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A wide angle lens has a focal length of 35mm or shorter, giving you a larger field of view and enabling you to fit more into the frame. Wide-angle lenses allow you to capture more of a scene than a typical camera lens would allow so you can add more contextual background to your image while still focusing on the subject.
There are a few types of wide-angle lenses, including:
- Ultra-Wide Angle Lens: considered focal lengths under 16mm.
- Wide Angle Lens: ranges from 16mm to 24mm.
- Standard Wide Angle Lenses: range from 24mm to 35mm.
Wide angle lenses are vital pieces of equipment for landscape photographers, as well as architecture, travel, and real estate photographers. The wide-angle lenses allow photographers to capture immersive fields of green, vast starry nights, and even something closer to home, like a client's living room, all while making the space feel large and expansive.
When you're choosing a wide angle lens, you'll have a choice between prime and zoom lenses. Prime wide angle lenses have a fixed focal length and are generally lighter and more cost-effective. You can also find wide-angle zoom lenses that provide a range of focal lengths in one lens. Popular wide-angle zoom lenses include the 10-18mm, 12-24mm, and 16-35mm.
What Focal Length Is Considered a Wide Angle Lens?
A wide angle camera lens has a focal length of 35mm or shorter. This gives you a wide field of view and more space to catch stunning scenery. If the lens has a focal length of less than 24mm, it's considered an ultra-wide angle or fisheye lens.
What Brands of Wide Angle Lenses Are Popular?
Many people like to choose a wide angle lens from the same manufacturer that made their camera body. As a result, Sony, Nikon, and Canon wide angle lenses are all very popular. However, Zeiss, Tamron, Sigma and Hasselblad wide angle lenses are also very popular.
