No, a Wide-Angle Lens Is NOT the Best for Landscape Photography
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Have you heard that a wide-angle lens is the best for landscape photography? Or maybe you've heard that a wide-angle lens is a landscape lens? In this video, I set out to disprove both notions. Firstly, you can use a wide-angle lens for more than landscape photography and secondly, let me make it 110% clear, I am not saying you can not use a wide-angle lens for landscape photography - you most certainly can! Just watch my videos on the 16-35mm lenses. What I am saying is that both a standard zoom and a telephoto lens works absolutely fantastic for landscape photography too.
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Great work 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Very well explained! ✌
Your photography is excellent. Your videos are so enjoyable to watch.
Wow Thanks Mads another amazing video tutorial
Wow, the photos in this video are absolutely crazy. They are just blowing my mind! This year I decided to take up photography, I know pretty much nothing at the moment! I read a used full frame is the same price as a new cropped, so I got a second hand Canon 6D and I am waiting on my 50mm STM to arrive. I can't wait to get shooting and learn all the basics. I'll invest in 1 or 2 nice lenses in about a year and keep going from there. Your photos are so inspiring, and seeing some explanation of how you took them is invaluable. Thank you!
Inspiring video, liked and subscribed 👍
Smashing info pal 👌
You'r photos are gorgeous! mind blowing
Amazing video! Thanks a lot !
Learned a lot from you, great Photos . Because of you I purchased the 24-105 Sony f4. Have „only“ a A7iii not the Riii
great drone shot at 5:00
every video from you is so epic and wants you to go out and shoot. i think i said that before but i think this everytime when i see your beautiful and super inspiring videos. mange tak from Hamburg, Tyskland :)
Another great video, Mads!
Was getting ready to pull the trigger on a Tamron 17-28 to complement my 28-200 but this video definitely gives me pause and extra inspiration to hold off.
Pleasure to watch your videos Mads. Thank you :)
Thank you for the excellent video and excellent images.
Spot on as always
Thank you
Thanks for this.
I couldn’t agree more, Mads! While I’ve personally never come close to mastering the UWA perspective, I’ve enjoyed it from others. But the last year or so, I’ve found that it’s getting a bit long in there tooth, seeing photos being produced with the same recipe over and over again. Lot’s of impact but often less unique photos. And thanks for making your point with such beautiful examples (although your wider shots are equally beautiful) And for the never ending inspiration!
Thank you very much for such kind words, Stéphane. It's true that the wide-angle look is becoming quite formulaic by now. I don't think that's a reason to not shoot it though. As a photography society we're raising the bar for quality photos together with this hyper exchange of information to a point where even high quality photos becomes mondane. It is however exceptionally hard to push it further than where we are right now, so if you want to shoot wide-angle, then you're kinda stuck with a certain look. It's hard to see where to go from here ;)
Mads Peter Iversen - true! I’m still practicing, believe me. I suppose progress is slow because I have a harder time seeing the widest compositions without looking through the camera, and I rarely have the time to visit and shoot grander views. And just like macro photography is accessible almost everywhere, so is cutting out a smaller portion of a cluttered or less than perfect view with a longer FL. 😉
Tack för att du tog dig tid att svara Mads! 🙏
Agreed. I alternate between my 24-70mm and 70-200mm lenses. Thank you, Mads, love your work!
Well, I used to be one of those that somehow 'naturally' assumed the ultra wide angle was the thing for landscapes... until I watched this video -- thank you!! Of course they have their place, but there is SO(!!) much I haven't explored (and missed out on 🤥) in the longer focal lengths -- I'm extra inspired to go do 'stuff' now, with this new (to me) perspective. All the best to you, and thanks again.
I did not know the purple flower fields is yours? Thanks for showing those examples as I wanted to see if I can shoot landscape with 40+ mm.
