Focal Length Explained 1 - Don't just zoom - MOVE!

Get creative with your lenses. The best 'zoom' lens is your feet! Why? Because changing focal length on your lens changes how your photo will look. It's best friends with composition. Once you know in what way different focal lengths (or zooms) will affect your images - you can begin choosing a zoom setting because of creative reasons rather than simply zooming in and out hoping it'll look good.
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[@diego11032000]

Did anyone else get super nervous when he placed the lens on the top of the trash can?? Drove me nuts

[@MikeBrowne]

So long as the trash can doesn't move (and there's no reason why it would) it'll be fine Diego Alonso :-)

[@diego11032000]

Mike Browne Haven't you ever watched Sesame Street?! :P

[@MikeBrowne]

Once or twice many years ago Diego Alonso :-)

[@jillbrammer7391]

I gasped!!

[@delusionfrag1]

what unerved me more was the fact that he did not put on the front and back lens cap, it made my psudo OCD go amok. dust is enemy nr1

[@SJPlays_]

this vid is 6 years old, yet the quality is 👌👌👏👏

[@statepropaganda]

7 years old

[@kgfryan1128]

Gmcn

[@montisphotography]

did they have cameras in 2012?

[@SlarkShark31415]

8 years

[@PhysicsOfParkour]

The larger the focal length, the More satisfied the subjects!!!

[@N00bCore]

I have literally spent hours watching videos about photography on youtube and you sir are the most informative and easy to understand. thank you

[@MikeBrowne]

Thank you Ok Bro that's very kind of you. Please help me grow the channel and make more by sharing the videos here, on Facebook, forums etc :-)

[@MikeBrowne]

+Nasser Alsharaf I can't answer your comment directly - you need to change your G+ settings. No I'm not saying don't zoom. I'm saying choose the zoom setting for the look you want then move yourself to make things fit the frame the way you want them to.

[@witcheater]

Thanks for sharing anew.

[@MikeBrowne]

Gerard Kuzawa thank you for the kind words - MELISSA ( for Mike )

[@tmrknox]

Mike Browne 9$ U

[@YohanesNiko]

Are you saying use zoom to get the distortion / strech / bulginess / compression (or whatever it is called) level you want then move around to compose?

[@PhillipMcCordall]

I can't understand why this has any thumbs down, it's the best video I've seen on the subject, well explain and great examples. Well done Mike.

[@PhysicsOfParkour]

The larger the focal length, the More satisfied the subjects!!!

[@commentforthealgo5383]

with the numbers I have now 10 years in the future, it has a 97% upvote. I guess its a long exposure rating

[@50shadesofgayy]

Except that he is fundamentally incorrect about the relationship between focal length and compositional perspective. He keeps moving back, and therefore keeps changing his perspective. Focal length has nothing to do with this and you CANNOT get the same shot if you move WHATSOEVER. He should be explaining this in terms of minimum focus distance, field of view and magnification… not perspective. All he’s doing is showing you how to change perspective which applies the same way to any lens of any length if they’re mounted to a camera that is fixed in space. Focal length, to be crystal clear, does nothing at all to change your perspective and that’s how he is explaining this.

[@DoctorMGL]

holy ####... a 2012 tutorial like this was helpful more then those 2019 tutorials on youtube this days thank you so much man !

[@MikeBrowne]

Delighted to have helped SUB HDR... Please help me make more like it by sharing it around... MIKE :-)

[@mosk11tto]

@@MikeBrowne Old but gold!

[@eddewhurst7662]

A good video on an often overlooked topic. When I was on a group holiday in northern India, everyone was keen to get pictures of the mighty Kanchenjunga (3rd highest mountain in the world). The guides knew a spot where you could sit with some flowers around and with Kanchenjunga behind. I was the first to arrive and picked my spot to take the photograph several yards back from the seat. The rest of the party arrived and all started taking pictures of their partners from close range. They had almost all finished when one of the party declared how disappointing it was that that when she framed the picture the mountain behind looked so small and not at all how she visualised it. I suggested she stepped back to where I was standing and to try again, she was amazed that by zooming in so her partner was the same size in the frame, the mountain behind now looked enormous. Having been a keen photographer for a number of years, I was surprised at how many people had not realised how you can change a composition by changing your viewpoint and the focal length of your lens. I have heard photographers say your feet are your best zoom lens, but sometimes it is the two together that deliver the results you want.

