For starters, there are mainly two types of lens, the zoom and prime lens. To understand the nuances and differences in lens we first have to be cognisant of focal length. In layman terms it is the "Zoom" that a lens allows. Prime lens have a fixed focal length which can range from 12mm to 5200mm, hence image size cannot be manually adjusted by the lens itself, it would depend on the photographer to move closer or further from the subject. Zoom lens as its name suggests allows the photographer to manually alter the size of the subject in the image as the lens has a range of focal lengths which it can be adjusted to. Therefore the photographer does not have to move closer to the subject to get a closer shot, instead just adjusts the lens with a turn to the correct focal length to enlarge the image.
*image taken by renticulous's crew
Nevertheless purists still swear by Prime lens. The secret in prime lens lies in its aperture capabilities. Aperture is the ability of a lens to let in light, the more light a lens allows in (lower aperture), the better the depth of field or "Bokeh" effect in the image. This is highly sought after by photographers who want background blurring for that stunning shot. Prime lens specialise in this, with some going as low as f0.95!
As a visual aid we have a comparison of two photos taken with two varying aperture settings.
*image taken by renticulous's crew
This first image is taken with a lens set on low aperture. The subject "pops" out and the background is blur as a result. This makes it perfect for solo portrait shots to make the subject stand out from the rest. Desire shots like this? Look for a lens which boasts an adequately low aperture and you hit the ground running.
*image taken by renticulous's crew
In contrast, the photo above has everything in focus with no background blur. It was taken with aperture set at f9. This setting works best for large family portraits where you don't want anyone feeling left out and FOMO, or capturing picturesque scenery of the mountains while abroad where you want nothing to be blurred.
Aside from bokeh, having lower aperture allows you to take better photos at low light conditions, simply because the lens is able to take in more light compare to lenses that has higher aperture!
At this point you're probably yawning at all the technical jargon, so here's where we get down to business and provide some solid recommendations to suit different scenarios.
The all encompassing one: 24-70mm is often considered to be the most versatile and dynamic zoom range in photography as it enables you to take both wide angle and slightly zoomed shots. With one lens you are able to experience the best of both worlds, where it allows you to seamlessly transition between different styles of photography - from architecture to portrait in the blink of an eye.
Lens you can consider: Sony 24-70mm f2.8 G-Master Lens
Sony 24-70mm f4 Zeiss Lens
Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 for Sony E Lens
The nature lover's dream :
This lens allows its owner to see the big picture - literally. Images taken with this lens are wider than the human eye can perceive, almost as if you had eyes at the side of your head. You can achieve that perfect panoramic shot and capture more of your surroundings in a single frame, whether it is the aurora borealis or the K2 mountain range, it ensures no part of scenery is left out of frame! Utilised by professionals for those award winning shots featured on Nat Geo or even your very own wedding
photographer who has to fit 100 people in
a single frame.
Lens you can consider:
Sony 16-35mm f2.8 G-Master Lens
Sony 16-35mm f4 Zeiss Lens
Tamron 17-28mm f2.8 for Sony E Lens
For the portrait lovers: An essential building block of a good portrait shot is Bokeh or background blur. As mentioned earlier to achieve this effect, prime lens are your best bet as the are specially designed for just that purpose. These lens have apertures such as f1.4 and f1.8 which produces the creamiest bokeh effects available today.
Lens you can consider:
Sony 24mm f1.4 G-Master Lens
Sony 55mm f.18 Lens
Sony 85mm f1.4/f1.8 Lens
If you are interested to learn more, you can head over to https://www.adorama.com/alc/prime-vs-zoom-lens-which-one-is-right-for-you for a more in depth understanding of lenses.
*image taken by renticulous's crew
With the myriad of different lens available on the market today, selecting the right one for your specific purpose might seem like a daunting task. Fret not however, we are here to help. Hopefully this blog proves useful and informative to you, please feel free to contact us for any queries. We guarantee excellent follow up service for our customers as you are important to us!
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