What is a wide angle lens?

A wide-angle lens is a photographic lens with a focal length shorter than a standard lens, a wider angle of view than a standard lens, a longer focal length than a fisheye lens, and a smaller angle of view than a fisheye lens.

A fisheye lens is a lens with a focal length of 16mm or shorter and a viewing angle close to or equal to 180°. It is an extreme wide-angle lens, and "fisheye lens" is its common name. In order to achieve the maximum photographic angle of the lens, the front lens of this photographic lens is very short in diameter and protrudes parabolically towards the front of the lens, which is quite similar to the eye of a fish, hence the name "fisheye lens".

Wide-angle photography is shooting with a wide-angle lens. The field of view (viewing angle for short) of a wide-angle lens is over 45 degrees; 45 degrees is the approximate viewing angle of a standard or normal lens used in a known film format. Wide-angle lenses are always shorter than normal focal length in any frame.

Extended information

Characteristics of wide-angle lenses

The basic characteristics of wide-angle lenses are that they have a large angle of view and a wide field of view. The scope of the scenery observed from a certain viewpoint is much larger than what the human eye can see at the same viewpoint; the depth of field is long and can show a considerable range of clarity; it can emphasize the perspective effect of the picture, and is good at exaggerating the foreground and expressing the scenery. A sense of distance, which helps enhance the appeal of the picture.

The focal length is shorter than a standard lens, but the viewing angle is wider. Assuming that the same object is photographed with a standard lens and a wide-angle lens at the same distance, the latter will have a smaller image but a wider shooting range. Usually, if photography is restricted by location, some scenes that cannot be fully captured using a standard lens can be captured using a wide-angle lens.

Therefore, wide-angle lenses are often used to shoot large-area scenery, such as tall mountain scenery, wide buildings, large parades, and all indoor displays. If the development is appropriate, the various levels of tones shown in the photo will be consistent with the light and dark of the original scene, helping to express the atmosphere. Tone also refers to the tone of the entire picture. For example, a photo is high (light), low (dark), contrasting, soft, or dull.

Reference source? Baidu Encyclopedia-Wide Angle Lens