Saturday, February 20, 2010

The Three Lenses Every Photographer Should Own.


A lot of photographers wonder what lenses to buy when they are starting out.  Here is some great advice on what lenses you will want when you are a beginner or even an old pro.

1. 18-50mm zoom
This is the basic kit lens on your camera.  If you have an aps-c camera  this lens will be equivalent to a 24-70mm 35mm format lens.  It zooms from fairly wide, which is good for landscapes to will also be able to zoom for closer shots. This lens is a great all around lens to keep on your camera when you don't know what you will be shooting.





2. 50mm f1.8 macro
This lens will allow you to get close up shots with  your camera.  It will also allow you to create shallow depth of field because of the 1.8 f/stop.  If you can't afford a f1.8, a f2.8 will be just fine.  This lens is also great for portraits and for close-ups like flowers.  The other nice thing about these lenses is that you can pick them up cheap on ebay.










3.  70-200mm telephoto
This lens will allow you to get up close to your subject. It is great for animal shots and also is a good portrait lens. I also like taking photos of flowers with mine because you get very shallow depth of field.  When looking for a telephoto lens try to find a fast one, f2.8 if possible. If you can't afford a fast one, at least try to find a f4 lens. Oh yeah, almost forgot that this is a great lens to shoot sports since it allow you to get close the the subject.











These lenses will give you versatility  to shoot almost any situation you will come up against.
They are also available with almost any camera system available.  If you have any questions post a comment and I will answer them, Thanks!
Posted by at 6:55 PM

18 comments:

  1. Thanks, Brian, that was useful. As all your posts for new photographers are!
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  2. Would certainly go with items 2 & 3 Brian. The canon 18-55 mk2 is also allegedly a great improvement on the earlier version which I owned but simply gave it away as I felt it was seriously degrading my images.
    If people are in the market for a 70-700/2.8 or even 4, I would suggest the wide zoom to complement it would be the 17-40......?
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  4. Thanks for the post. One out of three ain't bad. I have the 50mm 1.4, love it! The 18-200 is great, but would hope to replace with a 2.8 wider Lens and move to a better telephoto. Who knows, those smaller compact cameras are nice, less to carry.
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  5. Brian Thanks. Which would be better as a prime 35 mm or the 50mm.
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  6. Brian which would be a better prime, 35 mm or the 50 mm.
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  7. Nousher, it depends on what type of camera you have and also what you are shooting. Can you tell me what the lens would be used for and what camera you would be using it on?
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  8. Thanks brian,I have a Nikon D5100,with 18-55mm and 55-300mm lens.are they in line with what you listed above?secondly what nikon len do you recommend for telephoto?
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  9. If you already have a 55-300mm and a 18-55, I would still get a fast 50mm prime lens. I would shell out the money for the f/1.4. I think you would be very surprised with the results you get!
    Thanks for the comment!
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  10. Hello mr.Brian.I'm a beginner so I'd like to know what type of lens suitable for traveling and landscape?I'm using nikon:)
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  11. Dr,

    Thanks for the comment! If I was wanting to travel and take photos of landscapes I would get exactly what is said above. The three lenses above would cover everthing you would need. Now, if I could only get one, I would start with the 18-50mm. It is an overall good lens to start with, The 18-55mm usually comes with the camera(kit lens). If you need further clarification let me know. I hope this helps. Thanks!
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  12. always buy the fast 2.8 lens. you'll never regret it and you'll never stop using them.
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  13. Brian, Great Post!!!

    I'm a newbie in SLR Photography and this past year I purchased my Canon EOS Rebel T1i. I made the purchase with a EFS 18-55mm good/bad? no idea. It takes great shots in the volleyball games of my middle son. When I first got it I went with my oldest son to the beach, he does bodyboard surfing, oh my, he could barely be seen. I then bought an EFS 55-250mm zoom lens and this one did much better. Later on, I purchased an 50 mm f/1.8, it takes great pictures, especially portraits and, does marvels in low light conditions.

    I have a very tight budget and reading this posts was awesome. It makes me feel good with what I have, and probably will suffice for a while. I do this for a hobby but I'm very serious about it. I once went to a landscaping seminar and was recommended a wide-angle lens. They are expensive, very, any thoughts?
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    Replies
    1. Norbert. Wide angle lenses can be a great addition to you equipment. You can spend a little or a lot, it really depends on the specific lens and brand. If you have some extra cash I think you would really like the effects you get with a wide angle lens. My thoughts are the more lenses the better. Keep in mind that used lenses are cheaper and can be just as good or better than a new lens. Shop around on Ebay or www.usedcameras.com and see what you can find. Also, Rokinon makes some awesome fast wide angle lenses. They don't have auto focus, but are getting rave reviews from the experts. I have a Rokinon and love it. Thanks for the comment Norbert! Hope this helped!!
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    2. Oh, almost forgot, 18-55 lens!! Good!!!
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  14. Thank you Brian,

    I actually just purchased a 50 mm f/1.8 because of this post. I already have the basic 18-55 mm yet I wanted something to provide more detail. Thank you for this post and have a blessed weekend.
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  15. You definitely answered my looong pondering question of what lens to buy. I am on a super tight budget and could not decide between a 35mm and 50mm. I am definitely buying the 50mm. Thanks for the help!
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