A Brief Comparison of Lenses

Previously I've talked about aperture and shutter speed so here's a demonstration on lens length.  We all know that a 50mm is longer than a 35mm and a 200mm is longer than a 135mm.  This isn't meant to be a comparison of the obvious.

What I want you to pay closer attention to is how the length of the lens effects the backgrounds focus and how the longer lenses compress the image and bring the different layers of the image closer together.

All images shot at 1/30th of a second at F/4.  Camera was a Nikon D700.  Lenses used were the 50mm, f/1.4, 24-120mm f/3.5 - 5.6 and the 80 - 200mm f/2.8.

35mm:

50mm:

85mm:

135mm:

The change in compression and depth of field is the most obvious in the images taken at 85mm and 135mm.  Notice how the small milk pitcher on the left of the image falls completely out of focus at 135mm.  The aperture and focal point never change.

This is used best when trying to isolate your subject from the background.  Had I shot these images at f/2.8 most of the background at 135mm would be unrecognizable, but at 35mm it would be completely recognizable.

Also notice how the items in the photograph seem to be pulled closer together with the 135mm than with the 35mm.  At 35mm there seems to be a lot of space between the objects.  Try it for yourself.  Take some photos of your children and see what you like best.  They all have there uses and they all have there advantages.