Digital Camera Angle and Perspective

Now lets imagine three photographs of the cubic object taken from the three points of view: with a normal lens from the first, with an angular from the closes point and a telephoto from the furthest. Since the size of the images also varies with the focal length of the lens , we can also suppose that the size of the closest edge's image is the same in the three photographs; the increase of the telephoto compensates the greater distance, and the reduction of the angular balances out ht increase derived from the proximity. In the three photographs we would be able to observe exactly what we have just seen: were the difference between angles is greater (close point of view and great angular lens), the depth is enhanced; were the difference is smaller (far away point of view and a telephoto), the depth sensation minimizes.

For the same size of image, a well done photograph with an angular is made at a smaller distance than with a normal lens and a photo made with a telephoto is made at a greater distance. More than the lens itself, the perspective derives from the distance between us and the scene. When we choose a lens for photographing a scene (supposing we can choose between a telephoto, and angular or the normal), we do it principally to influence the size of the image: from our point of view, we want the image to appear, respectively, larger, smaller or equal to what we're seeing. Now we know that when using a telephoto or an angular, the perspective will be different than normal.

In many cases the choice of a type or another responds to the limitations of distance: using a determined type of lens to vary the size of the image because the other factor that influences it, distance, is impossible to alter. Nonetheless, the most frequent is that we can get closer or farther for the image to appear larger or smaller. In these cases we can choose the lens we wish and it gives us the freedom to choose the perspective we consider ideal. The perspective associated with each type of lens is it's second fundamental characteristic. It is a determining element in the final aspect of the image we want to register. An apparently technical data like the focal length of a lens has a much more important meaning for us: it equals a way we frame the image.