Sometimes you need to see a wider view of things. For this you will need a wide-angle lens. Dont worry about terminology such as angle of view and lens elements, just accept that the shorter the focal length (the number in mm that a lens has) the wider the scene in front of you will appear.
So a 50mm lens is wider than a 100mm one. But true wide-angle lens starts at about 55mm down to about 20mm (or their digital equivalents).
Wide-angle lenses have three great properties. First, they enable a wide view of the scene ahead which is great for landscapes where you want to create a sense of openness and scale. Secondly, they have a greater depth of field at any one aperture than longer lenses. Thirdly, they increase perspective so things disappearing into the distance appear large in the foreground and quickly tapering off into the background.
This makes for great pictures. They are useful not just for landscapes but can enhance closer subjects especially those with strong perspectives and lines. You can also feel that you are getting more intimate with certain subjects because the wide angle can let you get closer than you would with normal lenses. Taking pictures in confined spaces for example room interiors is easier with wideangle lenses.
Eric Hartwell runs the photography resource site http://www.theshutter.co.uk and the associated discussion forums as well as the regular weblog at http://thephotographysite.blogspot.com.
