|
Camera Lenses
If you have bought or are thinking of buying a 35mm SLR camera or a digital SLR camera you will most likely want or need to invest in a camera lens  or two. Some models have an option of a lens kit, which can be helpful if you are a beginner because you know that it will fit your camera and it reduces the time spent on searching for the right lens. There are a few things you should know and think about prior to buying one though.
General Criteria - Prime lens or zoom lens
- You first have to decide whether to get prime lens or zoom lens. Prime lens have a fixed focal length. If you want to get more into the frame, you have to move farther from the onject you are shooting. Before zoom lens were invented, photographers collect a set of prime lens, so they can change lens to shoot different objects. In general, prime lens are sharper and faster than zoom lenses.
- Zoom lens have variable focal length. Event and wedding photographers almost always use zoom lens because they often don't have time to change lens for different shots. A general purpose zoom lens covers the range between 24mm and 70mm.
- But if the type of shooting you do don't require variable focal lengths, you will be better served by a set of prime lenses.
- "L" lens (Professional grade) or Non-"L" lens (Consumer grade)
- Canon makes professional grade lens, and those lens are marked as "L" lens. Some people say the "L" stands for Luxury. These lens have very good quality and are also very expensive. Most of them cost more than $1000.
- The highly sought after zoom "L" lens are 16-35mm f2.8 (wide angle), 24-70mm f2.8 (general purpose), and 70-200mm f2.8 IS (telephoto). This set will allow you to shoot pretty much everything.
- Canon also makes zoom "L" lens at f4. These f4 lens are cheaper, but they aren't as good as f2.8 when shooting in low light or sports actions.
- Though expensive, these "L" lenses retain their resell value fairly well. Their ebay price is about 85%-90% of the retail price.
- Some people start out with cheap kit lens or other lens, then eventually upgrade to "L" lens, while other people just directly get the "L" lens and don't have to worry about upgrading. The old saying "Buy cheap, buy twice" has its wisdom.
- EF of EF-S
- EF lens are compatible with all Canon EOS digital SLR cameras: Rebel, Rebel XT, 10D, 20D, 30D, 5D and 1D.
- EF-S lens are NOT compatible with the high-end 5D and 1D. So if you plan to upgrade to 5D or 1D in the near future, avoid getting EF-S lens.
- Purpose
- Standard : As the name implies, it is a simple all-around lens for portraits and more. It gives you the most accurate "naked-eye" perspective.
- Usually 50-55mm focal length.
- Zoom lenses come in a variety of focal lengths: 35-70mm, 75-300mm, etc. The wider the range, the more lens versatility you will have.
- Wide-angle : For landscapes, cityscapes, and any other shot that you want to cover a wider angle range and depth of field. Can be good for indoor shots and portraits as well.
- Telephoto: When you want a more narrow angle range, such as for sporting events and other moments when you are shooting something far away that you can't get close to.
- 65-150mm focal length and higher
- Macro : This is for shooting any extreme close-ups. Great for shooting things like insects or flowers, or any other small object.
- Fish-eye : This makes the object seem convex by using an extremely wide angle lens.
- Versatility
- Digital lens or film camera lens : choose the lens specified for your camera type and if you own more than one, consider whether or not it will be able to work on just one of your cameras or all of them.
- Also consider lens brand and camera brand compatibility.
- For the beginner, plan to use one multi-purpose lens with zoom. A 35mm-70mm lens is fairly standard.
- Price
- Only pay for what you need.
- Comfort and Aesthetics
- Weight: you want it sturdy, not too heavy.
- Ergonomics: The rings should move smoothly and they should be at a comfortable place for your hands.
- If you are adding a filter, that will change your hand placement, and should be considere as well.
- Construction Standards: Plastic doesn't last. Metal and magnesium are strong and sturdy. Sealed lenses are the best at protecting your camera from dirt, debris, and moisture.
- Aperture and Shutter Speed
- f/2.8 is a small number, however, the smaller the number, the larger the aperture, which is the amount of light the lens lets it. This means that f/2.8 lets in more light than f/22.
- A faster lens usually means higher quality. Also, the faster it is, the less light you need to make a shot work.
- For an in-depth explanation with visuals click here
- For a "tedious" explanation click here.
- Lens Elements: distortion reduction, chromatic aberration reduction,
- Try a lens with apochromatic and aspherical elements to improve contrast and sharpness
For More Information on Lenses
Click here for an expansive site on all kinds of photography information, plus recommendations for buying particular lens types.
Related Products
|
|
Shopping Directory
