more extreme wide-angle lenses.

The diagram above is not a simulation – we actually shot at different focal lengths with a different wide-angle lens. Despite this, we want to point out from now on how the part in common between the various shots is identical, without any variation in perspective.

Classification of Wide Angle Lenses

We said earlier that, by definition, wide-angle photography is characterized by focal lengths of less than 50mm equivalent.

In practice, however, when we talk about these lenses, we mean the use of much shorter focal lengths, often less than 20 / 24mm. The “longest” standard still considered moderately wide-angle is in fact 35mm.

Precisely based on the different focal lengths, wide-angle lenses can be further classified into different sub-categories:

• Moderate wide angles: those whose focal length exceeds 24mm equivalent
• Pushed wide angles: focal lengths between 18 and 23mm equivalent
• Ultra-wide angle: lenses with focal lengths between 14 and 17mm equivalent
• Extreme ultra-wide-angle: focal lengths of 13mm equivalent or less

A separate case is a so-called fisheye, lenses designed for even more extreme wide-angle photography.

Fisheyes escape the classification based on focal length since they have a construction different from the classic rectilinear lenses, to which we are used. Their main characteristics are to cover an angle of view of 180 ° (or greater) and to cause a noticeable curvature of straight lines.

When (and Why) to Use a Wide Angle Lens

For many, wide-angle photography is synonymous with landscaping. However, this is not a hard and fast rule: these lenses can also be used in other areas, just as other types of lenses can be used for landscapes.

In general, the wide-angle is useful in all those situations where we need a wide angle of view, regardless of the type of subject and photographic genre.

That said, landscape photography is in fact the area of ​​use of wide-angle lenses par excellence, together with indoor shooting and reportage. For other photographic genres, wide angles find less space although, as we shall see, they can sometimes be used successfully.

Use a Wide Angle to Shoot Wide Scenes

The need for a very wide view, typical of wide-angle photography, therefore arises mainly when we have to photograph landscapes, whether natural or urban.

If we used only a normal lens or a moderate wide-angle like the 18-55 present in the basic kit of the SLR, we would very frequently find ourselves in front of a landscape that is too wide to fit entirely in the frame.

At the beginning of the article we have already proposed a scheme that quantifies the greater width of the framed scene based on the focal length, but now we want to offer you a more concrete example.

The two images above, which are intended to be taken from the same point, simulate a situation of this type. The photo on the right is the one that would have been obtained using the classic 18-55 at its shortest focal length (29mm equivalent, in the case of Canon cameras): it is evident that it would not have been possible to include all the relevant elements of the scene. A 10mm ultra-wide-angle lens (16mm equivalent) solved the situation very well.

You might argue that it would have been possible to move away and shoot from a more distant shooting point, so as to be able to frame the whole subject anyway.

However, this is a viable solution only in some cases. In most situations, it is simply not possible to get too far away, due to physical obstacles of various kinds: just think of the indoor environments, in which the room for maneuver offered to the photographer is normally very limited.

In the next paragraph, we will discover that there is, however, another reason, less obvious and more interesting, why it is advisable to always have a wide-angle lens at hand.

Wide Angle Photography and Perspective

Let’s go back to the photograph we had used as an example earlier, the one taken with a 16mm equivalent wide-angle lens.

In this case, it might have been possible, in fact, to frame the main subject (the buildings on the opposite side of the canal) even with a longer focal length, choosing a more distant shooting point.

By doing so, however, it would not have been possible to position the bollard in the foreground on the right, keeping its proportions unchanged. Similarly, it would not have been possible to frame the closest bank of the canal for such a long stretch and obtain the same degree of convergence between the two banks.

A real shame, as these elements give the composition of the photo an evident sense of breadth.

This helps us to introduce the second most important feature of wide-angle photography, which is the ability to enhance the perspective of the image. As a direct consequence of the wide-angle of view taken, in wide-angle photos, the distance between the various planes of the image appears greater than it really is.

If exploited well, this peculiarity of wide angles can help give our photos a considerable depth and make the shot, overall, more effective.

To put an element in the foreground and, possibly, a graphic element that acts as a guide towards the background is a bit of a cliché of wide-angle photography and, even if overused, guarantees a result of the sure effect.

In the example image, the gravestones in the foreground, with their exaggerated dimensions, make the distance that separates them from the church in the background appear greater than it really is. The presence of the tombstones in the background, on the other hand, constitutes a classic case of decreasing perspective and further strengthens the depth of the scene.

Since there is a bit of confusion on the subject, we have to be precise. As explained in the article dedicated to this topic (which we invite you to read to learn more about the subject), the perspective of photography does not technically depend on the wide-angle lenses, but rather on the particular shooting point that they allow to adopt.

Returning to the image of the cemetery, if we had wanted to frame the tombstones with a telephoto lens, making them appear the same size, we would obviously have been forced to move away.

At that point, however, the church would have appeared larger and the difference between the size of the tombstones in the first and second lower floors. The proportions would have been rebalanced and the perspective would have changed, but not because of the lens, but because of the different shooting points!

Other Uses of Wide Angle Optics

We have therefore seen that landscapes, interiors, and architectural photos are the photographic genres most often associated with wide-angle photography and we have amply explained why.

In any case, wide angles can also be used in other areas, sometimes being the most suitable lenses for certain situations and in other cases offering the possibility of giving a touch of originality to one’s shots.

In the case of reportage and travel photography, a wide-angle lens can be used to create a more engaging shot, which gives the viewer the impression of really being inside the scene.

This effect derives from the remarkable sense of depth that can be obtained by playing with the particular perspective offered by wide-angle photography, which we have just discussed.

In portraits, wide angles are generally not recommended, especially the more extreme ones. In fact, to fill the frame with the human figure they force one to get very close to the subject, and (again due to the apparent dilation of the perspective) the unacceptable side effect of deforming the facial features is obtained.

Moderate wide-angles, such as 35mm, can still be successfully used in ambient portraits and indeed represent one of the most suitable focal lengths for this genre.

The wide-angle lenses are the lenses most suitable for photographing the night sky: thanks to their wide angle of view it is possible to take the entire Milky Way (including maybe even some terrestrial elements).

Furthermore, with short focal lengths it is possible to obtain shutter speeds that are congenial to this kind of shot; to find out more, however, refer to our in-depth article.

Finally, we mention the strange case of wide-angle macro photos. Macrophotography normally involves the use of long focal lengths, which have as a consequence that of completely isolates the subject from the background.

The wide-angle of view offered by wide-angle lenses, on the other hand, allows you to zoom in on excessively small subjects (typically insects) and at the same time show the surrounding environment.

How to Use a Wide Angle: Problems and Potentials of Wide Angle Photography

Using a wide-angle, technically speaking, is no different than using any other lens. You have to frame through the viewfinder or the display, focus, set shutter speeds and apertures, and simply shoot.

However, the use of very short focal lengths has non-negligible implications on the study of the framing and on the execution of the shot.

Wide Angle Photography and Framing Management

We must familiarize ourselves with the unusual angle of view offered by wide-angle photography and accept that the vision offered by these lenses is different from that which can be appreciated with the naked eye or through lenses with different characteristics.

An always lurking risk, taking pictures with wide-angle, is that you end up including in the frame also elements to which you had not paid attention, which could make the composition less effective.

For example, if you use very wide-angle lenses, you risk bringing the tripod onto which the camera is fixed back into the frame.

If, as we have seen, in wide-angle photography the foreground elements appear larger than they really are, the downside is that those further away will appear smaller than one might expect. This phenomenon, of course, is all the more evident the shorter the focal length used.

If you are not yet used to wide-angle photography, it could happen that what was supposed to be the main subject of the image appears so small that it blurs into the background, losing any weight in the economy of the composition.

The example photo shows just such a situation. The lighthouse, which is assumed to be the main subject in the photographer’s intentions, occupies a tiny portion of the photo, as does the sea, barely visible. The space left to the beach in the foreground, although made pleasant by the small dunes, is excessive. A closer shooting point would probably have been more congenial.

The fact that you have an ultra-wide-angle lens doesn’t mean you have to use it at all costs: in many cases, a more moderate lens may be the best solution.

Especially at the beginning, we advise you to make several tests using different focal lengths and varying the shooting point, so as to find a perspective that harmonizes the relationship between the elements of the scene.

The Focus in Wide Angle Photos

The depth of field, as we know, depends on three main factors, one of which is the focal length used (the others are the focusing distance and the aperture ).

Using the short focal lengths typical of wide-angle photography, all other factors being equal, the depth of field will be very high.

This means that by taking pictures with a wide-angle, it will be possible to have everything in focus even using relatively open apertures, such as f / 8.

