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Shot Type Focal Length Chart

Focal length chart

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joshiespov
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33 views

Shot Type Focal Length Chart

Focal length chart

Uploaded by

joshiespov
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SEVEN BASIC SHOT TYPES/FOCAL LENGTH RELATIONSHIP CHART

These are the traditional focal lengths that the seven basic shot types are
traditionally shot at. This is based on how the human eye sees these shot types and
the focal lengths of the seven basic prime lens used to shoot most motion pictures
before the mid 1960’s.

Shot Type Normal Setting Z Range mm Range


EWS or ELS Z00 - 18mm Z00-Z15 18mm – 20mm
or XLS
WS or LS or Z15 -24mm Z15-Z25 20mm-30mm
FS
MWS or LS Z35 -35mm Z25-Z40 30mm-40mm
MS Z50 -50mm Z40-Z60 40mm-60mm
MCU Z70 -70mm Z60-Z75 60mm-75mm
CU Z80 -85mm Z75-Z90 75mm-90mm
ECU Z99 -105mm Z90-Z99 90mm-105mm

Focal Length is measure in millimeters (mm) on 99% of all cameras and it is


the calculation of an optical distance from the point where light rays converge to
form a sharp image of an object to the digital sensor. So it's math. Only Sony in
their infinite wisdom has their own proprietary focal length system that is based
on just random numbers - so no math. If you really want to understand
photography and cinematography then you need to know how to calculate and
use lens based on millimeters (mm) and not Z Numbers. The lens you are using
is the Sony SELPH18105, the focal length for this lens is in the model number
18mm to 105mm. When you put this on the camera however it only reads it in
terms of Z Numbers Z00 = 18mm, the widest the camera's focal length can go
(Wide Angle) and Z99 = 105mm, the longest focal length the camera can go
(Telephoto). So I made a conversion chart up to help you convert Z Numbers to
mm. While this chart isn't 100% accurate it's close enough to help you convert
these Z Numbers so you can start thinking about focal length in terms of mm,
which is how everyone else in the world talks about focal length. I did this by
taking a the FS5, a full frame mirrorless camera, and a 35mm directors viewfinder
and putting the same 18-105mm lens on them all three, setting them up side by
side and shot a camera focusing chart. We of course know what 18 and 105mm
are on this camera Z00 and Z99. What I found was that Z50 the Z number and
the mm were exactly the same so Z50= 50mm. This stayed the same from about
Z35 to about Z90 so when you are converting the numbers anything from Z35 to
Z90 has the same focal length in mm. So Z35 =35mm and Z90 = 90mm. These
are slightly off but I rounded them out so that it would be easier for everyone to
do this. From Z00 to Z34 the numbers are different and from Z91 to Z99 they go
off again.

Here is the chart which we will use a bit more in week three when we explore how
to shoot and frame the seven basic shot types. Just remember this isn't linear
and it's just a chart to get you in the ballpark

Here is a rough breakdown. You don't have to worry about being super accurate
in-between these numbers, just use this as a guide. Again, this is not scientific
because the Z Numbers are not linear and mean absolutely nothing in terms of a
mathematical explanation.

Z00 = 18mm

Z15 = 20mm

Z25 = 30mm

Z35 = 35mm

From Z35 to Z99 the numbers are the same

Z90 = 90mm

Z95 = 100mm

Z99 = 105mm

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