Camera Lenses
A Quality Lens Will Last…Cameras Come and Go! An Introduction to Camera Lenses
The camera lenses that you choose now, will almost certainly dominate what camera make or model you stick with in the future. New cameras are being constantly updated and improved. However, get yourself a decent selection of optics NOW, and it is one less thing for your wallet to worry about later on.
Don’t be fooled by the looks of a lens, it is the quality of the glass that really counts! As well as certain features such as the ability to switch to manual focus and operating in a smooth, sturdy manner.
Think of it like this. You buy an expensive pair of designer glasses, but put cheap, non-prescription glass into the frame. They look good, but don’t do the job they are supposed to do.
What camera lens or lenses should I start out with?
The animation above shows the range of camera lenses from 16mm to 400mm. Bear in mind that the camera was digital and had a crop factor of 1.6. If used on full frame 35mm cameras, each picture would be slightly wider.
Note: Click on the picture to see the photos in strip form.
As a guide, 50mm is the focal length that the human eye sees things.
If you are serious about photography as a hobby or profession, I cannot stress enough, that the choice of lens/s you make now will stand you in good stead for a long time. In fact, the only time you should need to change them, is if you change the make of camera that you use.
Most semi/pro’s go for either Canon, Nikon or Sony kits. Once they have made the choice, rarely do they change it at least for a good few years. The reason? It’s because they have spent years building a great lens collection. One that covers a focal range from ultra-wide angle (16mm or below) to long-range telephoto (500mm and above).
It is a lot cheaper to trade in your camera every few years than to trade in all those lenses!
"I don't have the money!"
Don’t panic! You don't have to spend a fortune to get decent glass on the front of your camera. Use this page to learn about lenses, and the following short guide should lead you in the right direction for choosing your starter kit for now and/or your pro kit for later on.