Wide angle lens. "Eyes Wide Open"

It would seem that with wide-angle lenses everything is simple and clear - more objects in the frame, the ability to shoot nature and city streets, and much more. However, even they can be used not quite correctly.

Often, newcomers to photography purchase high-quality wide-angle glass (most often, on someone's advice), a 50mm lens and a zoom lens in the hope that with such an assortment of lenses they will cover all shooting bases. In principle, this is the case, but it should always be borne in mind that even the most extensive collection of accessories and cameras does not guarantee that the pictures will be successful. This is why we are going to talk about the five most common mistakes beginners make when shooting with a wide-angle lens.

So, first you need to understand what exactly the wide-angle does. Its main function is to expand the space in the frame. That is, it distorts the space, thereby deepening the perspective. That is, what is closer to the camera will look much larger than what is further away, even if the objects are in reality the same size.

Another result of using a wide-angle lens is the curvature of straight lines. That is, all buildings, if you shoot them from below, will, as it were, converge into a circle at the top.

These functions, in the hands of a good photographer, will help you acquire more deep meaning, insofar as wide angle lens allows you to create a sense of immersion - the viewer sees himself as a part of the image.

How to use a wide angle lens correctly?

The key is knowing when and how to apply the lens to create an attractive image and delight the viewer. AND the best way figure out how to do it right - consider the most common mistakes.

Everything in the image is at the same distance from the lens

Once again, carefully re-read the paragraph on what results the wide-angle gives. Perspective distortion and stretching. Therefore, to get the desired effect, the main subject or the center of the composition must be closer to the lens. Much closer!

The most impressive pictures taken with a wide-angle lens are those in which the subject is several inches away from the camera.

Below are two examples of photographs showing the same object - a bicycle. In the photo on the left, nothing stands out from the frame, so the photo practically does not make sense and the essence of the image is not fully understood.

The second photo on the right, on the contrary, highlights the bike, that is, it is closer to the camera and the shooting is carried out from it in perspective. Both bokeh and more highlighted, contrasting space appear.

Of course, from the outside you may look quite suspicious, but anonymity and stealth are more likely enemies when shooting with a wide-angle lens.

In order to make the frame more interesting, it needs to add depth and perspective, and for this you need to get closer to the subject. That is, the center of the composition should be closer, the secondary element should be a little further away and the background should be farthest. Thanks to this approach, a multi-layered picture is created, you want to look at it for a longer time, consider and investigate what is happening in the frame.

Absence of the main character (or subject)

This error goes hand in hand with the previous one. When all objects are at the same distance from the camera, everything looks equally small and insignificant (or everything looks equally large, but this, in turn, nullifies the significance).

For example, two photos below. In the first photo, only the depth of field plays a role, so the photo is built exclusively on the texture of wood and metal in focus. However, the image is missing something.

And this is what the image looks like if you focus on a leaf that grows through the boards. In the photo, light immediately begins to play, the center of the composition shifts to a leaf, it also stands out with color and interacts with the sun glinting from above.

It is also worth noting here that sometimes it is better not to cling to the original idea of \u200b\u200bthe frame, but to adapt to the conditions and right on the spot, with the camera in hand, look for the most good options... They are known to appear in the most unexpected places.

Remember that even professionals do not shoot masterpieces the first time.

On the contrary, first a shot is taken, then it is carefully evaluated, and then a decision is made whether to leave it, or it is better to change something. The composition is based not only on strict rules, but also on intuition and instincts. It's worth working with them.

Trying to fit too much detail into the frame

Less is better, a rule that works great in photography and fits even better with wide angle shots. This mistake is perhaps the most common, because it directly follows from the primary function of the wide angle.

For example, while traveling, you walk through an open street market and decide to photograph a merchant with a variety of fruits and vegetables spread out in front of him. Of course, the first thing to do is ask permission to shoot. Well, then the whole responsibility falls on the photographer. Immediately it is worth remembering the rules that are listed above - to select one main object, minor elements and a background. If there is too much going on in the frame, the viewer will be distracted from the main idea.

Therefore, never be afraid to oversimplify the essence of photography.

You can always say more with fewer details.

Photos of people in bad angles

Remember the merchant we just asked for permission to shoot? What you should definitely not do is stick the camera right in his face. The result is definitely not going to please anyone.

A very common mistake is shooting portraits with a wide angle lens. Since one of the main functions of shirik, as we have already said, is distortion, photographs of people turn out to be very unattractive - a long and disproportionate nose, an elongated head, large cheeks are not at all the photo that you put in the frame. So if you're looking to shoot flattering portraits, forget about the wide-angle lens and pick from our selection of the best portrait lenses.

