VV033
PHOTOGRAPHY
FUNDAMENTALS
(Light and Surfaces)
Session 5
LENSES + OPTICS PRIMER
Mgr. et MgA. Veronika Lukášová, Ph.D.
Photo by Veronika Lukasova
® LENS BASICS
FOCAL LENGTH
https://www.exposureguide.com/lens-basics/
A lens’ focal length is defined as
the distance between the lens’
optical center and the camera’s
image sensor (or film plane)
when focused at infinity.
A lens’ optical center is the point
within a lens, at which the rays of
light from two different sources
entering the lens are assumed to
cross.
Shorter focal length lenses
provide a wider field of view.
Conversely, longer focal lengths
provide a shorter field of view.
On DSLRs, the interchangeable
lens’ focal length is measured in
millimeters.
https://www.exposureguide.com/lens-basics/
- Front end of lens barrel, has ratio
number (1:2.8, 1:2.8-4, 1:3.5-5.6, etc)
indicating the maximum aperture of
the lens.
- The aperture determines how much
light the lens transmits to the image
sensor.
- The lower the maximum aperture
value will indicate the quality of the
lens in terms of brightness. High
quality zoom lenses deliver a
constant f-stop throughout the focal
range (i.e. a f/2.8 at 35mm and a
f/2.8 at 80mm); whereas on a lower
quality lens, the f-stop varies as you
travel up the focal range (i.e. a f/3.5
at 28mm, but a f/5.6 at 80mm); you
are losing at least one stop of light as
you zoom up the focal length from
wide angle to telephoto.
® LENS BASICS
WHAT LENSES ARE THERE?
Fixed lenses
Zoom lenses
Macro lenses
Special lenses
Photo by Veronika Lukasova
® FIXED LENS
The standard lens has a fixed
focal length (50mm, 85mm,
100mm), and reproduces fairly
accurately what the human eye
sees – in terms of perspective
and angle of view.
For a 35mm film camera or a fullframe
DSLR, the 50mm lens is
considered standard.
At higher focal lengths (85mm or
100mm) you have an ideal lens
for portraiture because when
coupled with a wide aperture
they thoroughly soften any
background detail, thus making
it less likely to distract from the
main subject.
https://www.exposureguide.com/lens-basics/
Photo by Veronika Lukasova
® FIXED LENS
50mm
® WIDE ANGLE LENS
A wide-angle has a shorter focal
length (10 thru 42mm) when
compared to a standard lens.
This enables you to capture a
comparatively wider angle of
view. A wide-angle lens is a
natural choice for capturing
outdoor landscapes and group
portraits.
Wide-angle lenses capture a
deep DOF
https://www.exposureguide.com/lens-basics/
Photo by Veronika Lukasova
® FIXED WIDE LENS
28mm / Capturing
wide scene
Photo by Veronika Lukasova
® FIXED WIDE LENS
28mm / Capturing
scene up close
Photo by Veronika Lukasova
® ZOOM WIDE LENS
16mm
® TELEPHOTO LENS
Telephoto lenses (100mm –
800mm) provide a narrow field of
view.
These long lenses enable you to
compress a distance (and
compress the sense of depth, as
well) and pick out specific
objects from far off.
They have a strong resolving
power and an inherent shallow
DOF, where the slightest lateral
moment can take a subject out
of view.
Telephoto lenses are great for
wildlife, portrait, sports, and
documentary types of
photography.
https://www.exposureguide.com/lens-basics/
Photo by Veronika Lukasova
® TELEPHOTO LENS
85mm
® DIFFERENT
LOOKING
PORTRAITS
TELEPHOTO LENSWIDE LENS
® FISH EYE LENS
Wide-angle lens that provides
extremely wide images by
changing straight lines into
curves.
It can sometimes produce
circular, convex, or oval images
by distorting the perspective and
creating a 180° image.
The range of focal length varies
between 7~16mm in a fish-eye
lens.
6
https://www.exposureguide.com/lens-basics/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/440015826079928802/
® FISH EYE LENS
® MACRO LENS
Macro lenses are used for
close-up or “macro”
photography.
They range in focal lengths of
between 50-200mm.
These lenses obtain razorsharp
focus for subjects within
the macro focus distance, but
lose their ability for sharp focus
at other distances.
