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9 Types Of Camera Lenses That Every Aspiring Photographer Needs To Know About
The lens is an essential part of the camera. They make all the magic happen. If you are passionate and venturing into your photography or filmmaking journey, it is important for you to have an idea about all the types of camera lenses that exist for different purposes. There are a variety of lenses available for different shots and angles.
You might be a little confused about choosing the right lens while purchasing your first camera, but don't worry, we got you covered.
Here we have curated a list of all the major types of camera lenses, their specifications, price, and buying links.
Before picking up any camera lens, consider what pictures you want to capture, and then use this lens guide. Also, if you are a beginner, buying a camera body with a lens kit is better. It will help you learn and understand your needs.
Wait, before we get started- one thing we need to know about is- focal length.
To understand how your camera operates, you must first grasp focus length. What your camera can concentrate on and how well your photographs will turn out depend on the focal length of a lens. To know in detail about the phenomena of focal length, please refer this article by masterclass
Before we step into the types of lenses, let's talk about aperture too.
In simple terms, what pupil is to human eyes, aperture is to a camera lens. It is defined as the opening in the lens from which light passes to enter the camera. It adds dimension to the pictures by controlling the depth of field, thus helpful in portrait photography. It also provides a sharp image of distant objects, thus creating a great effect in landscape photography. The kind of aperture you choose alters the image's exposure by making it darker or brighter.
Now that you know what focal length and aperture are let's dive into the guide.
There are nine types of camera lenses available in the market today. Here is the list:
1. Fisheye lens A.K.A. ultra-wide angle (4-14mm)
A fish eye lens is an ultra-wide-angle lens with a focal length ranging from 4mm to 14mm. They are used to capture a wide panoramic or hemispherical image.
Uses
a. They are used in abstract or fine-art photography, skateboarding, and action sports photography.
b. They are also used in scientific photography, such as recording meteors, studying plant canopy geometry, and calculating near-ground solar radiation.
c. They usually are used in peephole doors to give a wide field view.
Price range
The price of fish eye camera lenses ranges from 1thousand-1 lakh, depending on the manufacturing brand.
Below are amazon links of couple of our recommendations for that perfect shot that might help you:
2. Wide-angle (14-35mm)
A wide-angle lens has a focal length ranging from 14-35 mm, smaller than the normal lens. These lenses are used to cover broader fields of view between 64 degrees to 84 degrees.
Uses
a. They are used in architectural, interior, and landscape photography.
b. This lens also emphasizes the difference in size or distance between objects in the foreground and the background.
Price range
Wide-Angle Camera Lenses range from 500 INR to 2 lakhs depending on the manufacturing brand.
Below are amazon links for a couple of our recommendations for that perfect shot that might help you:
3. Standard (35 – 85mm)
A standard lens is a normal lens with a similar angle to a human eye. It offers a natural feel to the captured image. The focal length ranges from 35mm to 85 mm, and the view angle diagonally lies between 50 to 55 degrees. These are versatile, have wide apertures, and capture fantastic pictures.
Uses
a. They are all-purpose lenses and can capture images of landscapes to close-up portraits.
b. They are fast lenses and thus best for indoor and low-light photography.
c. These lenses are also used for documentary photography and street photography.
Price range
Standard lenses are of high quality yet not very expensive. If you want to buy a standard lens, then choose one with a wide maximum aperture as it will provide you with the widest range of shooting conditions. Standard Camera Lenses range from 5000 INR to 1 lakh, depending on the manufacturing brand.
Below are amazon links of couple of our recommendations for that perfect shot that might help you:
4. Short-range telephoto (85-135mm)
Short-range telephoto lenses have a focal length ranging from 85 mm to 135mm. These lenses can compress the background and make it look bigger. Also, it brings farther objects closer to the subject.
Uses
a. They are used to capture sidelines at sports events.
b. Used in wildlife and nature photography.
c. They can be used for astrophotography.
Price range
The price of telephoto Camera Lenses ranges from 2k to 2 lakhs depending on the manufacturing brand.
Below are a couple amazon links of our recommendations for that perfect shot that might help you:
5. Telephoto (135mm– 400mm)
Telephoto lenses are categorized into short-range, mid-range, and super-telephoto. The standard telephoto lens comes under midrange camera lenses whose focal length ranges between 135mm to 400mm. They can magnify farther objects.
Uses
a. They are used to capture intricate details of architecture and for portrait photography.
b. They are also used in sports and wildlife photography.
Price range
The price of telephoto Camera Lenses ranges from 2k to 7 lakhs depending on the manufacturing brand.
Below are a couple of our recommendations for that perfect shot that you will need:
6. Super-Telephoto (400mm+)
Super telephoto lenses are big and heavy, with a focal length of 400mm. The focal length range in extreme cases also goes up to 5200mm, but the most common usually ranges from 600 to 800mm.
Uses
a. They are used for wildlife photography and astrophotography.
b. They are also used to capture sideline shots in sporting events.
Price range
Super photo lenses are costly and thus are usually owned by professional photographers or media agencies.
Below are a couple of our recommendations for that perfect shot that might help you:
7. The kit lens (18mm-55mm)
Kit lenses are zoom lenses, with focal lengths ranging from 18mm to 55mm. They come with a camera body and thus are called kit lenses. They are the best for beginners. However, they are unsuitable for low-light photography because of a maximum aperture of f/3.5. They have limited focal length and narrow maximum aperture, so you can't expect a good quality image.
Uses
a. It can be used for all kinds of photography, from landscape to portrait.
Price range
They are made of plastic, and that's why they are cheap. The price ranges from 500 INR to one lakh, depending on the manufacturing brand.
Below are amazon links of a couple of our recommendations for that perfect shot that might help you:
8. Macro lens
Macro lenses are used to capture small objects at a close distance. It can increase the magnification of the object and make it look large. Some macro lenses allow things to look bigger than their true size. Macro lenses have a shorter minimum focus and can capture minute details of the closer object.
Uses
a. They are used for nature photography to capture flowers, water droplets, and insects. b. Macro lenses capture intricate jewelry details and other small products in commercial photography.
c. Macro lenses can also be used in portrait photography to get a close-up of the model's eye.
Price range
The price ranges from 200 INR to two lakhs depending on the manufacturing brand.
Below are a couple of our recommendations for that perfect shot that might help you:
Tokina 300mm F/6.3 Reflex M.F. Macro Telephoto Lens for Micro 4/3, Olympus and Panasonic DSLR Camera
9. Tilt-shift
Tilt-shift camera lenses belong to the prime lenses category that has fixed focal lengths. This feature allows the Lens' optics to shift with respect to the image sensor. The shift feature also helps in capturing panoramic images.
Uses
a. They are used in wedding photography and for shooting art-house movies.
b. They are also used to capture architectural images.
Price range
Tilt-shift lenses are expensive and can only be used for specific types of photography.
Below are a couple of our recommendations for that perfect shot that might help you:
Final Words
The bottom line is that camera lenses are the elementary part of photography. Thus, picking the right lens can significantly enhance your output and help you build a versatile portfolio. I hope this lens guide helps you make the right choice as you buy your first camera lens.
Written by: Anukriti Srivastava
Content Writer @Skyshot Media
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