Choosing A Camera: Body, Lens, And Compatibility

Cameras are useless without lenses. The lens is what focuses light from what you see through the viewfinder into a tiny, typically 35mm spot on the back of your film, DSLR, or mirrorless camera. If you remove the lens from your camera, the only kind of image you can produce is white light.

Most cameras come with a kit lens, which is usually a zoom lens. Zoom lenses are incredibly versatile, with the most popular being the 70-200mm lens that you’ll see being used by wedding photographers. Zoom lenses have variable focal lengths, so with a 70-200mm lens, for example, you can zoom from 70mm all the way up to 200mm.

Prime lenses, on the other hand, have a fixed focal length, which means that you can't zoom in or out. The main advantage of prime lenses is that they specialize in just one focal length. In other words, they are finely tuned to deliver on one specific type of photography, unlike a zoom lens which can be used in a multitude of cases.

When buying a camera, it is important to note that some lenses are designed for different camera bodies, so always check before making a purchase. DSLR and Mirrorless cameras are either full-frame or crop sensors. While full-frame lenses can be used on a crop sensor, a lens designed for a crop sensor can’t be used on a full frame!

Zoom lenses are versatile and offer a great range for photographing anything from street photography to wildlife

Zoom lenses are a versatile and convenient option for photographers, offering a variable focal length that allows for a range of shots without having to change lenses. This makes them particularly useful for street photography, where the distance to the subject is not always controllable and quick reactions are needed to capture the moment. With a zoom lens, you can switch from a short to a long focal length in an instant, creating completely different image effects.

While zoom lenses may not offer the same sharpness and image quality as fixed focal length lenses, the difference is minimal and often unnoticeable. In street photography, other factors such as framing, lighting, and an awareness of special situations are more important for capturing good images. Zoom lenses also have fast autofocus capabilities, which can be advantageous for candid-style street photography.

Additionally, zoom lenses are ideal for beginners who are still experimenting with different focal lengths to find their preferred style. With a zoom lens, you can try out a range of focal lengths without having to purchase multiple lenses. This makes zoom lenses a cost-effective and convenient option for those new to photography.

For wildlife photography, zoom lenses are also a great choice as they allow you to get closer to your subject without having to physically move closer. This is especially useful when photographing animals that may be skittish or dangerous, or when you want to capture images from a safe distance without disturbing the animal's natural behaviour.

While zoom lenses come with some disadvantages, such as increased size and weight, the benefits they offer in terms of versatility, convenience, and cost-effectiveness make them a popular choice for photographers, especially those who want to capture anything from street scenes to wildlife in their natural habitat.

Prime lenses have a fixed focal range, meaning you can't zoom in or out. They produce higher-quality images than zoom lenses

A prime lens is a fixed focal length lens, meaning it has a set focal length and does not allow for zooming in or out. In contrast, a zoom lens has a variable focal length, allowing the user to adjust the zoom. While prime lenses offer less versatility in this regard, they often provide superior image quality due to their simpler construction with fewer moving parts.

Prime lenses have a wider maximum aperture, typically ranging from f/2.8 to f/1.2, which facilitates photography in lower light conditions and creates a shallower depth of field. This larger aperture also contributes to the higher image quality associated with prime lenses. The wider aperture allows more light to reach the image sensor, resulting in brighter and sharper images. Additionally, the simpler construction of prime lenses, with fewer optical elements and a less complicated lens formula, leads to reduced optical aberrations and improved image sharpness.

Another advantage of prime lenses is their compact size and lighter weight compared to zoom lenses. This makes them ideal for travel and situations where portability is a priority. Prime lenses are also generally more affordable than zoom lenses, offering a cost-effective option for photographers.

While prime lenses have a fixed focal length, this limitation can be advantageous as it encourages photographers to be more creative and thoughtful in their compositions. By not relying on zoom, photographers using prime lenses must physically move to adjust their framing, often resulting in more deliberate and intentional images.

Prime lenses are available in various focal lengths, including popular options such as 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and more. Each focal length offers a different perspective and is suitable for different types of photography. For example, longer focal lengths are typically used for portraits to achieve a shallower depth of field and flatter facial features. On the other hand, wider angle lenses are ideal for street photography or landscape shots where a broader field of view is desired.

Telephoto lenses are specialist equipment, often used by professional wildlife or sports photographers. They are bulky and may require a tripod

Telephoto lenses are a type of specialist equipment used by professional wildlife or sports photographers. They are also used by cinematographers. They are often large and heavy, and they can be expensive. The lenses are bulky because they contain many pieces of glass inside. The lenses are typically zoom lenses, but they can also be prime lenses.

