The 5 Best Focal Lengths to Use for Filming Interviews

When it comes to filming interviews, one of the most crucial decisions you’ll make is choosing the right focal length for your lens. The focal length not only affects the composition and perspective of your shots but also determines the overall feel of the footage. Whether you’re shooting in a small office, a large studio, or an outdoor environment, selecting the appropriate focal length can significantly impact how your interview is perceived by your audience. In this blog, we’ll dive into the best focal lengths for interviews, helping you create compelling and visually appealing content.

1. 50mm – The Classic Standard

The 50mm lens, often affectionately referred to as the “nifty fifty,” is a staple for many filmmakers, especially when shooting interviews. Its versatility makes it a popular choice for various settings, providing a natural, flattering perspective without distortion.

• Why It Works: The 50mm lens closely mimics the human eye’s field of view, offering a comfortable and realistic portrayal of your subject. This lens produces beautiful results in small to medium spaces, allowing you to get up close to your subject without distortion.
• Best For: Head-and-shoulders shots, tight waist-up framing, and a natural, unforced look.
• Tip: Shoot wide open (at f/2.8 or lower) for a shallow depth of field. This creates a soft background blur (bokeh) that helps keep the focus on your subject while reducing distractions.

The 50mm lens is perfect for interviews where you want to create an intimate feel and make the viewer feel like they’re directly engaging with the subject.

2. 85mm – The Portrait Lens

For those looking to achieve a more cinematic, flattering look, the 85mm lens is often the go-to choice. Known for its beautiful compression and ability to produce stunning portraits, this lens excels in isolating the subject from the background, creating a professional, polished look.

• Why It Works: The 85mm lens offers slight compression, which makes the subject appear closer while softening and blurring the background in a pleasing way. This makes it perfect for getting those cinematic, close-up shots without distorting the subject’s features.
• Best For: Close-up headshots and mid-shots where you want the subject to dominate the frame with a smooth, blurred background.
• Tip: Because of its longer focal length, the 85mm lens is best used in larger rooms or outdoor spaces where you have room to distance yourself from the subject. It’s also great for capturing those dramatic, intimate moments in an interview.

3. 35mm – A Balanced Choice

The 35mm lens is a fantastic middle ground between the more standard 50mm and the more compressed 85mm. This lens provides a wider field of view, which is perfect when you want to capture not only the subject but also a sense of the environment around them.

• Why It Works: The 35mm lens offers a wider perspective, allowing you to capture more of the surrounding area. It maintains a flattering look while adding context to your shot, which is ideal when you want to show more of the subject’s environment without losing focus on the person.
• Best For: Mid-shots or shots that include environmental details, giving your interview a more dynamic feel.
• Tip: This lens is great for interviews in slightly larger spaces where the setting plays a key role in the story. It works particularly well in documentary-style interviews or when you want to show your subject’s connection to their surroundings.

4. 24mm – The Environmental Lens

If your goal is to capture a wider view and emphasize the surroundings of the interviewee, the 24mm lens is a perfect choice. This wide-angle lens allows you to include more of the environment in your shots, which can be especially useful when you want to convey context and a sense of place.

• Why It Works: The 24mm lens allows you to shoot from closer distances while still keeping your subject in the frame. It gives you a broad perspective, ideal for showing the background or setting without losing the subject’s prominence in the shot.
• Best For: Wide-angle environmental shots or when you want to show more of the space around your subject.
• Tip: Be cautious of distortion, as wide-angle lenses can sometimes cause faces to appear stretched or warped, especially when shooting at very close distances.

The 24mm lens is perfect for showcasing an interviewee in their element, particularly in settings where the background is just as important as the subject itself.

5. 70-200mm – The Zoom Lens for Flexibility

The 70-200mm lens is the go-to choice for filmmakers seeking versatility and flexibility. This zoom lens allows you to quickly adjust your framing, which is especially useful when filming interviews in dynamic or unpredictable environments.

• Why It Works: Offering a broad range of focal lengths, the 70-200mm allows you to shoot both wide and tight shots from the same spot. This means you can capture long shots, mid-shots, or close-ups without moving around, making it perfect for larger spaces where you don’t want to disturb your subject.
• Best For: Long shots, tight headshots, and interviews where the interviewer and interviewee are separated by a significant distance.
• Tip: This lens is ideal for shooting interviews in larger rooms or outdoor settings, where you need to maintain a distance while still framing your shots with precision.

This lens is a great option if you want to maintain fluidity in your filming, especially when covering multiple people in a shot or when shooting interviews in varied locations.

Conclusion

Choosing the right focal length for your interview shots is a crucial part of achieving the right look and feel. Whether you’re opting for the classic, natural feel of a 50mm lens, the cinematic quality of an 85mm, or the broader context captured by a 24mm or 35mm, each lens has its unique strengths. The goal is to use your lens choice to enhance the mood of your interview and tell a more compelling story visually.

At Lens Head Media, we understand the power of the right equipment and lens choice in delivering stunning video content. If you’re planning an interview or any other video project, we’re here to help you achieve the perfect shot. Contact us today to discuss how our expert team and state-of-the-art gear can help bring your vision to life. Let’s create something extraordinary together!