It is very important to remember that each glass has its own function and is suitable for certain genres. Wide angle is good for landscapes and nature, not for artistic or psychological portraits.

However, this does not mean that portrait photography should not be taken at wide angle at all. If your goal is a funny or humorous shot, a wide angle can, on the contrary, play into your hands. As in the photo below:

Sometimes a wide angle works well in reportage photography:

Wide angle shooting just for the sake of filming

Photography is, of course, primarily a process. But any process must serve some purpose. This is why you shouldn't just shoot with a wide-angle lens. Choose objects that, in meaning and in their environment, require the kind of effects that can be achieved with a wide angle. Bring the viewer to the compositional center of the image, deliberately distort the size of the subject to indicate its importance, and curve lines to create an immersive effect.

But most importantly - try not to make the above mistakes and shoot, shoot, shoot!

For a landscape photographer, there is nothing better than capturing the harmony and beauty of nature. Whether it's a waterfall, a forest, or a leafy clearing. The splendor of nature can be communicated through photography, but for that you need to choose the right lens.

In other words, behind every good landscape painter is a quality wide-angle lens. Moreover, when it comes to shooting nature, the lens is the most important detail cameras. There are a huge number of quality wide-angle lenses available on the market today, which we will talk about. From Micro 4/3 to APS-C and Fullframes, the possibilities are almost endless.

Viewing angle

Generally speaking, wide-angle lenses are lenses with a full frame focal length wider than 35mm. Of course, this is not a strict rule, since a lot also depends on the perspective. If, for example, you are shooting a forest from a distance of several meters, it is best to use a 14mm lens to fit everything into the frame. And if you shoot the same forest from a distance of several kilometers, you will need a 50mm lens. In general, most wide-angle lenses can achieve a field of view from 114 to 122 degrees. A little more and the lens is already entering the territory of fisheye glasses, and less than 110 degrees - standard.

In addition, the type of sensor in the camera will determine what is considered a wide angle for a particular camera. We'll take four standard sensor types for interchangeable lens cameras - full frame, APS, micro 4/3 and inch (in order of decreasing size). APS is divided into APS-H (for some Canon cameras), APS-C and APS-C for Canon.

Matrix type / magnification

Full frame - x1
APS-H (Canon) - x1.3
APS-C - 1.5x
APS-C (Canon) - 1.6x
Micro 4/3 - 2x
Inch - 2.7x

If you take a lens that is designed for a full-frame sensor and put it on APS-C, then some of the light passing through the lens will be blocked. Thus, an increase in focal length is also created. A 35mm lens will get a crop from x1.3 to x1.6 depending on the type of APS-C sensor. Consequently, a 24mm full frame glass on APS-C would be equivalent to a 36mm lens. Due to this factor, the focal length of the lens on the camera can go from full frame to standard. If this is great for telephoto shooters (300mm becomes 450mm), it is not at all suitable for wide angle lenses.

Fortunately, there is a very large selection of different lenses for every type of camera. It should be borne in mind that since the sensor on APS-C is smaller and the focal length is different, manufacturers usually indicate all distances in the lens specifications. The wide-angle Sigma 8-16mm f / 4.5-5.6 DC HSM for APS-C cameras, for example, on a full frame will get a distance of 12-24 mm.

The smaller the matrix, the larger the crop factor. Micro 4/3 is half a full frame sensor, so an 8mm lens for Micro 4/3 will have a focal length of 16mm, 12mm - 24mm, and so on.

As for an inch sensor (for example, on a Nikon 1 camera), its crop factor is x2.7. That is, an 8mm lens will be equal to 21.6mm. Likewise, manufacturers indicate focal length equivalents for a full-frame sensor in the instructions.

Lens structure

Anyone who has looked at the prices of lenses has noticed that they vary greatly for cheap and expensive models... Generally speaking, the price is determined by the quality and value of the lens. But this does not mean at all that you cannot find budget quality lenses and not the best examples of expensive ones.

Many details, both inside and outside the lens, affect its performance. It should be noted that even zoom lenses differ in design from fixed focal length lenses. And zoom lenses are made up of much more elements both literally and figuratively: often in the description of the lens you can read “consists of 14 elements in 12 groups. Three aspherical lenses, four LD and 2 ELD ”.

