I own some of the Nikon lenses (24mm f2.8, 28mm f.28, 50mm f2.8, 55mm f1.4 macro, 85mm f1.4, 135mm f2.8, and 180mm f2.8). For the most part, I understand the usage of a wide angle, standard, and telephoto lens; however, my question is more towards visual effects then the purpose a wide angle, standard, or telephoto lens. For example, I can use a 180mm lens and filmed at a farther distance or use a 50mm lens and filmed at a closer distance. Now, I believed it all has to do with focus, DOF, compression of space and so on, so I guess my question is, in what situation (such as in what kind of scene) would I use what lens? Another example is zoom lens such as this demo. When do I use a zoom lens versus a prime lens?
When to use what lens?
- Thread starter myCharlie
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Hans Moleman
Carbonite Member
focal lengths can alter our perceived distance from the subject. the choice of lens would correspond to how emotionally "close" we are to the subject. ie: when we first see our protagonist, we're wider and further back. later in the story, when he's thinking about suicide, we're long and tight on him.
Gopher_Greene
Well-known member
Longer focal lengths have shallower depth of field then wider angle lens at the same distance to the subject.
Longer lens compress distance more then wider lens. If you want to show your subject in the vastness of thier environment, use a wide angle. If want to close your subject in use a longer lens.
If you want to show the train thats about to run over your hero far off in the distance but closing fast, use a wide angle. If you want the train off in the distance to seem like its barley creeping a long, taking a long time to travel a short distance, use a longer lens.
Prime lens are usually faster than zoom, they have less elements of glass, so less abberations. Use a prime when youi can stay at a certain focal length.
The other time I always try to use a prime is when I shoot for composite, if it has to be keyed you want the least of amount of abberation as possible.
This does not apply to the lens adapter in front of the HVX. The lens adapter is adding alot of glass in front of the attached lens. The lens adapter in front of the HVX is typically for asthetics and the first couple of points on long and wide lens.
Longer lens compress distance more then wider lens. If you want to show your subject in the vastness of thier environment, use a wide angle. If want to close your subject in use a longer lens.
If you want to show the train thats about to run over your hero far off in the distance but closing fast, use a wide angle. If you want the train off in the distance to seem like its barley creeping a long, taking a long time to travel a short distance, use a longer lens.
Prime lens are usually faster than zoom, they have less elements of glass, so less abberations. Use a prime when youi can stay at a certain focal length.
The other time I always try to use a prime is when I shoot for composite, if it has to be keyed you want the least of amount of abberation as possible.
This does not apply to the lens adapter in front of the HVX. The lens adapter is adding alot of glass in front of the attached lens. The lens adapter in front of the HVX is typically for asthetics and the first couple of points on long and wide lens.
sfoster
Well-known member
Well one way to look at it is that a longer lens puts the camera further away from the subject. That may give your character an isolated feeling. Also a longer lens will hide more of the background which can add a little suspense to a scene where you previously shot the same angle with a wider lens with the camera closer.
Motion is another visual effect of lenses. If your character is moving toward the lens, the wider the lens, the greater ground the character will appear to cover as written by Gopher above. If you have a fight scene and they are punching toward the camera, a wide lens can accentuate the speed of the fist, as well as exaggerating the size of the fist as it gets close to the camera. A longer lens will make it appear that someone is going nowhere. Say someone is lost in the desert and you want it to look like they're getting nowhere, use a long lens.
Also because of the angle of view of lenses, you can make a room seem crowded by using a long lens and putting everyone in front of the lens, using a wide lens will make a room seem more empty even though the same amount of people are in the room.
While a longer lens can have a shallower depth of field, you can make the depth of field much deeper by closing the iris so that the depth of field matches a wider lens opened up.
The best thing to do is play a lot with your different lenses in many different situations!
Motion is another visual effect of lenses. If your character is moving toward the lens, the wider the lens, the greater ground the character will appear to cover as written by Gopher above. If you have a fight scene and they are punching toward the camera, a wide lens can accentuate the speed of the fist, as well as exaggerating the size of the fist as it gets close to the camera. A longer lens will make it appear that someone is going nowhere. Say someone is lost in the desert and you want it to look like they're getting nowhere, use a long lens.
Also because of the angle of view of lenses, you can make a room seem crowded by using a long lens and putting everyone in front of the lens, using a wide lens will make a room seem more empty even though the same amount of people are in the room.
While a longer lens can have a shallower depth of field, you can make the depth of field much deeper by closing the iris so that the depth of field matches a wider lens opened up.
The best thing to do is play a lot with your different lenses in many different situations!
A classic eng trick to make festivals et cetera look more crowded: zoom in, use a greater focal length, and the twenty people scattered on a large field will look like their stepping on each others' feet 
Whenever I hear "please make it look crowded!" I do just that: zoom in!
Whenever I hear "please make it look crowded!" I do just that: zoom in!