Camera Lenses: What you need to know

Using the right lens—the most important component of the camera—is critical for producing the perfect shot in any form of photography. Using your camera's interchangeable lenses to their full potential will elevate your photos from amateur to professional. As a result, choose your lens carefully.

With so many choices, we understand how difficult it can be to find the right lens for you.

Here's a rundown about Camera Lenses!

What are Camera Lenses?

A camera lens is an optical body that attaches to a camera body and contains a single lens or a group of lenses. Some lenses are removable, while others are permanently attached to the camera body. Modern and Prime lenses aim to equalize the angle of incidence and angle of refraction to reduce aberration and have a focus function that allows the user to fine-tune the focus.

How do camera lenses work?

Aperture dictates the amount of light that passes through the lens.

The lens focuses the light onto the image sensor (digital) or film plane (analog).

FAQ

How to choose the right camera lens?

Since each photographer's needs are different, no single lens will work for everyone. What works for one person should not work for anyone else. So, before you go looking for a lens, figure out what you need for your photography. Consider the following five considerations to help you narrow down your options:

FOCAL LENGTH

When the subject is in focus, the focal length is the distance (in millimeters) between the lens's middle and the sensor. The wider the shot, the lower the number. The longer the zoom, the higher the amount.

Wide-angle focal lengths such as 14mm, 20mm, 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm can be useful if you want to fit more into your frame.

If you want to get as close to your subject as possible, however, a telephoto lens with a focal length of 50 to 100mm is the way to go. Only make sure it has an f2.8 aperture so that enough light can pass through.

APERTURE

Aperture refers to the amount of light that can penetrate your sensor. The letter f, along with its accompanying numbers, is referred to as an f-stop. A small aperture number, such as f1.2, means the lens's opening is wider, allowing more light to enter the lens and making it ideal for low-light photography.

ZOOM LENSES VS. PRIME LENSES

If you want to have more light in your images and be able to quickly adjust and fix shooting mistakes, get a prime lens. However, if getting as close to the topic as possible is your top priority, you should invest in a zoom lens.

What type of lens to use for each situation?

It really is dependent on your conditions. Keep in mind that the outcome of your images is determined by the lenses you use, so consider the types of photos you'd like to take. If you want to take portraits, for example, invest in a prime lens. If you prefer landscape photography, a wide-angle lens is a way to go.

MOBILE

Moment Starter Kit with a Phone Case and Two Lenses

PORTRAIT

Prime lens — Canon EF 85mm f/1.2 and Nikon 85mm f/1.4G

TRAVEL

A prime lens (for capturing scenes with people) — Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1.5

Fish-eye lens (for added variety and achieving a whimsical effect) — Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG AutoFocus Diagonal Fish-Eye Lens

Photographers have varying opinions on which lens is the best for which situation, but it all boils down to personal preference. The best way to go about finding the right lens for you is to try them out for yourself. See which works best for your needs and the mood or effect that you’re trying to achieve in your photos.

How to Clean a Camera Lens?

Let's begin with a few facts:

Image quality can and will be harmed by dirty optics.
To clean lens and filter optics, there are specific methods and equipment to use.
There are some methods and tools for cleaning lens and filter optics that are wrong.
There's a lot of facts out there about lens cleaning, some of them contradictory.

#1: AVOID UNNECESSARY CLEANING OF YOUR LENS

Glass is a relatively tough and long-lasting material. As advanced coatings and other chemicals are applied to the lens, it becomes a more sensitive surface to scratches and chemical and contact damage. As a result, we want to keep our lenses and filters free of fingerprints and debris and avoid prolonged physical contact, which involves touching and, yes, washing.

Front and rear lens caps should be used sparingly when kept in your camera bag or on a shelf to keep your lenses clean. However, when you use your gear, it will become dirty. This is unavoidable. Cleaning the insides of your camera bag on a regular basis would benefit your lenses, as dust and dirt will most likely find a home within your bag and stick themselves to the lens.

#2: DUST HAPPENS

Dust is everywhere, and dust is everywhere. It will adhere to and penetrate your lens. Lenses are made in ultra-clean facilities, with producers going to great lengths to keep dust out of the atmosphere. Even then, dust between the lens elements in brand-new lenses is possible.

However, dust isn't the biggest foe. A lens that has been sitting on a shelf in your house for years and has accumulated a thick layer of dust will, of course, cause image quality problems. A few specks of dust on or within the lens, on the other hand, would have little impact on image quality. The image quality would not be affected by a few specks of dust on or within the lens. The statement was repeated on purpose.

Attempting to keep your lenses dust-free by cleaning them frequently can shorten their lifespan because you risk scratching the lens surfaces each time you clean them.

#3: BEWARE OF REAR SMUDGES

Since light is focused narrowly through the back of the lens, oily fingerprints and smudges on the rear portion would have the greatest effect on image quality.

The good news is that the rear element of the lens is less vulnerable to dirt and oil because it isn't exposed to sticky fingers from kids, your sticky fingers, or other environmental hazards when placed on the camera.

What to do when your hands get dirty in the field?

KEEPING YOUR LENSES CLEAN, EVEN IN THE FIELD, IS SOMETHING EASY TO DO!

A three-step procedure for cleaning lenses and filters is as follows:

Using a blower or a soft-bristled brush, remove as much dust and debris from the lens as possible.
Using a lens tissue or cleaning cloth, apply a few drops of lens cleaning solution.
Working from the center outward, gently remove oil, fingerprints, and grime from the lens surface with a circular motion.

Remember, you can perform those three simple steps in the field if appropriate, but you should avoid excessive cleaning unless your lens has greasy fingerprints or oily smudges. To clean your lens, you don't need to be in a dust-free "clean room" or wear a vinyl suit and rubber gloves.

How much do Camera Lenses cost?

It depends on the type of lens you're going for. If you're looking for Mobile Photography and Filmmaking Lenses, you can find M-Series Tele 58mm Lenses for $129.99. When talking about DSLR and Mirrorless Lenses, we have Sony, Fujifilm, and Sigma Art lenses starting at $399.95.

Choosing the Best Lenses for your Camera

If you need help deciding which Lenses will be the best for your content creation process, contact one of our Gear Guides. We’ll match you to the right guide based on your experience and style, and help to shop the right lenses for you.