http://www.digitalcameraworld.com AUGUST 2019 DIGITAL CAMERA^61CAMERA COLLEGEFocal length problems
There are some specific issues to be aware of when you use wide-angle or telephoto lenses
It’s easy for branches,
lampposts and other
unwanted guests to
sneak into the edge of
a wide-angle picture
while you frame up.
Try running your eye
around the viewfinder
before you take the shot.
Zooming out slightly
can help you spot
visual intruders too.Some ultra wide-angle
lenses have such a wide
angle of view that they
can actually capture
the edges of a filter
attached to the lens.
There are a few options
here: choose a slimmer
filter, remove the filter,
zoom in a little, or clone
out the dark corners with
your editing software.Lens hoods for wide-angle
lenses tend to perform
poorly: they can’t be
too deep, otherwise
they’d be in the shot,
but that means they’re
less effective. To prevent
glare, make sure the front
element is spotless, and
hold your hand just out
of shot in order to shield
it from indirect light.Get close with a long lens,
and the depth of field will
be wafer-thin when a large
aperture is used. It may
help a subject pop, but
it’ll show up any focusing
errors without mercy.
The answer is to
manually select a single
autofocus point and use
this to focus on the most
important detail.Telephoto lenses tend to
be big and bulky, making
them hard to hold steady.
Any vibration will be
magnified by the
narrow angle of view.
Activating image
stabilisation helps,
but you may also need
to boost the ISO or
pick a larger aperture.
Alternatively, use a tripod.A long focal length will
magnify the effect of
shimmering heat haze in
warm weather, which can
affect AF performance
and lead to pictures that
look soft and low-res.
You can boost contrast
using a digital ‘dehaze’
filter, but you can’t restore
sharpness. So, if you can,
get closer to your subject.- Composition:
check the edge! - Filters: watch
out for vignetting! - Dealing with lens
flare and glare- Shallow depth of
field and focusing - Slow shutter
speed shakes - Haze: keep an eye
on the weather!
- Shallow depth of
Wide-angle lenses Telephoto lenses