Choosing a Good DSLR Lens
While most people concentrate on which camera to buy, which tripod to get, which lighting gear should be purchased, all the other accessories that go along with digital photography, most don’t have the foggiest clue when it comes to choosing the glass on the front of their cameras. Almost all professional photographers will agree that the quality of a photograph is more dependent upon the lens on the camera than the camera itself.
It only makes sense when you think about it logically. If photography is about capturing images using light, then the medium through which that light flows becomes not only an integral part of the process, but also a highly important one as well. The quality of the lens will determine how clear and pristine the light influencing the image sensor will be and therefore have a dramatic effect on the overall image.
The first tip worth note in choosing a lens for your camera is to get the best you can possibly afford. The time to be frugal is not when purchasing your lenses. You can cut corners in many of the other areas by going for the mid-range models or the lower priced items, but when it comes to glass, you get what you pay for.
There is plenty of information on the net that can help you decide upon whether to get a zoom, telephoto, fisheye, wide-angle, prime, macro, or whatever type lens needed for particular styles of photography or certain applications, so I will cut to the chase and try not to re-invent the wheel. Choosing a good lens is not so much about how it will be used, but what goes into the making of the lens itself.
Glass
A camera lens is an attempt to mimic the human eye. There is a way to focus, change the amount of light entering, and depth perception. When lens makers are in the manufacture process, the beginning stages of the game are a lot like fine dining. If you want a superior product, you must start with superior materials. The best glass makers will only use the best materials, and you will pay the best money for their work.
Take some time to do some preliminary research to find out which lens manufacturers make lenses for your particular model of camera and then research their process of manufacture from beginning to end. When you find the right combination of quality, experience, proven success, and price range, you will have found your winner.
Try Before You Buy
If you go into a local camera shop, you won’t get very far (in most cases) trying to borrow a lens for the weekend to see how it performs. Fortunately, the internet has spawned many such opportunities for photographers to rent lenses before making a purchase, or for very specialized situations. Before you shell out the big bucks for a lens you need for a particular setup that only come along once in a blue moon, you might want to drop a few less bucks on a rental from one of the many rental houses online. They will ship the lens (and even cameras and other accessories) directly to your home.
One such place is BorrowLenses.com. They will rent various pieces of photographic gear to you for as little as a few days or by the week. You can save a great deal of money, time, and frustration by looking through their inventory and using lenses that fit your particular camera instead of having to layout thousands of dollars for that special lens.
In the end, a good lens will add that special something to your photos at which others will marvel and be amazed. It will set you apart from the crowd of wannabe’s with high-end cameras but lacking the understanding on good lenses and proper technique. Find the right combination of lens, camera, lighting, composition, and creativity and you will have something very special indeed.
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