What Lens Does Every Photographer Need?
No matter how much or how little you know about photography, you should always have a variety of lenses on hand. Here is a list of the greatest lenses any photographer, regardless of skill level or prefered subject matter, should have, along with some suggestions for when to use them. If you need advice on your wedding photography, check out our photography packages and services at Wild Romantic Photography.
Lenses That Are Considered Typical
A typical lens has a focal length that is roughly in the middle of the range, between 40 and 60 mm. Most photographers opt for the 50mm focal length because it provides a comfortable middle ground. The field of view is comparable to that of using one's unaided eye with this focal length. If you own a camera, when should you break out this crucial accessory? Because they faithfully mimic the way our eyes actually work, standard lenses are great all-around choices. They are widely regarded as the go-to optic for a wide variety of photographic applications, including portraiture, street photography, indoor photography, and landscape photography. The fact that they aren't too cumbersome in size or weight makes them convenient to pack up and take with you wherever you go.
For many new photographers, the "standard lens" is the one that comes with their digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) package and has a focal length of between 18 and 55 mm. Any professional photographer worth their salt will encourage you to skip the lens package and save your money for a quality standard lens like a 50mm instead. A lens with a focal length of 50 mm is said to be the one that most closely mimics a person's own eyesight. For this reason, it is a very desirable addition to any photographer's arsenal of lenses. A lens with a focal length of 50 mm will serve you well if you want to take natural looking images or portraits without any distortion.
You could have used any prime number, so why do you insist on using a common one? When using a crop sensor, a lens with a 50mm focal length, or its full-frame counterpart, is required. To be honest, 50mm isn't amazing at anything in particular, but it does a lot of things really well. The 50mm lens is our standard when taking pictures in which we want to show the subject in their natural environment.
When photographing photos of individuals in their everyday settings, a standard lens does admirably. It also excels at taking photos of smaller groups (2-4 people) and does it with ease. In addition to being a decent lens for street photography, the 50mm focal length is also a decent choice for certain sorts of landscape photography; nevertheless, we would reserve this obligation for the other lenses.
On the other hand, a typical 50mm lens is great for videography because it produces a pleasant, conventional image for interviews. Since 50 millimetre lenses are available for practically any camera ecosystem for around $200, they are an absolute necessity. This focal length is a jack of all crafts but master of none. We have hinted that you don't need a 24-70mm lens, therefore the 50mm is the key to covering the standard focal length range as well.
When Should You Use a Regular Lens?
When Should You Use a Regular Lens?
Because they reproduce visual details so accurately, standard lenses are fantastic all-around optics. Some common types of films that would benefit from using these lenses are as follows:
- Photographic Art of Portraits
- Photography taken on the street
- Photography taken inside or of still life subjects
- Photography of the Landscape
Long-Range Optical Aids
Photographers should also stock their kits with a telephoto lens. Magnification and a focal length greater than 60 millimetres define telephoto lenses. This function allows users to capture images of distant subjects. As an added bonus, they offer superb background blur, making it easier to isolate your subject from the rest of the frame.
The most frequent focal lengths for this may be 85mm, 100mm, or 135mm. A 100mm f/2 is one of our lenses. A wide-angle telephoto lens is a must-have for any outdoor portrait photographer because of the compression and background blur it offers. The 85mm lens is ideal if you're interested in shooting full-body portraits, while the 135mm lens is more suitable for headshots (although 85mm is also a solid headshot lens too). If you were to buy this lens again, we'd recommend the 85mm focal length over the 100mm because it will allow you to get the broader framing you desire for portraits without having to move as far back. However, the decision ultimately rests with the reader, and there is little substantive difference between the two outcomes (especially if you have the next lens type we recommend which covers any lost focal range). When the shot needs to be more confined and you'd rather shoot handheld, a stabilised telephoto prime lens like the Canon 85mm f/1.4 L IS or the 100mm Macro f/2.8 L IS is a good choice for b-roll workhorses. To get a better shot than you'd get with a standard 35mm or 50mm lens on the first camera during a video interview, attach a telephoto prime lens to the second camera. In most cases, a telephoto prime lens will result in a sharper and more tightly cropped image. In low-light situations, this lens type shines.
The focal length of a "middle of the road" telephoto lens typically falls between 70 and 200 millimetres. The super-telephoto lens is a must-have for any serious photographer. All objects over 200 millimetres in length fall under this category. Because the lens gets heavier and bulkier with increasing focal length, you'll either need to use a tripod or put in a lot more time at the gym. At Wild Romantic Photography, we have the best Melbourne wedding photographer to take memorable photos on your wedding day.
When Should You Switch To A Telephoto Lens?
Outdoors, and especially when there is some distance between you and the subject you're photographing, a telephoto lens is ideal due to their often huge size. Telephoto lenses are an essential addition to any camera used for astronomy, sports, or wildlife photography.
- Photography of wild animals
- Photography of sporting events
- Astronomy
Work that calls for a closer look at a distant object without physically approaching it requires the use of a telephoto lens. Taking shots of wildlife, sports, nature, and pretty much anything else that is out of your line of sight requires a long lens, commonly known as a telephoto lens. Standard telephoto lenses with a focal length range of 70–200 millimetres are the best option for portraiture and beauty photography.
Using longer lenses such as 300mm, 500mm, or even 800mm need a tripod to steady the camera and eliminate blur from hand movement. Do not mix these with macro lenses, which allow photographers to capture extremely close-up shots. These lenses should not be confused with typical macro lenses. We have the best wedding photographer in Yarra Valley to capture your beautiful moments on your wedding day.
Telephoto Lenses with a Wide Field of View
The wide-angle lens is different from the standard lens. However, they remain one of the most crucial lenses for any camera. These lenses are the antithesis of telephoto lenses, allowing for more material to be caught at a shorter distance. The focal length of these lenses is typically under 40 millimetres. You may fit more into the picture if your focus length has a smaller value. Wide-angle lenses can generate undesirable distortion in portrait photography. Contrarily, these lenses shine when used to capture big groups of people, expansive landscapes, or cramped inside settings.
You can get the most out of your camera's frame with a wide-angle lens. If you're shooting with a full-frame camera body, a wide-angle lens will let you capture everything from expansive vistas and large groups of people to detailed product shots and eye-catching advertisements. As a general rule of thumb, a wide-angle lens is defined as one with a focal length of 35 mm or less. Lenses ranging in size from 18 mm to 35 mm cover a wide swath of focal lengths, and a 24-millimeter lens is also included. Planning your dream wedding and don’t want to miss out on the special moments on your big day? Worry no more, Wild Romantic Photography has you covered.
The importance of a wide-angle prime lens and when to utilise it, as well as recommendations for specific lenses, will be discussed. To get the full-frame equivalents of 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm with an aperture of f/2 or brighter, we recommend investing in a specific prime lens. This holds true independent of the specific camera environment. For many uses and purposes, a wide-angle prime lens is ideal. When do you plan on taking a break? A prime lens with a wide angle of view is incredibly useful for taking pictures of landscapes or big groups of people, such as family reunions (in fact, this lens is great for any group photo of more than three or four people). When taking photos on the street, a prime lens with a wide field of view is ideal. Photographing a single subject with a wide-angle prime lens may be really satisfying if you let your imagination run wild.
This lens length range is often 16-35mm when using a full-frame camera, however 12-24mm and other options are also conceivable. Lenses of this type, when combined with a crop sensor, give the impression of having a focal length of 10-18 millimetres. Currently, this lens type is the most sought after because of the wide range of artistic disciplines that it serves. We wanted to use the camera for both video and still photography of buildings and other structures, so we got a 16-35mm lens. If you're interested in photographing either of those things, you should definitely get your hands on this lens. The wide-angle zoom lens is another great option for landscape photography. Although all of these lens types are fine for landscape shots, the 16-35mm lens, and especially the widest end of that range, is the greatest option. The versatility of a 16-35mm lens, which is comparable in quality to wide-angle prime lenses, makes it an ideal companion for travel and street photography. The wide-angle zoom is usually most useful during the day because 16-35mm lenses typically have an aperture of f/4. To be sure, you can spend more money on an f/2.8 telephoto zoom lens, but in our opinion, it's not worth it compared to the f/2.8 version. This is why wide-angle prime lenses are still recommended; their higher apertures will come in handy when you need more light than your f/4 lens can offer.
Macro Lenses
Macro lenses, the most popular type of lens, are necessary for close-up photography. They can take pictures of your subject at a 1:1 ratio, or at the same size as it appears in real life. Due to these qualities, macro lenses are perfect for capturing close-ups of insects, flowers, and other small subjects. These must-have lenses can also make ordinary portraits look like works of art. The purchase of a macro lens is a good investment for the future. A macro lens is essential for taking close-up shots. They may capture your topic at a magnification comparable to life, as their ratio is 1:1.
Use of the Macro Lens for:
The above data suggests that macro lenses are most useful when:
- Photography of natural settings
- The art of photographing insects
- Photography of minute details
One of the many uses for a macro lens is in taking great photographs, so it's an investment that pays dividends in more ways than one.