The latter abbreviations are optical functions that aim to improve light transmission. The most common ones that come across in the name of the lens are LD (low dispersion), ELD (ED) (extra low dispersion), SLD (special low dispersion) and UL (ultra low dispersion), HRI (highly refractive) ASP (aspherical). Some manufacturers also have their own terms that characterize certain properties of the lens. Lenses of the same type are collected in groups, and groups of different ones, as a rule, coexist in one lens, successfully covering several functions at once.

The structure, quality and price of a lens depends on other factors as well. For example, lens speed. The faster the lens, or the wider its maximum aperture, the better, as a rule. However, it is not always possible to guarantee that f / 2.8 will be better than the cheaper f / 4. This often depends on the internal design.

There are two types of zoom lenses - fixed and variable aperture. In the first case, the maximum aperture remains unchanged at each focal length. In the second, it changes accordingly. More expensive, however, are lenses with a fixed aperture.

Well, as always, you have to choose a lens based on your requirements, budget and camera. Fortunately, there are plenty to choose from.

Canon EF 16-35mm f / 2.8L III USM and Canon EF 24-105mm f / 4 IS II USM

These lenses are an excellent extension of Canon's line of full-frame sensor lenses. The first lens consists of 16 elements including an aspherical lens. A special advantage is the PTFE coating. In addition, the lens has a fixed aperture of f / 2.8.

The second model similarly has a fixed aperture, but f / 4, which is why it costs a little less.

These lenses are an excellent choice for nature photography, as they produce high-quality images with brilliant saturated colors.

Fujifilm's XF 16mm F1.4R WR

For Fujifilm cameras, this lens is better suited than others. With a focal length equivalent to 24mm, it consists of two aspherical and two ED elements. Thanks to the nano coating of the glass, refraction is corrected and glare and reflections are removed. This lens has a minimum focal length of less than 6 inches and has a fast focusing motor.

Summaron-M 28mm f / 5.6

The legendary Leica also received an update for M-series digital cameras. It should be noted that this lens first hit the market in 1955 and only its modern version has been adapted for modern M-mount cameras. This lens focuses at a distance of approximately 90 cm. Symmetrical optics are six elements in four groups. Iconic for this lens is the vignette effect that made its original model popular.

SL 24-90mm f / 2.8-4 ASPH

For those who shoot with the Leica SL series, the SL 24-90mm f / 2.8-4 ASPH is ideal. It consists of 18 elements in 6 groups, including 4 aspherical elements. 11 of 18 elements are made of glass, which reduces chromatic aberration. The price of this lens is about 280,000 rubles.

AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f / 2.8E ED VR

This lens incorporates all the latest technologies, i.e. four steps of image stabilization, an electromagnetic aperture (to maintain a constant aperture during continuous shooting), ASP / ED elements and a lens coating that reduces reflections and flare. Nikon's more budget-friendly landscape option is the AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f / 1.8G ED. Featuring f / 1.8 aperture and aspherical elements and ED elements with extra low dispersion.

For Nikon DX - APS-C cameras, the AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f / 3.5-5.6G VR is great. This lens provides a focal length of 27-83mm and has built-in image stabilization. The stepper motor provides smoother and quieter autofocus performance. A little cheaper (about 2,500 rubles), you can purchase a version without VR, but it's better not to save money.

Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f / 4.0 IS Pro

With a focal length of 24-200mm on a full-frame sensor and a constant aperture, this lens consists of 17 elements in 11 groups. The lens is covered with nano coating, the lens has built-in stabilization, and is weatherproof. The lens is best suited for the OM-D series.

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS

Despite the name, this lens is not designed for Leica cameras at all, but it is the result of a collaboration between Panasonic and Leica, designed for Micro 4/3 sensors. On a full-frame sensor, it will give a focal length of 24-120mm, thereby allowing it to adapt to any situation. Plus, the lens is weatherproof and capable of operating at -10 degrees C.

Lumix G Leica DG Summilux 12mm f / 1.4 ASPH

Another collaboration between Panasonic and Leica, the Micro 4/3 lens will have a focal length of 24mm and with an f / 1.4 aperture, the lens allows you to shoot in extremely low light. The body of the lens is protected from water drops and dust, and it includes aspherical, ED and UED elements. Plus, it includes a nine-blade diaphragm for smooth background defocusing.

HD PENTAX-D FA 15-30mm f / 2.8 ED SDM WR

For cameras with the Pentax K-1 system, this lens is ideal for landscape photography. The design includes ED lenses, a glare-absorbing coating and allows fast focusing with image stabilization that works perfectly with the K-1 and has five steps.

