Cameras have changed our needs, and they have affected the way we used to live. Nowadays, everybody wants a camera, no matter whether it’s a DSLR camera or a camera on the phone. Social media platforms brought up the use and need for high-quality cameras where everyone could share their personal life experiences and click some cool shots. This is why different camera lenses were developed.
Similar Articles you may like to read –
How To Get Lens Flare Effect? And How To Avoid It?
What Is Flare Photography? How to Achieve Perfect Lens Flare?
How To Set Lens Focus To Infinity?
How To Set Dslr Camera Lens To Autofocus?
A lens of a camera can have a very deep impact on the image. If you are a person who is in search of camera lenses for photography, then this guide explains all types of lenses along with suggestions about when to use which lens. So let’s see what options you have
Lens maintenance tips: How do you maintain a camera lens?
Use a lens hood for protection.
Keep lens caps on when not in use.
Use a lens cleaning kit for smudges.
Store lenses in a cool, dry place.
Avoid changing lenses in dusty or windy environments.
Protect against extreme temperatures.
Different Camera Lenses And Their Use
Focal Length | Type of Lens | Primary Uses |
4mm – 14mm | Fisheye | Abstract, creative |
14mm – 35mm | Wide-angle | Landscape, architecture |
35mm – 85mm | Standard | Street, travel, portrait |
85mm – 135mm | Short telephoto | Portraits, street |
135mm+ | Medium telephoto | Sports, wildlife, action |
35mm – 200mm | Macro | Close-ups |
Undetermined | Tilt-shift | Architecture, fine art |
Realistically, digital cameras are difficult to understand and operate. The Menu systems are filled with several options, making it difficult to get a perfect uniform setting. However, one must understand them to capture good photos.
We know that understanding the various types of cameras, settings, and techniques can be overwhelming if you are new to the photography industry. Thus, we have provided this master article – camera 101, to help all beginners and even experienced photographers understand their cameras.
Click Below to know all about Cameras, From start to end.
Fisheye Lenses
Fisheye Lenses allow a single shot to show an entire space, such as a room or the interior of a car. When you want to see a lot of countryside in one shot, the Fisheye Lens is a good choice. Its most popular application is that it may be utilized for cityscape photography, landscape photography, abstract art photography, and more. Fisheye lenses come in a variety of shapes and sizes. These are mostly available in any range between 8 and 24mm.
Note: These lenses aren’t helpful in most scenarios, such as portrait or wedding photography, due to their nature.
Pros
- Ultra-wide field of view.
- Panoramic qualities.
- Best for shooting small places with higher maximum aperture.
- Ideal for abstract photography.
Cons
- Not ideal for portraits.
Wide Angle Lens
A wide-angle lens allows you to have a broader view to capture better colors along with the field of vision. Landscape photographers frequently choose this type of lens to ensure that they capture the whole view. Keep in mind that the fewer focal lengths you have, the more you can put in your frame using wide-angle lenses. A wide-angle lens is extremely flexible and generally inexpensive. You can have options from 14mm, 20mm, 21mm, 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm wide-angle lenses.
Pro Tip: Wide-angle lenses have a tendency to distort photos, which can be partly corrected in post-production.
Pros
- Lightweight lens.
- Greater depth of field.
- Most preferred.
- Cost-saving.
Cons
- Compression is difficult.
- Images might be distorted.
Standard Prime Lenses
When compared to zoom or a standard lens, this type of lens can have enormous apertures. With this lens, you can only photograph at one fixed focal length, which means you’ll have to shift your body to capture wide photos Vs. Close-ups. The focal length of a prime lens is fixed. A fixed focal length implies that if you use a 35mm lens, you’ll only get a 35mm viewpoint.
The maximum aperture of standard lenses normally ranges from f2.8 to f1.2. A prime lens a.k.a “fixed lens” that is ideal for all forms of photography, including portraits, weddings, street photography, landscapes, and so on. You can have options from the following focal lengths: 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 135mm, and 200mm.
Pro Tip: A 24mm prime lens will provide the most expansive view, while a 135mm prime lens will crop considerably closer!
Pros
- Provides crisper images overall.
- Modest in weight.
- These lenses perform better in low light.
- Best for interiors to landscapes and portraits.
Cons
- Fixed length.
Standard Lenses
A regular lens on a camera is usually 50mm. This implies that a regular lens produces images that are quite similar to those seen by the human eye. A regular lens for a crop sensor camera is around 35mm; however, any conventional lens with a focal length between 28mm and 36mm will work. In fact, any lens with a focal length between 40mm and 58mm will provide images that are similar to what your eye sees.
Pros
- Views just like the human eye.
- Easy to use.
- Cheap option.
- Real-life reflection.
Cons
- Not able to capture broad vistas or close-up shots.
Zoom Lenses
Zoom lenses allow you to stay still while zooming to numerous focal lengths with only one autofocus feature! There are two types of zoom lenses in terms of maximum aperture. The maximum aperture of variable aperture zoom lenses varies across the zoom range. Zoom lenses are fantastic because of their incredible adaptability. The maximum aperture of a fixed aperture (or constant aperture) lens, on the other hand, will stay constant.
What’s even cooler is that a zoom lens can keep its focus while changing focal lengths, so you can snap swiftly with zoom lenses. You can choose zoom lenses in the range of 17-40mm, 24-105mm, and 70-200mm.
