First Steps In Camera Lenses: Choosing Your Initial Trio

Choosing the right camera lens is crucial for achieving the perfect shot. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, as every photographer has unique needs, there are some essential lenses that can elevate your photography to the next level. Here are three types of lenses that should be in every photographer's kit bag:

1. The General-Purpose Zoom Lens: This lens typically covers a focal length range from 18mm to 70mm, offering an expansive field of view for environmental shots and a standard view similar to the human eye. It is versatile and available for various camera systems, from DSLR to mirrorless.

2. The Macro Lens: A macro lens allows you to get incredibly close to your subject, capturing intricate details of insects, flowers, jewellery, and more. While the focal length is less important, look for a macro lens with a 1:1 magnification ratio or higher for extreme close-ups.

3. The Telephoto Zoom Lens: Telephoto zoom lenses offer a range from 70mm to 200mm, making them ideal for portraits, sports, wildlife, and nature photography. They provide a tight shot of distant subjects without disturbing them, and their large apertures produce stunning bokeh and excellent low-light performance.

While these three lenses are a great starting point, don't be afraid to experiment and find the lenses that suit your unique style and needs. Happy shooting!

Wide-angle prime

A wide-angle prime lens is a great option for photographers who want to capture more of a scene in their photographs. They are particularly useful for interior photography, where physical space is limited, and for landscape photography, where you might want to capture a broad vista.

When choosing a wide-angle prime lens, it's important to consider the aperture, which will affect how much light the lens can gather. A wider aperture, such as f/1.4 or f/1.8, will allow you to shoot in low-light conditions without a flash and create a shallow depth of field. However, these lenses tend to be more expensive. Most beginner photographers can get away with a smaller aperture of f/4 or f/5.6, which is more affordable and still offers decent performance in most situations.

• Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM Lens: This lens offers a large aperture of f/1.4, allowing for low-light shooting and a shallow depth of field. It features high-quality optics, including Blue Spectrum Refractive Optics and aspherical elements, for sharp and clear images.
• Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 20mm f/1.8G ED Lens: With a focal length of 20mm, this lens provides an ultra-wide angle of view. It is relatively lightweight and affordable while still offering excellent optical performance, with fast and accurate autofocus.
• Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art Lens: This lens offers an even wider field of view at 14mm, making it ideal for architecture and landscape photography. It has a large aperture of f/1.8 and delivers sharp images with minimal distortion, even at the edges of the frame.
• Sony Alpha FE 35mm F1.4 GM: This Sony lens offers a large aperture of f/1.4, making it suitable for low-light photography and creating a shallow depth of field. It has received excellent reviews for its optical performance and build quality.
• Fujifilm XF 18mm f/2 R Pancake Lens: With a focal length of 18mm, this Fujifilm lens provides a wide field of view. The f/2 aperture allows for low-light shooting, and the lens has a compact and lightweight design, making it ideal for travel photography.

These are just a few examples of wide-angle prime lenses available on the market. When choosing a lens, consider your specific needs, such as the type of photography you plan to do, your camera's sensor size, and your budget.

Standard/normal prime

A standard or normal prime lens is a fixed focal length lens that offers a "normal" field of view, similar to human vision. This type of lens typically has a focal length of around 50mm and is often praised for its versatility, making it suitable for a wide range of photographic situations.

One of the key advantages of a standard prime lens is its large maximum aperture, usually ranging from f/1.2 to f/2.8. This feature facilitates photography in low-light conditions and allows for a shallower depth of field, resulting in a blurred background and sharper focus on the subject. Additionally, the optical formula of prime lenses is optimised for a single focal length, resulting in sharper images with fewer optical aberrations.

The standard prime lens is an excellent choice for portrait photography, as the longer focal length allows for a more flattering perspective and true-to-life proportions. It also enables photographers to maintain a comfortable distance from their subjects while capturing intimate and detailed images.

Compared to zoom lenses, standard prime lenses are generally smaller, lighter, and more portable. Their simpler construction, with fewer moving parts, often makes them more durable and less prone to mechanical issues.

Some popular standard prime lenses include the Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens, the Nikon NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.2 S Lens, and the Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 G Master Lens. These lenses offer exceptional image quality, fast apertures, and smooth bokeh, making them versatile tools for various photography genres.

The standard prime lens is an excellent addition to any photographer's kit, offering versatility, high-quality optics, and creative possibilities.

Telephoto prime

A telephoto prime lens is a type of telephoto lens with a fixed focal length. Telephoto lenses are used to bring faraway subjects closer, and are commonly used in sports, nature, architectural, and news photography. They can also be used for portraiture, macro photography, and even landscapes.

• Budget: Samyang MF 85mm f/1.4 MK2 Fuji X. This manual focus 85mm lens for Fuji X cameras offers fantastic value.
• Midrange: Fujifilm XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR. This fast lens for crop sensor Fuji cameras has an equivalent focal length of 137mm, making it ideal for portraiture.
• High-end: Fujinon XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM. This super-telephoto lens for Fuji cameras has an equivalent focal length of 152-609mm, making it perfect for sports and wildlife photography. It also comes with superb image stabilisation to compensate for its large size.

While telephoto prime lenses are fantastic for many types of photography, they are not always the best choice for landscapes. They can make it difficult to capture the full scene, and often require very specific conditions to avoid issues with haze and mirage effects.

Telephoto zoom

When choosing a telephoto zoom lens, consider the maximum aperture. While f/4 is acceptable and will get you decent low-light capabilities, an f/2.8 maximum aperture is ideal as it provides a shallower depth of field and allows you to shoot indoors. The wider aperture will also let you capture moving subjects, such as birds and other wildlife, with faster shutter speeds.

Canon

• RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS
• RF 70-200mm f/4L IS
• EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III
• EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II

Nikon

• Z 70-200mm f/2.8 S
• AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8E VR
• 70-200mm f/4G VR

Sony

• 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS
• 70-200mm f/4 G OSS

In addition to the brand, you should also consider the lens's focal length, aperture, image stabilization, format, and lens mount to ensure it suits your photography needs and is compatible with your camera.

Wide-angle zoom

A wide-angle zoom lens is a staple in many camera bags. This type of lens offers unmatched versatility, allowing you to capture a range of views in stunning detail. It is perfect for photographing incredible and awe-inspiring natural landscapes, cityscapes, wedding ceremonies, stadiums, and concerts.

For example, the Tamron 11-20mm lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras and the Tamron 17-28mm lens for full-frame cameras are excellent choices for capturing landscapes, architecture, and interior spaces. These lenses feature unique focal lengths, enabling them to be versatile and can be used in various shooting situations.

When choosing a wide-angle zoom lens, consider the focal length, aperture, image stabilization, format, and lens mount. The focal length defines how wide or zoomed-in the view is, with smaller 'mm' numbers indicating a wider angle. The aperture describes how much light the lens can gather, with smaller numbers representing larger apertures that let in more light. Image stabilization is important for reducing blur caused by camera shake, especially when using long telephoto lenses. Additionally, ensure that the lens format is compatible with your camera's sensor size, and the lens mount fits your camera model.

Some popular wide-angle zoom lenses include the Sony 16-35mm F2.8 and the Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8. These lenses offer a wide field of view, making them perfect for landscapes, cityscapes, architecture, interior shots, and astrophotography.

A wide-angle zoom lens is a great addition to your camera kit, providing endless creative possibilities and enhancing your shooting experience.

Frequently asked questions