Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site rabbit.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!alice!rabbit!ark From: ark@rabbit.UUCP (Andrew Koenig) Newsgroups: net.rec.photo Subject: wide-angle lens distortion Message-ID: <2587@rabbit.UUCP> Date: Fri, 9-Mar-84 15:49:22 EST Article-I.D.: rabbit.2587 Posted: Fri Mar 9 15:49:22 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 10-Mar-84 13:04:53 EST References: <212@iwu1c.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill Lines: 15 A well-designed wide-angle lens does not distort (fish-eye lenses aside). Specifically, straight lines in the subject are rendered as straight lines on film. However, a non-distorting wide-angle lens can cause some pretty strange-looking things to appear on film. This is a necessary consequence of reproducing straight lines as straight lines. The wider the lens, the harder it is to use it without making things look weird, unless you're careful about how you use it. My gut feeling is that the 'average' amateur photographer should be able to handle a 35 mm lens, that a 28 might cause trouble, and that a 24 will almost surely cause trouble. On the other hand, a 35 isn't all that much different from a 50.