Note: The Canon 70-200mm zoom lens is a popular zoom lens that can expand out to 70mm and up to 200mm (and all focal lengths in between)!
Pros
- It lets you stay in one position while zooming.
- Best for wildlife photography, weddings, and portrait photography.
- Long-range.
- Best with a tripod.
Cons
- It produces less compression/bokeh.
Kit Lenses
This lens is affordable and may possibly be included as a bonus with your camera purchase. In portrait photography, the 55mm focal length is very useful for accentuating details and compressing perspective. Because kit lenses rarely exist in focal lengths larger than 18-55mm, they make good partners for general-purpose photography. However, unlike other high-quality camera lenses, it is neither quick nor extraordinarily sharp.
Pros
- Lightweight lens.
- Easy to carry.
- Good focal range.
- Used as a telephoto/wide-angle lens.
Cons
- Autofocus tends to be sluggish.
Telephoto Lens
Telephoto lenses are ideal for capturing nature and wildlife. Because these lenses may zoom, they do not always fit into the “prime” focal lengths group. Telephoto lenses are available in 70-300mm, 100-400mm, 300mm, 400mm, and 600mm focal ranges. These lenses are ideal for capturing sports like surfing or from the sidelines of a football game as well as stars and planets too.
Pros
- Ideal for photography of sports, animals, and astronomy.
- Good range.
- It lets you shoot in a single fixed position.
- It captures a more amazing background blur.
Cons
- They are usable with tripods.
- They are costly.
Macro Lens
Macro lenses are designed to create a life-size 1:1 image of your subject, comparable to how the human eye sees it. Extreme close-ups are best captured using macro lenses. A wide range of primary focal lengths like 50mm to 200mm are available in Macro lenses. Fine hairs on insects, water drops on plants, and close-up pictures of diamond rings may all be seen using macro lenses. Other camera lenses, unlike macro lenses, do not allow you to get as near to focus as precisely.
Pros
- Enables very detailed photos.
- Exceptionally precise.
- Magnifies subject for better results
- Best image quality.
Cons
- Restricted range of applications.
- They are costly.
Infrared Lenses
IR lenses, unlike conventional camera lenses, work with light rather than perspective. These lenses work on the same principle as regular lenses, except they capture infrared light, which is invisible to the naked eye. To provide a distinctive visual impression, this camera lens filters out all light wavelengths except infrared light. You may find these lenses in 35mm, 50mm, and 80mm focal lengths.
Pros
- Increases focus and image quality.
- Exceptional use compared to the standard lens.
- Improves camera performance in all lighting conditions.
Cons
- It has a difficult learning curve.
Lenses That Are Fast Vs. Lenses That Are Sluggish
The aperture of a lens determines its speed. Because photography is all about light, as the name implies, you should always try to utilize a faster lens, in case you want to be a professional photographer. Fast lenses have apertures of f/2.8 and above, but slow lenses normally only have an aperture of f/4.
The bigger you use the aperture, the better the lens performs in low light, and the narrower the depth of focus you can produce. The main drawback of fast lenses is the cost since each extra stop may easily quadruple the lens’ price.
Choosing The Best Lens
To choose the ideal lens for your photography, think about what you’ll be shooting as well as how you’ll be using it. When it comes to cinematography, the right lens may make a huge difference. Whether it’s a prime or a zoom, what focal lengths will be most beneficial and what aperture you’ll need would be crucial to understand. For sports photography, you don’t want to be stuck with a 50mm prime lens, and for food photography, you don’t want to be stuck with a lens that has a maximum aperture of f5.6.
Most lenses contain a function that allows the photographer to alter the focal length without having to move from their position. These lenses include the ability to switch between multiple focal lengths, which is a frequent feature. If you’re looking for a new camera lens, remember to look for these traits. That’s especially useful if you’re attempting to avoid disturbing your subject by moving about a lot.
More articles you may like to read –
What Does MM Mean On Camera Lens? All Questions Answered
Why should someone use 50mm lens? Advantages of 50mm lens
35mm vs 50mm vs 85mm lenses. How to use them and which one is right for you?
Prime Lens Photography? When To Use Prime Lens? Why They Are Good?
Type of Lens
This is a lens categorization system based on optical properties such as focal length, maximum aperture opening, angle of view, and other considerations.
Aperture
The size of the hole allows light to enter the sensor of a camera and basically deals with the aperture, which may be modified to alter exposure duration.
Focal Length
Focal length is the point of distance between the focal point in front of your camera lens and the plane where parallel rays of light converge after passing through it (mm).
FAQ’s
Is Convex Or Concave Lens Used In Cameras?
Convex lenses are commonly employed in cameras to concentrate on an image as well as magnify it. Almost all camera lenses have a convex lens, followed by a concave lens, and then another convex lens. By moving away from or towards the subject, the first lens adjusts the magnification level of the picture.
What is it about a 50mm lens that makes it so popular?
Out-of-focus highlights are beautiful with 50mm lenses, also known as bokeh. A 50mm lens’s fast speed and wide aperture may also provide a narrow depth of field. This provides you a lot of creative freedom in terms of blurring away the backdrop and focusing emphasis on the important issue.
What is the purpose of a 35mm lens?
It has a broad enough field of view to effortlessly capture numerous subjects or a subject and a background. Because of its many benefits in this fast-paced genre, the 35mm lens is undoubtedly the most commonly used lens among street photographers.