So I have decided to attempt to get a diploma in digital photography and I thought I would share my course notes. This post is all about lenses.
Lenses
- Prime
- Fixed focal length.
- Cheaper.
- Lighter.
- Better image quality.
- Less versatile (can't zoom).
- Zoom
- Vary focal length.
- More versatile (can zoom).
- Don't need to move to get your shot.
- Capture subjects without drawing attention to yourself.
- Wide angle
- Typically between 18mm and 28mm.
- Emphasise the difference in size or distance between foreground / background objects.
- Fish eye
- Distorted wide angle.
- More than 180 degree field of view.
- Telephoto lens
- Not to confuse with zoom lenses, the lenses magnify.
- Good for long distance shots, allows you to take a picture at a long distance as if you were there (presumably less loss than a zoom lens?).
- Due to the magnification foreground objects will be cropped out of view.
- Good for sports / wildlife.
- Due to the amount of glass they are very large in size.
- They are heavy so much so, a tripod is often required or use a lens with image stabilisation.
- Macro
- For close up shots.
- Good for flowers, insects, jewellery or food.
- Most DSLRs have a built in macro mode for near focus between 5-10cm.
- Expensive dedicated macro lenses can be purchased, these reproduce the subject at a ratio greater than 1:1.