[@MikeBrowne]

Thank you @Focus Pocus. Awesome story of how to use this technique ... MIKE :-)

[@adude394]

"Zoom with your feet": That was the first thing I needed to learn once I moved away from the 18-55mm kit lens and started to work with primes.

[@MikeBrowne]

Glad you got it!

[@AdityaMahat]

Thank you for breaking the concept of focal length in such a simple yet elegant demonstration. Now i understand it well. Onceagain thank you.

[@MikeBrowne]

Pleasure's mine Aditya Mahat - MIKE

[@paulgoode8978]

OMG never realised how different focal lengths affect my images until I tried your tip (I'm a newbie). Many thxs

[@MarlonKingShow]

"I hate camera straps, they drive me around the bend" - worth it for that lol

[@GeneSquires]

Marlon King nobody knows what it means but it’s provocative!!

[@artificialinsolence3182]

In film, this effect we witnessed here is called dolly zoom. The focus stays on the fixed object, but the camera moves backward or forward, so it opens up or narrows down the field of view while the focused object stays the same size. Good for eerie or surreal shots, prominent examples being Vertigo or Goodfellas.

[@50shadesofgayy]

Yeah but he explained this as “getting the same shot” with different focal lengths at different distances and that’s actually not even possible. Because that’s not possible, that is why the dolly zoom IS possible. You are shifting object parallax when you move in space and that’s what determines your composition and zooming in does nothing but magnify. Whether he understands that or not is unclear because he’s explaining it in a fundamentally nonsensical way.

[@rjfotovideo]

10 years ago since I saw this first time. I always recommend you Mike for people wanted to learn photography, and go watch your videos, because you is a really good teacher.

[@MikeBrowne]

Thank you Roger 😊

[@jollyrogerhobbies2386]

I'm an amateur photographer. I found this out (focal length) one morning by accident. Was shooting a Silver Frost in Wyoming USA, shot with a 18-55MM Cannon kit lens, then changed to a 75-300MM and grabbed a VERY nice shot of a close up of a branch with a half inch of frost on it. The background became a very nice BOKEH . One of my favorite shots today. Learned a very good lesson about Focal Length that day, confirmed by your video, thank you.

[@tilerman]

Thank you Mike, Natasha and camera man for all your time, effort and knowledge.

[@atbien21]

Thank Mike for pointing out something that even seasoned photographers know, but often forget. And thanks for taking the time to do these informative videos.

[@AndykSuper2]

this is one of my favourite videos....It's amazing how an the focal length can change the shape of a face.

[@gennidee]

Sad thing is that many photographers mistake having a maximum of blur in the background (by using the longest focal length they could dig out of their photo shelf) with making a good portrait. Actually people tend to look flat, like having a pancake face, the longer the distance is. My thoughts are: the person you are taking a picture of should have about the distance to the camera that it would have when you looked at this person with your own eyes. Not that nose to nose situation and not too far away either. Just the distance that is conventional when talking to people. Because only then you have the right amount of depth in the persons face. The nose doesn't stick out like Pinocchio because you're too close, but the face is not flat either, because you're too far away. A person will have the most natural proportions if the photographer has a "normal" distance to his subject. That includes backing off a bit for a full body picture because people don't tend to look at other people at a talking distance when they want to get an overview over the whole person, for instance when being asked by a person if an outfit looks good on him or her. Just my thoughts. Of course it all comes down to personal preference. I just think that this "I shoot my portraits only at the 200mm end" dogma is based on the wrong preferences, because it's not mainly about the background but about the subject. There are wider lenses, like the 50/1.2 or 85/1.4, that produce tons of background blur but deliver a much more natural look. Also they place the subject in a context by giving some vague informations about the surroundings of the person rather then bluring everything until it is only a plain one-coloured background.

[@MikeBrowne]

thank you for the valuable input and yes each has their own cup of tea - Melissa pp Mike :)

[@duanestarmer2963]

Mike Brown , thank you for this teaching moment on focal length, you put it in easy to understand step by step .......well back step instructions. I have watched many vids on this subject, this one it all clicked into place.

[@ceeIoc]

so shallow depth of field doesn't equal more blur? I thought the closer you are to the subject, the shallower depth of field.

