Buy Camera Lenses
The best lenses for iPhone and Android phones can radically transform your smartphone photography. While smartphone camera arrays are getting better and better, there are still certain things beyond their physical limitations, and a clip-on lens, or even better, a full clip-on lens kit, can open up new shooting possibilities like macro, fisheye, and telephoto.
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Having studied Journalism and Public Relations at the University of the West of England Hannah developed a love for photography through a module on photojournalism. She specializes in Portrait, Fashion and lifestyle photography but has more recently branched out in the world of stylized product photography. For the last 3 years Hannah has worked at Wex Photo Video as a Senior Sales Assistant using her experience and knowledge of cameras to help people buy the equipment that is right for them. With 5 years experience working with studio lighting, Hannah has run many successful workshops teaching people how to use different lighting setups."}; var triggerHydrate = function() window.sliceComponents.authorBio.hydrate(data, componentContainer); var triggerScriptLoadThenHydrate = function() if (window.sliceComponents.authorBio === undefined) var script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = ' -9-5/authorBio.js'; script.async = true; script.id = 'vanilla-slice-authorBio-component-script'; script.onload = () => window.sliceComponents.authorBio = authorBio; triggerHydrate(); ; document.head.append(script); else triggerHydrate(); if (window.lazyObserveElement) window.lazyObserveElement(componentContainer, triggerScriptLoadThenHydrate, 1500); else console.log('Could not lazy load slice JS for authorBio') } }).catch(err => console.log('Hydration Script has failed for authorBio Slice', err)); }).catch(err => console.log('Externals script failed to load', err));Hannah RookeSocial Links NavigationStaff WriterHaving studied Journalism and Public Relations at the University of the West of England Hannah developed a love for photography through a module on photojournalism. She specializes in Portrait, Fashion and lifestyle photography but has more recently branched out in the world of stylized product photography. For the last 3 years Hannah has worked at Wex Photo Video as a Senior Sales Assistant using her experience and knowledge of cameras to help people buy the equipment that is right for them. With 5 years experience working with studio lighting, Hannah has run many successful workshops teaching people how to use different lighting setups.
Next, surf around on the web and find out what types of lens options are available for your camera. Usually, camera manufacturers also make lenses to go with their cameras. Whether you're shooting with a Canon or a Nikon, Fuji or Sony, there will be lenses made to work specifically with your camera.
Finally, as when buying a new camera, we recommend visiting your local camera or electronics store and testing out the camera lens in person. Once you've narrowed it down to one or two different lenses, head to store and see if the lens meets your expectations. While you're there, think about the weight and size of the lens, how it feels in your hands, and whether it works well with your camera.
Images, and the devices that capture them, are my focus. I've covered cameras at PCMag for the past 10 years, which has given me a front row seat for the DSLR to mirrorless transition, the smartphone camera revolution, and the mainstream adoption of drones for aerial imaging. You can find me on Instagram @jamespfisher.
If you use an SLR or mirrorless camera to make photos but haven't yet moved beyond the starter lens, you're missing out. Yes, bundled lenses, often referred to as kit zooms, cover the angles you use for most images and deliver very good quality. But they've still got some limitations. For instance, most don't gather a lot of light, so you need to use a flash to avoid grainy images in dim light.
Each camera system has a specific lens mount, so there's no cross-compatibility. It's not a simple matter of matching the brand name, either. For example, Canon sells cameras with three separate lens mounts and you can't freely swap lenses between them. Conversely, multiple brands make Micro Four Thirds cameras, so you can use an OM System M.Zuiko lens on a Panasonic Lumix camera if you please.
We've put together guides for many mirrorless and SLR systems. If you're not sure of your camera's lens mount, a quick look at the user manual or web search should help you answer the question. We list the lens mount in our review specs, so you can check there too.
There are still some wrinkles to note. Third-party lens makers, brands like Sigma, Tamron, and Venus Optics to name a few, typically offer lenses for multiple systems. It's important to take a little extra time and make sure you're adding the right one to your shopping cart.
