why is it best to use a normal lens angle to move the camera viewpoint rather than just zooming in

Question

why is it best to use a normal lens angle to move the camera viewpoint rather than just zooming in

Answer 1

Either can be best, depending on circumstances. There is no one right or even best way.

Moving in will change the relative perspective of objects. Things that are a little closer will appear disproportionately bigger, whereas from further back this size difference due to distance difference is reduced. A great example is getting close to someone's face, which causes the subject's nose to appear unusually large. Other times, that perspective difference is exactly what you want.

Zooming in has the advantage that it can be done from the same spot, and you don't actually have to get close to the subject. A obvious circumstance where this is important is when taking pictures of wild animals. They will run off or fly off, or in some cases try to eat you if you get too close.

Moving in allows a shorter focal length to be used, which allows for a slower shutter speed at the same level of blur due to camera wobble, like when hand holding. Moving too far in may not work with your lens. All lenses have minimum focus distances. If you really need to get up close, then you want a macro lens, extension tubes, closeup lenses, or a reverse mount.

Everything is a tradeoff.

Answer 2

Ok first thing I tell me students. Don't Zoom. Right away things look better . Simple as that. It take quite a bit of practice to use the zoom and most don't have the chops.. There are techniques that go along with that if so that when you zoom you have a pad at the front end and the back end. Also many times Zooming also requires movement. .I sure as heck wouldn't do it on a DSLR cameras. I do like fixed lenses but rarely use zooms and even in movies it is not often you see it. Thats the fact jack. keep it simple. A zoom is general for a specific reason to enhance the story.. Most people cut there teeth on ENG shooting style and it is the basis for all Cinema. ENG is Electronic News Gathering. You will most like never see a zoom there. There is hope. If you are shooting 4K. Ahhhhh and editing HD. There ya go and that is the future. You have full control of your zooms in editing if you shoot 4k and edit in HD. So in that respect still do not zoom leave a ls and do it later.

Answer 3

Shannon gave a great answer. I will add this from a filmmaking point of view.

Using a zoom to get closer has a few disadvantages:

1. The longer the lens (zoomed in), the less depth of field there is and the more likely the subject will fall in and out of focus.
2. Slight movements of the camera will be amplified and look like big jumps
3. longer lenses usually require a larger f-stop so going from wide to zoom will often reveal a change in lighting (it will get darker unless the lens automatically compensates or you manually pull the aperture)
4. long zoom shots (going from wide to close within the shot) remind people of "zoomitis" and give the impression of the work being "amateurish" When zoom lenses became available on consumer cameras, using it while recording became overused and led to bad video due to the reasons above.

In short, traditionally, a zoom lens is used for speed and efficiency while shooting so you don't have to carry a wide selection of prime (fixed) lenses, but the focal length is set for a shot, and not changed (or zoomed) during it.