What to think about when choosing a Zoom lens
Before buying a lens it is good to clarify what you expect from it, and for what purpose it will be used. Each has different requirements for brightness, focus and image quality. Zoom lens advantage compared with fixed focus lenses is their versatility.
It is easy to change the lenses, often you'll only need one zoom. However one drawback of using an optical zoom lens is that it may suffer from defects and distortions.
Original vs. unoriginal
Remember that your SLR or mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera is only compatible with lenses of the same brand. That means for example that Canon lenses are not compatible with Nikon cameras and vice versa.
The original objectives:
- Canon
- Nikon
- Olympus
- Pentax
- Sony
The exception is unoriginal lenses, for example, from Sigma or Tamron that offer lenses compatible with your camera. The word "unoriginal" does not mean worse!
Unoriginal lenses:
- Sigma
- Tamron
- Tokina
- Samyang
Focal distance
Angle shot shows the area that the lens is able to capture and transmit with the sensor. With the focal length, this angle changes and the selection of the lens also develops.The advantage of a zoom lens is the possibility to change the shooting angle, which is not possible with lenses with a fixed focal point.
Dividing lenses according to focal length:
- Fish Eye (8-16 mm) - an extremely wide viewing angle that distorts perspective. Previously used for photographing the sky.
- wide-angle lens (16-35 mm) - provide a large angle, which is suitable for shooting landscapes or architecture.
- Basic (35 - 100 mm) - versatile lens that is suitable both for landscapes and portraits.
- Telephoto lenses (100-300 mm) - Lenses are designed with a great approximation when photographing animals in wild nature or sporting events.
- Super telephoto (300 - 1200 mm) - lenses for a specific use, which are very expensive and structurally challenging.
