Tips for choosing lenses for Digital SLR cameras

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Tips to understand and mix and match between the digital SLR camera with a lens as needed.

If you are a beginner in the world of photography you may want to soon have a new lens than the kit lens you already have. Before you buy a lens, you make sure the field of photography to be your field, whether traveling or photography landscape photography, architecture, macro photography, photography for weddings or journalism photography. If you already understand how mixing and matching between the lens and digital SLR camera, then you do not need to carry a camera, and lens equipment as a photographer in this photo.

 Lenses can be categorized into several classes based on specific categories, which include:

Focal length

The shorter the focus of an increasingly wide-view lens obtained, or also called wide angle lens / wide angle lens. The focal lengths of the lens while the narrower point of view but the higher magnification of the recorded object, or often referred to as the zoom lens. Judging from the focal length and usefulness, we can categorize the lens into several classes, among others:

Wide and ultra wide angle lens

 This lens has a focal 35 mm or shorter. The wider the angle of view lens more the objects recorded, this type of lens is perfect for photographing landscapes (landscape), buildings, activities that involve a lot of people like the traditional ceremonies, dances, or a large family photo. In addition to the wide angle lens is very useful when you are close to the object that you want to photograph. These lenses also provide 3-dimensional effect on the resulting image.

Standard lens.

Has focused 50 or 55 mm, this lens is usually the lens is also an innate / kit lens when we buy a new camera. This type of lens is suitable for day-to-day needs in the photograph.

Telephoto lenses.

Focal length lens (focal length) lens ranges from 85-200 mm. Long enough for you to take pictures of objects that are not too close to you, for example, a candid photograph of children who were playing without disturbing their game, or focus on a candid photograph dancer dancers among others.

Super Telephoto lens.

With a focal length of 300-800 mm, extreme lens is suitable for taking pictures of wildlife such as birds were in the nest, or maybe even photographing wild animals even without having to reposition ourselves in danger with him. This type of lens is also frequently used in the world of sports. High cost and the long form and weight makes this lens is usually only used by serious photography enthusiasts.

Fixed Lens and Zoom Lens.

Fix focus lens has a fixed value, or more simply the lenses cannot be used to zoom the object, meaning that you have to run toward or away to zoom in / out objects. The advantage of this lens is smaller than the zoom lens, as well as the results obtained sharper. Fix lens also has a wide opening so as to produce the effect of blur / bokeh better. Zoom lens has a focal range of purposes, such as focusing lenses 18-135 mm. Excess is the flexibility of zoom lens, the one we can get focus lens for wide angle and zoom lenses as well. The disadvantage is the large size and sharpness quality of the results obtained are still below the fixed lens.

Fix & Variable Aperture

Some lenses are also made with a fixed aperture, with aperture diaphragm that cannot be changed. Lenses like this are usually worth relatively expensive compared to lenses with variable aperture (aperture change focal length follow-fox)

  

Fast Lens.

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The term given to the lens fast lens with a large aperture capability (aperture) is characterized by a small value of f (erg f/2.8). With a large aperture opening that lets light into the camera to be large, the impact is the ability to use a high enough shutter speed (so called fast lens) in conditions that are less light / dark to avoid objects to be blurry (especially the moving object, say dancers who was dancing at night with a torch light). Hence this lens is best used in less lighting conditions without having to lower the shutter speed and ISO to rise, so that the results would be better than regular lenses. In addition, the effect of a large aperture also creates a narrow depth of field, so you can make the effects of blur / bokeh in the background of photos with more ease and better.

Important note before buying lenses:

So how do we choose the lens? The first of course to ask yourself what you need. Is it only for the purposes of taking a trip with a holiday or special interest such as photographing landscapes (you need a wide angle lens or zoom lens), or the wild life (requires a telephoto or super-telephoto lens).

Some other tips and solutions that you can consider before buying lenses include:

1. Faster lens is better than a slower lens. Choose a lens with f values ​​as small as possible.

2. Lens with a fixed aperture (f value is fixed) is better, although these lenses are usually high-priced.

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3. Fix lens (lens with fixed focus) have a sharper result, but the zoom lens is more flexible in taking mood quickly from somewhere without you having to move back and forth so it is likely you will lose the desired moment.

4. Consider also the quality of the lens material if you have more funds. Some upscale lenses are made with good materials and even resistant to weather changes.

5. Before buying a lens, make sure you choose the lenses fit your budget and needs. If your budget is not enough to buy the original lens (OEM) in accordance with your camera, then you can buy a used lens or third party lenses manufactured by Sigma, Tamron, Tokina or Samyang. Now Tamron, Rokinon or Sigma lenses have been produced specifically lenses for Canon, Sony or Nikon with good quality. Tokina and Samyang also have been producing high quality for the special and specific needs. If the Sigma and Tamron has produced almost all types of lenses, the Samyang and Tokina make lenses more unique that may not have been made by Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony or other lens factory like Rokinon, Carl Zeiz, Leica, Olympus, and Panasonic or by Sigma and Tamron.

If you are serious about photography, then you will find many kinds of lenses such as fish-eye lens, lens baby and forth like a lens to the needs of the police investigation at the crime scene, the lens for photos of stars, and the lens to support the military, scientific and lenses to science knowledge.

*) Lens OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer).