Understanding Focus Breathing in a Camera Lens

You’re probably familiar with many of the technical aspects that affect your work as a videographer or photographer. Focus breathing is a common issue, especially when discussing lenses. What is focus breathing and how can it affect your photography or videography? Let’s explore this phenomenon.

Focus Breathing:

The term “lens breath” is also used to describe the change in focal length of a lens as the focus distance changes. It causes an apparent shift in the composition and magnification of the image when the focus is changed, especially for distant subjects.

Visual Example

Let’s look at a visual to better understand the concept of breathing in focus. Imagine framing the scene, and then shifting focus from one subject that is close to another. As the focus changes, you may notice the composition and apparent magnification of the image change. This demonstration shows the effect of focus breathing in your images.

Focus Breathing Causes:

Modern lenses that have internal focusing systems are prone to focus breathing. The internal focusing systems of modern lenses allow for certain internal elements to move independently, which can cause a small change in the focal length or field of view. Focus breathing is usually less noticeable in higher-quality lenses than their counterparts.

Impact on photography and videography

In videography, focus breathing poses a particular challenge because it can make changes in the scene visible and distracting. In still photography, breathing can affect situations like stacking images, where it is important to maintain a consistent focus.

Mitigating Focused Breathing

Photographers can use a variety of strategies to minimize focus breathing. This includes reducing the distances between subjects that are focused, choosing lenses with less focus breathing and performing real-world testing to evaluate the effects of focus breathing before making a purchasing decision. Videography can reduce focus breathing by reducing the use of rack-focus techniques and strategically adjusting focus points.

Considerations for Photographers & Videographers

Focus breathing can be a concern depending on the lens’ primary purpose. Videographers may choose lenses that have minimal focus breathing in order to maintain video quality. Still photographers, however, may not notice any significant issues.

Eliminating focus breathing:

The best way to eliminate focus breathing problems is by purchasing lenses that are advertised as having minimal focus breathing. Post-processing techniques such as Photoshop’s layer alignment feature can also help reduce focus breathing, particularly for still photography.

Conclusion:

Focus breathing is a problem that persists with many camera lenses. However, advances in lens design have made it a priority to minimize focus breathing for newer releases. Understanding the causes of focus breathing and its implications can help photographers and videographers make informed choices when choosing lenses to suit their needs. You can reduce the impact of focus-breathing on your photography or videography by considering factors like lens specifications and performing real-world testing.