If you have an SLR camera, you will need the right lenses to take certain desired results. Choosing the lenses will depend on your style and this can be a bit difficult.
First, you will need to purchase the right brand of SLR digital cam. You can’t possibly purchase cam lenses if you don’t have a camera of your own. If you choose a certain brand of camera, you can’t use the lenses of another camera brand.
You can follow this logical process for getting the appropriate camera lens.
1. Choosing the focal length of the lens. For wider images, you can get lenses with low focal lengths. This is measure in mm (millimeters). The lens viewing angle is determined by the focal length. For narrower images, get higher focal length lenses.
2. Zoom vs. prime lens. If your camera has zoom lenses, you can take pictures even from a distance. Prime lenses can only be used in certain lengths and you can’t do zoom in/out. If you purchase zoom lenses, you can choose among the various DLSR kits. The focal lengths of these kits range from 18-35mm. You can view the photos in wide angle or on slight telephoto. Prime lenses can provide focal length from 35-85mm. By purchasing fixed-length lenses, you will need to move around when taking the pictures. For sharper shots, the prime lens should have maximum aperture.
3. Selecting aperture. For taking pictures indoors or in lower light locations, you should choose a lens with large aperture. This will control the light passing through the lenses. It is also called f-stops. Action photos are best taken with telephoto lenses (100-300mm). A typical example is the Nikon D40 with 200mm og telephoto lens.
4. Third party vs. branded lenses. Some people find branded cams quite expensive but they often forget about the quality. Choosing between third party and branded lenses is a personal choice. If you can afford to purchase branded lenses, get them now but keep in mind that if you’re using a Canon camera, you should also get Canon lenses. The third party lenses are great alternatives for those who can’t afford the branded ones. The quality of these third party lenses are continuously improving through the years. For newcomers, you can settle with sigma or tamron lenses. Once you gain experience in photography, you can now purchase branded lenses for a branded digital cam.
5. Image stabilization. Blurry photos are due to slow shutter speed. This is a problem with handheld cameras. With this feature, the image is stabilized despite shaking when taking the shot. This is also called IS in Canons terms but in Nikon, it is referred to as Vibration Reduction or VR.
6. Search the internet. The web is full of information resources which includes digital photography. With a bit of research, you can gather substantial information as to the top selling cam lenses today.
Choosing the appropriate lens is just as important as choosing the digital camera. You should be aware that the simplest and cheapest are fixed focal length lenses. If you’re on a tight budget or if you’re a novice photographer, this is a good choice. This type of lens is great for group shots and landscape pictures. However, don’t expect great quality shots from this type of lens. You can’t zoom in or out with this lens and it does not accept converters. If you want, you can go for a better alternative like auto focus lens.
Another reasonably priced lens is the retractable zoom lens. You can already tale decent photos with this lens. However, it offers partial zoom range and they don’t support converters or filters. The start-up time is also delayed and the manual controls are limited as well.
If you want a lens that accepts converters, flash rings, and filters, you can opt for the fixed zoom lens. Experienced photographer in orange county love this type of lens for taking close up shots, telephoto, and wide angle shots. It also offers precise zoom but a little bit bulky.
Interchangeable lenses are best suited for professionals. The lenses can be detached from the cam and you can replace a different lens every time you take a picture. Choose your lenses well for taking desired photos.