6
https://www.exposureguide.com/lens-basics/
® MACRO
EXTENSION RINGS
Photo by Veronika Lukasova
® MACRO LENS
50mm lens with
macro rings
® MACRO LENS
® SPECIALIZED
LENSES: TILT
SHIFT LENS
TILT SHIFT LENS
Tilt shift lenses have been favored
by architectural photographers for
decades. They aim to reduce
distortion and achieve straight and
even lines for their images. Tilt
shifts have made their way into
popular photography styles by
providing interesting depth of field
options, which used as a particular
style in modern photography.
https://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/a-quick-start-guide-to-6-specialty-lenses--photo-17457
® SPECIALIZED
LENSES: TILT
SHIFT LENS
® SPECIALIZED
LENSES: AMAZING
BOKEH
There are many lenses that set
themselves apart by producing
interesting bokeh. Lenses such as the
Helios 44 are known to create a
spiraling effect (often called swirl
bokeh) in images because of the
overcompensation of reducing barrel
distortion within the lenses glass
elements.
While other lenses, such as Petzval
lenses, create incredible smooth and
"milky" bokeh. Often, these effects are
highly desired and help create an
interesting signature to your images.
https://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/a-quick-start-guide-to-6-specialty-lenses--photo-17457
® SPECIALIZED
LENSES: LENS
ADAPTOR
Lens adaptor allows you to fit a lens
on your camera that was originally not
made for being used together.
Keep in my that the adaptor WILL
CHANGE THE FOCAL LENGTH OF THE
USED LENS!
https://www.fotoskoda.cz/vyhledavani/?q=adapter+objektiv+pentacon
® SPECIALIZED
LENSES: LENS
ADAPTOR
Photo by Veronika Lukasova
® FOCAL LENGTH
Create a portrait of a same person with three
different focal lengths
Wide lens (16-28mm) / Fixed lens (35mm, 50mm)
Telephoto lens (85mm and up)
https://mcpactions.com/the-ideal-focal-length-for-portraiture-a-photographers-experiment/
VV033
PHOTOGRAPHY
Light and Surfaces
Session 5
ASSIGNMENT 1
Work in the Studio in groups
Submit 3 jpgs
FOLDER: FOCAL LENGTH
® TELEPHOTO SPY
Work individually or in groups
to share a long lens
Photograph people through a lit
windows of the FIMU or other details
you find interesting with long lens.
VV033
PHOTOGRAPHY
Light and Surfaces
Session 5
ASSIGNMENT 2
Work around FIMU
FOLDER: TELEPHOTO
® MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY
use tripod to compensate for the long
exposure time to avoid using a very
high ISO
Choose an object and photograph it with 3
different apertures. Start with a very soft detail =
an aperture around 2.8-3.5 then move to apertures
around F8 and lastly try as sharp aperture as your
lens allows F11 and higher. The closer you are to
the object, the less DOF you get so in this
assignment you are testing how to retain
sharpness in macrophotography.
VV033
PHOTOGRAPHY
Light and Surfaces
Session 5
ASSIGNMENT 3
Studio 2 in groups
Submit 3 jpgs
FOLDER: MACROPHOTOGRAPHY
® The FIXED LENS
50mm
Choose a location at FIMU – room, landing, foyer,
courtyard…and create a series of photos with the
same lens that convey the environment and details
of the environment. Because you will be using
uniform lens, you will discover that the series feels
coherent. If you cant work with a fixed lens, set
your zoom lens to 50mm and only shoot with
50mm.
https://mcpactions.com/the-ideal-focal-length-for-portraiture-a-photographers-experiment/
VV033
PHOTOGRAPHY
Light and Surfaces
Session 5
ASSIGNMENT 4
10 ENVIRONMENTAL PHOTOS
series with FIXED LENS
Work around FIMU
FOLDER: FIXED LENS ENVIRONMENTAL SERIES
A GUIDE FOR
CREATIVE
CRITICISM
Be fully present
Participate
Ask Questions
Listen
Agree to Disagree
Allow for Emotions
Be Specific
Be Open-Minded
Be Honest
Mgr. et MgA. Veronika
Lukášová, Ph.D.
VV033 2023
This presentation has been
created for students of
FIMU Brno and cannot be
used or distributed without
a consent of the author.