Lenses are the eyes of your camera. Whether you're using a DSLR, mirrorless, or even a smartphone with attachable lenses, the lens determines how your image looks — how much fits in the frame, how blurred the background is, and how close you can focus.
Types of Lenses
- Prime lenses: Fixed focal length (e.g. 50mm). Sharper, lighter, often faster.
- Zoom lenses: Variable focal length (e.g. 18–55mm). More flexible, great for travel.
Common Lens Categories
- Wide-angle (10–35mm): For landscapes, architecture, tight spaces
- Standard (35–70mm): Natural perspective, good for general use
- Telephoto (70mm+): For wildlife, sports, portraits with soft backgrounds
- Macro: For extreme close-ups of small subjects
What Do the Numbers Mean?
Example: 50mm f/1.8
- 50mm = focal length (how zoomed in it is)
- f/1.8 = maximum aperture (affects brightness and depth of field)
Tips
- A “nifty fifty” (50mm f/1.8) is a great beginner lens — affordable and versatile
- Zoom with your feet when using a prime — it builds composition skills
- Lens choice affects more than zoom — it changes how scenes feel