We cover a detailed comparison of wide-angle lens vs telephoto lens and explain how each type transforms your photography, providing tips for choosing the right lens for every scene.
Introduction:
Imagine that you have a lovely creamy cake in front of you, and it’s in your field of vision. A wide-angle lens on your camera will capture a large slice of that cake, while a telephoto lens will only capture a tiny, magnified slice. This is the basic understanding of how they differ from one another.
In essence, the wide-angle lenses result in a more exaggerated and broader field of view compared to the very narrow and compressed view of the same subject from a telephoto lens. However, there are many other aspects to consider when establishing a wide-angle lens vs telephoto lens comparison.
Wide-angle Lens vs Telephoto Lens
1.Focal Length Range
Every wide-angle lens is designed with a focal length range of 14mm to 35 mm, making the final shot immersive and detailed. On the other hand, telephoto lenses are designed with a range of 70-200 mm and even longer (super-telephoto). This focal range makes the image observational and focused.
2.Depth of Field
You get a shot in which everything is more in focus with a wide-angle lens, while telephoto lenses tend to keep only the subject in focus, bringing bokeh to the surroundings, making it a shallow depth of field. The DoP difference here is one of the most significant factors in the wide-angle lens vs telephoto lens comparison.
3.Common Use
Since wide-angle lenses keep everything in focus, they are commonly used for shooting landscapes, architecture, astro, and interior environments. On the other hand, telephoto lenses are widely used for portrait photography, as well as for capturing moving subjects from a distance, most commonly for wildlife and sports photography.
4.Typical Aperture
Wide-angle lenses are commonly available in apertures ranging from f/1.4 to f/4, while telephoto lenses typically have an aperture range of f/2.8 to f/5.6, or even higher in high-end models. Selecting these focal lengths depends on your photography niche.
5. Distortion in Results
The wide-angle lenses are known to be prone to introducing pronounced distortion at the edges of wide shots, which is minimized in high-end lenses. Telephoto lenses often introduce flattering distortion to faces in portrait shots. This is much less noticeable when shooting videos with cine and anamorphic lenses.
When to Choose Telephoto?
1. When the subject is your focus in the shot, a telephoto lens is the one to use. It works to isolate a person, an animal, or a specific detail from its surroundings.
2. You need a natural perspective and a soft, blurry background for portraits, especially for events or fashion photography.
3. When a complex landscape is needed to appear larger in the frame, telephoto lenses work by stacking layers and make any background element of your choice appear larger relative to your subject—for example, the sun in the background of a skyscraper.
When to Choose a Wide-angle?
1. You are looking to capture a shot in which the nearby environment and small details are more required.
2. You are in a restricted space where you can physically move to capture a shot, or you want to capture a small indoor space.
3. Photographers seek to emphasize a strong foreground element in the shot while keeping the background in the frame.
A Worthy Lens for Growing Professionals
This year, professional videographers and photographers are seeking lens options that can achieve much more than just high-definition wide or close-up shots. The SIRUI 1.5x T1.9 IronStar Series Anamorphic Full Frame Cine Lens is one of those lenses designed for professionals, delivering versatility and a cinematic character in a compact package.
Designed with the next generation of anamorphic optics, the lens renders cinematic images and video with more horizontal information in each shot, providing natural oval bokeh and dramatic lens flares (available in blue or neutral) for your video shooting. It features a super-fast T1.9 aperture, capturing shots in a snap, and maintains an ultra-shallow depth of field, essential for subject isolation.
Available in 35, 45, and 60 mm focal lengths, it covers your close-up and wide-angle needs, offers full-frame coverage, and weighs significantly less than other cinematic lenses in this class. If you are ready to push your creative boundaries, then this lens kit should be on your radar.
Wrapping Up:
Your growth as a photographer and videographer hinges on understanding the wide-angle lens vs telephoto lens comparison and key differences. Telephoto lenses focus more on the subject, while wide-angle lenses capture a wider view of the environment. The SIRUI Ironstar lens kit helps creators capture professional-grade content with oval bokeh and natural flares, which competitors fail to offer in its price range.