[@akaemzett]

@@ceeIoc There are four factors that determine depth of field: distance, focal length, sensor size and aperture. The shorter distance, longer focal length, bigger sensor size, and bigger aperture will decrease the depth of field. So if the other three are constant, the closer you get in on the subject, the more background blur you get. If you change the focal length from 200 to 50mm, you have to get in really close to get the same shallow depth of field with the shorter lens. Here is a great simulator for dof: dofsimulator.net/en/

[@petermoeller5901]

Watched this video when it first came out, it just popped up on my side bar, so I watched it again. This video has not lost anything, good pace, good explanation and demonstration what focal lengths do. Good work Mike!

[@RedNGold]

Thank you Mike and Natasha for this wonderful explanation! :)

[@MikeBrowne]

+brianminkc I can't reply on your post "moral of the story .... shoot all your portraits with a 500 millimeter lens?" - you need to change your G+ privacy settings. Not really because it depends on where you are and what you want the portrait to look like. If you want a portrait that shows the environment or is wacky / dramatic, then a much shorter lens would be better. If you want to do the opposite then 200 - 500mm is an option.

[@JohannaMueller57]

i'd say: if it is going to be a *portrait*, you shouldn't go neither too close nor too far, but a big focal length is more forgiving at this point.

[@MikeBrowne]

@@JohannaMueller57 It is. However go for the distance and focal length that gives you the look you want. For example if you want a wacky look use wide and get in close, natural around 80mm (50 on crop). I've seen some stunning portraits shot with short lenses by the way... MB 🙂

[@PVPonTubeYou]

This really is an excellent explanation of focal length. Very well done Mike, Natasha and assistant.

[@johnblanke2653]

Now, this one brings on the nostalgia!! Not sure how many times I originally watched it, but it was a bunch. And the lock down has me going down Mike Brown memory lane via KZbin. This one was one of your best and really did a great job of demonstrating the effect that different focal lengths have on images.....as well as the concept of thinking of zooms as a collection of primes, rather than as a mere "framing tool." 👍👍👍

[@MikeBrowne]

It made sense. If you ONLY want crisp focus on one point and a blurry background and nothing else buy a longer lens. say 70-200mm, use it set long with a wide aperture (low F number). If you'd like to experiment more then I'd go for maybe a 18-70 as well. If you're just starting out and experimenting to see if you like it or not suggest you buy second hand to keep costs down. You can always upgrade later...

[@b991228]

On vacation I went to the famous Grand Teton Mountain Moulton Barns, set my lens at what I thought was the prescribed wide angle setting, stood 10 feet from the barn and shot away. To my dismay my viewfinder presented to me possibly the worst rendition of that scene ever produced. Then an experienced photographer came to my aid. He showed me that if the photo is about the background and not the foreground I should ditch the wide angle setting and stand way back and frame up with a telephoto setting. To my amazement I discovered that there was a beautiful mountain that rose up from behind that barn. I can’t thank that photographer enough for the help he gave me on that day.

[@billrosmus6734]

This is a really great observation. Looking at it from the opposite side of doing portraits. Thanks.

[@gaurav.anirbandutta]

Lovely insight. Thanks for sharing

[@ArnoldWatson]

This was an awesome demonstration on focal lengths and much appreciated indeed!

[@MikeBrowne]

Thanks Arnold Watson Please help me out spreading the word by sharing it on forums, facebook etc... :-)

[@iRabb]

One of the most practical and useful videos ever. If you don't learn something from this, well, I actually think it's because you don't want to learn what Mike is teaching. Look, you don't have to use this information, but it's the best demonstration of perspective I've seen.

[@FrantasticMakeup]

Thank you! I have been wracking my brain trying to understand Focal Length and in 1 video demonstration, you explained something that 20 different articles couldn't put into words for me to comprehend!

[@MikeBrowne]

You're very welcome! Delighted to have helped. If you're interested, I'm doing some live webinars on this very subject. Next dates will be released soon. If you'd like to join us there's a link below - and one to a weekly challenge and live feedback series we're doing called #photolockdown. Over 3000 people joined in last few weeks... MIKE 🙏🙂 Webinars: www.photographycourses.biz/mike-browne-photography-webinars #photolockdown: www.photographycourses.biz/photography-locked-down

[@TheToolsOfWizeChoice]

Great Vid. I watched it a few years ago and came upon again. Still one of the best.

[@ogilvy85]

ahh thats the first time i understood focal lengths. Thanks Mike!

[@MikeBrowne]

thank you +ogilvy85 we are delighted whenever there's one that get's the "Eureka" feeling! - Melissa pp Mike

[@jcee6886]

Mike Browne agreed. Great bit of info to use.

