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The Photography Directory - Human edited photography directory, add your photography link for free!Article Details
Understanding Camera Lenses |
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| Date Added: November 30, 2010 05:55:18 PM | |
| Author: Ion Paciu | |
| Category: Photography Reviews | |
Choosing the right camera lenses can entail you to have a better control upon your photographs. They convey a better quality of the images and allow your creativity to reach higher levels. However, first of all you have to understand how camera lenses work, which ones are suitable for your skills and interests and how to choose them. In what follows I will present the main categories of camera lenses, their features and how can they help you take better photographs. Briefly, there are two main categories of lenses: 1. Prime lenses or fixed focal lenses (no zoom e.g. 50mm, 80mm, 100mm, etc.) 2. Zoom lenses - versatile lenses that can change their focal length (e.g. 55-200mm, 70-200mm, etc.). Prime Lenses have the following main characteristics: -convey a better image quality; -are sharper; -are smaller and lighter; -aster (better light-gathering ability-larger maximum apertures) -have a better light-gathering ability, being recommended for both low-light and fasCam shutter speeds, ideal for sports / theatre / events photography; -can achieve shallower depth of field; -are simpler in terms of construction; -are cheaper; -they make you more proactive; -are less versatile. The popular focal lengths: 20mm, 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 80mm, 105mm, 135mm, 200mm, 300mm, 400mm, 600mm. Zoom Lenses have the following main characteristics: -portability; -are great when covering an event while unable to move around at will; -ideal for photographing groups of people indoors; -entails speed when adjusted to framing; -instant capability to get a tighter shot when the moment dictates so; -easier to achieve a variety of compositions or perspectives (since lens changes are not necessary); -using a zoom lens does not necessarily mean that one no longer has to change their position - zooms just increase the flexibility. Lenses categorised by focal length (a rough guide, actual uses can vary): FOCAL LENGTH TYPE USE Less than 21mm Extreme Wide Angle Architecture 21-35 mm Wide Angle Landscape 35-70 mm Normal Street & Documentary 70-135 mm Medium Telephoto Portraiture & Event 135-300+ mm Telephoto Sports & Wildlife Please note that these focal lengths apply only to 35 mm equivalent cameras. Teleconverters (TC): Are optical devices which can be attached to the rear of a lens increasing the effective focal length. The most common are: - 1.4x (stops down the lens by 1 stop of light); - 2x (stops down the lens by 2 stops). How do TC operate: -work better with fairly long focal lengths and prime lenses; -do not produce good results while used with short focal length lenses and zoom lenses; -some TCs can only be used with certain types of lenses (you might need to check when you buy them); -the autofocus does not operate for all apertures (you need to check your body camera when you buy a TC). Are Teleconverters worth it? The answer is yes, as long as you use them (preferably) with a prime lens / long focal length. However, they are not useful with zoom lenses and short focal lengths. You can also consider an extension tube which: -simply moves the lens farther from the sensor; -does not contain optical elements; -gives you closer focus (very useful for macro work); -gives greater magnification; -stops down the lens (1 or 2 stops); -those without electrical contacts disconnect the lens from the camera (there is no AF). I hope this helps. However, there are many other types of lenses (macro, tilt shift, etc..) and so much more to be said about them. I reckon this information will help you find the type of lenses that best suites your camera and your needs. Ion Paciu e-mail: ionpaciu@photoion.co.uk web courses: www.londondigitalphotographycourses.co.uk web portfolio: www.photoion.co.uk mobile: +44 (0) 7930609714 |
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