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Different lens types do different things. Choosing the right camera is important, but choosing the right lens is just as crucial.
Here at ExpertPhotography, we know how essential lenses are to photography. So, to help you get started, we will look at the different types of lenses. We’ll show you which types of lenses are available and how to use them.
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UnavailablePhotography is all about light. A camera needs a scene’s light to make an image. A camera’s lens channels the light in the right direction, bringing it to the film strip or digital sensor.
The camera lens directs the light and determines how much light passes through. This is partly done through the aperture setting. But different lens types also have a wider or narrower field of view. This means you see more or less of the scene before you.
The glass elements direct the light to a single point in front of the camera sensor or film. This is called the focal point. From the focal point, we can determine the lens’s focal length.
The focal length is the distance between the focal point and the sensor. For a 50mm prime lens, the focal point is 50mm in front of the sensor.
The focal length helps us categorize lens types. A shorter focal length, like 28mm, gives us a wider angle of view. A higher number, such as 200mm, gives us a narrower angle of view but greater magnification.
Prime and zoom are umbrella categories for lenses. The prime or zoom label denotes how the lens functions rather than what lens it is. A prime lens has a fixed focal length. It has fewer moving parts than a zoom, making prime lenses lighter and cheaper.
Prime lenses often have a wider maximum aperture. The downside is that they’re less versatile. And you might have to change lenses more often.
A zoom lens has a variable focal length within a particular range. For instance, with a 16-35mm zoom lens, the focal point can be moved anywhere within that range. The higher the number, the further you can zoom.
Zoom lenses are more versatile than primes. They let you control the shot more without changing your vantage point. But they are usually more expensive. They can also be heavier and have smaller maximum apertures.