Lens distortions and compression explained

Lens Distortion

This happens when a lens bends light in a way that makes straight lines look curved or stretched. It’s most noticeable with wide-angle lenses.

• Barrel Distortion (Bulging Effect): Think of a fish-eye lens. Straight lines near the edges appear curved outward, making the centre look pushed forward.
• Pincushion Distortion (Squeezing Effect): The opposite of barrel distortion—straight lines bend inward, like they’re being pinched.
• Perspective Distortion: When you get very close to a subject with a wide-angle lens, parts of them (like their nose in a portrait) may look unnaturally big compared to the rest of their body.

Lens Compression (Perspective Compression)

This isn’t really a lens effect—it’s caused by how far you are from your subject. When you use a telephoto lens (zoomed in) and step back, the background seems closer to your subject, creating a “compressed” look.

• Example: If you take a portrait with a 200mm lens from far away, the background looks larger and closer, making the scene feel tighter.
• Why It Matters: Portrait photographers love longer lenses (85mm, 135mm, etc.) because they make faces look more natural and flattering by avoiding the exaggerated features caused by wide-angle lenses.

Key Takeaways

• Wide-angle lenses (e.g., 16mm, 24mm) can distort perspective and make things look stretched.
• Telephoto lenses (e.g., 85mm, 200mm) make backgrounds appear closer and give a more natural look for portraits.
• Moving closer or farther from your subject changes perspective more than the lens itself.