The Dolly Zoom: What It Is and How (+When) to Use It

To put it bluntly, the dolly zoom is a shot unlike any other. It's a cinematic technique used by esteemed directors like Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and made iconic by Alfred Hitchcock. When used, it immediately signals to the audience that something is wrong.

Video via Gengis Hidalgo.

Here’s how it works:

This technique combines pushing the dolly and zooming with the lens. Usually, you would use one technique: either a dolly to go in or out or a zoom lens to zoom in or out. However, this effect works when both tools are used simultaneously. You push forward or backward with the dolly, while also zooming out or in with the lens in the opposite direction of the dolly’s movement. 

The crew from Boston.com shows how it’s achieved with an actual dolly in this video below.

As the camera moves closer to (or away from) the subject, the zoom compensates in the opposite direction. As a result, combining the two techniques creates a unique effect where the subject’s size in the frame remains unchanged despite moving physically closer to or further away from them. Yet, it is the background that changes. That will visually warp by stretching back or compressing toward the subject (depending on your dolly direction). This technique toys with depth perception, as the space around the subject is dynamically shifting while they stay visually constant.

This unsettling visual effect is what we recognize as the dolly zoom.

Needed equipment

As the name suggests, you’ll need a dolly and a zoom lens. 

If you’re unsure what a dolly is, it’s a wheeled platform/station that runs along tracks, and the camera sits on it. This allows the camera to move smoothly and precisely, either forward and backward or side to side. For a dolly zoom, however, the movement must be forward or backward, as it would not work if the dolly moves from side to side. 

Image via Unsplash.  

However, using one is a notable challenge. As outlined in our comprehensive guide, dollies are incredibly expensive. Even the most basic rentable dolly systems can cost around $2,000 weekly.

Additionally, operating a dolly often requires a crew of people. You also need to transport and store not just the dolly but the tracks it runs on, which usually requires a sizable van. For low-budget filmmakers, or those who don’t even have a driver’s license, this can be quite the issue.

Fortunately, there are more accessible alternatives: sliders. These tools provide dolly-like movement without the hefty cost. But this comes at the cost of length. Sliders are generally smaller, ranging from one to a few meters long, and rely on bearings rather than rubber wheels.

Image via Lewis McGregor.

Despite their size, the premise remains the same. You place your camera on the slider, which allows you to push the camera forward, backward, or side to side with remarkable stability. This offers a cost-effective solution for smooth camera movement.

The following tool you’ll need is a zoom lens. Lenses are categorized into two types: prime lenses and zoom lenses.

A prime lens has a fixed focal length, meaning it cannot zoom in or out. These lenses are often faster, allowing more light to reach the sensor, as indicated by the f-stop value. They also generally provide better image quality because they contain fewer glass elements.

On the other hand, a zoom lens allows you to transition between focal lengths, usually covering a range of focal lengths. However, with more elements and moving parts within the lens, image clarity may drop a few points unless you buy the most expensive zoom lens. Standard zoom lens ranges include 15-35mm, 24-70mm, 24-105mm, and 70-200mm, though many other options are available.

A cinema lens is ideal for professional use as a dolly zoom. These lenses feature a zoom ring with precise markings indicating exactly how far you’ve zoomed in or out (as seen in the image below). This level of precision is crucial in film production, where accuracy is paramount.

Image via Unsplash.

The downside to cinema lenses is that they are incredibly expensive and require additional camera rigging, increasing the cost to ensure they operate correctly.

But can you achieve a dolly zoom with a still lens?

Yes, you can use a stills lens primarily designed for photography. Many low-budget filmmakers and content creators using mirrorless cameras or cameras like those from Blackmagic often rely on still lenses. However, there are a few limitations to note when using them for video production: 

1.  Lack of precise zoom distance markings

Many still lenses don’t display the exact zoom distance you're at. This can be problematic if you’ve meticulously planned the focal length needed for your shot, such as when combining a dolly or slider movement with precise zoom adjustments. A cinema lens, on the other hand, typically provides detailed markings for accurate focal length adjustments.

