Everything You Need to Know (& Even Some Stuff You Don't) About Camera Lenses
Many pros will tell you: it's less about the camera you're shooting on and more about the lens.
I mean -- that's neither here nor there, but one thing's clear: knowing all you can about lenses, how they're built, their properties, and even their history, will benefit you immensely as a filmmaker. This is something Filmmaker IQ's John P. Hess obviously knows, seeing as he has dedicated two separate videos to diving into the history and mechanics of the camera lens.
It's 45 minutes well spent, so check out both videos below:
Hopefully after viewing both videos you've come away with a wealth of knowledge about where lenses came from, how they're used today, as well as how they're built to capture the images we wish to record. Granted, the first video is aimed at history buffs, fact collectors, and trivia nerds (I am certainly all of those things), but the second video applies to everyone who's making films.
Hess breaks down everything from focal length, aperture, and the differences between primes and zooms -- and does so in his typical fashion: thoroughly and entertainingly. Seriously, these two videos serve as a fantastic masterclass on everything camera lenses, so consider yourself lucky that you didn't have to sit in a crowded lecture hall for two hours. (I'm assuming you didn't watch these videos while sitting in a crowded lecture hall -- you're in your underwear. Admit it.)
Source: Filmmaker IQ
