Examine the 3 initial photos in Post 11 very carefully, and it proves that altering FL does nothing to 'perspective'...it alters 'framing' and it alters 'DOF'.
If move closer to subject (than when using 'normal' lens) in order to keep the primary subject the same size (e.g. 50% of the frame height) that change of position alters the relationship of the main subject to things in the background...the subject gets relatively large while the objects in the background stay relatively small....compared to using a longer FL and backing away, makes the rear hand not so small compared to the front hand.
In this series, I use 3 different FL (shortest FL at left, longest FL at right shot) short
...my left hand gets progressively 'larger' as the shooting distance is increased to keep my right hand the 'same size' in all 3 shots. Note the lamp visible in shots 2 & 3...its size gets notably 'bigger' as the FL and shooting distance increase, too, because its relative distance (lens-to-lamp vs. lens-to-right hand) is 'closer' to the lens in a relative sense.
You can see this change of apparent relative size even with the naked eye, with no specific lens FL being used to create this effect. And the format size has no influence on the relative size change either...110 format vs. 8x10 format would image the same effect at identical distances.
That is what I am referring to. The appearance of moving closer. The America's Cup sailboat in the background
Yeah, so your qualm is with a technically incorrect use of the term 'perspective'. I think this has been discussed online since the birth of the internet.
When people colloquially mention 'perspective' as a reason to opt for a wide-angle or a long focal length lens, I know what they mean even though the terminology is not technically correct. So we can still communicate effectively, and these people can usually still make the choices that gets them the image they want. So there's not really a problem. It makes me doubtful of the added value of yet again discussing the misuse of a technical term. It seems to be an instance of "ackchyually" more so than a relevant discussion.
Can you take a brief break from the keyboard and leave some fun for the rest of us?
I also often use a 50mm lens, because i dislike wide-angle lenses. These do distort proportions. Objects being straight, like a lamp post for example will appear bent - more or less.
In fact, even a 50mm lens on 35mm film still will distort proportions a little, therefore the longer the focal length the less bending of the subject will occur.
There was an interesting chapter in a book from Feininger, where he does show this effect of focal length. The interesting point is that some subjects are too large for the human eye to be seen undistorted. He took a picture of a bridge, having pillars about as high as the golden gate bridge, with a long focal lens - and the camera therefore being far away from the bridge. On this picture the entire pillar was reproduced undistorted and because of that you could see how high the pillar actually is - which you cannot see with your own eye standing rather next to the bridge.
Perspective, as i learned in school, should be a different thing. Perspective is where the camera is placed, like "worm`s eye view" or "bird`s eye view". Focal length does have an influence of distortion of proportions.
Both effects often are combined. They use a wide-angle lens and do a low-angle shot, to make the person photographed appear even bigger etc. .
Someone said that a change of perspective is a change of form (was it Winogrand? Cartier-Bresson? I cannot recall) stating how important is the choice of perspective (focal length). I am not so sure about it but is it because perspective also affects depth of field? (it is a question for the most technically knowledgeable guys in the forum)
P.S. When I first read perspective I understood something else e.g. the viewpoint but I think you are referring to choice of focal length e.g. 28mm vs 35mm vs 50mm
Moving the lens closer or farther from the subject is the only way to control perspective.
Actually this is not the only way, camera movements can also effect perspective. It's true that focal length just encourages a change in vantage point & doesn't change perspective, but shifting the lens vertically to prevent tilting the camera back is a trick commonly done in the past to prevent converging verticals (a perspective effect)
Whether playing with keystoneing in post alters perspective is a debate I won't get into
FWIW the ability to change the apparent perspective without excessive cropping is one of the reasons I use a wide variety of lenses.
Generally speaking though, changes of perspective that result from moving side to side are truly independent of focal length - and therefore seem to be entirely unrelated to the original question posted!
Camera movements on large format cameras are not really changing perspective, as they control focus and field of view.
Changing field of view is changing the perspective.
No, that's called zooming.
Camera movements on large format cameras are not really changing perspective, as they control focus and field of view.
No, that's called zooming.
FWIW, I took the reference in the initial question posed to lens focal lengths to imply a question about the more narrow definition of "perspective".
Actually this is not the only way, camera movements can also effect perspective. It's true that focal length just encourages a change in vantage point & doesn't change perspective, but shifting the lens vertically to prevent tilting the camera back is a trick commonly done in the past to prevent converging verticals (a perspective effect)
Whether playing with keystoneing in post alters perspective is a debate I won't get into
FWIW the ability to change the apparent perspective without excessive cropping is one of the reasons I use a wide variety of lenses.
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