Most bundled lenses are standard zoom designs. They cover the angles of view most useful for day-to-day photography. The exact focal length varies based on image sensor size, but you enjoy similar views from the starter zoom for Micro Four Thirds (14-42mm), APS-C (18-55mm), or full-frame (24-70mm).
To get more of the world in one shot, you need a wide-angle zoom. These lenses have smaller focal lengths, a characteristic that nets a broader angle of view. Most wide lenses use rectilinear optics to draw the world with as little distortion as possible, but you can also get fish-eye lenses if you want an extremely wide, curved view of the world.
Telephoto lenses have long focal lengths and net narrower angles of view. They're useful for snapping shots of subjects when you just can't get close. If you're interested in photographing wildlife or team sports, a telezoom is the right tool for the job.
For photographs in low light or with a blurred-background look, you need a prime lens. These lenses don't zoom, instead offering a fixed angle of view and (typically) brighter optics. You can get plenty of background blur from an F1.4, F1.8, or F2.0 prime.
Premium lenses often include control buttons and toggle switches. Some add a control ring to set the aperture or adjust other camera settings. These aren't required features for photography, but enthusiasts appreciate them.
If you're perfectly happy with your lens but are looking for some ways to do new things with your camera, there are other add-ons to consider. We like the Lensbaby Omni filter set, for instance, one that uses magnetic wands to split and filter light in interesting ways.
In other words, start by identifying your main subjects. Then, once you know what you want to photograph, choose the best lens (or lenses) for the job. Let focal length become a secondary consideration.
Zoom lenses also tend to reduce your overall kit size. For example, a landscape photographer may need to carry lenses covering ultra-wide focal lengths, standard focal lengths, and short-telephoto focal lengths. This would require a handful of primes, but can be handled using just one or two zooms.
On the other hand, prime lenses tend to offer better image quality and wider maximum apertures (often at lower prices, too). Primes are frequently far sharper than zooms, and they have fewer optical issues (such as vignetting and chromatic aberration). Plus, try comparing an 18-55mm kit lens to a 50mm prime; the 18-55mm lens will often have a maximum aperture of f/5.6 (at 50mm), while the 50mm prime will have a maximum aperture of f/1.4 or f/1.8.
Expensive lenses, on the other hand, tend to be built well, use good-quality autofocus technology (i.e., faster and quicker), and may also feature weatherproofing (which is essential if you take photos in bad weather or dusty conditions).
For example, if you own a Canon or Nikon DSLR camera, you might choose to purchase a generic Tamron or Sigma lens. Tamron and Sigma lenses are often much cheaper than the Canon or Nikon equivalents. Therefore photographers generally purchase these lenses for cost saving purposes.
If money is no option, you should buy the real deal. After all, Canon lenses are developed specifically for Canon camera bodies. While Nikon lenses are developed especially for Nikon camera bodies. No one knows their camera bodies better than Canon and Nikon.
However, I do understand that the low price of a generic lens is sometimes a photographers only choice. Especially while they are first learning. As I recommended earlier, check out the compatibility fully and ask around on message forums for the opinions of other photographers who have purchased these lenses.
Pro Camera Hawaii is a one-stop shop for all of your camera and photography needs including new cameras, lenses, filters, tripods, monopods, strobes and accessories as well as camera and lens rentals.
Normal/standard lenses were almost always sold with the camera as a kit in the film days of decades past. Today, there are still plenty of 50mm lenses available from each manufacturer (or equivalents for smaller sensors like 35mm and 24mm lenses).
Other speciality lenses included fisheye with its extreme and distorted field of view, tilt/shift lenses which are used by some architectural, studio, and landscape photographers to more precisely control perspective and focus, and the huge, exotic super-telephotos seen on the sidelines of major sporting events.
Prime lenses are often smaller and lighter than zooms, and they often have a larger maximum aperture. Prime lenses also tend to provide somewhat better optical quality than zooms. But zoom lenses win the convenience award, allowing you to carry one lens that replaces a whole bag of fixed focal length primes. 041b061a72