Dramatic Filmmaking with a 2000mm Lens

This beautifully executed shot from Tinker Tailor Solider Spy by DP Hoyte van Hoytema was filmed with a 2000mm lens. This massive telephoto lens compresses the foreground and background so they appear to be very close together. The mile long runway allows the approaching plane to act as the agent of impending doom as a critical secret is revealed in the plot. The 2000mm lens keeps the actors and the plane at relatively the same size and adds incredible tension to the scene.