Samyang 20mm f / 1.8 ED AS UMC

There is a variant of this lens for almost any mount (Sony Ub, Sony A, Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Micro 4/3 and Fuji X). All lens models operate on manual focus and consist of 13 elements in 12 groups. The minimum focal length is about 30 cm.

Sigma 12-24mm f / 4 DG HSM Art

This is one of the top Sigma lenses and has options for Canon and Nikon cameras. The lens includes high-quality aspherical lenses that provide image clarity and brightness. The elements have FLD dispersion and the lens focuses at a distance of up to 20 cm at a focal length of 24 mm.

For Sony cameras, the Sigma 30mm f / 1.4 DC DN is suitable, which is equipped with aspherical and double-sided aspherical elements. The lens has 9 aperture blades and focuses at a distance of up to 30cm.

Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM

Anti-reflection nano-coated lens with XA elements and nine aperture blades for smooth bokeh. A separate plus is the silent mechanism.

Tamron 18-200mm f / 3.5-6.3 Di II VC

For Canon, Nikon and Sony, this budget lens from Tamron will work. It is one of the lightest zoom lenses and is great for landscape photography.

I often hear that the criterion for choosing a camera is the presence of a wide-angle lens. The larger the angle of coverage, the better. And then, - they say to me, - I wandered along the narrow streets, and there is such a magnificent architecture, but I could not photograph anything. In general, the classic situation: I want the Tsar Cannon. And to shoe a flea so that it does not slip on the ice, and the fact that it has stopped moving its paws - heavy horseshoes - are forgotten. With ultra wide-angle lenses, the situation is very similar, although it is certainly a very interesting thing. But a large angle often leads to completely different results, which are subconsciously expected of it. We wanted to capture everything at once, but the photograph shows a building that is difficult to recognize. The problem is aggravated by the fact that when we go beyond the limits of natural perception, the usual straight-line projection ceases to be natural.

First, let's repeat some elementary truths. An image obtained with a conventional lens is equivalent to an image obtained with a hole camera, the hole of which is at the focal length of the plate. The human eye covers a fixed pupil of about 40 degrees, which corresponds to the focal length of a 50 mm lens operating with a frame of 24 × 36 mm. Problems with longer lenses, both with imaging and perception, do not arise. In the end, the situation is quite natural: binoculars, a telescope, a keyhole, after all. With wider lenses, things are not so obvious. You can quickly rotate your eyes, you can look into a curved mirror, but in the case of a rectilinear projection, the extreme rays will practically slide over the photographic plate, and the image will be greatly distorted, although the lines will remain straight. I am not dwelling here on the peculiarities of digital photography, when it is very difficult for the matrix to register grazing rays. This problem has long been solved in the design of the so-called, and although the image in them corresponds to a hole located very close to the plate, in reality, the rays coming out of the lens are no longer parallel to the incoming ones, and fall on the matrix not under so acute angle... The problem of catastrophic deterioration of quality at the edges of the frame when working with ultra-wide-angle lenses is connected not so much with the imperfection of the lens design, but with the very formulation of the problem: we are trying to register grazing rays. It seems to me that the desire to make ultra-wide-angle lenses operating in normal (rectilinear, and in some articles it is called rectangular) projection is associated with the desire to preserve the usual projection in unfamiliar conditions. An alternative is Fisheye lenses, which give a completely different projection, but with computer processing one projection can be easily converted into another, and the need to immediately obtain the desired image is no longer a decisive argument when choosing a digital camera lens. Those. in digital processing, fisheye lenses can be successfully used in place of ultra-wide-angle lenses, which build an image in a straight projection. Let's compare two lenses with close focal lengths, but different principles image building. The focal length of the Mir 47 lens and the Zenitar lens differs by only 4 mm. Externally, the optical designs seem similar, but the results are strikingly different.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that although the light filters for both lenses are placed after the rear lens, in Zenitar they are placed instead of the plane-parallel plate. Since the thickness of the plate and the filter are the same, there is no change in the path of the rays. Without a filter or plate, this lens cannot focus to infinity. For the Mir-47 lens, filters are set as additional element, their thickness is small enough not to make significant changes in focusing.

Zenitar is a “fisheye”, and it builds an image in accordance with the principle: an equal angle corresponds to an equal segment of the image in the focal plane. As a result, the edges of the frame appear more detailed. Fisheye lenses have problems with degradation at the edges of the frame, indeed, due to the complexity of the design and the difficulty of creating an ideal optical design.

