How to choose the right camera lens

If you decide to purchase a DSLR (digital single-reflex camera) or a mirrorless camera you will need to consider the lenses that you will buy to go with the camera body. While all camera bodies can be purchased with a ‘kit lens’, eventually you will want to start collecting your own selection of lenses.

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This guide will help you decide which lens is best for your photography and how to make sure you make the right purchase. If you haven’t got your first camera yet then read my guide to choosing your first camera.

A camera lens is one of the most expensive but also the best investments you will make in photography.

Camera Lenses Made Simple

When looking at lenses there are so many terms and abbreviations that you might see that it is good to know what it all means. The camera lenses come in a range of sizes and it can be difficult to figure out exactly what you want or need.

TYPES OF CAMERA LENSES

When looking at lenses for DSLR and mirrorless cameras there are two types of lenses – prime and zoom. Both have their pros and cons and it is worth knowing these before you start looking at the finer details.

Kit Lenses

A kit lens is the lens your camera comes with. These are usually 18-55mm and a far better than many people give them credit for. 18-55mm lenses are good all-round lenses and perfect for getting used to your camera and your photography style. The 18mm is a moderate wide-angle lens which is good for architecture, landscapes and general portrait use. The 55mm end of the lens range is good for portrait and close-up details.

Prime lenses

A prime lens is one that is fixed at one focal length. This may be 16mm or it may be 500mm. The benefit of this type of lens is the quality of the images that you can achieve. They have far fewer moving parts than a zoom lens and quite often a wider aperture making them useful in low-light environments. Less moving parts means that the lens is smaller and lighter than a zoom lens making it perfect for travel photography.

Zoom Lenses

A zoom lens is perfect when you need to be able to adjust your focal length without having to change your lens. This means you could photograph a bird in a distant tree and straight away open out the view to include the surrounding landscape.

For example, a 70-200mm lens will allow you to zoom from 70mm in to 200mm. Perfect for wildlife or travel photography where you may not be able to move to capture your subject or want to show a range of perspectives.

Having the flexibility of a zoom lens is often a trade-off against aperture size and overall image quality. You need to think about the type of situations you will be using the camera lens in and decide which suits you better.

Things to consider when buying a camera lens

When purchasing any camera you will need to consider a number of factors – focal length, aperture size, sensor type, image stabilisation and focussing. While this is primarily aimed at prime and zoom lenses the considerations do carry over to compact cameras where you should look at the specifications closely.

Focal length

The focal length describes the amount of magnification that the lens can achieve. The larger the number, the more magnification. To replicate what the eye can see a focal length of between 35mm and 50mm is needed. Below 35mm the object you are photographing will seem further away, larger than 35mm and the object will appear close.

The formats described here are for a 35mm format rather than a medium format which is slightly different.

Macro lens: A macro lens is used for close-up photographs, known as macro photographs. They are designed to take photographs that are incredibly sharp when taken close to the subject. These are really useful for nature photography giving incredible details of small creatures and are usually in the short telephoto range between 85mm and 150mm.

Ultra wide angle: This is anywhere from 8mm to 24mm. these are sometimes called fish eye lenses as they distort the image quite a lot. They are really useful for wide panoramas, cityscapes and interiors when travelling. A 24mm lens is perfect for photographing the sky at night.

Wide angle: These lenses are still quite wide, providing a wider range of view than seen with the human eye. These range from 24mm to 35mm and are suitable for a range of photography from landscapes to group portraits.

Standard lens: A standard lens will reproduce what the eye can see in terms of perspective and angle of view. The standard lens is anywhere between 35mm and 85mm. The nifty 50 is often described as the best all-round lens as it is a good choice in most situations.

Short telephoto lens: A short telephoto lens ranges from between 85mm and 135mm. This is a good choice for portraits as it gives the most realistic perspective of your subject. One of the best macro lenses is the 100mm which falls into this category. It allows you to capture detail while staying a good distance from your subject, essential when photographing wildlife.

Telephoto Lens: This lens is larger than the short telephoto lens and has a focal length from 100mm up to about 800mm. These are perfect for capturing wildlife without disturbance but are often large and heavy.

Super telephoto lens: Super telephoto lenses are beyond the reach of most hobby photographers. They are usually used by professional wildlife and sports photographers. The lenses range from 800mm to 2000mm. With this focal length, the lenses are bulky and expensive.

Aperture

The aperture determines how much light passes through the lens and reaches the sensor. The aperture is the size of the whole that lets the light onto the sensor of the camera.

The aperture is identified by the “f” number of the lens. The smaller the number the wider the aperture. This will control the depth of field and aid composition.

If you work in low light or want to photograph the night sky then selecting a lens with a wider aperture (low f-number) is best.