Stunning shots Mads...says it all !! :-)
So true! If people just realized that landscapes can be shot with any lens. For truly creative photography, there should be no limits. Just try shooting a landscape with a "portrait lens" and a portrait with a "landscape lens"; it will open up your photographic mind.
lately I am using my 16-35 Nikon wide angle lens to photograph close to the ground and when I am surrounded by colorful trees such as a canopy. For inclusion of larger vista the wide angle lens isn't as effective all the time when the weather is calm I use my telephoto or smaller zoom to compose a panoramic view which gives the image more resolution and detail. It is a good video Mads Peterson I like the compositions.
So true, I enjoy my wide angle lens when I use it. But more often than not it is not my go to lens.
I fully agree!
Very nice Mads,I am armed with new knowledge,cheers.
I hate people giving a thumbs down after a good vlog with great tips and inspiration. You always wondering: why, or in this case: why for fuck sake!
A little new to telephoto for landscaping. My take: wide angle provides sense of scale, perspective and information. Telephoto provides detail and drama.
I see what you mean, but I'd argue that a wide angle highly distorts the sense of scale.
@@MadsPeterIversen True enough. I used my wide angle to photograph our camper when we sold it. It made the inside look like the Taj Mahal.
Do you find utility in tilt-shift lenses?
Never used one ;)
@@MadsPeterIversen I haven't either, but have been curious. My friend's favorite travel lens is a 17mm tilt-shift. I was reminded of that by your discussion of how a wide-angle lens distorts the lighthouse.
Some great hero shots. Sorry to hear that your Dolomites workshop was sold out when I checked last month, hopefully next year, emailed back and forth with Sam, looks like some amazing sites.
Please take on the subtitles
I can't, they're not available for me.
I think the thing is: ultrawide was a modern and cool look 20-30 years ago, in the velvia age. Crossprocessing was fashionable then too. Kind of like black and white, use it and it's automatically good photohraphy. But now it's a terribly dated look associated with generic office wall art. So these days, you can use it but you have to be exceptionally good to compensate for the stigma.
I use a Sigma 18-250 mm 3.5 - 5.6 super zoom or a Tamron 28- 200mm lenses for my landscape photography set at F11 so everything is in focus . I hardly use my Rokinon 14mm 2.8 lens .
your lucky enough to have vast open spaces . clean vistas, (i deliberately didnt say sweeping) yes i suppose most people live in tighter closed in spaces , but your photos are good wish we were there fodder . we dont get out much these days !
It's not the lens...it's the composition. I heard a quote the other day (might even have been you - I can't remember!): it's not the settings that make the picture, it's the picture that makes the settings. Surely focal length is a setting!
Why is there no translation
I love your photos so much Mads!
Thank you so much, James! Looking forward to see what you'll get out of your new lens. I have the same and is a joy to use despite its weight :)
i dont mean to be so off topic but does someone know a method to get back into an instagram account?
I stupidly lost the login password. I appreciate any tricks you can give me
@Alec Ethan Instablaster =)
@Eric Cameron thanks so much for your reply. I found the site through google and I'm trying it out atm.
Seems to take quite some time so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Eric Cameron It did the trick and I finally got access to my account again. I'm so happy!
Thanks so much you saved my account :D
I do have the 16-35 as everyone else, but I basically never use it. I mostly use the range 24-50 and 70+ (-200), it is very difficult to use anything wider than 20mm as you need to make sure that the foreground is interesting, which I find is not easy at all.
It depends, but wide angle lens is much more versatile than most lenses for landscape photography.
The most convenient lens would be 24-120 or 24-70..
always learn so much from your work. thank you from Australia.
Awesome pictures. However, it's not because you can do landscape or street photo with a telephoto (I sometimes do) that a wild angle is not the better choice 90% of the time especially since 45MP+ FF sensors with postprod crop. You can also make portrait with a 28mm, macro with a 70-200mm, architecture with a 50mm etc... Sometimes it works, but an exception is not a generality and in most cases you'll get better results with other options.
love it
Mads, you not only display excellent photography craft skills, but you also build on those with an amazing sense of photographic artistry. Further, you have an excellent ability to communicate and teach others about these aspects of photography. Thanks for creating these videos and other resource material for us to learn from as well as simply enjoy your artistry.