[@olicorsedesigns]

Thank you for this. I was struggling to understand this concept but you presented it in a really clear, simple and straightforward way. I've just gone out and shot a bunch of pics at different lengths and now I totally get the concept. Thank you!

[@Otarian70]

Hi Mike.. I have been doing a lot of Macro since getting my DSLR, and the end results have been pretty good (for a novice). Now Im starting with portrait photography and have been all over youtube looking for vid's that 'focus' on the 'focus' issues...your video is the first one I've found that actually makes sense...THANKS MATE

[@25wasthespeedlimit40]

I went straight out there but Natasha had already gone (7 & 1/2 years ago ) Great video!

[@AgnostosGnostos]

Trash bin. The best place to leave an expensive lens.

[@MikeBrowne]

I know I worried a few people with that Agnostos Gnostos But so long as the bin doesn't move it's every bit as sturdy as a table...

[@MarlonKingShow]

and the bin wasnt straight, I saw the lens rocking... cringe!

[@Idealisasi]

I love that trash bin

[@JalalKhan-br3ld]

Natasha cute lady ... her smile at 50 mm ... 🤣

[@samy7342]

@@MarlonKingShow Do you even know the meaning of that word?

[@64mustangfan]

8 years later, watching this again 😃 A good video is timeless.

[@julianboehm5918]

You are truly the Bob Ross of photography. Keep your positive spirit.

[@MikeBrowne]

***** Thank you

[@MikeHermesPhotography]

Smart, clever and very useful. Great stuff :-) Subscribed

[@MikeBrowne]

Thanks... MIKE

[@cankavas]

Oh my god, that's my Maya tutor here.

[@scottwallace1]

Great video. Really gets you to think about it differently. Think about what look you want and then that dictates where you stand for any given focal length. Rather than the more amateur-ish stand in a spot and zoom until you get what you want in the frame. Brilliantly explained. Pretty model too :)

[@quarantinaakalillian7359]

It's may of 2020 and here we are in the midst of a once in a lifetime pandemic. I hope you and everyone you care about are well. This video ain't what I was looking for, but I'm glad I found it. The info is useful. The differences in the model's face were dramatic at varying focal lengths. Thanks, man.

[@MikeBrowne]

Good to hear - have you heard about my lockdown photography group? www.photographycourses.biz/photography-locked-down

[@djrmarketing598]

Many years ago I had my first DSLR, sold it and got out of it, but recently got another DSLR (D5300) and with KZbin I've been able to learn more about all the things I had no idea about that I had wish I had known back then. Excellent video!

[@MikeBrowne]

Thanks @fl456 gald it helped you ... MIKE🙏😊

[@Noahronquillo]

Wow, Mike is a fantastic teacher

[@rallbart]

Sucribed. Only to see Nathasha again...

[@MikeBrowne]

Thanks rallbart Tash is lovely... Hate to break your heart but she's all settled and believe it or not, a mother of 2 lovely daughters - MIKE :-)

[@rallbart]

Mike Browne wow, this shows that she would be an amazing woman

[@AdityaMahat]

I seriously don't want to believe u!

[@seamushowling572]

LOL

[@tahaariaz]

Same dude.

[@DigitallPimp]

The way the shadow recedes down the street at 4:36 when the sun comes out looks so cool

[@MrBrassman42]

An aspiring Amateur just moving from a compact to DSLR I've found your videos highly informative and entertaining. I've watched most now a couple of times and then ran out with my daughter to put your suggestions in action.

[@MikeBrowne]

Thanks Neil Jeffery - that's the way to do it :-)

[@pandoraefretum]

Mike, I love all your clips and photography... great service you do to put up hints & tips .. thanks a bunch

[@MikeBrowne]

You're welcome Roland Herrera. Please keep up the good work and help me make more by sharing them around... MIKE

[@pandoraefretum]

For sure !!

[@EnzoGiannotti]

I always come back to the source Mike! The most useful video about focal lenghts I've seen on youtube! (Y)

[@MikeBrowne]

Thank you Enzo Giannotti - have you seen my new 7 week downloadable course The 7 Building Blocks of Photography? It's the next step from my free stuff www.photographycourses.biz/7_building_blocks_of_photography.html

[@lovelyliddy6898]

The execution of the video makes it a little difficult to follow along, but about the last three minutes or so are very helpful and explain final length very clearly. Thank you!