The widest "normal" lens in Canon's catalog has a focal length of 14mm and a 104 ° long-side field of view. If we look at the MTF given in the Canon TF Lens Work II book of the EF 14 mm f / 2.8L USM, we will see that not only at a distance of 20 mm from the center, the contrast of thin lines drops to almost zero, and does not even save aperture, but also the contrast curve has several local minima in the interval between the center and the edge of the frame. The next lens in Canon's catalog has a 20mm focal length and a 1: 2.8 aperture ratio. His MTF also resembles drunken caterpillar dances and does not inspire optimism about quality at the edges. Formally, our hero, Mir-47, has exactly the same characteristics: a focal length of 20 mm, an angle of view of 94 ° diagonally, 84 ° horizontally and 62 ° vertically, the relative aperture is even slightly better, 1: 2.5. The only thing known about the pedigree is that a small batch was produced by the Krasnogorsk plant in 1982. According to the site of the Krasnogorsk plant, the calculation was made by the GOI. And the LOMO lens was produced, and then its production was transferred to the Vologda Optical and Mechanical Plant (), whose products I am testing today. By design, the Vologda lens differs from the Krasnogorsk one.

Specifies the center / edge TU resolution for its lens: 60:17 lines / mm. Unfortunately, I do not have this TU, and GOST 25502-82 assumes the construction of a graph of dependence and, given the rapid deterioration of the resolution to the edge of the image, information of the center / edge type, when it is not known where this edge is, becomes little informative, since if 17 lines / mm at a distance of 19 mm from the center of the frame, the lens is comparable to Canon products; and if at a distance of 21 mm, then much better. Let me remind you that the diagonal of the frame is 43 mm, that is, the very corner is at a distance of 21.5 mm from the center of the frame.

Finishing the description of the structure, I will dwell a little on the mechanics. Lenses with threaded connection M42, when the diaphragm selection ring is rotated, its diameter does not change, but only the stop of the limiter moves. The design is designed in such a way that it is not the rotation of the ring that moves the diaphragm blades, but the stem, which the device presses at the moment the shutter is released, to close the diaphragm to the working position. When using the adapter ring EOS-M42, the stem is pressed all the time and the diaphragm is always closed to the working position. In this case, when the aperture change ring rotates, its blades often stick, the hole loses its correct shape, and the aperture values \u200b\u200bare not always set the same. Since the automatic diaphragm closing is not used when used with digital cameras, I removed the pusher mechanism in my copy and installed a more powerful spring. As a result, when the aperture setting ring rotates, the hole diameter will change more predictably :-)

To illustrate the possibilities of wide-angle optics, Sergei Shcherbakov and I took a Canon 5D with a full-size 24x36mm sensor and a Canon 350D with a 14.8x22.2mm sensor and our collection of wide-angle lenses. The building was filmed from one point. After that, the obtained images were compared. Since the lenses used gave images in different projections and distorted the perspective in different ways, in this case, “for the purity of the experiment,” we decided to compare photographs only in rectilinear projection, with the maximum possible computer distortion correction. Typically, we used a program based on a package that was developed in 1998 by a physics professor (Helmut Dersch).

Canon 5D

This is what the Canon 5D camera sees from a fisheye perspective.

And this angle of coverage can be pulled out of this lens in a straight projection

Original snapshot.

The scale of the miniature is 13% of the original.

Let's apply the Lens Correction plugin from the program Adobe Photoshop

And after correcting perspective distortion and distortion, we get:

The thumbnail is 13% of its original size.

There are many ways to transform a fisheye lens.

For example, use a plugin.

It is possible to correct both projection and perspective distortions at the same time, however, the range of correction of the vertical perspective is slightly insufficient to obtain vertical lines of the walls.

You can, as in the above example of correcting the image taken by Mir-47, use Lens Correction:

However, in this case, it is not possible to correct the barrel distortion in one step. And there arises, as in the previous case, the need to apply the plugin again to the already transformed image.

More promising, in my opinion, is the use of the Remap plugin for recalculation into a rectilinear (Normal) projection:

HFOV - horizontal angle of view

As a result, we get the following snapshot:

The thumbnail is 13% of its original size.

Now correcting vertical perspective with Lens Correction or PTPerspective

and as a result we get:

The thumbnail is 13% of its original size.

Naturally, you have to pay for everything, and if you convert the image obtained with a fisheye lens into a rectilinear projection, the use of the matrix area is not as effective as when shooting with a conventional lens.

