Understanding Cinematography by Brian Hall

Author:Brian Hall [Hall, Brian]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
ISBN: 9781847979926
Publisher: Crowood
Published: 2015-07-31T04:00:00+00:00

Fig. 48 This set of three prime lenses has fixed focal lengths of 35mm, 24mm and 85mm.

Every lens is normally defined by its focal length which determines the size of the image, and by its maximum aperture which determines the amount of light that it can transmit. Focal length is measured in millimetres and is the distance from the optical centre of the lens to the focal plane when the lens is focussed on infinity. So we might refer to a particular lens as a 25mm f/2.8 or a 50mm f/1.8.

Lenses are also referred to as being in three main categories – wide-angle, normal and telephoto, with the ‘normal’ lens producing an image that has approximately the same field of view as the human eye. Wide-angle lenses will cover a greater field of view and telephoto lenses a narrower field of view. However it is important to understand that it is the size of the film stock or camera sensor that dictates whether a lens of a particular focal length falls into the category of wide-angle, normal or telephoto. For example a 50mm lens would be considered a normal lens on 35mm film but would be used as more of a telephoto lens on 16mm film, but it will still always be a 50mm lens. It is only that its angle of view is different when compared to the sensor or film stock that is recording the image.

Lenses also fall into two further categories known as prime lenses and zoom lenses.

Prime lenses have a fixed focal length that cannot be changed, so if it is necessary to change the shot size, the camera must be physically moved either closer to or further from the subject being filmed. Zoom lenses have an infinitely variable range of focal lengths between their widest and shortest focal lengths, and image size can be adjusted by turning the barrel of the lens or using some other device on the camera, rather than moving the camera itself.

You should always use the best lens that you possibly can. It is pointless shooting in high definition if the images that arrive through the lens are not of the highest quality.

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