[@leatherelf2078]

Very practical advice and a good learning lesson for your camera and lens. Thank you for that thought of treating each focal length as a prime. Knew about moving myself but this was a nice perspctive to be given.

[@ryanmoore5237]

At 1:15 when she walked into the full shot I almost lost it lmao. I thought this video must be from 2011-2013, cause let me tell you. I had an ex that wore that same outfit out one night sophomore year of college 😂

[@ivankindle3]

- Oh I'm a Nat photographer - National geographic!!!? Wow! - No, the model's name is Natasha, we call her Nat for short. - Oh!

[@agffth]

The quality of this video is astonishing. (And this was in 2012) The content is excellent. I love that you ended the video with an immediate call to action to go out and try it right away. I'm subbing!

[@user-tu1zw8pj9b]

Its on my feed after 10 years. I knew about the focal lengths but still wanted to watch it. Simple yet very informative one.

[@MikeBrowne]

Thank you Z ☺️

[@cybernetix86]

Interesting video, you did not talk much about aperture of sensor size but it's a good video for a beginner. A 50mm f1.8 is pretty cheap and can do a very good job on a aps-c sensor to get a nice bokeh.

[@me0203]

Excellent piece of advice

[@ryan.provstgaard]

I watched this in my PJs at home... and to think I wanted to take an actual class on this. I'm subscribing to your channel for sure. Better than spending hundreds of dollars on course classes and then having to be graded on them. Thank you!

[@MikeBrowne]

Thanks Ryan, you're welcome. I've got loads of free stuff on here and my site (link below) as well as some downloadable courses. You don't get graded, but they will fast track you with exercises and what to do in which order... Please take a look at what folks have said about them... MIKE Free stuff: www.photographycourses.biz/videos Reviews: www.photographycourses.biz/testimonials

[@jennyburden444]

OH MY WORD. I have been trying to understand this for ages and you have made it so clear for me to understand, thank you so much. I'm off out to experiment with my camera.

[@MikeBrowne]

Glad it was helpful! If you've ben struggling with this and probably other similar things check out my onloine courses and location photo workshops. I promise I can help you on your journey @jennyburden444 - links below... Mike B www.photographycourses.biz/online-courses www.photographycourses.biz/workshops

[@lara8698]

Very helpful! Thank you so much!

[@aliruane]

Great informative video Mike. Really helpful thanks :-)

[@MikeBrowne]

Thanks Alistair Ruane

[@yasin6904]

Thanks for making this video. Superb clear and concise demonstration of the effect different focal lengths have on an image.

[@SM_zzz]

This really helped me as a beginner. Thank you Mike, and your lovely assistant Nat!

[@fernandolavado]

thank you very much! this was perfectly explained thanks!!

[@MikeBrowne]

My pleasure ***** Happy it helped. Please help me make more like it by sharing it on forums, social media etc

[@fernandolavado]

done!

[@raniadesign57]

I love this video so much , you can't imagine How that help me in my test

[@Johnnie007]

Best video I've seen on this. None of the other photographers I've watched have been able to explain it so well. Thanks.

[@MikeBrowne]

Hey thanks Johnnie... MIKE :-)

[@highlandmediaalba699]

I know it is a long video however I really like this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/np-wimSrbLJsZtE

[@matv176]

Just had the lightbulb go of in my head, focal length simplified, and I've been doing photography for years lol. Thankyou for sharing this.

[@Hitogata]

This was really useful!! Thank you so much!!

[@MikeBrowne]

Thanks Cheila Luna

[@kenalvarado9530]

A teen from 2019 is waving.

[@MikeBrowne]

waving back! - Melissa pp Mike

[@MikeBrowne]

Thank you. And all of us still have lots to learn no matter how long we've been doing it..

[@beckylaw1170]

This was insanely helpful. It was difficult for me to truly understand the effects of focal length on compression until this video. Thank you so much!

[@MikeBrowne]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Passio7Jd]

thanks mike, finally my wife will allow me to do portraits for her since she's looking better after i took this lesson, finally XDDD

[@MikeBrowne]

Way to go Yao Will Yehaa :-)

[@dramamine755]

Yao William why can someone who uses "XD" on the internet have a girl but not me

[@justspacing9031]

@@dramamine755 He has a wife not a girl. Which is something you don't want son

[@djcalvin408]

this is great! never knew and thanks for the great explanation.

