Do Wide Angle Lenses Really Have Greater Depth of Field Than Telephotos?
Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 12:31 pm
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Do Wide Angle Lenses Really Have Greater Depth of Field Than Telephotos?
Testing The Theory
Most photographers accept the common belief that short focal length lenses have greater depth of field than do long lenses. A wide angle lens, in other words, will give greater depth of field than will a telephoto. Right?
Sounds about right, but it's not the case. In fact, if the subject image size remains the same, then at any given aperture all lenses will give the same depth of field.
Because this is such a controversial statement, and because it initially flies in the face of common experience, I have created the following set of example images.
The Depth of Field is Essentially The Same
As you can see, the degree to which the tower and the hand puppet are out of focus is essentially identical in each frame regardless of focal length. To be sure, perspective changes dramatically, but not depth of field.
Do Wide Angle Lenses Really Have Greater Depth of Field Than Telephotos?
Testing The Theory
Most photographers accept the common belief that short focal length lenses have greater depth of field than do long lenses. A wide angle lens, in other words, will give greater depth of field than will a telephoto. Right?
Sounds about right, but it's not the case. In fact, if the subject image size remains the same, then at any given aperture all lenses will give the same depth of field.
Because this is such a controversial statement, and because it initially flies in the face of common experience, I have created the following set of example images.
The Depth of Field is Essentially The Same
As you can see, the degree to which the tower and the hand puppet are out of focus is essentially identical in each frame regardless of focal length. To be sure, perspective changes dramatically, but not depth of field.