Understanding camera lenses and camera features

All films are told through a camera lens. This is because the camera is the primary tool that filmmakers use to capture the action and tell the story. The camera lens captures what is happening in a scene and the perspective from which it is being told. By choosing the right lenses and using them effectively, filmmakers can create a rich and immersive world that draws the audience in and tells a compelling story.

We are learning about the camera much earlier in this book because, like an actual film set, we will create our virtual world from the camera’s point of view. As such, setting up cameras will be among the first things we will do in Unreal Engine.

There are several types of film and camera lenses, each with their own characteristics and uses. Here are a few of the most common types:

Figure 2.1: Standard, telephoto, and zoom lenses

• Standard lenses: These lenses have a focal length...