Lens magnification
If you've tried different lenses on your camera, you've probably noticed that some magnify the subject more than others. Lens magnification correlates directly to the focal length of the lens you're using.
What Is Focal Length?
In technical terms, the focal length of a lens is the distance from its optical center to the point in focus when the lens is focused to infinity. This number will help you determine how much you can capture in a shot.
Smaller Focal Length
Lenses with smaller focal lengths--such 24 mm--can capture more material in an image, but they provide less lens magnification. These are often referred to as wide-angle lenses.
Greater Focal Length
"Longer" lenses--those with greater focal lengths, like 300 mm--are often called telephoto lenses. These offer more lens magnification than wide-angle lenses.
Correlation
Increasing the focal length also increases the image size while reducing the amount of material captured in the image. This is the basic principle of lens magnification.
Point-and-Shoot Experiment
Many modern point-and-shoot cameras have a "macro" mode, most commonly identified by a tulip icon. This mode is ideal for shooting in minute detail and will allow you to see what extreme lens magnification looks like.
Tags: lens magnification, Focal Length, focal length lens, length lens, wide-angle lenses