Understanding Lens Selection

Now that you have your DSLR, it's time to switch gears and consider lens selection. Before choosing the right lens you need to know a little more about how they work! The first thing to understand is that every lens has a certain focal length(s) which is measured in millimeters (such as 50mm). This focal length, paired with the kind of sensor your camera has, determines how much can fit into a photo. 

Shorter focal lengths or wide angle lenses such as 20mm or 35mm allow you to be close to your subject (they fill most of the frame) and the background seems to be farther away. They also allow you to fit more into your frame.

Longer focal lengths, such as 105mm or 300mm lenses, allow you to stand farther away from your subject (having your subject fill your frame) but the background seems closer than normal. These lenses make a smaller area look larger (the higher the focal length number is, the more zoom you'll have). Let's break it down into the types of lenses there are and why you would want to shoot with these lenses. 

Wide Angle Lenses: The shorter your focal length is, the wider your angle of view will be or the more you'll be able to fit into your image. A wide-angle lens is usually considered anything under 35mm. This is especially useful for landscapes and interiors; trying to fit as much of scene in a photo as you can.

Standard Lenses: Standard lenses (such as 50mm or 85mm) are great for portraits and everyday scenes. A 50mm lens acts similar to the way our eyes see a person or subject; thus being a standard lens (with standard magnification) making our subject look more natural. Most cameras come with a kit lens, such as an 18-55mm lens. 

Telephoto Lenses: Telephoto lenses don't fit as much in the frame. This allows you to get closer shots of your subject and have a smaller depth of field (easier to get a blurry background). Telephoto lenses can be great when shooting portraits, wildlife and/or sports because they allow you to get close to your subject. 

When considering a lens, it is important to remember that not all DSLR camera's have the same size of sensor. The lens and the sensor go hand-in-hand so be sure that the lens you buy is compatible with the format of your sensor. Most entry-level DSLR cameras have a smaller or cropped sensor (like an APS-C sensor); when choosing a lens, a standard 50mm lens acts like a 35mm lens on a cropped-sensor camera (the view isn't as wide as it would be if the lens was on a camera with a full-frame sensor).

Here's a list of what companies label their APS-C format SLR lenses:

• Canon - EF-S

• Nikon - DX

• Pentax - DA

• Sony - DT

• Sigma - DC

• Tamron - Di II

• Tokina - DX

You can use full-frame camera lenses on an cropped-sensor camera, but these APS-C format lenses will not work properly on a camera with a full-frame sensor. Keep this in mind if you plan to upgrade to a full-frame camera body in the future. Each camera has a certain kind of lens mount as well, which means how a lens physically fits onto the camera. You won't be able to mount a Canon lens to a Nikon camera :) 

Lenses are categorized into two categories; fixed or prime lenses and zoom lenses. A fixed lens stays at one focal point (like 50mm) and doesn't have any moving parts. They are smaller, lighter and allow for brighter, sharper images. Since they have no moving parts, the glass provides higher quality images. Fixed lenses are considered 'faster' because they have large apertures (like f2.8) which let in more light. Zoom lenses (such as 18-55mm) allow you to move from one focal length to another. These can be convenient but you'll give a little of the quality when choosing a zoom lens. They just aren't quite as sharp as fixed lenses.

Consider your subject matter and what you spend the majority of your time photographing. This will determine the kind of lens you want to invest in. If you shoot sports, wildlife or street-style photographs, a zoom or telephoto lens would be a great choice for you. If you want great portraits, investing in prime lenses is the direction to go. If you want an all-around lens to travel with that will give you a good range, something like an 18-200mm lens would be nice to have. Cameras are excellent these days, the real difference is made when you pair your DSLR with a great lens. They can be expensive but the investment is worth it to get great images. We'll cover more about recommended lenses soon!  

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