[@MikeBrowne]

Thanks Calvin Do - MIKE :-)

[@alexnaq]

The way I found about focal length is by experimenting with my 18-55 kit lens. Thanks for the video!

[@jesterfun123]

Hi Mike, This was a fantastic tutorial. Very informative, straight to the point and very light hearted. You have a real knack for explaining things concisely in a way that anyone can understand. Definitely subscribed!

[@MikeBrowne]

thank you Jester! please do share it too :) - Melissa pp Mike

[@nonyabizwax5892]

even dad can understand the direction that way. thanks

[@matrixate]

This video actually confirmed me getting a 50mm. 5:18 here's my personal bookmark.

[@youpie24]

Natural presenter and teacher. Very good video!! Thanks!

[@jimedgar6789]

This was good demonstration of not just focal length, but what I consider more important which is depth-of-field. Knowing how to manipulate the focal length with respect to the subject, one can achieve pretty cool depth-of-field effects. Mentioning this would help people understand why the background becomes homogeneous. And then there's aperture LOL.

[@JessePedyfoot]

I really appreciate this video. I have a Nikon D90 with a 55-200mm and u was wondering about the portrait type of shots. you have explained what I should do. I will do the exercise

[@MikeBrowne]

Thanks +Jesse Pedyfoot go for it. And please share any of my vids you find helpful around - it helps me make more of them.. - MIKE

[@JessePedyfoot]

+Mike Browne I will and thank you again.

[@maureenkarugia9652]

your a wonderful teacher

[@TimStruckmeier]

+Maureen Karugia *you're* ;)

[@gauravcheema]

Tim Struckmeier your a wonderful teacher too.

[@olhafilatova6288]

Gold! Tried myself on a small camera and love the effect. Didn't expect environment to change this way.

[@MikeBrowne]

Fantastic Olha 🥇🥇🥇

[@NewAstronomer]

Brilliant. I'm a new photographer and this was an excellent exercise to learn about focal length and how it affects the composition. Thank you for making this video.

[@MikeBrowne]

thank you New Astronomer please help us create more free videos by sharing us to social media or photography forums :) - MELISSA ( for Mike )

[@SimMaster]

"compression" is only caused by distance to the subject. It's not the focal length or zoom. It's just a property of perspective and geometry.

[@MikeBrowne]

You are of course correct, but that's a lot to take on board when you're someone who's learning. The effect is long lens makes you move back so the image looks the way it odes. Also you don't loose pixels that way. - MIKE

[@SimMaster]

Mike Browne Not really. It's something you should realize just by existing and moving around in reality. The apparent size of a distant object changes slower than the size of a closer object when you move towards or away from them.

[@tmjcbs]

+Mike Browne If you think a full explanation is too hard to grasp, as your comment suggests, you should either not make this video or go the full length and explain it properly. I would rather name this video 'a demonstration of different focal lengths', because it isn't really an 'explanation'.

[@DIGITALSWOON]

by changing the lens, you need to change your perspective and your distance for the same subject. this is what he is demonstrating. and no, this is not so obvious because we of course can't change our eyes focal length; so different focal lengths essentially do change perspective, unless you're planning on just cropping your photos like he was explaining in his reply, but you'll lose resolution.

[@justdoit2521]

Well, I guess the shot at 10 mm was flattering in a different way...

[@theGiantAngryRobot]

this episode was a huge help for me, no more acting like my feet are stuck in cement

[@stephyj4551]

Natasha 😍she has sucha beautiful smile and everything else about her, so cute!

[@TheEulerID]

The perspective element of this is driven solely by the distance between the camera and the subject. You'd get precisely the same perspective by using the same focal length at all the distances and cropping the resultant picture to the same framing. Of course the big downside of this is that you will very rapidly get reduced resolution. So the lesson here is that what controls perspective is just that distance to the subject. The reason different focal lengths are used is simply to maximise the amount of sensor being used for your preferred FoV. If you want your main subject to look large compared to the surroundings, move close to it (or them). That way you get apparently enormous people and small mountains. However, if you want tiny people and large mountains, then move further away from the people. So think perspective first, and focal length second. The focal length is just an enabler to fill the sensor. It is not responsible for the perspective.

