When it comes to focal length I just kind of blindly experiment. I see that it changes the foreshortening of the perspective.
For a close up shot of a human face, filling the frame, is there some ballpark range, I’ve been using ~80 -110.
80-110 is about spot on. 85mm and 135mm lenses are very popular in portraiture photography.
Ok thanks.
And what usually much lower, like 35, for a wide angle shot like a mountain scene?
25 would be better for sweeping scenes. I maybe wrong but I use a dslr daily and focal distortion in blender never looks correct to me. When I go from 55mm to 18mm it does a hell of a lot more than just zoom out on the camera. 18mm is the lowest focal length I have in lenses. 18mm is very distorted, but to get that same level of distortion in blender I have to be in single digits.
The higher the focal length number the less lens distortion you get. Conversely, the lower you go the more distortion you’ll get. A woman would murder you for taking her picture at less than 55mm as it would make her look fat. =) I don’t think blender has an fstop setting but the higher that is the less your distortion will be as well but it will also be darker.
Ok, great. thank you very much for that Adey and Brent. Think I’m good to go in focal length.