Template talk:Infobox Photographic lens

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[edit] Some issues with this template

I have some issues with this template.

  • It assumes that we're talking about single-lens reflex cameras of 35mm film format or the full-frame or smaller sensored digital cameras of similar form factor. There are many more camera formats out there, including 35mm rangefinder and a variety of bigger and smaller cameras.
  • It has no field for a lens' actual focal length, just its '35mm equivalent'. A lens has only one real focal length or range; 35mm equivalents just help those unfamiliar with a format translate it into a frame of reference they're used to.
  • Some lenses are usable on cameras with several different sensor or film sizes. Thus there may be multiple equivalents. E.g. a Canon EF lens can be used on 1.0, 1.3 and 1.6 "crop factors" and will have a different field of view on each.
  • A lot of the thinking behind the fields is Canon-centric.
  • No lens is produced with a 1.3 crop SLR in mind, yet it is one of the 'fov' options.

If you don't mind, I will be thinking of ways to broaden the scope of this template - it would be a shame not to be able to use it on articles on e.g. Hasselblad or Pentax 6x7 lenses. Matthew Brown (Morven) (T:C) 07:59, 5 January 2007 (UTC)

If what you want done can't be done simply then I recommend forking the template. Just a suggestion. Cburnett 00:43, 7 January 2007 (UTC)
I created the template as a vehicle for capturing details about Canon lenses - so the shortcomings in the content are based purely on this rather narrow point of view. Of course, with some help from a wider audience, it should be simple to extend and modify the definition to be more representative. Any suggestions on new tags or clearer definition is welcome, starting with the suggestions made already oyster 12:32, 26 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Category problem.

I see that this template automatically adds articles to Category:Photographic lenses. This creates redundant categorization when a lens belongs in a more specific category, such as Category:Minolta lenses. Lenses in the latter should not also appear in the former, per Wikipedia's guidelines.--Srleffler 04:39, 17 February 2007 (UTC)

OK, that was easy to fix. The field "category" now allows you to specify an alternate category in which to put the article.--Srleffler 04:52, 17 February 2007 (UTC)