When using a 35mm film camera, a 50mm lens* is referred to as a “normal” lens since it has about the same angle of view as the human eyes. A zoom set in the normal lens range produces an image close to the same perspective as the original scene.

Same shot taken at different focal lengths

Wide angle: 5.8mm/28mm equivalent

Normal: 14.5mm/50mm equivalent

Telephoto: 24mm/116mm equivalent

Second numbers represent the 35mm equivalent.

*or equivalent on a digital camera lens.