<p>What you're referring to is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspect_ratio_%28image%29" rel="nofollow">aspect ratio</a>. 1920 by 1080p is HD video, you would have to letterbox it in post production to achieve the 'wider' aspect ratio (I'm assuming you want 2.39:1).</p>

<p>As for the lens, 18mm is a pretty <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wide-angle_lens" rel="nofollow">wide lens</a>. If you have a 35mm sensor you may experience some barrel distortion – which isn't necessarily a bad thing, just as long as it's used well. </p>

<p>Not too sure what you mean by your audience feeling claustrophobic. However, a 50mm lens on a 35mm sensor closely replicates the field of view of the human eye as does (approx.) a 30mm lens on a crop sensor. </p>

<p>So to answer your question: no, you don't need a lens wider than 18mm to make a professional looking video. </p>

<p>EDIT: You mentioned that you will be using a kit lens. Typically kit lenses have a low build quality and are rarely used by professional cinematographers. Obtaining a better lens will make your videos look more professional due to the superior build quality and glass. </p>

<p>A good way to look for good lenses is to, firstly, figure out what focal length you require (8mm fisheye, 50mm, 85mm etc.), search online for different brand's lenses (you have  a Nikon but there are many companies that make third party lenses such as Tamron, Tokina, Sigma), look online for reviews of the lenses and test footage (Vimeo is a great place to find test footage) and then you can make an informed decision on which lens is best for you. </p>

<p>I'd recommend obtaining a good 50mm prime lens. Primes have less glass and generally produce a sharper image. Not too sure what Nikon lenses are like but you could try purchasing a 2nd hand lens off eBay and then buying an adaptor to get it onto your camera. This option is usually pretty cheap and if the lens is in good condition you will most likely be impressed with the result. I bought myself a Carl Zeiss 50mm f/1.8 for $80 and an adaptor for $5 – now it's one of my favourite lenses (and definitely the cheapest). </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-12T00:48:27.410Z
I'm going to crop the video by letterboxing it, yes. By 18mm I mean, is it wide enough to shoot a "open" shot inside for example? Do the audience get an overview of the room, or do you need a wider lens for that? I'm about to buy a D7000 with the kit lens 18-200 3.5-.. for $3000 in Norway. And, if I get the camera to realize I have to spend another 1000 bucks on a 10-24mm lens, that's not fun...
Friend of Kim
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-12T02:48:24.923Z
It's too hard to say without seeing the size of the room. 18mm is pretty wide and should be ok, but it really depends on what you want. If you end up needing a wider lens I can highly recommend the Tokina 12-24. I use it often with my 7D and it performs very well. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tokina-AT-X-124-AF-PRO-DX-AF-12-24mm-f-4-II-Nikon-Black-No-VAT-/170748348312?pt=AU_Lenses&hash=item27c1650798#ht_3349wt_1093
Richard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-12T09:13:44.267Z
It isn't a cheap lens: http://www.komplett.no/k/ki.aspx?sku=503733
$1200, but what would you recommend then? (I think it's a lens the shop sells along with the camera, not a kit lens..)
Friend of Kim
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-12T09:40:29.840Z
True. It's not a 'kit lens'; looks like a well built mid-range lens. Should perform nicely. I can't really recommend any lenses to you because I don't know what you need from them.
Richard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-12T10:37:49.620Z
Ok, I need (a) lens(es) that I can use for nature photography (landscape and animals), portraits (I don't need a special lens for this as this is only a tiny bit of what I do - price), movie making (both action and mostly still camera).
Friend of Kim
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-12T11:13:15.993Z
For landscapes you'd want a wide lens. I used to shoot landscapes with 18mm but usually wanted to go wider (which is why I bought the Tokina 12-24). A wide lens for animals is also useful if they move around a lot. Portraits, 50mm and 85mm are popular but it really depends on the individual. For filmmaking the principles are the same; however wider lenses are better for hand-held shots as camera shake is greatly accentuated by the long focal length of a lens.
Richard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-12T11:24:13.230Z
Thanks, so if I buy the D7000 with the 'kit' lens 18-200G VRII I'll still 'need' the 11-16?
Friend of Kim
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-12T11:57:58.793Z
I suggested the 12-24mm, however the 11-16mm is another viable option. I was tossing up between the two but finally decided to go with the 12-24mm because for the 1mm you are gaining on one end you are losing 8mm on the other – and 24mm can be used nicely for portraits. I can't say whether or not you NEED a wider lens, but they are definitely a great investment, especially if you are into landscape photography.
Richard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-12T12:12:59.813Z
Well, then I'll make some space for the wideangle lens. Thanks for your time and effort, it's really helpful!
Friend of Kim
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-12T00:42:26.390Z
2012-02-12T06:37:17.090Z
2012-02-12T06:37:17.090Z
Richard
<p>Do I need a lens that is wider than 18 mm to make a professional looking video (which should be wide enough to give us some space, so the audience doesn't feel like claustrophobia)? I'm going to make a movie filmed with 1080p and a wide ratio.</p>

<pre><code> ___________
|           |
|           |
|___________| &lt;--- HD.

