Shopping for a zoom lens is no easy task. There hundreds of options on the market—and, to make matters worse, they all have confusing titles with numbers and abbreviations. How can you possibly weed through all of the choices to find the right lens for you?
Fortunately, you don't have to learn a second language to score the perfect lens. Here's a simplified explanation of how to shop for a zoom lens.
Go with the right brand.
A Canon zoom lens isn't going to work with your Nikon camera body. You can't mix and match brands, so you'll need to get a lens that is the same brand as your camera body. Third-party or independent zoom lenses are available; however, you'll consistently get the best image quality from your camera maker's lenses.
Check out the focal lengths.
Zoom lenses feature two focal lengths in the lens name. A mid-range zoom lens will have a range between 18-55mm, while a telephoto zoom will have a much larger and higher range, typically somewhere between 55-300 mm. Lenses up to 200mm will suffice for most photography.
Fortunately, you don't have to learn a second language to score the perfect lens. Here's a simplified explanation of how to shop for a zoom lens.
Go with the right brand.
A Canon zoom lens isn't going to work with your Nikon camera body. You can't mix and match brands, so you'll need to get a lens that is the same brand as your camera body. Third-party or independent zoom lenses are available; however, you'll consistently get the best image quality from your camera maker's lenses.
Check out the focal lengths.
Zoom lenses feature two focal lengths in the lens name. A mid-range zoom lens will have a range between 18-55mm, while a telephoto zoom will have a much larger and higher range, typically somewhere between 55-300 mm. Lenses up to 200mm will suffice for most photography.
Look at the lens aperture.
You'll see a number like f/2.8 or f/4 indicating the maximum aperture of the lens. Zoom lenses sometimes have variable aperture range, such as f/3.5-5.6. If there is an f-stop range in the lens title, it simply means that the lens aperture will vary depending upon how zoomed-in you are. With a lower f-stop number you have a wider aperture, meaning that he lens will let in more light. You'll get fast shutter speeds and tight depths of field in your photos with a higher aperture. Keep in mind, though, that the lower the f-number, the more expensive the lens will be.
Consider image stabilization
Image or optical stabilization helps to minimize the effects of slight camera movement during shooting. This feature combats camera shake, giving you crisp, clear photos. Many camera bodies have an image stabilizer, though, so it may not be necessary to have this feature in your zoom lens.
Stay within your budget
Zoom lenses can cost hundreds – or even thousands – of dollars. Determine the amount you want to spend and choose the best lens at that price. You may not be able to purchase the latest, top-of-the-line model, but do you really need to? Good photographers don't always need the very best lenses to get great shots—a 'good enough' lens can still help you take high-quality zoomed photos.
You'll see a number like f/2.8 or f/4 indicating the maximum aperture of the lens. Zoom lenses sometimes have variable aperture range, such as f/3.5-5.6. If there is an f-stop range in the lens title, it simply means that the lens aperture will vary depending upon how zoomed-in you are. With a lower f-stop number you have a wider aperture, meaning that he lens will let in more light. You'll get fast shutter speeds and tight depths of field in your photos with a higher aperture. Keep in mind, though, that the lower the f-number, the more expensive the lens will be.
Consider image stabilization
Image or optical stabilization helps to minimize the effects of slight camera movement during shooting. This feature combats camera shake, giving you crisp, clear photos. Many camera bodies have an image stabilizer, though, so it may not be necessary to have this feature in your zoom lens.
Stay within your budget
Zoom lenses can cost hundreds – or even thousands – of dollars. Determine the amount you want to spend and choose the best lens at that price. You may not be able to purchase the latest, top-of-the-line model, but do you really need to? Good photographers don't always need the very best lenses to get great shots—a 'good enough' lens can still help you take high-quality zoomed photos.
RSS Feed
