DSLR Wide-Angle Lenses

Wide-angle lenses are a favorite of both landscape and indoor photographers because of their ability to capture large areas in a single image. Wide-angle is generally considered to be anything less than the 50mm focal length. True landscape fans will tell you that you can never get too wide, though, so 14-20mm is a popular choice with the outdoor crowd. To give you a practical example, the images shown were all shot from exactly the same location with the same aperture.

First image was shot with a 50mm focal length and represents what is considered the normal focal length. Second Figure was captured at 35mm and still shows normal perspective, but with more of the house in the frame. In third Figure, we've gone down to 24mm, and you can start to see the effects of wider angles where there is more of the foreground included in the scene, and the house is smaller. In the last example, Fourth Figure, you see the effect of photographing the scene with a 15mm lens. There is much more foreground included and the house has receded into the background. Remember, these were all photographed from exactly the same location.

Although you can use a wide-angle lens as a conventional lens that just takes in more of a scene, these lenses really shine when used to their full potential in landscape. The greater depth of field with shorter focal lengths allows you to have more of your scene in sharp focus. Another example, The following images were taken with the same aperture. First one you see less of the scene in focus when shot at 105mm compared to the second one which was captured at 35mm.