Primitive or Powerful Zoom Lens?
Once you're familiar with the ranges provided by various lenses, you can decide between prime lenses, which have a constant focal length, and zoom lenses, which can be adjusted to change the focal length.
Zoom Lenses
A zoom lens is an extremely practical piece of photography equipment. If you crank the zoom lens's barrel, you can switch between the lens's various focal lengths. As a result, you can adjust the level of magnification to see as much or as little of the subject matter as you like. Zoom's primary benefit is that it consolidates numerous lenses into one, making it easier to switch between different focal lengths. If you're only looking to buy one lens, this is a great choice! However, they are more awkward to transport and do not produce images of the same quality as fixed prime lenses.
If you crank the zoom lens's barrel, you can switch between the lens's various focal lengths. As a result, you can adjust the level of magnification to see as much or as little of the subject matter as you like. As their name implies, zoom lenses allow photographers to take pictures from a wide range of focal lengths with just one lens. However, they are less portable and do not offer as high quality an image as fixed prime lenses. Starting to think about hiring a wedding photographer? Check out our range of Mornington Peninsula wedding photography here.
Magnificent Permanent Optics
Prime lenses, which may be identified by their fixed focal length, are commonly found in 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 135mm formats. If you want to get closer to or further away from your topic in a photograph, you'll have to move closer to or farther away from the subject yourself because mobile devices lack the ability to zoom. Because of their lower maximum apertures, telephoto lenses in particular are crucial tools for capturing more light and blurring the backdrop. Finally, compared to zoom lenses, prime lenses are more likely to create sharp and high-quality photos. The lens you use is the single most crucial piece of gear you carry. Success is more likely if you invest more time into learning about the fundamental camera lenses.
Whether it has a fixed focal length or none at all, a prime lens is a lens that cannot be zoomed. The 50 millimetre focal length has been mentioned as one of the most popular choices for prime lenses. Contrasted with zoom lenses like wide-angle zooms and telephoto zooms, which can cause image distortion in some conditions, prime lenses give a higher level of clarity. Many experienced photographers swear on prime lenses because of their superior image quality.
In contrast to zoom lenses, prime lenses have a fixed focal length, such as 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 135mm, etc. You'll have to get closer to or further away from your subject in order to adjust the focus, as they don't have a zoom feature.
This makes them great lenses for telephoto photography, as they allow for more light and allow for the creation of background blur. They typically have the ability to shoot at a narrower aperture, such as F1.8 or F2.0. Finally, compared to zoom lenses, prime lenses are more likely to create sharp and high-quality photos.
Lenses for Every Occasion
If you have a high-quality all-purpose lens, you won't have to switch lenses as often because you can take pictures of more things in more places. Many amateur photographers just have one lens when they are initially starting out. In the meantime while you save enough for the rest of your equipment, an excellent all-purpose lens will allow you to shoot all the necessary photographs. All of the photography bases are covered by a lens with a focal length range of around 24-105 millimetres. The all-purpose lens is a great option to lighten your load without compromising your photographic capabilities if you have a profession that does not necessitate a lot of gear but you still want to take it with you everywhere you go.
The photographer's collection of lenses is second only to the camera itself. Therefore, if you want to do more than just take photographs, it is crucial to invest in high-quality camera lenses. It's true that camera lenses can be expensive, but good glass doesn't have to cost a small fortune.
Conclusion
The focal length of most lenses falls somewhere in the middle, between 40 and 60 mm. Many photographers choose 50mm lenses because they offer a nice compromise. When utilising this focal length, the field of view is equivalent to that of the naked eye. When filming interviews, a standard 50mm lens is ideal since it provides a pleasing, traditional image. Lenses with a 50 millimetre focal length are a must-have because they cost only about $200 and work with virtually any camera system.
This lens focal length can do a little bit of everything but excel at anything. Between 70 and 200 millimetres is the sweet spot for the focal length of a "standard" telephoto lens. If you're serious about photography, you need a super-telephoto lens. Astrophotography, sports, and wildlife photography all benefit greatly from the addition of a telephoto lens to the camera. A telephoto lens is essential for taking distant photographs of wildlife, sports, nature, and virtually anything else.
With a wide-angle lens, you can take pictures of everything from vast crowds of people and scenic landscapes to close-ups of individual products and compelling commercials. A wide-angle prime lens and how and when to use it will be covered. These lenses simulate a focal length between 10 and 18 millimetres. A 16-35mm lens is the perfect accessory for taking photos on the go, whether you're going on a trip or just out taking pictures on the street. In order to take good close-up photos, you'll need the most common type of macro lens.
