Lenses
Yes, on an SLR, the Lens probably decides upword of about 80% of the quality if not more.
Type of lenses are as follows:
Normal Lens: A lens that has a focal length roughly equal to the diagonal of the sensor. So, on a full frame sensor that is 50mm. On a cropped sensor that is about 32mm or 35mm which is a standard size.
Wide Angle Lens: A lens that has a focal length less than a normal lens or < style="font-weight: bold;">Telephoto Lens: Focal Length >35 mm.
Good for: Portraits, brighter-light, enlarging far-off objects
What does it do: Flattens or reduces distances, shallow DOF
Zoom Lens: Allows multiple focal lengths on same lens. Can have both normal and wide-angle on same lens.
Good for: Allows more composition options on a single lens
What does it do: Multiple glass elements, quality is a generally a bit compromised, heavy, costly
Prime Lens: Only one fixed focal length
Good for: Very fast = very wide apertures (1.2f, 1.4f, 2f)
What does it do: Single lens element optimized for a single focal length, generally better quality, cheaper
Macro Lens: Designed to focus within 6 -7 inches
Good for: Small object (or Macro -- yeah weird) photography
What does it do: Produces 1-to-1 ratio of objects in frame
Fast Lens: A lens with wide aperture (1.2f, 1.4f, 2f, 2.8f) as this allows more light and hens you can shoot at relatively lower shutter speeds.
Quality and\or Costliness
Type of lenses are as follows:
Normal Lens: A lens that has a focal length roughly equal to the diagonal of the sensor. So, on a full frame sensor that is 50mm. On a cropped sensor that is about 32mm or 35mm which is a standard size.
Wide Angle Lens: A lens that has a focal length less than a normal lens or < style="font-weight: bold;">Telephoto Lens: Focal Length >35 mm.
Good for: Portraits, brighter-light, enlarging far-off objects
What does it do: Flattens or reduces distances, shallow DOF
Zoom Lens: Allows multiple focal lengths on same lens. Can have both normal and wide-angle on same lens.
Good for: Allows more composition options on a single lens
What does it do: Multiple glass elements, quality is a generally a bit compromised, heavy, costly
Prime Lens: Only one fixed focal length
Good for: Very fast = very wide apertures (1.2f, 1.4f, 2f)
What does it do: Single lens element optimized for a single focal length, generally better quality, cheaper
Macro Lens: Designed to focus within 6 -7 inches
Good for: Small object (or Macro -- yeah weird) photography
What does it do: Produces 1-to-1 ratio of objects in frame
Fast Lens: A lens with wide aperture (1.2f, 1.4f, 2f, 2.8f) as this allows more light and hens you can shoot at relatively lower shutter speeds.
Quality and\or Costliness
- inherent glass quality
- Aperture or how fast a lens is (those opening wider, smaller f stops) will generally be better and more expensive)
- Constant Aperture (generally zooms with multiple focal lengths will offer maximum apertures that are different for the range. 18-55, 3.5-4.5f: meaning at 18mm you can set the f stop max to 3.5 and at 55mm you can set the f stop to 4.5 max)
- Zoom range