I like that you make the point of using whatever lens captures your vision. I think it is very true. Important to learn so many aspects of photography, once you reach a certain level, throw it all out the window and use experience and your gut to make your best shot.
i agree though, it looks good for portrait
Living in Maryland, so much of our landscape (nearly all) is blocked by trees except for water views, a telephoto is much less valuable for landscapes than they would be in areas more open like the midwest or even in mountain ranges. It is frustrating to be a photographer when in every direction, you can only see a few hundred feet without masses of trees blocking views further. Landscapes are nearly impossible without getting to the Eastern Shore of the state, but even there the trees are pretty thick aside from farms. I would love to shoot landscape with a 70-200mm, but I have few opportunities. I do carry an older Nikon AI 70-200 4.5 for those few opportunities, but they are seldom.
Define "landscape" in context, and then we can decide which lenses are best. I surely have a few great landscape photos taken with a 19 mm lens.
Every time I watch one of your landscape videos, some amazing new insight clicks into place for me. Thank you so much - I only found your channel and books a few weeks ago and can already see my photos improving exponentially :D
The same here…detail for detail!
Cheers!
Thanks due to your videos and your book I learn to have an other approach of landscape. I admire your style and your fotos.
I like a lot of the information you give but the only thing I think is a bit misleading is that you say you don't go wider than 24mm in saying you try to avoid wide angle. But even 24-29-35 all of that range would still technically be wide angle. Most consider anything lower than 50mm a wide angle lens. I think you're referring to ultra wide angle lens.
I am not a big fan of wide angle photography as I think with wide angle it’s easy to take good photo but it’s sometimes difficult to convey a message and deliver impact.
Still I think it’s good to have one basic wide angle lens just in case its needed like for night photography and astrophotography.
Do you think it’s a wise choice to go for Tamron 1728 (Sony E amount) given there are more expensive options like Sony 1635 GM?
Du er veldig flink og har helt rett i det du sier
You are awesome
Don't take me wrong - I enjoy your content. Now, wide lenses tend to be a bit more portable. For landscape photography, walking and hiking are vital to reaching scenic places other transports just won't. I don't wanna carry two or more lenses, especially with the size and weight of a zoom lens. Just my two cents.
Just ... Woww !!!
do you have a video on the process of editing a human into the scene. i am pretty bad at photoshop and would appreciate a tutorial on how to add humans to show scale. maybe for 2 or 3 different photos with different lighting to show how you approach it. I would and am sure many others would appreciate a video like that
Right on target as usual
Get to the point. Which lens is the best for landscapes?
I prefer my 24-70 for landscapes
Great tips and love the images. Many Thanks
Amazing photos! In the end it's all about one's imagination ;)
Great aye opener for some. Before watching this video I really thought that wide angle lens is landscape lens period. Thank You!
Fantastic video and insight into the different vocal lengths. Lots to think about here. Thank you.
Very educational Mads. Please continue on the same track. You are one of my favorite photographer on UA-cam.
Excellent og very informative. Amazing images.
i would call 24mm wide
You have now become my favourite landscape youtuber. I have put you at the top of my list with Thomas Heaton. Both incredible but you are also helping teach the topic. I look forward to the next video!!
Waaaaaaaa????!!!!! All the Top Landscape photographers in the world use wide.
I can't believe you leave your camera for so long-distance alone...
It's hard for me to believe people accept to live in such unsafe environments.
Mads, amazing photos and very good explanation! Liked and subscribed!
Thank you so much for this. It has really helped me understand how using a wide angle and a telephoto lens can make such a difference.
I thoroughly agree. I lean heavily on my 55-200 mm ( crop - it's the Fuji XT2).
Wonderful video, Mads. I appreciate that you pointed out the different kind of drama--but no less impactful--from a longer lens. It inspires me o bring out my longer lenses when I go out.