Note the lack of zoom markings on the lens. Image via Unsplash.

2. Minimal zoom rotation

Stills lenses are designed for convenience and speed. They allow photographers to zoom in and out quickly, which is perfect for capturing passing moments where swapping out a lens would cause them to miss the shot. For example, on a 28-70mm still lens, the zoom range requires only a small amount of rotation. While this is great for photography, it means less precision for filmmaking. With its larger zoom throw, a cinema lens offers greater control and allows for fine adjustments.

With a still lens, the minimal rotation can cause havoc when trying to achieve smooth and precise zoom adjustments, particularly when you’re also the one pushing the camera forward or backward.

Famous examples of the dolly zoom 

Some refer to the dolly zoom as the Vertigo effect. While this name could easily be attributed to the dizzying and disorienting visual it produces, it’s primarily due to Alfred Hitchcock's popularization of it in his film "Vertigo." 

Video via Arielón Soy.

Since “Vertigo,” the effect has been used countless times. This technique is famously demonstrated in the iconic scene, as shown in the excellent video example below.

• Jaws (1975) – Steven Spielberg
• Raging Bull (1980) – Martin Scorsese
• The Shining (1980) – Stanley Kubrick
• Poltergeist (1982) – Tobe Hooper
• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) – Steven Spielberg
• Goodfellas (1990) – Martin Scorsese
• La Haine (1995) – Mathieu Kassovitz
• The Quick and the Dead (1995) – Sam Raimi
• Pulp Fiction (1994) – Quentin Tarantino
• Panic Room (2002) – David Fincher
• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) – Peter Jackson
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) – James Gunn
• Severance (2023 TV series) – Apple TV 

Video via MK Art Studio.

Producing the dolly zoom with no zoom lens 

Did you know you can achieve the iconic dolly zoom effect in post-production, even without a zoom lens, as long as you have a slider? This approach, however, does come at the cost of some camera resolution. To make this work, your camera resolution must be significantly higher than your intended output. For instance, if your camera shoots in 4K, you'd work within a 1080p timeline. If you want to work in a 4K timeline, you'd need footage shot in 8K.

Filmmaker Lewis McGregor demonstrates this technique in his tutorial below.

1. Capture the Footage

Use your slider to push the camera forward or backward while recording, ensuring no zoom lens is involved.

2. Import the Footage

Load your slider footage into your editing or compositing software.

3. Adjust the Scale

Open the scale properties of your footage. This will serve as your zoom adjustment. You can scale in or out since you're working in a lower-resolution timeline relative to your footage (e.g., 4K in a 1080p timeline).

4. Set Keyframes for Scale

• Navigate to where your slider motion begins. Set a keyframe for the scale at this point.
• Move to where the slider motion ends and set another keyframe.
• To mimic the dolly zoom effect, decrease the scale by at least 50%, creating the illusion of zooming out.

5. Maintain Subject Centering

 You must adjust the position if your subject shifts off-center during this process.

• Return to the start point of your footage and set a keyframe for the position.
• Move to the endpoint and adjust the position to ensure the subject stays centrally aligned.
• Use a grid overlay to fine-tune alignment for precision.

Following these steps, you can replicate the dolly zoom effect in post-production, offering low-budget filmmakers a creative way to achieve this cinematic technique! 

When to use the dolly zoom 

Given how the dolly zoom, or Vertigo effect, elicits such a specific visual feel, there are moments when its use is most impactful. These include:

• When a character realizes something important, signaling a pivotal moment.
• When a character is facing immediate danger.
• When a character begins to feel claustrophobic, emphasizing their discomfort.
• When the world around a character appears to be collapsing, visually representing their emotional state.
• To strip away the world around the character, let them become the frame's dominant element. 
• Visualizing that an object is becoming further away.

Conclusion 

Due to the visual emotion it evokes, this effect should be used sparingly. If the moment doesn’t call for it, avoid using it. Save it for a scene where the dolly zoom can emphasize the claustrophobic or unpleasurable emotions a character is experiencing rather than simply using it because it looks visually impressive.