And this is what the lens gives Sigma 24-70 at a focal length of 24 mm.

The thumbnail is 13% of its original size.

Canon 350D

Now let's see if we can get similar viewing angles on the smaller sensor on the Canon 350D. Naturally, there are no circular Fisheye lenses for it, but now we are considering only normal projections, and if you wish, you can get an image like the 8 mm Bearing on a 24x36 matrix on a smaller matrix using an attachment for a longer lens.

The thumbnail is 13% of its original size.

Maximum coverage in straight line projection can be obtained using the PTLens plug-in, but the quality of the edges will be unsatisfactory.

Since I do not propose to compare this option with others, the size of the thumbnail is 19% of the image after conversion.

You can moderate your ardor and not try to get maximum coverage in this plugin or use the Remap and Lens Correction plugins.

The thumbnail corresponds to 13% of the image obtained after conversion.

The thumbnail is 13% of the original size.

The thumbnail corresponds to 13% of the image obtained after conversion by the PTLens and Lens Correction plugins.

Using this screenshot as an example, I will show that Adobe Photoshop is not the only add-on that allows you to work with PanoTools. You can use the graphical interface to the panorama tools "". For optimization, load a single frame into it and select control points that lie on horizontal and vertical lines. For example, in the left image, select the upper section of the downspout, and on the right - the lower section of the same pipe, and mark that these points lie on the same vertical line.

Run optimization and save the resulting result in linear projection:

Thumbnail corresponds to 13% of the image obtained after conversion using the Hugin program.

F \u003d 18 mm.

The thumbnail is 13% of the original size.

After perspective correction with the Lens Correction plugin.

After perspective correction with the Lens Correction plugin:

Since this particular lens is the main hero of this article, we will use this image as an example to see how efficiently chromatic aberrations can be eliminated by software. I prefer to eliminate them when converting RAW files. Here's what you get with Adobe Camera RAW:

During layout, the image is doubled.

As you can see from the above images, the small matrix itself does not interfere with obtaining images with the same viewing angles as the large one. It is obvious that images in the center do not depend on the matrix size, but only on the lens resolution and pixel size. At the edges, the situation is much less straightforward, since with a large matrix, the edge / center difference is more significant. Let us compare the quality of displaying the same objects located in the center and on the periphery of the frame when shooting with different lenses and cameras. If shooting is carried out with one lens and different cameras, then it is obvious that the objects are at the same distance from the center, that is, for 5D it is by no means the very edge. For ease of comparison, smaller images are enlarged so that the scale of objects is the same everywhere. Naturally, magnification does not improve the quality, but sometimes a smaller image at magnification gives more sharp imagethan a large, soft lens. However, if it is necessary to choose a lens for shooting from a fixed point for subsequent printing of a large format photo, then such an approach has the right to exist, since it is difficult to predict what a small and sharp image will turn into when it is enlarged.

Subjective impressions of the resulting table.

Approximately the same angle gives the Sigma 24mm lens on a large matrix and Zenitar on a small one. Zenitar is a sharp lens with very good resolution. The Canon 350D's fine pixel allows it to better realize its potential. If we need an angle of coverage of 50 degrees, then I would arrange the photos in the following order: Mir-47 with a 5D camera, Zenitar with 350D, Canon 18-55 (F \u003d 18 mm) with 350D, Sigma 24-70 (F \u003d 24 mm ) with 5D, Zenitar with 5D. Paired Zenitar with 350D and Canon 18-55 (F \u003d 18 mm) with 350D, I gave Zenitar advantage due to best quality in the center and a larger viewing angle, all other things being equal. Once again, I note that everything is very subjective, since these are not worlds, and the changing cloudiness greatly influenced the contrast of individual image details. In a pair of Canon 18-55 (F \u003d 18 mm) with 350D and Sigma 24-70 (F \u003d 24 mm) with 5D, the latter lost due to the larger frame area, towards the edge of its performance deterioration turned out to be more significant. In these shots, the window is really at the very edge of the frame, and Sigma's slightly larger viewing angle did not allow it to win in the competition for shooting a particular building :-) In any case, when shooting with a wide-angle lens, you will have to put up with uneven quality across the field of the image. Unfortunately, in landscape photography, the important part of the subject often takes up the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe frame. In light of the above, if you look at the picture taken with the Mir-47 lens and the 5D camera from a slightly different angle, when the window is at the very edge of the picture, then in my opinion the results are better than expected :-)

Mir-47 - the very edge of the frame

In conclusion, a few pictures that demonstrate efficient use the immense depth of field provided by the Mir 47 lens.

