Author
Released
2/11/2011- Understanding field of view and camera position
- Depth of field and lens choice
- How to choose a lens
- Examining lens features
- Using specialized lenses such as fisheye and tilt/shift lenses
- Focusing techniques
- Using filters
- Camera maintenance
Skill Level Beginner
Duration
Views
- With digital cameras, it's easy to get hung up on the idea that megapixels equals image quality. And sure, you need a certain pixel count to get a reasonable amount of detail. But on today's cameras with their huge quantities of pixels, the caliber of the lens you have has as much to do with image quality as the number of pixels that you have. The lens you chose determines everything, from the field of view and magnification in your shot, to how sharply focused it can be, to how fast a shutter speed you can use, and how shallow your depth of field can be.
In other words, understanding your lens is critical to taking good photos. And that's why we've dedicated an entire course to lenses. Our study begins with focal length, wherein you will see that while your zoom lens may be a great convenience, it's also an easy way to dramatically alter an image without even realizing it. From there, we'll move on to choosing a lens. We'll study some advanced auto-focus concepts. We'll explore the vagaries of telephoto and wide-angle lenses. Look at filters, or we'll look through filters. And finally, we'll talk about maintenance.
Again, while this may seem like a gear-centric course, remember that photography is an inherently technical medium. To achieve your artistic ends, you have to understand your gear, and the craft that is required to use it well. We'll be studying both the art and craft of photography throughout this course.
Related Courses
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Photography Foundations: Exposure (2010)
with Ben Long3h 24m Appropriate for all -
Photography Foundations: Composition
with Ben Long5h 29m Intermediate -
Douglas Kirkland on Photography: A Photographer's Eye
with Douglas Kirkland41m 55s Appropriate for all
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1. Introduction
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Welcome1m 19s
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Who is this course for?1m 34s
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Why does the lens matter?2m 36s
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Changing lenses3m 43s
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A word about camera brands1m 53s
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2. What Is a Lens?
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What is a lens?3m 51s
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Field of view2m 36s
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Focal length multipliers5m 42s
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Primes and zooms2m 2s
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3. Focal Length, Camera Position, and Composition
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Shooting wide7m 2s
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Shooting telephoto8m 9s
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Focal length applications1m 59s
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4. Depth of Field
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Depth of field (DOF)5m 3s
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DOF and sensor size1m 50s
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DOF and background size2m 5s
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5. Choosing a Lens
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Choosing a lens7m 11s
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Image quality4m 10s
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Lens features6m 42s
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Size and weight6m 29s
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Specialty lenses5m 9s
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Where to buy2m 54s
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Lens caps1m 28s
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6. Advanced Autofocus
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Focus point selection5m 54s
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Center-point auto-focus3m 51s
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Servo focus3m 46s
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Filters5m 46s
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Auto-focus and live view5m 2s
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7. Conclusion
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Maintenance14m 40s
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Micro-focus adjustments1m 31s
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Goodbye59s
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Video: Welcome