Lenses, Focal Length, Perspective and Filters
Understand camera lenses: focal length, prime vs zoom, wide and telephoto, perspective, distortion, choosing lenses, and UV, polarizing and ND filters.
17 lessons
Progress is saved in this browser only.
Lessons in this course
-
1
How Camera Lenses Work
Learn how a camera lens bends light into a sharp image, what elements, aperture blades, mounts and image circles are, and how to read the numbers on a lens.
7 min -
2
Focal Length and Angle of View
Learn what focal length means, how it changes angle of view and magnification, the main focal length ranges, and how sensor size changes what a lens shows.
7 min -
3
Prime and Zoom Lenses
Learn the difference between prime and zoom lenses, what constant and variable aperture mean, the strengths of each, and how to choose for your photos.
6 min -
4
Wide-Angle and Standard Lenses
Learn what wide-angle and standard lenses do, why wide lenses exaggerate depth when used close, and how to use each for landscapes, rooms and people.
6 min -
5
Short Telephoto, Telephoto and Super-Telephoto Lenses
Learn what telephoto lenses do, the difference between short, regular and super-telephoto, how teleconverters work, and how to get sharp results.
7 min -
6
Macro, Fisheye and Specialty Lenses
Learn what macro, fisheye, tilt-shift and other specialty lenses do, how they differ from normal lenses, and when each one is worth using.
7 min -
7
Perspective, Camera Position and Subject Distance
Learn what perspective really is, why it depends on where you stand rather than your lens, and how distance, height and angle change the look of every photo.
7 min -
8
Compression and the Correct Meaning of Focal-Length Compression
Learn what telephoto compression really is, why it comes from distance and not the lens itself, and how to use it to make backgrounds look big and close.
7 min -
9
Lens Distortion: Barrel, Pincushion and Perspective Distortion
Learn the difference between lens and perspective distortion, what barrel, pincushion and mustache distortion look like, and how to avoid or correct them.
6 min -
10
Vignetting, Chromatic Aberration and Optical Limitations
Learn the common optical limits of lenses: dark corners, color fringing, diffraction softness and flare, why they happen, and how to reduce each one.
7 min -
11
Choosing the Right Lens for Different Situations
Learn how to choose the right lens for portraits, landscapes, events, sport, wildlife, food and travel with a few simple questions about distance and light.
6 min -
12
Photography Filters: Purpose and Major Filter Families
Learn what lens filters are for, which effects can and cannot be copied in editing, the main filter families, and screw-in versus square filter systems.
6 min -
13
Protection and Clear Filters
Learn what UV and clear protection filters really do on digital cameras, the honest pros and cons, how quality affects your photos, and when to use one.
6 min -
14
Polarizing Filters
Learn how a circular polarizer removes reflections, cuts glare and deepens blue skies, the 90-degree rule, its limits with wide lenses and how to use it.
6 min -
15
Neutral-Density Filters
Learn what ND filters do, how to read ND2, ND64 and ND1000 ratings, how to calculate long exposures, and how to use ND filters for blur and wide apertures.
6 min -
16
Graduated and Variable ND Filters
Learn how graduated ND filters balance bright skies with darker land, hard vs soft vs reverse grads, and the strengths and limits of variable ND filters.
7 min -
17
Diffusion and Creative Filters
Learn what diffusion filters like black mist do, how strengths work, what star and other creative filters create, and when a filter beats editing.
6 min