Telephoto lenses have a focal length longer than a standard lens, which yields a magnified image and a narrow field of view. The longer focal length results in a narrow field of view, typically between 1 and 30 degrees. This is useful when you cannot get close enough to your subject.

The lenses are often categorised by their focal length. Lenses between 85 and 135mm are considered short telephotos, while lenses from 135 to 300mm are medium telephoto lenses. Lenses above 300mm are typically referred to as super-telephoto lenses. These lenses are often used by professionals for shooting sports, wildlife, or the night sky.

Due to their size, super-telephoto lenses often require a tripod. They are also more sensitive to camera shake, so photographers may need to use a faster shutter speed to avoid motion blur.

Telephoto lenses are a great option when you want to bring far-away subjects closer to the camera. They are also useful for emphasising blurred backgrounds and for taking portraits, as they can make facial features appear more congruent and proportional.

Wide-angle lenses are perfect for landscape photography, as they have a wider focal field, allowing you to capture more of the scene in front of you

Many cameras are sold with what are known as "kit" lenses. These are usually high-quality, versatile lenses that can be used for a variety of photography types. However, if you're looking to take your photography to the next level, you may want to invest in additional lenses.

Wide-angle lenses are perfect for landscape photography, as they have a wider field of view, allowing you to capture more of the scene in front of you. This is especially useful for landscape photography, as it enables you to capture sweeping vistas and dramatic perspectives. The extensive field of view lets you get very close to your subject, making the distance between the subject and background appear larger. This produces a sense of drama, with the subject looming large in the frame and everything else stretching out behind it.

Wide-angle lenses also have a distinctive look, with distortion in the corners and edges of the frame that can be used to your advantage. This distortion can create powerful lines that direct attention into the frame and highlight background focal points. Additionally, the inherent large depth of field of wide-angle lenses means that you can keep everything in focus, from the foreground to the horizon.

When composing wide-angle landscape scenes, it's important to consider your foreground. Wide-angle lenses excel when you get in close to foreground interest, creating a sense of depth. Shapes are important—diagonals and triangles draw the eye in, while squares and rectangles can block the view. Getting low can put emphasis on the foreground, but be careful not to remove the separation between different planes in the image, which can negatively impact the perception of depth.

When choosing a wide-angle lens, you'll have the option of a prime (fixed focal length) or a zoom lens. While prime lenses have traditionally been chosen for their superior image quality, modern zoom lenses are so good that any loss in image quality is barely noticeable. A zoom lens offers more flexibility to find the ideal position and frame your shot precisely.

If you're serious about landscape photography, a wide-angle lens is a must-have in your kit bag. With their wide field of view and distinctive characteristics, they will enable you to capture stunning landscapes with dramatic perspectives and a sense of depth.

Fisheye lenses are ultra-wide-angle lenses, offering an enormous field of view. They are more specialist and aren't generally needed by most photographers

Fisheye lenses are a type of ultra-wide-angle lens, offering an enormous field of view. They are considered more specialist and aren't generally needed by most photographers.

There are two types of fisheye lens: full-frame fisheye and circular fisheye. A full-frame fisheye lens takes in a 180-degree angle of view when measured corner to corner, with a horizontal field of view of around 147 degrees. The image fills the entire frame but has a characteristic barrel distortion, with horizontal and vertical lines appearing curved. A circular fisheye lens takes in a 180-degree hemisphere, projecting it as a circle within the frame, surrounded by black.

Fisheye lenses are generally used for special effects and are considered novelty lenses. They are used by some architecture photographers to capture wide spaces and then correct the rectilinear perspective in post-production. They can also be used to add a unique appearance to a range of subjects, from extreme sports and nature photography to portraits and product shots.

Fisheye Photography in Professional Applications

While fisheye lenses may not be ideal for every professional application, they can be used to give clients a more diverse image collection. For example, while wedding photographers probably wouldn't use a fisheye lens to photograph the bride and groom's first kiss, adventurous clients may enjoy some interesting and dramatic photos taken with a fisheye. Sports photographers may also find fisheye lenses useful for skateboarding, surfing, and other adventure sports, as they make the viewer feel closer to the action.

Key Considerations for Fisheye Lenses

When shopping for a fisheye lens, consider whether you want a manual or autofocus lens. Manual-focus lenses tend to be more affordable, but if you want to take pro-level photos and videos, autofocus is recommended.

If you value portability, adding a fisheye lens to your kit requires some thought. Ask yourself how often you'll use a fisheye lens and whether it suits the type of photography you do. Fisheye lenses are unlikely to add much value to portrait, fashion, or food photography, as these genres typically rely on the realistic representation of subjects. However, fisheye lenses can be useful for landscape and architecture photographers, or anyone looking to capture a scene in a new and creative way.

Frequently asked questions