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Wide Angle Lens


I bought my wife a Nikon D40 for Christmas and she is having a ball. What are the advantages of using a wide angle lens?


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January 08, 2008

 
- Gregory LaGrange

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  Not having to back up and the perspective of a wide angle.


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January 08, 2008

 

Pat Harry
  You can include foreground in your landscape photos - foreground that may only be a few inches from you.


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January 08, 2008

 

Todd Bennett
  Tom,

One thing you may want to do is buy your wife John Hedgecoe's Complete Guide to Photography. Not only does it have a section on choosing and using lenses; but, it is full of a great deal of other information. When I first read it, it was a big help. And it's written in everyday english.


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January 08, 2008

 

Alan N. Marcus
  Hi Tom,

For this camera:

Likely this camera came with as a kit included was a zoom lens 18mm ~ 55mm. Note the center of this range is centered is 30mm. Customarily cameras are fitted with a lens with a focal length that is about the same as the diagonal measure of the imagining chip/film. In this case that’s 28.37mm. Such a match causes the camera to replicate the human experience as to angle of view which is about 53°.
The actual focal length requirement I am about to reveal only need to be reasonably close, there is lots of room for leeway

Wide-angle: Lenses those with focal lengths shorter than the diagonal. The view is like looking through binoculars backwards. This classification usually starts at 70% of normal, in this case 20mm. The wide-angle is essential when doing scenic photography, group work and when working in confined areas.

Telephoto is a magnifying lens like a binocular. It is vital in wildlife photography and sports. In this case a 60mm is a 2x magnification, 120mm is 4x. A telephoto starts at about 300% of normal so for this camera its anything longer than 90mm.

Note this camera at 18mm is on the cusp of wide-angle. At 55mm it falls short of the telephoto classification. However for this format, 55mm is about ideal for portraiture.

Alan Marcus
Anaheim, CA
ammarcus@earthlink.net


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January 08, 2008

 

Faisal Almalki
  Hello Tom

I'm a big lover of Wide Lens work. In addition to the fact that it gets more into your frame, it also has many creative uses - especially in landscape and architecture.

I use the Sigma 10-20mm and it does wonders!

A photographer in the UK (John Powell) had created a website to showcase only the best work by the 10-20. He was kind enough to feature my work, but I suggest you check out his gallery, as well as those of Younes and Andy Hornby to see the true range of ideas that a wide lens can make possible

The website is www.10-20mm.com

All the best

Faisal


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March 19, 2008

 
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