How Do You Choose the Right Lens for Photographing a Building at 490m?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around selecting the appropriate lens for photographing a building located 490 meters away. The building's dimensions are 85 meters in height and 40 meters in width, with available lens options of 35mm, 50mm, 135mm, and 250mm focal lengths. Participants are tasked with determining which lens would provide the largest image of the entire building within the film's frame size of 24mm x 36mm.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the lens equation and magnification concepts, with attempts to calculate the necessary focal length for the given distances and dimensions. Some participants express uncertainty about their calculations and seek clarification on the relationships between object distance, image distance, and magnification.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants providing guidance on the lens equation and magnification. There are differing interpretations of the calculations, and some participants are questioning their results and assumptions regarding the appropriate focal length for the task.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the constraints of the problem statement, which specifies the distances and dimensions but does not provide additional context or information on the photographic setup beyond the lens options and film size.

Maria H
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Homework Statement


A building will be photographed with a camera.

The distance is 490 m to the building.
The building height is 85m and width 40m.
You can choose between 35mm, 50mm, 135mm and 250mm lenses (focal length of lenses).
Select the lens that gives the largest image of the building (whole building should be in the movie). The film has a frame on 24mm36mm.

a) Which lens do you choose?
b) How large is the image of the building? Reply with rounded integer.
c) How large is the distance between the lens and film? Suppose that the lens thickness is negligible. Reply with two decimal places.

Homework Equations



1/a+1/b=1/f
1/a=1/b
h/H=c/d(?)

The Attempt at a Solution



40/0,036=1111,111.. 490/1111,111=0,411 (focal length 411?) I think I'm lost already here.
Or,
1/40+1/0,036=1/f f=0,0359.. (I'm not sure if this means that 35mm is right or if 50mm is better since it 35,9mm)

I'm not sure how to use h/H right know.

I would be so happy if someone could help me!

/Maria
 
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Hi Maria H, welcome to PF.
If a is the object distance and b is the image distance, then
magnification m = h/H = b/a.
Lens equation is
1/a + 1/b = 1/f rewrite it as
1 + a/b = a/f.
1 + 1/m = a/f.
Substitute the values and find f.
 
rl.bhat said:
Hi Maria H, welcome to PF.
If a is the object distance and b is the image distance, then
magnification m = h/H = b/a.
Lens equation is
1/a + 1/b = 1/f rewrite it as
1 + a/b = a/f.
1 + 1/m = a/f.
Substitute the values and find f.

Thank you very much Rl.Bhat!

Okey, this is what think.

1/490m+1/0,036m=27,7798.. 1/27,7798..= 0,03599m 35,99mm

It means that a focal length of 35mm is to short. The photografer have to use the length of 50mm. Right?

Now I have. a=490m f=0,050m

If I use 1 + 1/m = a/f with m=h/H i get a very strange result. just a few mm. I think it should be rather around 35 an 50 mm.

I think it would help if a kind soul could show me the steps to find the result to these tasks.
The only think I feel sure about is that a focal length of 50mm i correct.

/Maria
 
Your calculation of F is not correct. I think you have made mistake in calculating m.
1 + 1/m = a/F
1 + 85/36*10^-3 = 490/F.
Now calculate F
 

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