Photography Kit: Lenses
An Introduction to Lenses in Your Photography Kit
Here’s the lowdown on key properties and features for your photography kit:
Focal Length
- Advantages: Measured in millimetres (mm), this tells you how zoomed in your photos will be. Lower numbers like 24mm give you a wide view, higher ones like 200mm get you close to the action.
Aperture
- Advantages: Expressed as an f-number (like f/1.8), this is about how much light the lens lets in. Lower numbers mean more light and shallower depth of field, which is great for portraits.
Image Stabilisation
- Advantages: If you’ve got shaky hands or you’re shooting in low light, this helps reduce blurriness.
Auto-focus vs Manual focus
- Advantages: Auto-focus is fast and convenient, but manual focus gives you complete control. A lot of lenses offer both.
Build Quality
- Advantages: Weather-sealing, metal vs plastic, that sort of thing. A sturdy lens can be a good mate for those unpredictable Leeds weather conditions.
Filter Thread
- Advantages: If you’re into using filters for effects or protection, make sure your lens can accommodate them.
Weight and Size
- Advantages: If you’re lugging it around all day for shoots, you’ll want something that won’t give you a bad back.
Price
- Advantages: Well, you get what you pay for, but don’t let marketing gimmicks convince you to buy a lens with bells and whistles you’ll never use.
Special Lenses
- Advantages: Macro for close-ups, fisheye for a distorted, spherical view, and tilt-shift for controlling perspectives—specialty lenses for specialized jobs.
So there you have it. Before you splurge, think about what you’ll actually use it for in your photography kit. No point getting a lens suited for wildlife photography if you’re shooting in the middle of Leeds, right?
Types of Lenses for Your Photography Kit
Prime Lenses
- Advantages: Generally sharper, wider apertures, lighter.
Zoom Lenses
- Advantages: Versatile, good for situations where you can’t change lenses frequently.
Macro Lenses
- Advantages: Allows for extreme close-ups, often with 1:1 magnification.
Telephoto Lenses
- Advantages: Great for capturing distant subjects, like wildlife or sports.
Wide-Angle Lenses
- Advantages: Excellent for landscapes, architecture, and interiors.
Example Lenses for Your Photography Kit
Budget Options
- Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM
- Sony E 35mm f/1.8 OSS
- Nikon AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G
Intermediate Options
- Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
- Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM
- Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR
Professional Options
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM
- Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS
- Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR