What type of lens is used in a camera

All lenses attach to the camera using some sort of locking lens mount. These come in bayonet, screw-thread, and friction-lock varieties, and they act to attach the lens to the camera body and join any electrical connections. Each camera manufacturer has its own design, and while they often look very similar, they are not interchangeable. When shopping for a camera lens be sure it has the proper fit so that it will mount on your camera.

Most third-party lens manufacturers sell the same lens with different mounts to cater for this. You should choose your lenses based on the subjects and situations you intend to photograph rather than the lens's size and weight, but these can be important as a final consideration. The most important factor is the lens's focal length - longer lenses tend to be bigger and heavier.

Aperture also plays a small role in the lens's weight, with a wider aperture requiring a more complex, heavier internal construction. Any extra features such as silent focusing or internal focusing will also generally increase the weight, especially for longer lenses.

If you intend to shoot hand-held, a lighter lens is better as it will be easier to move around and won't ache your arms when used for extended periods. Heavier lenses are sometimes necessary, and you should support them properly using a tripod or monopod.

However, be aware that this will reduce your mobility. The size of a camera lens can be important if you need to carry it in a travel bag or pack it to take on a plane, where space is limited. For these purposes, some manufacturers make lenses which are lighter and more compact than their counterparts, but this will increase the cost. Begin by listing the types of subject you intend to photograph.

This may be a single type, such as "portraits", or it may be several, such as "portraits and close sports". Use the table above to select a suitable range of focal lengths to shop for. If your subjects are too far apart e. Next, consider the likely lighting conditions you will experience. Be sure to consider the worst case scenario so that you can choose a lens that will cover all situations.

If you will be using your lens in low light then a wide maximum aperture is essential - you should aim for at least f2. If you will mostly be using your lens outdoors in daylight then a wide aperture isn't quite so important, but is still preferable.

If there are any special features you require, such as silent autofocus, then list these too. Try not to add these extras just for the sake of it, as they can push the price up quite significantly, and aren't worth it if you won't use them. Once you have your lens spec mapped out, you can begin looking for specific models.

Online stores like Amazon and Adorama are a good place to start, and you can get opinions on particular lenses by visiting review sites and forums.

With some research you should be able to narrow your selection to a handful of suitable products. In general, if you own a Canon or Nikon camera, the best lenses are the ones made by those manufacturers, but there are also some excellent third-party brands such as Tamron, Sigma, and Tokina, which tend to be cheaper.

If you can't find a suitable lens that's within your budget then resist the temptation to buy something cheaper but which doesn't quite do what you want it to do. Camera lenses tend to last for years, so it's usually better to wait and save money until you can afford the one you really want. Waterfalls are beautiful but technically difficult to photograph. Discover how to master the technical and creative aspects of waterfall photography. Sports events are full of passion, excitement and emotion.

There are photography opportunities everywhere; you just need to look in the right places. Motorsport is fast and exciting, but it can be challenging to photograph well. Learn how to capture stunning motorsport shots. Lightning photography is very tricky, requiring lots of patience and luck, but it can also be one of the most fun and rewarding subjects to shoot.

Vertical panoramas offer a unique and interesting alternative to the normal horizontal kind. Use them in your photography to provide an unusual view. Cars make great subjects, but it is easy to take photos that look like simple snapshots.

Learn how to take more dynamic, interesting car photos. Types of Camera Lens There are dozens of different types of lens available, designed for use in a wide range of circumstances. Fortunately, camera lenses can be broken down into two types, zoom lenses and prime lenses.

Zoom lenses have variable focal lengths, so with a mm lens for example, you can zoom from 70mm all the way up to mm. A prime lens is a classic style that has been around as long as cameras have. Prime lenses have a fixed focal range, which means that you can't zoom in or out. The main advantage of prime lenses is that they specialise in just one focal length. In other words, they are finely tuned to deliver on one specific type of photography, unlike a zoom lens which can be used in a multitude of cases.

Because of this, prime lenses produce much higher quality images than a zoom lens in general, but you will need to know in which situation you can use them. For example, the 50mm prime lens, otherwise known as the Nifty Fifty, is perfect for portraits, as the focal length is seen to be as close to the human eye as possible. These big lenses are found within a range of mm up to mm, sometimes even more. Telephoto lenses are bulky and may require a tripod to support them, making them nowhere near as practical as a standard zoom lens.

If you are a professional wildlife photographer, sports photographer, or if you photograph the night sky and the stars, then a telephoto lens can be invaluable. Wide angles have a wider focal field, allowing you to essentially capture more of the scene in front of you than say a zoom lens. For this reason, wide angles are perfect for photographing landscapes, as you can capture more of the scenery and create a much more vivid picture.

A fisheye lens is basically an ultra-wide-angle lens, offering an enormous field of view. This is achieved by modifying the position of the optics in relation to the camera sensor. This type of lens is not commonly used by the regular public, but rather in specialized photography careers such as architecture photography and fine art photography.

Prime lenses have a fixed focal length, while zoom lenses provide a range of focal lengths you can easily change. Because they do not have internal moving parts other than the diaphragma, prime lenses tend to be cheaper and lighter, as well as having better optical quality than zoom lenses.

Zoom lenses are much more flexible and allow you to photograph a wide range of subjects without having to change your gear. However, zoom lens tend to be slower and rarely match the perfection in quality of prime lenses. The speed of a lens is determined by its aperture. Since photography is all about light, hence the name, you should always aim to use a faster lens, especially if you want to become a professional photographer. Their only downside is the pricing tag, as each additional stop can easily double the price of the lens.

By Judit Ruiz Ricart. Editor of the Wix Photography Blog. Oct 29, Recent Posts See All. Post not marked as liked