Focus Range

Lenses can be focused within a specific distance range. The closest focusing distance varies between lenses, but a distance between 50cm to a 1m is typical. (Telephoto lenses often have long minimum focusing distances, longer than shorter focal length lenses. This is partially offset by the fact that you usually have to stand further back from your subject when using a telephoto.) lenses that can focus closer than 25-50cm, and can reproduce a life-size image of your subject on the camera’s sensor, are known as macro lenses. These are specialist lenses and are generally primes, often 50mm, 100mm or 180mm in focal length.

The distance the lens is focused is shown a number of ways. On some lenses the focus distance is shown – in metres and feet – by the figure that aligns with the focus distance mark on the lens barrel. Unfortunately, the distance scale is not always shown on lenses, though some mirrorless cameras show the focus distance on a focus distance indicator on the LCD or EVF. The furthest point a lens can focus is at infinity. This is represented by the ∞ symbol, shown either on the lens barrel or on the focus distance indicator.