Final answer:
The student's question deals with understanding the mechanics of a manual-focus camera lens and calculating distances and magnifications using the thin-lens equation, which involves optics concepts in physics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to the principles of a manual-focus camera lens and involves the calculation of object distances, image distances, and magnifications using the thin-lens equation. The thin-lens equation relates the focal length (f) of the lens, the distance from the object to the lens (do), and the distance from the lens to the image (di), written as 1/f = 1/do + 1/di. To solve problems such as determining the closest object that can be photographed and the magnification of that object, we must use this formula and our understanding of how a lens focuses light.
For example, if the focal length of the lens is 50.0 mm and it's placed 51.0 mm away from the film, we can calculate the object distance using the given formula, and to find the magnification, we would use M = -di/do.
In the context of taking photographs, the concept that the farther the object is from the lens, the closer the image distance is to the focal distance, explains why the adjustments needed on the lens to focus on distant objects are minor in comparison to focusing on close objects.