Wide angle lenses are often misused or chosen for the wrong reasons. A lot of newbies buy a really good wide-angle lens, a 50mm (because someone suggested) and a longer zoom lens. But the biggest mistake is not understanding how they work, why you need each of them specifically and for what situation.

In this article, we'll take a look at wide angle lenses. What they do, how to use them, and how to avoid the following five most common mistakes photographers make.

Everything in the image is at the same distance from the lens.
There is no clear subject.
The wide angle lens is only used to bring more objects into the frame.
Taking unsuccessful photographs of people.
Shooting with a wide angle lens for no reason.

What is a wide angle lens?

Technically, this is any lens that has a wider viewing angle than the human eye. Back in the days of film, a 50mm lens was considered "normal" because it gives the picture that is closest to what a person sees. Now with "digital" it is a little more difficult - 50mm is considered normal for full-frame cameras, which corresponds to approximately 35mm for APS-C or crop sensors (for the same angle of view).

Therefore, focal lengths greater than 50mm (full frame) or 35mm (APS-C) are considered wide-angle lenses. The shorter the focal length, the wider the frame will be, for example; 15mm, which is ultra-wide (full frame) or 10mm (special lens made for APS-C cameras only). Even wider lenses are referred to as fisheye lenses, and the image becomes nearly round when shooting.

What does a wide angle lens do?

Wide-angle lenses distort objects and improve perspective: objects closer to the camera appear larger than those farther away, even if they are the same size in reality.

Look at the photo of the metro sign above; notice how much larger the portion closer to the camera is than the portion farther away. This is the result of a wide-angle optical lens. The same can be seen in the photograph with the Brooklyn Bridge above and with the buildings below.

Let's compare the images below, captured with wide-angle and telephoto lenses, respectively.

17mm lens on full frame camera (you need to use 11mm on APS-C to get this angle of view)

75mm lens on a full frame camera (a 50mm lens on an APS-C camera will give you roughly the same angle of view)

Take a look at the size of the tractor in the two pictures. Notice how visually larger the tractor in the first photo is compared to the object in the background. See how the aspect ratio has changed in the second image? The tractor did not move between shots, the distance between objects did not change either. The only things that have changed are the lens that the photographer was using and the distance between the subject and the camera.

5 beginner mistakes when using a wide-angle lens

Everything in your image is at the same distance from the lens

To use a wide-angle lens correctly, you need some object at close range to the lens.

This was shot with a 24mm lens. There is no object here because all the elements are at the same distance from the camera. Compare with the tractor image above, especially the wide-angle shot: the tractor on it literally comes to life

Now let's look at the two bike images below. There is nothing in the picture on the left that stands out. As he gets closer, he switches to the bike. The photographer was only inches from the front tire when he took the second shot.

You cannot remain inconspicuous when doing wide-angle photography. To make your shots more interesting, have more depth and perspective - you need to get closer to the subjects you are shooting. Try to find a subject very close to the lens, something else at a medium distance, and leave the background even further away. This will give your photo depth.

The image above was shot from the hip (literally) as the photographer crossed the street in New York. The finished image was cropped and processed as follows.

True New York is a bustling hub of activity. And the perspective taken with a wide-angle lens takes the viewer into the thick of it. Do you feel chaos through the photo?

One more example.

Beautiful sunrise, but it might seem like it is missing something

It is best to add a person to the frame, the proximity to the camera adds depth

There is no clear object in the image

This error is closely related to the first. When everything is at the same distance from the lens,. As soon as you get close to zoom in on your subject, it will start to visually stand out.

In these examples, the photographer started with 17mm and a very low angle. He wanted to emphasize the perspective across the converging railway lines.

In the first shot (above), this was not achieved, there is no clear object on which the viewer could hold his gaze. Then the focus was on the nail that was sticking out of the board. It turned out better, but then I found out sticking out of the rotten boards yellow leaf... Backlit by the sun, it really stood out in the photo. The leaf has become the focal point of the image not only because of its size in the frame, it is bright warm color, not centered, and also on it in a certain way.

What story do you want to tell in your photo?

Use all your senses to immerse yourself in what is happening around you when you photograph. How can you relate this to your image?

The image above was taken at the Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal.

The wide angle lens was used to focus more on the statues and pulpit and less on the main altar. The viewer's eye "goes" to them because of their size in the frame.