 ___________
|           |
|___________| &lt;--- Wide ratio.
</code></pre>

<video>
Is 18 mm enough for video?
Friend of Kim
# Is 18 mm enough for video?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-02-11)

Do I need a lens that is wider than 18 mm to make a professional looking video (which should be wide enough to give us some space, so the audience doesn't feel like claustrophobia)? I'm going to make a movie filmed with 1080p and a wide ratio.
 ___________
|           |
|           |
|___________| <--- HD.

 ___________
|           |
|___________| <--- Wide ratio.

**Tags:** video


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2012-02-12. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

What you're referring to is the [aspect ratio](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspect_ratio_%28image%29). 1920 by 1080p is HD video, you would have to letterbox it in post production to achieve the 'wider' aspect ratio (I'm assuming you want 2.39:1).

As for the lens, 18mm is a pretty [wide lens](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wide-angle_lens). If you have a 35mm sensor you may experience some barrel distortion – which isn't necessarily a bad thing, just as long as it's used well.

Not too sure what you mean by your audience feeling claustrophobic. However, a 50mm lens on a 35mm sensor closely replicates the field of view of the human eye as does (approx.) a 30mm lens on a crop sensor.

So to answer your question: no, you don't need a lens wider than 18mm to make a professional looking video.

EDIT: You mentioned that you will be using a kit lens. Typically kit lenses have a low build quality and are rarely used by professional cinematographers. Obtaining a better lens will make your videos look more professional due to the superior build quality and glass.

A good way to look for good lenses is to, firstly, figure out what focal length you require (8mm fisheye, 50mm, 85mm etc.), search online for different brand's lenses (you have a Nikon but there are many companies that make third party lenses such as Tamron, Tokina, Sigma), look online for reviews of the lenses and test footage (Vimeo is a great place to find test footage) and then you can make an informed decision on which lens is best for you.

I'd recommend obtaining a good 50mm prime lens. Primes have less glass and generally produce a sharper image. Not too sure what Nikon lenses are like but you could try purchasing a 2nd hand lens off eBay and then buying an adaptor to get it onto your camera. This option is usually pretty cheap and if the lens is in good condition you will most likely be impressed with the result. I bought myself a Carl Zeiss 50mm f/1.8 for $80 and an adaptor for $5 – now it's one of my favourite lenses (and definitely the cheapest).

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I'm going to crop the video by letterboxing it, yes. By 18mm I mean, is it wide enough to shoot a "open" shot inside for example? Do the audience get an overview of the room, or do you need a wider lens for that? I'm about to buy a D7000 with the kit lens 18-200 3.5-.. for $3000 in Norway. And, if I get the camera to realize I have to spend another 1000 bucks on a 10-24mm lens, that's not fun...  
> **username_1**: It's too hard to say without seeing the size of the room. 18mm is pretty wide and should be ok, but it really depends on what you want. If you end up needing a wider lens I can highly recommend the Tokina 12-24. I use it often with my 7D and it performs very well. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tokina-AT-X-124-AF-PRO-DX-AF-12-24mm-f-4-II-Nikon-Black-No-VAT-/170748348312?pt=AU_Lenses&hash=item27c1650798#ht_3349wt_1093  
> **username_0**: It isn't a cheap lens: http://www.komplett.no/k/ki.aspx?sku=503733 $1200, but what would you recommend then? (I think it's a lens the shop sells along with the camera, not a kit lens..)  
> **username_1**: True. It's not a 'kit lens'; looks like a well built mid-range lens. Should perform nicely. I can't really recommend any lenses to you because I don't know what you need from them.  
> **username_0**: Ok, I need (a) lens(es) that I can use for nature photography (landscape and animals), portraits (I don't need a special lens for this as this is only a tiny bit of what I do - price), movie making (both action and mostly still camera).  
> **username_1**: For landscapes you'd want a wide lens. I used to shoot landscapes with 18mm but usually wanted to go wider (which is why I bought the Tokina 12-24). A wide lens for animals is also useful if they move around a lot. Portraits, 50mm and 85mm are popular but it really depends on the individual. For filmmaking the principles are the same; however wider lenses are better for hand-held shots as camera shake is greatly accentuated by the long focal length of a lens.  
> **username_0**: Thanks, so if I buy the D7000 with the 'kit' lens 18-200G VRII I'll still 'need' the 11-16?  
> **username_1**: I suggested the 12-24mm, however the 11-16mm is another viable option. I was tossing up between the two but finally decided to go with the 12-24mm because for the 1mm you are gaining on one end you are losing 8mm on the other – and 24mm can be used nicely for portraits. I can't say whether or not you NEED a wider lens, but they are definitely a great investment, especially if you are into landscape photography.  
> **username_0**: Well, then I'll make some space for the wideangle lens. Thanks for your time and effort, it's really helpful!  

---

