My answer: "Let me tell you what has worked for me and
why." So here goes...
Lenses are categorized by their range of focal lengths.
You'll see them listed as a pair of numbers, like 18-35mm,
or 80-160mm, or the like. I have three lenses that I go
back to over and over. They cover almost every need I
have in the most common circumstances:
1. A WIDE ANGLE-- I have a 16-35mm wide angle lens
(anything below 35mm is considered wide angle). For now,
just know that a "wide angle" lense allows me to easily
shoot up close. It also lets me accentuate distance
between foreground and background objects while keeping
them both in focus. I can also produce special effects,
like increasing the "perspective distortion" between
objects. You'll learn more about this in the course also.
2. A MEDIUM TELEPHOTO-- I chose a 28-135mm wide-to-medium
telephoto lense for the most common targets. If I'm
walking around in a street environment, I typically have
my 28-135mm lens on, ready-to-shoot. That's because it
allows the most versatile focal length options in one
lens.
You could consider buying a wider-range lens such as a
28-300mm, which would cover the largest practical range of
focal lengths (from fairly wide angle to long telephoto).
But I tend to break up those focal ranges because lens
quality isn't going to be as high in a "one-size-fits-all"
lens.
3. A LONG TELEPHOTO-- Then there's my 70-200mm long
telephoto. This lense is best known for making distant
objects appear closer (actually magnified). Because it
allows you to "move closer" to distant objects (through
magnification), it gives a "telescope" effect. It also
allows me to blur a background, focus on a foreground
object in a photo, and thus call attention to that in-
focus object.
All-in-all, these 3 types of lenses will serve you well
in a large variety of shooting situations.
Just remember, lense "quality" is more important than any
other consideration when shopping. When I say lens
quality, I am referring to everything that makes a lens
good - its sharpness, clarity, freedom from glass
distortion or aberrations, maximum aperture, etc.
In the old days, it was common knowledge that "prime
lenses" (lenses with one fixed focal length, like 50mm, or
20mm, etc.) were superior to zoom lenses (lenses with
variable focal length like 70-200mm, etc.) This used to
be the case, but not so much any more because of the
advances in manufacturing technology.
I like zooms because it means I can travel lightly and
change lenses far less often. I can now carry 3 high-
quality lenses, instead of 30 different prime lenses.
Now of course if you're really into shooting wildlife,
sports, or flower petals, you'll end up with some other
lenses specialized to those functions. For instance,
you'll use a lens longer than 300mm for magnifying those
athletes of the field and forest. Or you might use a
macro lens with bellows to magnify a single rosebud. But
in general if you carry the first three lenses that I
mentioned, you'll be fine.
why." So here goes...
Lenses are categorized by their range of focal lengths.
You'll see them listed as a pair of numbers, like 18-35mm,
or 80-160mm, or the like. I have three lenses that I go
back to over and over. They cover almost every need I
have in the most common circumstances:
1. A WIDE ANGLE-- I have a 16-35mm wide angle lens
(anything below 35mm is considered wide angle). For now,
just know that a "wide angle" lense allows me to easily
shoot up close. It also lets me accentuate distance
between foreground and background objects while keeping
them both in focus. I can also produce special effects,
like increasing the "perspective distortion" between
objects. You'll learn more about this in the course also.
2. A MEDIUM TELEPHOTO-- I chose a 28-135mm wide-to-medium
telephoto lense for the most common targets. If I'm
walking around in a street environment, I typically have
my 28-135mm lens on, ready-to-shoot. That's because it
allows the most versatile focal length options in one
lens.
You could consider buying a wider-range lens such as a
28-300mm, which would cover the largest practical range of
focal lengths (from fairly wide angle to long telephoto).
But I tend to break up those focal ranges because lens
quality isn't going to be as high in a "one-size-fits-all"
lens.
3. A LONG TELEPHOTO-- Then there's my 70-200mm long
telephoto. This lense is best known for making distant
objects appear closer (actually magnified). Because it
allows you to "move closer" to distant objects (through
magnification), it gives a "telescope" effect. It also
allows me to blur a background, focus on a foreground
object in a photo, and thus call attention to that in-
focus object.
All-in-all, these 3 types of lenses will serve you well
in a large variety of shooting situations.
Just remember, lense "quality" is more important than any
other consideration when shopping. When I say lens
quality, I am referring to everything that makes a lens
good - its sharpness, clarity, freedom from glass
distortion or aberrations, maximum aperture, etc.
In the old days, it was common knowledge that "prime
lenses" (lenses with one fixed focal length, like 50mm, or
20mm, etc.) were superior to zoom lenses (lenses with
variable focal length like 70-200mm, etc.) This used to
be the case, but not so much any more because of the
advances in manufacturing technology.
I like zooms because it means I can travel lightly and
change lenses far less often. I can now carry 3 high-
quality lenses, instead of 30 different prime lenses.
Now of course if you're really into shooting wildlife,
sports, or flower petals, you'll end up with some other
lenses specialized to those functions. For instance,
you'll use a lens longer than 300mm for magnifying those
athletes of the field and forest. Or you might use a
macro lens with bellows to magnify a single rosebud. But
in general if you carry the first three lenses that I
mentioned, you'll be fine.
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