What Digital Photography Lenses Do You Really Need?

Many people learn to use the various setting on their digital cameras and think that they can now take the best possible pictures.  What is being for...


Many people learn to use the various setting on their digital cameras and think that they can now take the best possible pictures.  What is being forgotten is that the camera can only apply the settings to the image it receives and that depends purely on the type of lens being used.  A vast variety of lenses are available, all with specific functions; but there are 4 basic lens types that you need to get great photos as your skill levels improve you can go on to more advanced lens options.

Most cameras come with general purpose lenses fitted to them those with a focal length in the range of 35 – 70 mm.  These lenses produce an angle of view that is close to that of the human eye and are good enough for all kinds of basic photography they will give you what you see is what you get kinds of results.

A medium telephone lens is very useful for photographing objects at a distance and is good useful for landscape, nature, sports and other kinds of photography where you want the image to appear as if you are close to what you are photographing.  These lenses are also ideal for portraits since when used for close ups the make the object of the picture stand out from the background and thus enhance the portrait nature of the image.  Experimenting with this kind of lens will show you how changing the perspective can change the whole tone and mood of a photo.  These lenses normally have a focal length of 85 135 mm.

If you are into real long range outdoor photography you will need a full telephoto lens.  These lenses have a focal length in from 135 mm onwards, although 300 mm is the common maximum, and are your only option when you want to photograph distant objects and get a clear and sharp image.  Long telephoto lens can also be used for medium range work when you need to highlight a part of a distant object and the point of focus will make that aspect of the composition stand out.

The last of your four basic digital photography lenses is the wide angle lens with a focal length of less than 50 mm.  This is the kinds of lens to use when you want a wide landscape or a panoramic shot of something like a range of mountains.  They are also good for group pictures taken against wide backgrounds as they will capture the complete scene while at the same time make the group in the forefront stand out to create a better image.

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