One of the greatest advantages of a digital SLR is that you can change the lens, so you can take the pictures you want to take. For some photographers the decision over which lens to buy will be determined by budget, while for others it’s a case of getting the right lens for the job, regardless of how much it costs.
Whichever category you fall into, the one thing to remember is the lens shouldn’t be an afterthought – it’s a major factor in getting the best image quality from your camera, whatever the make or model. In fact, in the days of 35mm SLR cameras many photographers would buy the best lenses they could afford and save money on the camera body – after all, you’re more likely to upgrade your camera than you are your lenses, especially as digital SLRs are constantly evolving and improving.
You can find reviews of digital SLR lenses on sites such as What Digital Camera to help you find the right lens for you. Let’s take a look at the lens options to find something that matches your photographic ambitions.
However, taking into account the focal length magnification of most digital SLRs the ‘standard’ focal length for these is now closer to 35mm and most cameras come with what is described as a ‘standard zoom’.
This will typically cover an 18-55mm focal length range (around 27-90mm equivalent), offering both a modest wideangle setting and a mild telephoto effect.
Typically a superzoom will cover an 18-200mm or 18-250mm focal length range with just one lens.
However, while a superzoom gives you a focal length for every occasion, certain design compromises have to be made to cover the expansive zoom range. These compromises often translate into a reduction in image quality.
Wideangle lenses are great if you want to get as much in the frame as possible – a sweeping landscape or the inside of a cathedral, for example.
In 35mm terms a wideangle lens describes anything with a focal length less than 35mm, and the shorter the focal length the more you will squeeze into the frame.
A telephoto lens is anything over 80mm (in 35mm terms) and the range is enormous.
From the ‘mild’ telephoto effect of an 80mm lens (that’s great for portraits) there are 200mm and 300mm lenses that are ideal for most wildlife and sports photography.
‘Super telephotos’ of longer focal lengths tend to be used for more specialist – and professional – applications due to their high price.
When you take the lens magnification factor into account a 300mm lens will behave like a 450mm one (on a 1.5x APS-C type sensor) so, for the hobbyist, is about as long as you’ll probably need to go.
This article first appeared in What Digital SLR, buying guide by What Digital Camera magazine
Other articles to help you choose camera kit:
Whichever category you fall into, the one thing to remember is the lens shouldn’t be an afterthought – it’s a major factor in getting the best image quality from your camera, whatever the make or model. In fact, in the days of 35mm SLR cameras many photographers would buy the best lenses they could afford and save money on the camera body – after all, you’re more likely to upgrade your camera than you are your lenses, especially as digital SLRs are constantly evolving and improving.
You can find reviews of digital SLR lenses on sites such as What Digital Camera to help you find the right lens for you. Let’s take a look at the lens options to find something that matches your photographic ambitions.
Types of Lens
Standard
With 35mm film cameras the ‘standard’ focal length is around the 50mm mark, which delivers a viewing angle approximating that of our eyes.However, taking into account the focal length magnification of most digital SLRs the ‘standard’ focal length for these is now closer to 35mm and most cameras come with what is described as a ‘standard zoom’.
This will typically cover an 18-55mm focal length range (around 27-90mm equivalent), offering both a modest wideangle setting and a mild telephoto effect.
Superzoom
The ‘superzoom’ is targeted at photographers looking for one lens that covers almost every shooting situation.Typically a superzoom will cover an 18-200mm or 18-250mm focal length range with just one lens.
However, while a superzoom gives you a focal length for every occasion, certain design compromises have to be made to cover the expansive zoom range. These compromises often translate into a reduction in image quality.
Wideangle
In 35mm terms a wideangle lens describes anything with a focal length less than 35mm, and the shorter the focal length the more you will squeeze into the frame.
Telephoto
From the ‘mild’ telephoto effect of an 80mm lens (that’s great for portraits) there are 200mm and 300mm lenses that are ideal for most wildlife and sports photography.
‘Super telephotos’ of longer focal lengths tend to be used for more specialist – and professional – applications due to their high price.
When you take the lens magnification factor into account a 300mm lens will behave like a 450mm one (on a 1.5x APS-C type sensor) so, for the hobbyist, is about as long as you’ll probably need to go.
Features to look out for
Image Stabilisation
Many DSLRs feature sensor-based image stabilisation, whereby the sensor moves to counteract the effects of camera shake. Some DSLR manufacturers, such as Canon, have this in their lenses instead, which works by moving dedicated elements inside the lens to achieve the same effect. Those in Canon’s range are distinguishable by the ‘IS’ suffix, while Nikon uses ‘VR’ and Sigma uses ‘OS’.Built-In Motors
Nikon’s D40, D40x and D60 models all have one thing in common – they don’t feature an AF motor inside their bodies. Therefore, to achieve autofocus they must be used with lenses which feature dedicated motors. Nikon’s own range of AF-S lenses allow autofocus, though the popularity these DSLRs have enjoyed have led to independent manufacturers such as Sigma and Tamron developing lenses with these specifically in mind. Look out for Sigma lenses with Hypersonic Motors – labelled ‘HSM’ – which are compatible.Lens hoods
Wideangle lenses in particular are prone to flare, given the wide angle of view they cover. As well as introducing flare streaks this can lead to an overall loss of contrast in an image, and so they are generally provided with a lens hood which stops extraneous light from entering the field of view. The problem isn’t exclusive to wideangle lenses though, with many lenses nowadays – be they wideangle, superzoom or telephoto varieties – supplied with lens hoods.This article first appeared in What Digital SLR, buying guide by What Digital Camera magazine
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