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Focal length

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Focal length, often referred to as the 'lens length', is technically a measure of how strongly a single lens element, or an optical system, such as a compound lens, converges or diverges light. When discussing a compound, or multi-element, lens, such as all Nikon lenses in current production, we use the term 'focal length' as shorthand for 'effective focal length'. For a technical discussion, see Wikipedia.

In 35 mm photography, focal length is used as a shorthand for the the Angle of View of a lens. However, the angle of view for the same lens is less on DX format than it is for FX or film.

FX and Film

  • Ultra-wide angle 14mm - 24mm
  • Wide-angle 24mm - 40mm
  • Standard 45mm - 60mm
  • Short telephoto, portrait 60mm - 135mm
  • Long telephoto 135mm - 400mm
  • Extreme telephoto 400 mm and above

DX

  • Ultra-wide angle 12mm-18mm
  • Wide-angle 18mm-24mm
  • Standard 24mm - 50mm
  • Short telephoto, portrait 50mm-100mm
  • Long telephoto 100mm - 300mm
  • Extreme telephoto 300mm and above

A fisheye lens is an ultra-wide angle lens which has not been corrected for rectilinear distortion.

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