Installation Times and “Blurred” Risk-Taking Pictures with Wide Angle

In wide-angle photography, the risk of finding yourself with blurred photographs is far less than in other photographic genres. With the same shutter speed, the chances of the photo being moved are in fact directly proportional to the focal length used.

There is a rule according to which to avoid this problem it is necessary to use a shutter speed slower than the inverse of the equivalent focal length. In the case of a 20mm wide-angle, this would mean that even shooting at 1/20 ″ the photo would have a good chance of being sharp (although it is always advisable to keep a certain margin).

Having said that, it should be borne in mind that almost all outlets for wide-angle photography, landscapes, and interiors in the first place, involve strictly using the camera on a tripod.

Photo Filters on Wide Angle Lenses

Given that wide angles are designed especially for landscapes, it is natural to think of associating them with the photographic filters most often used in this genre.

In fact, wide-angle lenses are often combined with ND filters, through which it is possible to obtain long exposures even in the presence of a lot of light.

In this regard, however, an important consideration must be made. Some ultra-wide-angle lenses, for example, the popular Samyang 14mm, are not compatible with screw filters, due to their overhanging front lens. In these cases it will be necessary to resort to plate filters, a system that, however, is more expensive and more complicated to use.

The situation is different with regard to the polarizing filter: if used in wide-angle photographs in order to improve the contrast of the sky, this often causes aberrations that can heavily compromise the shot.

This happens because the polarizer acts on a lower angle of view than that taken with ultra-wide-angle lenses, leading to an evident decrease in brightness on the party concerned.

In the example image (taken at 22mm equivalent) you can see a clear manifestation of this phenomenon in the sky. If you take pictures with a moderate wide-angle, however, the polarizer remains perfectly usable in many cases.

The Typical Deformations of Wide Angles

The wide-angle lenses, especially cheaper ones, are often affected by a strong barrel distortion, particularly noticeable at the edges of the image. The example photo shows this type of alteration, amplified in post-production to better convey the idea.

In the case of natural landscapes, barrel distortion is generally not considered a big problem, while it is definitely unsightly when using the wide-angle lens for architectural photos.

To some extent, you have to learn to live with these imperfections, perhaps by managing the shot in such a way that the main elements are not too close to the edges. In any case, it is also possible to resort to photo editing software (even automatically) to significantly reduce this unpleasant effect.

Very different is the question of falling lines, often associated (wrongly) with wide-angle photography. This phenomenon manifests itself with vertical lines converging upwards and typically occurs when we frame a building from its base, tilting the camera to be able to shoot it in full.

The fact that in this situation wide-angle lenses are normally used contributes to the mistaken belief that it is an effect due to short focal lengths. In reality, falling lines are a very normal phenomenon, due to the geometric perspective and are completely independent of the type of lens used.

Wide Angle Lens: Which to Choose?

At the end of this guide, here are some tips on which wide-angle to choose for your SLR or mirrorless camera.

The first decision to make obviously concerns the focal length. If you are not yet very familiar with wide-angle photography, it is better to avoid buying extreme ultra-wide angles, which could then be difficult to manage.

Furthermore, we advise you not to “leave holes” between the shortest focal length already available to you and that of the wide-angle lens you will purchase. If at the moment your most extreme wide-angle is a 28mm equivalent (as in the case of the 18-55 in the kit), worry about covering the 20-24mm equivalent before thinking about extreme focal lengths (like 14mm or less).

The risk is to find yourself in front of a scene for which one lens is too short and the other too long.

All major manufacturers offer very versatile wide-angle zoom lenses, which cover the focal range just below that of basic lenses. Some examples, for APS-C reflex cameras, can be the Canon EF-S 10-18mm (equivalent focal length: 16-29mm) and the Nikon AF-P DX 10-20mm (15-30mm equivalent).

To these are added interesting proposals from Sigma and other third-party brands. If you are new to wide-angle photography yet, these lenses are definitely the best options to get started.

As for the brightness, a feature generally considered very important in the choice of a lens, in the case of wide angles it can easily take a back seat.

Although short focal lengths allow you to have everything in focus even at medium apertures, it is still unlikely that you will find yourself having to shoot wide open: for this reason, it would make little sense to invest in an expensive particularly bright lens, such as f / 1.4 or f / 2, unless you have specific needs (astrophotography, for example).