Having a wider aperture also allows you to use a faster shutter speed so you can photograph fast-moving objects or in low light without needing a tripod.

A wider aperture also enables you to achieve a beautiful bokeh or mushy out-of-focus background.

Sensor Size

Most camera lenses are designed to fit a specific camera or type of camera. This will be determined by the sensor size. They fall into two main categories when looking at lenses – full frame and cropped.

You need to check that the lens you are buying is suitable for your camera body. This will be clearly identified in the camera specifications and some manufacturers make a range of lenses for each sensor type.

Before you buy a lens you need to know the crop factor of your camera. This again will be clearly stated in the specifications of the camera. Full-frame cameras have no crop factor. Most APS-C sensors have a crop factor of about 1.5x.

This is important to know as a 50mm lens on a camera with a 1.5x crop factor will have an effective focal length of 75mm meaning that the angle of view is reduced. This is useful if you want to photograph wildlife from a distance, but not so good if you want to photograph a vast landscape.

Image Stabilisation

When handholding your camera or using it in low light, movement blur can become a problem. This feature will reduce the blur in your images and is standard on most (but not all) newer lenses.

To check if the lens you are looking at has image stabilisation look for IS on Canon, VR on Nikon, OS on Sigma and VC on Tamron lenses.

To activate image stabilisation most lenses have a switch on the body of the lens. If your lens is mounted on a tripod you will need to switch image stabilisation off.

Focussing

Autofocus is found on nearly all lenses, although there are some such as the Samyung 24mm lens which does not have autofocus.

It is possible to switch from autofocus to manual focus when needed by a small switch in the body of the lens.

The autofocus on the lens will work in conjunction with the autofocus modes that are available within the body of the camera.

How to Choose the Right Camera Lens for You

The first step is to think about the type of photography you will be doing.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• What will you be using the lens for?
• Do you require a zoom lens with image stabilisation?
• Can a small prime lens with a wider aperture be more suitable?

Main Decisions when buying a camera lens

• Cost – Lenses are not cheap and prices rise rapidly. Set yourself a budget and look for the most suitable and versatile within your budget
• Size and weight – When selecting your lens look at the size and weight. It is no good going for a zoom lens if it is too heavy for you to carry or use.
• Features – There are so many features available on lenses that you need to make a list of what is important to you and what is essential. This will only be possible once you have worked out what you are going to be using the camera for.
• Compatibility – Not all lenses work on all cameras. Even within the same brand, you need to check the compatibility of the lens with the camera body. you may need to purchase an adaptor if you are using an alternative lens, but be aware that this may alter the widest aperture size or not allow automatic features to function correctly,

Lens Suggestions

There are so many options out there that you will need to use this guide and work out what you want, but as a general guide, here are some suggestions.

Travel Photography Lens: For travel photography, there are two options, a general lens and a prime lens. For most travellers, the kit lens that comes with the camera is an ideal walkaround lens. They are small and discreet but usually have a zoom to give you options. The other lens for travel that I would suggest is a 50mm f/1.8 prime lens. This is small when attached to your camera body but has a wide aperture that allows you to photograph in most light conditions.

Landscape Photography Lens: A wide-angle prime lens works best for this type of photography. A 35mm prime lens would work well although any lens from 10mm to 35mm would be suitable

Portrait Photography Lens: A prime lens between 70mm and 120mm is ideal for portrait photography. This means you can take photographs without having to be on top of your subject. Select a lens with a wide aperture between f/1.2 and f/2.8 so you can control the depth of field and bokeh.

Wildlife Photography Lens: Wildlife and nature photography will require a longer lens. The enables you to photograph animals without disturbing their natural habitat or behaviour. The ideal lens and my favourite is the 100mm to 400mm zoom lens. This provides the ability to photograph various compositions without having to disturb your subject or move around too much.

Where to Buy a Camera Lens

While it is tempting to go for a nice cheap lens on eBay or social media, unless you know the seller this is an absolute minefield. Lenses are delicate pieces of kit and while they can look perfect on first inspection any faults may become obvious once it is too late to get a refund.

If you do purchase the lens from eBay or social media make sure you check for scratches and dents that tell the story of its past. You will also need to check for mould and dust inside the lens that can build up over time and eventually affect image quality. Finally, check that there are no loose parts and that the aperture blades move properly and freely.

I always recommend you buy your lenses from either a manufacturer like Canon or Nikon a high street shop or an online seller with a good reputation and a clear refund and support policy.

In the UK I suggest John Lewis or London Camera Exchange for shops where you can go and try the lens out. If you are lucky to have a little local independent camera shop then this would be my first choice above anything else.

Online the best options are WEX, Amazon, Park Cameras, Jessops or Ffordes. I have used all of these suppliers and have been really happy with the service provided.

Want to learn more about photography? Read more on my photography page.