DSLR Lens - Analysis and Buying Guide - 2023
No matter how good your DSLR camera is, you won't get the best results if you don't have the right lens. After all, a camera is only as good as the lens used with it, so any budding photographer should take care to select the best DSLR camera lens for their needs.
Finding the right lens for you can be difficult, especially if you're just starting out in photography or have recently switched to a DSLR from a point-and-shoot camera. There's a lot of lens-specific jargon you need to learn, which can be puzzling to everyone except professionals.
We've put together this buying guide to cut through the jargon and help you locate the perfect lens for your DSLR camera.
Types of DSLR Camera Lenses
- Kit Lenses :
Kit lenses are the standard DSLR camera lenses that come with the camera body if you buy it in a package. Kit lenses are highly versatile, allowing you to zoom out for wide-angle landscape photography or zoom in for portraits or basic macro photography. However, as is often the case, they tend to work adequately for multiple purposes rather than doing one thing extremely well.
- 50mm Lenses :
These are "prime" DSLR camera lenses - lenses with a single fixed focal point. They are perhaps the most widely used lenses because they are ideal for portraits and street photography. Although they lack the ability to zoom in and out, they take sharper and clearer photos than lenses with the ability to zoom in. They also tend to have a wide aperture, so they're good for low-light photography, such as shooting at live music events, particularly in small, intimate venues.
- Wide Angle Lenses:
Wide angle lenses can be prime lenses or have a varifocal range. They're designed for when you need a wider field of view to fit a lot into the frame. If you regularly shoot panoramic landscapes or architecture, you'll need a decent wide-angle lens in your arsenal, but they're not very useful for portraits or close-ups.
- Fisheye Lenses :
Although a bit more specialized than some lenses, many photographers love to experiment with fisheye lenses. These ultra wide angle lenses protrude at the end and offer a 100° to 180° field of view, resulting in a wide panoramic or hemispherical image with a degree of visual distortion.
- Macro Lenses :
If you care about the little things, a macro lens is what you need. Macro lenses are perfect for taking photos of insect life, close-ups of flowers, and detail photos for e-commerce. For bugs and other mini-beasts, a macro lens with a longer focal point is best, so you don't have to get too close and startle your subject.
- Telephoto Lenses :
Not only paparazzi need telephoto lenses. Since you can zoom in to photograph your subjects from a distance, telephoto lenses are ideal for wildlife photography, stadium concerts, and sporting events. However, telephoto lenses can be expensive, especially those with extremely long focal lengths.
DSLR Camera Lens Features
- Focal length
The focal length of a DSLR camera lens refers to the distance (in millimeters) from the point of convergence of the lens to the camera sensor when the subject is in focus. It tells you which part of the scene will fit in your photos. This may sound confusing, but the most important piece of information is that the shorter the focal length, the wider the shot and the more that will fit in each frame. The 14mm, 20mm, 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm lenses are wide-angle lenses that fit a lot in every frame. You'll fit less in your photo with a 50mm to 100mm lens, but the scene will be magnified.
- Opening
The size of the aperture determines how much light can pass through the lens and reach the sensor. The lens aperture is expressed as the lowercase letter f followed by a number, so it is often referred to as the "f-stop." The lower the number, the larger the aperture and the more light can enter the camera. A camera with an f-stop of f/1.8 has a larger aperture than one with f/22. Large aperture lenses are ideal for action shots because they can use a faster shutter speed in normal light without darkening the image. Larger apertures are also ideal for shooting in low light conditions.
- Lens Mount
Each camera manufacturer has its own lens mount; for example, Canon lenses are only compatible with Canon camera bodies. The only exceptions are Olympus and Panasonic, whose DSLR cameras use a Four Thirds mount. Third-party manufacturers sometimes make each lens with a variety of lens mount options to fit different cameras.
- Image Stabilization
Some lenses have image stabilization to help prevent blurring when taking photos handheld or the like. Unless your camera body has image stabilization, we definitely recommend a lens with this feature. It is particularly important with telephoto lenses because they produce more image movement at long focal lengths.
Tips
Pay attention to the format compatibility of the sensors. DSLR cameras have APS-C or full-frame sensors (the latter are usually found in high-end professional models). Lenses designed to be compatible with full-frame cameras work well on cameras with APS-C sensors, but not the other way around.
Choose the right lens for your camera. Although you can purchase adapters to avoid lens mount compatibility issues, you'll generally get better results with lenses that fit your camera without an adapter.
Think about concentration. The vast majority of modern lenses offer an autofocus function, but many also allow manual focus, which advanced photographers may appreciate.
Size Matters. Check the size and weight of your camera lens, especially if you buy a large telephoto lens. Some can be quite difficult to handle.
Other Products We Consider
With thousands of DSLR camera lenses available, spanning all manner of brands and types, choosing just five is a challenge. We consider a large number of other lenses that might be of interest.
If you're looking for a wide-angle lens for a Canon, the Canon EF-S Lens is an exceptional choice. Optimized lens element placement gives excellent image quality, and the seven-blade circular aperture produces soft backgrounds. The Canon EF USM Macro Lens is an excellent choice for capturing tiny objects and close-up details, but it also shines for portraiture of people and animals. Although too expensive for most budgets, the Nikon AF-S FX is amazing in situations where you can't get close to the action. It is the preferred lens for nature photographers, but also works well for concerts and sporting events in large venues.
FAQ
Que. How should I store my DSLR lenses when I'm not using them?
Ans. To prevent scratches, put the front and rear lens caps on your lens before storing it, and put it in a suitable case to help protect it. You can buy both soft and hard cases for your camera lenses.
Que. What is the correct way to clean a DSLR camera lens?
Ans. You can use a soft, clean, damp cloth to remove dust and smudges from the camera lens. Alternatively, you can purchase special lens cleaning products or lens cleaning kits that contain cloths, a mild cleaning solution, and other helpful cleaning tools.
Que. Do I need to use a monopod or tripod to get good photos?
Ans. While a monopod or tripod is not essential for most photography, certain types of photos and lenses could benefit from the use of a tripod or monopod. When trying to get a close-up with a macro lens, you can often get a much sharper image with a tripod or monopod. They're also great for telephoto shots, long exposures, or for use with lenses that don't have image stabilization.