Cameras, Continued
Lenses
Camera lenses have different ranges that make some lenses more suited to
copy work than others. Range refers to focal length or the distance between
the lens plane and the focal plane. Lens range may be long, short, standard,
variable, or macro. The speed of a lens increases as focal length decreases.
LONG RANGE: Long-range lenses are telephoto lenses. Use these lenses to
draw an image closer. Ideal for action or sports photography, they require
more light and faster film than standard lenses.
SHORT RANGE: Short-range lenses are fast lenses with a wide angle of
view. They are excellent for photographing large expanses in limited space
and panoramic views.
STANDARD RANGE: Standard-range lenses most closely record the image
as seen by the human eye. Distortion is relatively negligible.
VARIABLE RANGE: Variable-range lenses are zoom lenses or lenses in
which the focal length changes at the option of the photographer.
MACRO RANGE: Macro-range lenses are ideal for copy work, particularly
if the item being copied is small. This lens is slower in speed than standard
lenses. Available as 50mm and 100mm macros, they also perform well as a
general-purpose lens in routine shoots.
Figure 4-18 shows differences between lens ranges.
Figure 4-18. —Lens
ranges.
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