[@petermoeller5901]

+Steve Jones This cannot be said often enough. This slogan “use a long focal length to avoid perspective distortion” even works as a rule, but technically speaking, it is not correct. It is the distance sensor/subject that drives perspective distortion. The above slogan or rule works, because with the longer focal length you will move away from the subject. The other thing is that even with a shorter focal length, there are techniques to avoid distortion. Basically, be very careful to hold the camera horizontally and at the appropriate level… so you can get flattering portraits head & shoulder with a 35mm or 50mm lens… but with a 12mm a head & shoulders portrait avoiding distortion would be very difficult.

Servus mir gefällt das echt gut was du da machst. Mach genau so weiter! I like :) Daniel

[@MikeBrowne]

Thanks Daniel - CHRISTINA :-)

[@anomalyp8584]

I love the way you reversed the way many people (including me) treat a zoom lense! This will make for some very interesting experiments! Thanks a lot for the effort!

[@MikeBrowne]

Thank you 🙏. Glad it was helpful!... MIKE

[@earavichandran]

This is best video i ever seen. No other video explaining about how focal length affects perspective. Excellent video. Excellent explanation.

[@candyboy5971]

50-70-85 best focal lengths for portraits

[@photosbytim8019]

Candy Boy I use aps-c cameras and I like 35-40-50-70 for portraits

[@candyboy5971]

@@photosbytim8019 Aps-c makes the 40mm to a 60mm (40×1.5) so ya

[@ahsanshaikh1635]

what about full frame with 50mm

[@jr4chargers]

Right this minute? But, It's 11PM . :(

[@cradilyz]

jr4chargers 3am

[@JonathanLov]

Haha, same!

[@JorgeTillo]

4:24am 😕

[@David_Nurse]

Thanks for the explanation Mike. I found this one difficult to get my head around. After your explanation I went straight out (as you suggested) and tried this for myself and the fog lifted. This really is the best example I have seen. BTW your title for the video is “Spot On”.

[@MikeBrowne]

Thank you tranquillityvideo. Happy to help. Please share it around and help me make more like it... MIKE :-)

[@edwardrocca]

I just got my first DSLR camera a few days ago and one of the first things I did was just look through the viewfinder and move back while zooming in and it really gave me that psychedelic shot where the subject stays still but the background just zooms in, really cool stuff. Great video, hadn't thought of this yet, but Im mostly using my prime 50mm lens at the moment :)

[@MikeBrowne]

+TheMusicMan glad you find it useful - Im a big fan of Prime lenses - Melissa pp Mike

[@yan870126]

what bout the aperture? once my zoom lens increased the focal length the max f. will become more(smaller aperture) so how to get the bokeh effect with a higher f.?

[@MikeBrowne]

Even if your lens stops down the aperture when zooming you'd have to use a very small aperture to loose all bokeh with a long lens John. So let's say your lens goes from f4 to f5.6 - the difference would me minimal when working at say 200mm or more - MIKE

[@roughlyEnforcing]

love the neighbor watching

[@tophtml1]

Excellent video! You have disclosed the two main reasons that people consider the longer focal lengths "portrait" lenses. Elimination of the facial distortion found in the shorter focal lengths, and background compression/reduced angle of view which separates the subject from a competing background. While I do have 2 zoomers for my D800E, my primes are my goto lenses and I don't mind the "sneaker zoom".

[@MikeBrowne]

Thank you +tophtml1 happy it helped. Please help me make more videos like it by sharing it with other photographers on forums, Facebook, Flickr etc - MIKE :-)

[@asteroidX]

Man, you got a subscriber. One of the best video on photography I've ever watched.

[@MikeBrowne]

ROKIBUL thank you for subscribing!- Melissa pp Mike

[@ricardodelrio69]

Great video...

[@qubafootbag]

Thank you for the very informative video, I would do this exercise with Natasha with pleasure honestly

[@MikeBrowne]

Our pleasure!

[@MikeBrowne]

Pleasure Oli. It gives me a real buzz when someone gets a new idea for themselves. And well done for getting out there and trying it.

[@stompi3]

3:51 put lense cap back on!!!!!!!!!!

[@MikeBrowne]

:-) Michael Morris - I never use lens caps because they get in the way when I'm in a hurry to capture a shot and I end up missing the moment. I keep the lens hood on and that stops stuff like greasy fingers touching the glass/

[@stompi3]

Lol I'm so paranoid about anything touching the good stuff in my lenses. I always have my caps on. Good video though

[@nuttynut242]

Lens cap are overrated

[@KevinSmith-tq3gm]

Spell lens correctly!!!!!!!!!!