Finally, consider composition and lighting. If the subject is placed off-center, the photo will be more interesting. Make sure it is well lit and that the background does not distract the viewer.

Mistake # 3 - trying to fit too much into the frame

Street vendor in Havana, Cuba; 17mm lens (full frame)

Pick something interesting on the counter to focus on while the rest of it acts as the background. You need to choose a single object, not the whole room, market or other place. Your message will be diluted if you try to fit as many things into the frame as possible.

Simplify - Simplify - Simplify. Often in photography, less is more. Say more with fewer things in your images. See how simple, yet graphic, the photos below are?

Take bad pictures of people

Wide-angle lenses distort objects in the frame. Thus, the nose of the person in the photo will lengthen, the jaw will stick out, and the head will look just huge!

17mm lens - not very good photo model

This kind of shooting is usually not suitable for most people. If you want to successfully photograph a person, just don't use a wide-angle lens. You need to understand what effect it will have on the photo and use it wisely.

35 mm - slightly better

70 mm is another matter. 85mm is the total focal length for portrait photos... The face looks good, there is less background, the viewer's attention is focused on the model's face

160mm - great for head photography

Experiment with all the lenses you have, think, if you were photographing you, would you like to end up with an image, shot with which lens? Take pictures with him.

Use a wide-angle lens to photograph people showing their surroundings (think of the store owner in the example above), add fun or even a little humor, tell a story. But be aware that this photo probably won't be flattering to the model.

If you intend to take a flattering portrait for the model, choose a lens slightly longer than usual in the short telephoto range (85-135 mm in full screen, 60-90 mm APS-C).

The wide-angle view shows the whole picture. It is a travel guide and shaman in Peru playing Machu Picchu. The background is very important in this case - it tells part of the story.

Humor and wide-angle shooting go well together

Children are very important subjects that you can have some fun with. Let the spirit of exploration awaken in them, and they approach the wide-angle lens. This will add a sense of playfulness and fun to all your photos.

Wide angle shooting is good simply "because it is good"

The last mistake is to use a wide-angle lens just because "it's cool". Often, when people buy a new lens, they only use it for a while, and where it is needed and not needed.

Wide lens success

Choose your lens based on the effect you want in your images.

Converging lines long corridor lead the viewer to the stage

Get closer, find a well-defined and understandable subject, don't try to fit as many things into the frame as possible, photograph people correctly with a wide-angle lens, and make informed decisions about using it in general.

First, let's take a look at some of the surprises and disadvantages of this lens.

If you use this lens correctly, you can make the viewer feel in the middle of the scene.
You, as a photographer, can get much closer to get fantastic pictures. If you can't get close enough, forget about the wide angle.
This lens tends to exaggerate things, including objects, and phenomena, and emotions. People, faces, or terrain - it all seems to overwhelm the frame, if correctly compiled and processed.
Composition really matters when it comes to this lens, minimal camera movement and positioning yourself within the scene can make a dramatic difference in photography. Avoid catching your feet while shooting when framing.
Shooting portraits with wide-angle lenses, of course, takes a lot of practice and a certain amount of skill. Believe me, even professionals find it difficult to get a decent portrait shot. It should be taken into account that a person can lose proportionality and take measures to prevent such a phenomenon. Remember this is not a portrait lens.

In this article, we will discuss the pros with you wide-angle photographyas well as some interesting methods for shooting and negative aspects of wide-angle photos.

Distortion

A distortion in the lens is causing a defect in the image. There are practically no optics that do not cause some amount of distortion in the image. But when it comes about wide-angle lenses, you should be especially careful about this point. As a rule, stretching occurs in the corners of a photograph, due to which the object or subject loses its real shape and looks deformed in the photograph. It is quite difficult to avoid this, but you can still use such a disadvantage in favor of the image. In addition, this issue can be easily resolved if we resort to better equipment. There are many methods available to correct deformations in frame processing.

Photo: Todd & Sarah Sisson

Framing

Clearly imagine what your object is inside, that is, what frames it. Perfect placement subject is the center of the frame. In this way, you can avoid the huge amount of distortion that is characteristic of the corners of the picture. In addition, a clearer understanding of the nature of the image arises and an excellent wide-angle photo is obtained.

Photo: Kevin McNeill

Photographer's position and composition

You can move a little or tilt the camera a little and at the same time get significant changes within the frame. it good opportunity improve the look of the scene. To do this, keep experimenting and take more test shots for great results. Introspection and patience are also useful.

Photo: Jared Ropilato