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subject distance for portraiture. This Many choices are available for full Telephoto lenses: Telephoto prime
means that, it is long enough to give frame cameras but there is some bad lenses are available from about 85
a pleasing perspective and at the news if you are a cropped sensor to 105mm (portrait lenses) and
same time short enough to allow easy D-SLR camera user. Unfortunately, for then again from 300mm to 800mm.
interaction between the subject and the these cameras the choice of wide- Beyond portrait lenses, the common
photographer. An added advantage is angle lenses is limited as few fast focal lengths are 300mm, 400mm and
that they are not too expensive if you go primes exist in this focal length range. 500mm with a couple of manufacturers
for the f/1.8 versions which are more True, you can use a full frame 18mm offering 800mm lenses. All these are
than an adequate for most purposes. lens to get an AOV of a 28mm lens on very fast and correspondingly heavy,
a cropped sensor camera, but such costing lakhs of rupees. Not just that.
If you are using a cropped sensor a lens will be large and expensive. Careful handling due to heavy weight is
camera then a normal lens of 50mm Luckily the availability of wide-angle a must. Thus, these generally give best
focal length will give you an AOV of a prime lenses is much better for CSC results when mounted on tripods. Tele-
75mm lens on a full frame camera due cameras with cropped sensors and zoom lenses (Picture 8) are available
to the crop factor. While this is a shade especially so for MFT format. in several ranges like 75-300mm,
shorter than a proper portrait lens, it 80-400mm, 150-600mm, 200-500mm
is nevertheless an attractive low-cost etc. They are very popular due to
alternative to a portrait lens (which lower weight and cost. The penalty is
will be usually more expensive). The that they are slower. However, serious
only catch is that you must maintain amateurs and even many professionals
a subject distance of at least a metre favour these due to portability and
(around 3.5 feet) or more to get a lower cost. These provide image quality
proper perspective. that may not be as good as the exotic
primes mentioned but well enough for
Wide-angle lenses: Kit lenses cover most applications including very large
a focal length as short as 28mm and prints.
this is sufficient for a great majority of
situations. This includes landscapes, Due to the crop factor, the AOV reduces
architecture (both interiors and on cropped sensor cameras. If you are
exteriors), group photos, etc. Also at into wildlife or sports photography
the short end, the maximum aperture where considerable subject distances
is f/3.5 which is not bad. So, you need Picture 7: A medium wide angle lens. This is an MFT lens are involved, this factor can give you
of 17mm which gives the classic (~) 35mm focal length
to get a new wide-angle lens only if a great benefit. If you need a 400mm
equivalent on a full frame camera. This lens has a fast
you need much wider angles or your maximum aperture of f/1.8. lens on a full frame camera, you can get
photography involves low light wide away with a 300mm lens on a cropped
angle work. sensor (APS-C) camera. This translates
to a lot of saving in cost
Before you invest in an ultra-wide and weight. This is the
lens (focal length of 21mm or less), I Picture 8: Shown here are two tele- reason why there are so
strongly suggest that you borrow one zoom lenses – a 55-300mm (left) few telephoto lenses or
and an 80-400mm (right). Both have
such lens and try it out. I am saying tele-zooms exclusively
a speed of f/4.5-5.6. The former
this for a few reasons. First, our can only be used on APS-C cropped designed for cropped
experience shows that these lenses are sensor D-SLRs. This plus the lesser sensors beyond 300mm.
focal length has resulted in a smaller
generally less useful than many think.
lens, though due to the cropped
Second, they are a bit difficult to use sensor it will have an AOV of a Super zoom lenses: Also
and there is a steep learning curve to 450mm lens on a full frame camera. called all-in-one lenses,
master their usage. Because of these these have zoom ratios of
two reasons many users quickly get 10 or greater (Picture 9).
disillusioned. They can be considered
as “big brothers” of kit
Perhaps a more useful addition would lenses since they are very
be a fast medium wide-angle (Picture similar but with larger
7) lens like a 35mm f/1.8 (or f/2). This zoom ratios, better build
in the author’s opinion is an excellent and image quality. They
choice as it is a very versatile lens are preferred by many
and many professionals swear by it. photographers for travel
The uses are many fold – landscapes, due to their compact size
interiors, low light, photo-journalism, and low weight (as they Smart Photography
street, environmental portraits and replace several lenses). February 2018
what not! Many users who dislike

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