How to Choose the Right SLR Lens for You

Take a Picture, It Lasts Longer

When looking for the appropriate lens for your SLR camera, there are a lot of aspects to consider. These are mainly based on what kind of photography you plan to focus on, and what kind of pictures you intend on taking. Different lenses provide different focal lengths and apertures, affecting perspective and shutter time consecutively. Most SLR cameras are sold with a Kit lens that has a short standard zoom and a focal length of 18-55mm. These are not very high in quality are not apt for long distant shots. In addition, their aperture is not suited to blur the background and focus on the subject for portrait shots, and the photographs come out generally mediocre at best. For this reason a better quality lens suited to an individual’s particular needs, is suggested. Below provides a list of lenses you can choose to purchase, based on the type of photos you plan to take.

A Lens for Everyone

There are several types of lenses, some more superior in class and value than others. Some are basic, small and lightweight, and some can be bulkier, rugged and more versatile. No matter what you are looking for, this list will give you an idea on what type of lens is right for you.

• Zoom Lens: These generally provide a range of focal lengths. The typical range is either 18-55 mm or 24-85 mm. They provide good images for photo ops near and far.
• Telephoto Lens: This lens ranges from 70-200 mm, a significantly greater length than the basic zoom lens. They are good for photography relating to action, sports or nature.
• Fixed Focal Length Lens:  These lenses tend to have a better optical quality and are smaller and lighter than the zoom lens. However they don’t range as far and are far less versatile.
• Wide Angle: These range from16-35 mm and are great for pictures of landscapes and large groups of people, based on their broad perspective.
• Macro Lens: This lens has a 50-100mm focal range and are great for close-ups on small objects such as plants and insects.
• Specialty Lenses: There is a Fish Eye Lens, that is good for photographing things with unusual features and The Lensbaby that has a selective focus where you can move the optics to create desired effects.
• Tilt and Shift Lens: This lens is good for controlling the perspective on architectural and product photos.
• Soft Focus: This lens is good for portraits and beauty photos.

Special Features

You should definitely review the features each lens has to offer before deciding which one is right for you. The following is a compilation of a qualities you may want to consider before making your purchase.

• Fast Apertures: The opening in the lens that lets the light through your imaging sensor, is called the aperture. In low light, no flash situations, fast or wide apertures are ideal. The wider the opening, the faster the shutter speed, which results in clear, defined images. Wider apertures create a shallower depth of field for focusing on a particular subject. The wider the aperture the more expensive the lens.
• Zoom or Prime Lens: Although Prime lenses are cheaper, lighter and provide sharper images, the zoom has a better focal length. This choice depends on the distance of your shots.
• Ultra Zoom: With their 18-200 mm range, this option is good for vacations because you only need to bring one lens for shots near and far. They have built in image stabilization but shots aren’t as crisp as those taken with a prime lens.
• Build Quality: The quality of your lens is important for a lot of reasons. Under unfavorable conditions, you will want a lens that is resilient to moisture, dust and dirt. The high-end lenses are also made of glass, resulting in better all-around photographs.

Brands You can Trust

There are several brands to choose from when purchasing a lens for your SLR camera. Usually your camera’s lens mount is incompatible to other brand’s lenses. However there are some manufacturers like Tamron and Tokina who offer all types of lenses to leading brands of SLR cameras. Guiding the pack in lens manufacturing are brands like Canon, Nikon, Olympus and Sony, offering a wide variety of superior and standard grade lenses including fisheye, macro, telephoto and zoom lenses. Higher end companies like Carl Zeiss AG and Leica, produce many categories of lenses for film, digital, SLR and Rangefinders.

Final Thoughts

Whatever lens you decide on, make sure you have researched the brands and functions of each lens. Make sure you choose a lens that is appropriate for the kind of photography you plan on capturing. From fine art, to landscapes, to people and action, finding the right lens can be the difference in making crystal clear memories.