Never ever get tired of seeing your wonderful images Mads. One of the best, if not the best collection of images that is out there. A real tonic at this strange situation we are all in
Thank you ever so much, Jim! Appreciate it! :)
I really enjoyed this video, Mads. I have a 15-30mm that I use for landscapes and night photography. I've mostly left my 70-200 at home when I travel because it's too heavy to carry on the plane, and honestly, I always thought that wider for landscape was the way to go. This video has cleared up the misconception. Your photos are just stunning and I could gaze at them all day. I just purchased your e-book and will put your lessons to good use once the quarantine comes to an end. Thanks again, Mads!
I just came back from Colorado... used primarily my 24-105... many of my mountains are small. I did capture a great full moon lit mountain @400mm however... good stuff Mads, thanks for the lesson. Your photography is simply the best!
Nice informative video! Great food for artistic/compositional thought!
absolutely love the longer/compressed shots in this video. Thanks for sharing!
You made some excellent points in this video, Mads. For that reason, I subscribed. The shots in this video are absolutely amazing! Keep up the good work!
Also, I immediately recognized the Danish accent :)
Well, this video somehow makes feel better about being too poor to buy a wide angle.
I got the message Mads. Thnx
I personally sorta dislike wider than ~20/21mm for anything but night skies. I understand the utility of ultra-wide lenses for things like real estate photography, but for whatever reason, from an artistic viewpoint something like 12mm seems to always look tacky to me.
It can look very distorted and unreal, probably why some people do not like it :)
Me neither, 20mm is enough 👌🏾
Outstanding Photographs. A sight for any sore eyes.
I have a 70-300 F4 L Canon Lens and I love it. I always make it a rule to shoot at F8 to get clear sharp photos. I hardly ever used my 24-105 F4 L Lens.
Have you tested the different focal lengths with different apertures. The sharpness is not always best at f/8.
@@MadsPeterIversen Yes. I am the kind of person that does not like bokeh. The 70-300 F4 and my 80-200F2.8L are my go to lens for all situations. I know these two lenses are sharp at F8. However I know wide angles work differently. The last Canon 17-40 was sharp at F4.
Hi Mads the image of the person stood in front of the glacier is immensely powerful .
Loving the compression .
I shoot Canon cropped frame . And tent to avoid shorter focal lengths .
Great vlog very informative.
Amazing photographs. Stunning. Subscribed.
As always, beautiful work Mads!
Thanks Mads for this educational moment ... because your previous tutorials and your ebook i now use the lenses like you do ......
10% of all my pictures is taken with my 16-35 mm lens ..... 60% with my 24-70mm and the rest with my 70-200mm ......
I have the new Canon EOS R and in the future the R5 .... i'm switching to the Canon RF lenses in the future ..... RF 15-35mm, RF 24-105mm and the RF 100-500mm ....
more compact for hiking and more reach and dynamics.
I agree absolutely with you!!
Excellent perspective, thanks for posting the video....I will keep in mind as I shoot in the future....👍 Beautiful work btw....
You make landscape photography look easy.
It's rewarding for me to see how much you get from your 24-105 mm. I decided to buy it due to your great pictures taken with it and I can't be more happy.
Thanks Mads
True. I used a tele zoom in Galapagos and the results were wonderful.
zooming in compressing the foreground in comparison to the background
Great video. You are completely correct. I use a 14mm solely for when Im getting much closer to the subject or when I find an interesting foreground. I also use a 35mm in a lot of cases and will be getting a 55-200mm shortly.
Excellent timing for this video! I am debating whether or not to get a wide-angle around 15-18 mm for a trip to Iceland this year. The only other lens I have right now is the Tamrom 28-75mm for Sony FE, which have been wide enough for the photos I've taken here in Norway. However, with the large waterfalls in Iceland I wonder if I'm going to regret not having anything wider. What is your take? Love the tele photos! Makes me miss my 85mm
Excellent video. I hear ya. My wide stays in my bag the most.