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The Lens and Its Image is the first of four modules dealing with getting to know and use your equipment.

A camera is only as good as the lens being used with it. You may have the most expensive camera you can buy, but if you only have an average lens on it, it's possible that a cheaper camera with a brilliant lens will give far better pictures.

The lens is the camera's eye. It defines all the pictures you're going to get up on the screen. The type of shot you see, the mood, and the clarity all depend on the lens that is used.

If your understanding of lenses is quite limited and you're using auto rather than manual controls, this book will demystify lenses and bring them to life for you.

Your mentor and trainer, Ian Ingram Young, covers all the topics with an easy to understand approach. Movie clips and photographs are used to explain what is often thought of as a rather technical aspect of film making, and they highlight the creative possibilities which the understanding of this area brings to the filmmaker.

To give you an insight into what you can expect to learn from The Lens and Its Image here is a brief outline of what it contains.

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This book is divided into five sections.

 

Section 1 - Focal Length

Focal Length is a term that is much used, but often not quite understood and this section explains its meaning, and its practical application in both film making and stills photography.

Sometimes technical definitions can be difficult to understand but, with the help of movie clips, you learn about the importance of focal length in the designing of your shots and look into the term "Normal Focal Length" in relation to lenses. The focal lengths of both prime and zoom lenses are discussed and advice is given about when and how you should use a matt box.

Tips on how to use lenses safely will help to make sure that you do not damage the most important part of your camera, the lens.

Section 2 - Aperture

What is aperture? How does aperture affect our pictures? Aperture is extremely important in determining whether or not you get a stunning shot or a mediocre one or, indeed, a shot that is too dark or too light which can be very disappointing if it's of a special occasion.

This section covers the meaning of aperture and goes through the two scales that are used, the f scale and the T scale. The video examples of how aperture controls exposure are really helpful. You learn how to set the aperture and what the term, ‘maximum aperture' means. The movie clip is a great way to compare the maximum aperture of different lenses. Finally, Ian explains how you read the information to be found on the lens barrel.

Section 3 - Focus

As we all know, focus is critical - no one wants to look at a blurry image, be it in a movie or a stills photograph. This section takes a very thorough look at how to make sure all your pictures are sharp. Some simple optical principles are covered in an easy to understand way and you are taken step by step through how to focus your viewfinder as well as your lens.

Have you heard of conjugate foci? If not, you will find out what they are. There is a chapter on prime lenses and one on zoom lenses explaining the different methods used to obtain correct focus. Three check lists, one for the focus puller, one listing the steps to take when focusing a prime lens and the third one listing the steps for focusing a zoom lens are included. Obviously with time the procedures will become second nature to you, but you should find these very helpful for your first productions.

Section 4 - Depth of Field

The subject of depth of field is very well covered and illustrates how the image receiver, focal length, aperture, focus distance and the permissible circle of confusion all play their part. The chapter on how to use a depth of field calculator is excellent. It's great to see it actually happening before your eyes on the calculator and the movie clips and photographs are also a tremendous aid to understanding this complex subject.

Differential focusing is covered in some detail with the movie clips from films where it has been used to great creative effect, making you want to go out and shoot using this technique straight away. Other topics covered in this section are hyperfocal distance, the focus pull, including how this term originated, and barrelling.

Section 5 - Macro and Back Focus

Macro and back focus are areas that are not as well known as the topics covered in the previous sections, and so it is good to find out exactly what these terms mean. You should be aware that both macro, and especially back focus, require very precise adjustment if focus problems are to be avoided.

By studying this section you will learn how to use the macro controls on lenses correctly. You will also be shown how to set the back focus on your camera so that you do not run the risk of all your focusing arrangements being out. You are taken through the back focus procedure step by step via a movie clip and after watching it a few times most of you should feel confident enough to set the back focus on any camera you are using.

If you are thinking of buying a secondhand zoom lens, you will find the chapter on how to recognise problems like axial shift and creep really helpful.

Each section finishes with a list of things you should be able to do once you have studied the content thoroughly and a list of questions you should be able to answer. There are also two multiple choice quizzes.

This book contains over 90 minutes of video footage and around 100 photos.

Purchase Price: AU$ 15.99