They are capable of taking photographs of your topic at a 1:1 ratio, or actual size. These essential lenses can transform even the most mundane portraits into stunning pieces of art. The lens you're using is the most important tool in your kit. The 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 135mm formats are the most prevalent for prime lenses. Prime lenses, as opposed to zoom lenses, are more likely to provide clear and well-defined images.
Telephoto photography benefits greatly from prime lenses due to the increased light they provide and the background blur they make possible. They can usually take pictures with a smaller f/stop value, such as f/1.8 or f/2.0. Prime lenses, as opposed to zoom lenses, are more likely to result in clear and well-defined images.
Content Summary
- You should always have a selection of lenses available, regardless of your level of photographic expertise.
- Commonplace Glasses with Typical Lenses The focal length of most lenses falls somewhere in the middle, between 40 and 60 mm.
- Professional photographers will tell you to forego the lens bundle in favour of investing in a high-quality basic lens like a 50mm.
- Experts say that a lens with a focal length of 50 mm comes closest to recreating a person's natural field of view.
- It's a great addition to any photographer's collection of lenses because of this.
- A regular lens works wonderfully for taking pictures of people in their natural environments.
- The 50mm focal length is not just an excellent option for street photography, but also for some types of landscape photography; nonetheless, we would rather have the other lenses take on this duty.
- However, a standard 50mm lens works wonderfully for videography since it creates a pleasing, traditional image that is ideal for interviews.
- Lenses with a 50 millimetre focal length are a must-have because they cost only about $200 and work with virtually any camera system.
- We've already mentioned that a 24-70mm lens isn't necessary, so the 50mm is the key to covering both the regular and wide-angle ranges.
- Standard lenses are great all-around optics because of the precision with which they replicate images.
- Telephoto lenses are characterised by magnification and focal lengths higher than 60 millimetres.
- With its ability to compress the subject and soften the background, a wide-angle telephoto lens is an indispensable tool for any outdoor portrait photographer.
- Stabilized telephoto prime lenses like the Canon 85mm f/1.4 L IS or the 100mm Macro f/2.8 L IS are great b-roll workhorses for tighter spaces and handheld shooting.
- The image quality and framing of a telephoto prime lens are often superior.
- Between 70 and 200 millimetres is the sweet spot for the focal length of a "standard" telephoto lens.
- Any serious photographer needs a super-telephoto lens.
- Optical Zooming Telescopes
- Compared to a regular lens, the wide-angle lens has some unique characteristics.
- With a wide-angle lens, you can capture more in the frame of your camera.
- A wide-angle lens is one that has a focal length of 35 millimetres or less, as a matter of thumb.
- We'll go through why you need a wide-angle prime lens, how and when you should use one, and which lenses are our top picks.
- We suggest purchasing a specialised prime lens to obtain the full-frame equivalents of 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm with an aperture of f/2 or brighter.
- A primary wide-angle lens is useful in many situations.
- A prime lens with a broad field of view is best for street photography.
- Another fantastic choice for landscape photography is the wide-angle zoom lens.
- A 16-35mm lens, which is as high-quality as a wide-angle prime lens, is a fantastic accessory for travel and street photography because of its versatility.
- Investing in a macro lens is a smart choice for the long run.
- To capture fine details in close-up photographs, a macro lens is required.
- Optical Zoom
- One of the most useful pieces of photography gear is a zoom lens.
- Lastly, prime lenses are more likely to produce sharp and high-quality images than zoom lenses.
- The lens you're using is the most important tool in your kit.
- Spending more time understanding about the basics of camera lenses will increase your chances of success.
- A prime lens is a lens that cannot be zoomed, regardless of whether it has a set focal length or none at all.
- It has been stated that the 50 mm focal length is one of the most sought after in prime lenses.
- Prime lenses are highly regarded by professional photographers for their exceptional image quality.
- Prime lenses, in contrast to zoom lenses, have a predetermined focal length.
- Lastly, prime lenses are more likely to produce sharp and high-quality images than zoom lenses.
- All-Purpose Lenses
- Having a high-quality all-purpose lens means you can shoot images of a wider variety of subjects in a wider variety of lighting conditions without constantly switching lenses.
- While you save up for the rest of your gear, you may get by with just one amazing all-purpose lens and take care of all your photography needs.
- When it comes to photography gear, a photographer's lenses are second only to their camera.
- Therefore, it is necessary to invest in high-quality camera lenses if you wish to do more than just shoot images.