Skip to content
Tips to Take Better Thanksgiving Food Photography
Mon, Nov 25, 24
How to Choose the Right Camera Lens
Photography is about more than having a great camera. It’s also about having quality lenses as well. But with so many different types of lenses on the market, it can be confusing to understand the difference between the types of lenses and how to choose the right lens for your camera. Whether you’re taking photos of your kids on vacation or shooting a professional photoshoot, you’ll want the right lens for the job. Here are different types of lenses, and how to choose the right lens for your camera.
Prime Lenses
Prime lenses are the right lens for your camera because they have a fixed focal length and will produce high quality images for you. Prime lenses do come in a range of focal lengths from which to choose. Prime lenses are smaller and cheaper than zoom lenses, yet offer much wider apertures. This is a nice advantage when you’re wanting to travel light. Having a prime lens will spark your creativity by making you search a little harder for the perfect shot. A prime lens restricts you to just one focal length, so you are going to have to physically move around more to find the best composition. You can’t just stand still and adjust the lens. The downside to a prime lens having just one focal length is that you may eventually need to purchase several lenses to meet all your photography needs.
Zoom Lenses
Zoom lenses are also the right lens for your camera because they cover a variety of photography needs. Zoom lenses offer a variety of focal lengths that are perfect for many types of photography from portraits to landscapes to fast-paced sports. Unlike Prime lenses, zoom lenses have the flexibility to zoom in on your subject. So instead of carrying around several different lenses, one zoom lens can serve a variety of photography purposes. However, they tend to lean towards the bulky side. This makes them less appealing as a travel lens.
Focal Lengths
The first thing you need to learn about and look at when searching for the right lens for your camera is focal length. Focal length relates to the zoom level of the lens. The smaller the focal length on the right lens for your camera, the wider your field of vision. There are 3 categories of focal length when searching for the right lens for your camera:
The Wide Angle/Ultra-Wide Angle Lens
If you have a full-frame camera, a lens with a focal length of 35mm or wider is a wide angle lens. A lens with a focal length of 24mm and wider is an ultra-wide angle lens. These are the lenses you will use for your landscape photography and street photography. Just keep in mind, on a wide angle zoom like the Tamron Ultra-Wide Angle Zoom Lens from Beachcamera.com, the image sometimes appears a little elongated in the viewfinder.
Standard Lenses
When you purchase a new camera, it will probably include a standard lens like the 18-55mm lens. It’s also usually the first lens used by beginning photographers. Standard lenses are used for everyday photography like basic portraits and landscapes.
Telephoto Lenses
When on the search for the right lens for your camera, know that lenses above 100mm are regarded as telephoto lens. These are commonly used to zoom in on a subject to get a more detailed shot. This focal length is used a lot for wildlife photography.
Remember when searching for the right lens for your camera, the lens you choose is just as important as the choice of camera. Both are equally important to consider.
Prime lenses are the right lens for your camera because they have a fixed focal length and will produce high quality images for you. Prime lenses do come in a range of focal lengths from which to choose. Prime lenses are smaller and cheaper than zoom lenses, yet offer much wider apertures. This is a nice advantage when you’re wanting to travel light. Having a prime lens will spark your creativity by making you search a little harder for the perfect shot. A prime lens restricts you to just one focal length, so you are going to have to physically move around more to find the best composition. You can’t just stand still and adjust the lens. The downside to a prime lens having just one focal length is that you may eventually need to purchase several lenses to meet all your photography needs.
Zoom Lenses
Zoom lenses are also the right lens for your camera because they cover a variety of photography needs. Zoom lenses offer a variety of focal lengths that are perfect for many types of photography from portraits to landscapes to fast-paced sports. Unlike Prime lenses, zoom lenses have the flexibility to zoom in on your subject. So instead of carrying around several different lenses, one zoom lens can serve a variety of photography purposes. However, they tend to lean towards the bulky side. This makes them less appealing as a travel lens.
Focal Lengths
The first thing you need to learn about and look at when searching for the right lens for your camera is focal length. Focal length relates to the zoom level of the lens. The smaller the focal length on the right lens for your camera, the wider your field of vision. There are 3 categories of focal length when searching for the right lens for your camera:
The Wide Angle/Ultra-Wide Angle Lens
If you have a full-frame camera, a lens with a focal length of 35mm or wider is a wide angle lens. A lens with a focal length of 24mm and wider is an ultra-wide angle lens. These are the lenses you will use for your landscape photography and street photography. Just keep in mind, on a wide angle zoom like the Tamron Ultra-Wide Angle Zoom Lens from Beachcamera.com, the image sometimes appears a little elongated in the viewfinder.
Standard Lenses
When you purchase a new camera, it will probably include a standard lens like the 18-55mm lens. It’s also usually the first lens used by beginning photographers. Standard lenses are used for everyday photography like basic portraits and landscapes.
Telephoto Lenses
When on the search for the right lens for your camera, know that lenses above 100mm are regarded as telephoto lens. These are commonly used to zoom in on a subject to get a more detailed shot. This focal length is used a lot for wildlife photography.
Remember when searching for the right lens for your camera, the lens you choose is just as important as the choice of camera. Both are equally important to consider.
