{"id":95749,"date":"2017-10-20T07:00:34","date_gmt":"2017-10-20T12:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=95749"},"modified":"2017-10-18T16:05:49","modified_gmt":"2017-10-18T21:05:49","slug":"how-to-use-zoom-lenses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/how-to-use-zoom-lenses\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Zoom Lenses and How to Use Them Properly"},"content":{"rendered":"

Before you go\u00a0overboard with the zoom on your next shoot, learn how the lens works \u2014 and how to use\u00a0it properly.<\/h2>\n

Cover image via Shutterstock<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019ve been guilty of this yourself<\/strong> or have seen others struggle, zoom-happy filmmaking can ruin a shoot and annoy audiences<\/strong>. That’s not to say zooming in and out is a bad thing; in fact, it\u2019s actually a marvel of lens technology that we can zoom at all<\/strong>. And\u00a0when you use it\u00a0 intelligently, it can be quite effective<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

However, it is still easy to take the zoom for granted \u2014<\/strong>\u00a0especially now that filmmakers have\u00a0handy stock lenses for DSLRs and mirrorless cameras<\/strong>\u00a0that offer great flexibility and range to zoom easily and often<\/strong>. Let\u2019s explore how zoom lenses work and some best practices<\/strong> to help you use them effectively, intelligently, and properly<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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How Zoom Lenses Work<\/h3>\n


\n<\/a>\"Understanding
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

Image via Wikimedia<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

According to a good Wikipedia definition<\/a>, “a\u00a0zoom lens<\/b>\u00a0is a mechanical assembly of\u00a0lens elements<\/a>\u00a0for which the\u00a0focal length<\/a>\u00a0(and thus\u00a0angle of view<\/a>) can be varied, as opposed to a fixed focal length (FFL) lens (see\u00a0prime lens<\/a>)<\/em>.”<\/p>\n

That sounds pretty straightforward, but let’s dive into how the mechanisms work <\/strong>to change the focal length and your angle of view.<\/p>\n

\"Understanding<\/a><\/p>\n

As you can see in the gif above, a simplified zoom lens<\/strong> works by combining two parts: a focusing lens<\/strong> similar to your standard prime or fixed lenses<\/strong> and an afocal zoom system<\/a>, which is the sliding element that does not focus on light<\/strong>. Rather,\u00a0\u00a0it focuses on altering (thus magnifying) the size of the light<\/strong>. What’s important is that, while the zoom comes from this sliding lens, it is necessary to compensate for any movement of the focal plane <\/strong>to keep the focused image sharp \u2014 which means either you have to physically move the camera or move the focal plane to compensate.<\/p>\n

Because of this compensation, and in spite of how much flexibility a zoom offers<\/strong>, there are several factors you need to be aware of: noise, pincushioning, slower shutter response time, and a greater need for stability<\/strong>. Here’s a great video by Canon that provides more in-depth information<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 not just about zoom lenses but also how lenses work in general.<\/p>\n