DIY Photography

Your one stop shop for everything photo-video

  • News
  • Inspiration
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • DIY
  • Gear
Search

Submit A Story

The fun of shooting 11mm on a full frame camera

Mar 21, 2020 by Ole Henrik Skjelstad 8 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

I didn’t buy the Irix Blackstone 11mm f/4 because of its optical qualities even though they are more than satisfactory. Truth be told, I wanted to experience what it would be like to shoot ultra wide-angle (UWA) for the sheer fun of it.

There are plenty of reviews for this lens, so this article has a different aim. I will share some images and a few words on how it feels to use the lens. In addition, I will mention a few ideas on how to take advantage of the wide-angle distortion.

Even though this is a rectilinear lens there will be distortions. An UWA lens will stretch the edges, and it will diminish objects in the middle of the frame.

The Irix’ maximum angle of view is a whopping 126 degrees, so you have to be careful how you place both your and your tripod’s feet.

Foreground

The fact that an 11mm lens stretches the edges can be used to make rather dull foregrounds more interesting. Look at the modest rock and pieces of ice in the image below. Also, notice how the lens stretches the moon giving it more prominence in the frame.

Tyrifjorden, Norway

The log in the next image was less than a meter long, but at 11mm it stretches far into the frame. It now works as a great leading line towards the light.

Tyrifjorden, Norway

I absolutely love the surreal feeling I experience when I look through the viewfinder with the Irix mounted on the camera. The lens completely alters proportions and perspective.

Converging lines

Ultra wide-angle lenses produces converging lines almost with no effort. Those lines create depth in a scene. Lines and clouds work as pointers towards the middle of the frame.

Tyrifjorden, Norway

Tyrifjorden, Norway

Tyrifjorden, Norway

Waterfalls

The next two images depict a waterfall in the western parts of Norway. I had to trash several images from this location because I miscalculated the wide-angle effect. The foregrounds simply took up too much of the frame and added nothing to the image.

Rivers and V-shape

Standing on a bridge and shooting a river with the Irix 11mm produces photos where the river seems to stretch forever. The lens almost automatically produces V-shaped compositions since it prolongs the edges. V-shapes create depth and pull the viewer into a scene.

Romsdalen, Norway

Romsdalen, Norway

In the last photo, I have placed the background mountain high in the frame which makes it taller and more prominent than what it is in reality.

A wide-angle lens effectively stretches mountains if we place them along the upper edge of the frame. We would then also have to shoot one image which encapsulates more of the sky. The two images are blended in Photoshop.

An 11mm lens is perfect for the classical converging trees scene:

500 meter from our house

Final thoughts

An ultra wide-angle lens is very entertaining and fun to use. It offers fresh perspectives on scenes, and gives us the opportunity to achieve results in the field which otherwise would be impossible. In particular, I love the surreal feel the lens often adds to a landscape.

All images: Pentax K-1 Mark II. You can view the images on a dark background by adding a Dark Reader extension to your browser. They look better this way.

FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Related posts:

Laowa new super compact ultra-wide 11mm f/4.5 full-frame lens actually has a front filter thread The first full Irix 11mm f/4 review is out and it looks very impressive Full frame vs. crop sensor: is it really worth switching to full frame? Why are Full Frame cameras called “Full Frame”? The history behind the terminology

Filed Under: Tutorials Tagged With: IRIX, IRIX 11mm f/4, landscape photography tips, Ultra Wide Angle

Ole Henrik Skjelstad: from diyphotography.net

About Ole Henrik Skjelstad

Ole Henrik Skjelstad is a Norwegian math teacher and landscape photographer. He fell in love with photography in 2013 when he got a camera as a birthday present. You can follow his work on 500px, IG, and Flickr, and get his tutorials here.

« This is why shooting in RAW is closer to what we see with our eyes
How and why to “quaranclean” your your camera gear during the coronavirus pandemic »

Submit A Story

Get our FREE Lighting Book

DIYP lighting book cover

* download requires newsletter signup
DIYPhotography

Recent Comments

Free Resources

Advanced lighting book

Recent Posts

  • My first year with the Mamiya M645 medium format film camera
  • 2023 Milky Way Photographer of the Year contest unveils jaw-dropping winning photos
  • Rare albino giant panda caught on camera in China
  • Astera’s 1,000W output LeoFresnel light uses only 250W of power
  • Non-profit slammed $1,000+ fine for re-sharing an Instagram photo

Udi Tirosh: from diyphotography.netUdi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.

Alex Baker: from diyphotography.netAlex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

David Williams: from diyphotography.netDave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred: from diyphotography.netJohn Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic: from diyphotography.netDunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

Copyright © DIYPhotography 2006 - 2023 | About | Contact | Advertise | Write for DIYP | Full Disclosure | Privacy Policy