Wide Angle (1)
| Any lens with a
focal length less than 43 mm (for 35mm film format) should be considered wide angle.
However, there's wide angle and wiiiide angle. Many point-and-shoot cameras have
focal lengths between 35mm and 40mm (e.g., the nice little Leica
Minilux). This focal length offers improved depth of field (thus easier focusing), and
is useful for group photos, or panoramic shots. The picture to the right of a street car in Helsinki (on a rainy December day) shows the 35mm view angle. |
 |
 |
More extreme
point-and-shoot cameras have lenses down to 30mm or 28mm (e.g., the Contax Tvs). 28mm is already provides a viewing
angle that is significantly different from the customary. They allow real panoramic
views, and give very significant depth of field. The picture of the boy to the left demonstrates the significant depth of field (close-up shot, wide open at F-stop 3.5) and the unusual view angle.
(c) Christian Wagner, 2001. |