

Now that we know what “35mm” means when you say a 35mm lens, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of this wide-angle lens. This focal length is particularly interesting because it is closest to the focal length of the human eye. ( Source and more info) What To Shoot With A 35mm Lens Prime lenses do take a bit more effort on your part to frame up the image with your feet rather than zooming it in or out. Prime lenses are lighter, more compact, and will produce sharper images ideal for high-quality prints since it has fewer glass elements than zoom lenses. While zoom lenses are capable of producing great images and are versatile since they cover many popular focal ranges (for example, 24 – 70mm is a popular one for wedding photographers), they can be heavier than a prime lens and less compact.

This is noted on the lens itself with a range of apertures (for example, f/2.8 – f/5.6).

35mm vs 50mm iso#
This means as you zoom to the larger focal lengths, less gets into the camera and you may need to compensate with the ISO or shutter. Some less expensive zoom lenses have variable apertures. This means when changing focal length, the aperture (or f-stop) doesn’t change. Another difference is all prime lenses and some higher-end zoom lenses have constant apertures. So a zoom lens may be better suited for a photographer on the move who doesn’t want to stop and change lenses very often. A prime lens is fixed at one focal length, while a zoom lens can be adjusted to shoot within a range of several focal lengths. The key difference here is the focal length. Knowing the difference between a prime lens and a zoom lens will also help you decide what you need for your photography goals. (You can read more about focal length in this article here). The focal length will also impact how much of the scene will be in focus and lens distortion to your main subject. This also means that a longer focal length (like 85mm) will have a more narrow angle of view because less of the scene will be captured on the image sensor or film plane. Generally, a shorter focal length (like 35mm) will have a wider angle of view because more of the scene will be captured on the image sensor or film plane. Generally, the distance between the back of the lens and the camera’s image sensor is called the focal length when focused at infinity. So, in a 35mm lens, the image sensor (or film plane) is 35 millimeters behind the glass lens. This point is called the focal point of a lens, and it is a specific distance behind the lens itself. In a camera, the image sensor (or film plane) is placed right at this point. Lenses work by refracting light so that an image converges onto one point. When deciding between lenses based on their focal length (35mm, 50mm, 85mm) it will definitely help to know the meaning of focal length and how it affects the images you shoot.
