Stats for a full-frame 35mm camera, taken from lens manufacturers' spec sheets.

 * 50mm = 46 degrees
 * 70mm = 34 degrees
 * 85mm = 28 degrees
 * 135mm = 18 degrees
 * 200mm = 12 degrees

Now, those are presumably across a circular diameter (ie. the diagonal of a frame).


<<TableOfContents>>


= Working in landscape orientation =

For a 3m wide backdrop, your hypotenuse in 3:2 aspect ratio is sqrt(13), or 3.6m.

Now use some trig to convert those angles into 3.6m.

'''Cheating:''' divide your focal length (mm) by '''11.76''' to get the distance in metres


== For a 50mm lens ==
 * theta = 23 degrees
 * Opposite = 180cm

{{attachment:50mm_triangle.png}}

{{{
tan(23 degrees) = 180 / working distance

0.42 = 180 / working distance

1/0.42 = working distance / 180

180/0.42 = working distance

working distance = 428cm?
}}}

'''4.3 metres'''


My mathematical gut feeling says this is wrong... but it seems about right when I hold the 50mm up to my eye.


== 70mm lens ==

{{{
theta = 17 degrees

working distance = 180 / tan(17)
                 = 180 / 0.306
                 = 588cm
}}}

'''5.9 metres'''


== 85mm lens ==

Working distance = 180 / 0.249 = '''7.23 metres'''


== 135mm lens ==

{{{
theta = 9 degrees

working distance = 180 / tan(9)
                 = 180 / 0.158
                 = 1136cm
}}}

'''11.3 metres'''


== 200mm lens ==

{{{
theta = 6 degrees

working distance = 180 / tan(6)
                 = 180 / 0.105
                 = 1712cm
}}}

'''17.1 metres'''





= Working in portrait orientation =

For a 3m wide backdrop, your hypotenuse in 2:3 aspect ratio is sqrt(29.25), or 5.4m.

Now use some trig to convert those angles into 5.4m.

'''Cheating:''' divide your focal length (mm) by '''7.87''' to get the distance in metres


== For a 50mm lens ==

{{{
theta = 23 degrees

working distance = 270 / tan(23)
                 = 270 / 0.424
                 = 636cm
}}}

'''6.3 metres'''



== 70mm lens ==

{{{
theta = 17 degrees

working distance = 270 / tan(17)
                 = 270 / 0.306
                 = 883cm
}}}

'''8.8 metres'''


== 85mm lens ==

Working distance = 270 / 0.249 = '''10.8 metres'''


== 135mm lens ==

{{{
theta = 9 degrees

working distance = 270 / tan(9)
                 = 270 / 0.158
                 = 1704cm
}}}

'''17 metres'''



== 200mm lens ==

{{{
theta = 6 degrees

working distance = 270 / tan(6)
                 = 270 / 0.105
                 = 2568cm
}}}

'''25.6 metres'''



= Portrait mode with 2m fixed height subject =

 * 2m high
 * 1.33m wide
 * '''2.4m diagonal'''
 * 1.2m for right-angle triangle (120cm)

'''Cheating:''' divide your focal length (mm) by '''17.71''' to get the distance in metres


== 50mm lens ==

 * theta = 23 degrees
 * working distance = 120 / tan(23)
 * '''2.82 metres'''


== 70mm lens ==

Working distance = 120 / 0.306 = '''3.92 metres'''

== 85mm lens ==

Working distance = 120 / 0.249 = '''4.82 metres'''

== 135mm lens ==

Working distance = 120 / 0.158 = '''7.59 metres'''

== 200mm lens ==

Working distance = 120 / 0.105 = '''11.4 metres'''




= In a table =

||<rowbgcolor="lightblue"> || 3m landscape max. || 2m portrait max. || 2m fixed-height subject ||
||  50mm ||  4.3 ||  6.3 ||  2.8 ||
||  70mm ||  5.9 ||  8.8 ||  3.9 ||
||  85mm ||  7.2 || 10.8 ||  4.8 ||
|| 135mm || 11.3 || 17.0 ||  7.6 ||
|| 200mm || 17.1 || 25.6 || 11.4 ||



= Diagrams =

== Working room for subject ==

Assuming a 2m high subject, and a 3m x 3m backdrop, we have a certain amount of room to play with.

{{attachment:clipping_and_maximum_working_distances.jpg}}

Using the figures from the table, and assuming portrait mode:
 * Photographer can move back as far away as the second column ("2m portrait max.")
 * Subject must be further from photographer than the distance in the third column (aka. "clipping distance")
 * Subject could be right up against the backdrop, in theory
 * `$col3 - $col2 = playspace`

||<rowbgcolor="lightblue"> || 2m portrait max. || Clipping distance || Playspace in metres ||
||  50mm ||  6.3 ||  2.8 ||  3.5 ||
||  70mm ||  8.8 ||  3.9 ||  4.9 ||
||  85mm || 10.8 ||  4.8 ||  6.0 ||
|| 135mm || 17.0 ||  7.6 ||  9.4 ||
|| 200mm || 25.6 || 11.4 || 14.2 ||