| With new technology comes new opportunity. | | | | adjustable lens. This can be great if you |
| This statement is particularly true in the | | | | often have to switch between various lenses |
| case of digital cameras, and more | | | | for different shots, but it is important to |
| importantly, as the title of this article | | | | remember that not all zoom lenses have a |
| suggests, in the case of digital camera | | | | constant maximum aperture, and those that do |
| lenses.There are so many different lenses | | | | are often larger and more expensive.Although |
| with varying specifications available that it | | | | the maximum aperture may be reduced as you |
| can be quite overwhelming to find exactly | | | | zoom in using a lens with a variable maximum |
| what it is that you require from a lens, but | | | | aperture, this may not be as important to |
| that is where we step in to help.This article | | | | some photographers as the reduced cost and |
| acts as a guide to explain the jargon and to | | | | size of such lenses. Keep this in mind when |
| allow you make a better-informed purchase the | | | | purchasing a zoom lens.Add-on LensesAdd-on or |
| next time you are shopping for a new digital | | | | accessory lenses are targeted towards compact |
| camera lens.Choosing a Suitable Focal | | | | digital cameras, and allow owners of such |
| LengthFocal length is probably the most | | | | models to significantly lengthen or reduce |
| important factor that should be considered | | | | the camera's built-in focal length while at |
| when choosing a lens, and for good reason: | | | | the same time being able to automate camera |
| focal lengths determine the field-of-view of | | | | functions including f/stop settings and |
| the photos you will be able to take | | | | focusing.These lenses can be an excellent |
| successfully with your camera.The two main | | | | low-cost add-on to your digital camera, with |
| types of focal length are telephoto and | | | | telephoto add-on lenses being able to |
| wide-angle, and while telephoto lenses have a | | | | increase focal lengths by up to 300%, and |
| narrow field-of-view and are best suited for | | | | wide-angle versions allowing for reduction in |
| close-up shots and portraits, wide-angle | | | | focal lengths of up to 30%.Final |
| lenses have a wider field-of-view which is | | | | ConsiderationsThere are several other terms |
| perfect for indoor photography and | | | | to take into consideration when buying a |
| landscapes.Keep in mind that the performance | | | | digital camera lens to make sure you are |
| of lenses can differ from camera to camera, | | | | making the best purchase. If your lens |
| with the magnification power behind a lens | | | | utilizes aspheric lens elements, then you can |
| generally being greater on a digital camera | | | | rest happily with the knowledge that your |
| than on a 35mm film-based camera.The Need For | | | | lens will help produce sharper photographs |
| SpeedWhen you hear about fast and slow | | | | and help keep lens weight to a minimum.Lenses |
| lenses, reference is being made to a lens's | | | | using internal and automatic focusing also |
| maximum aperture, which is the maximum amount | | | | keep lens weight down thanks to less moving |
| of light that a lens can let in. A simple | | | | parts, and of course allow for faster |
| rule of thumb is that a fast lens lets in a | | | | focusing. Low-dispersion glass leaves photos |
| lot of light, while a slow lens lets in less | | | | looking less hazy or fuzzy, while |
| light, which defines how your photos will | | | | stabilization systems help to keep images |
| look.Maximum apertures are measured in f/stop | | | | sharp when taken using slow shutter |
| numbers, which are actually a ratio of the | | | | speeds.ConclusionHopefully this article has |
| size of the lens aperture and focal length. | | | | helped you to better understand what to look |
| The smaller the f/number, the more light is | | | | for in a digital camera lens. There are a lot |
| let in. An increment in the f/stop number | | | | of terms to remember here - so before |
| doubles the amount of light let in, so f/2.0 | | | | shopping for your new lens it may be a good |
| lets in twice as much light as f/1.4.This may | | | | idea to take the time to make a list of what |
| seem quite confusing at first, so the easiest | | | | you want to do with your camera. Then you can |
| way to make sense of it is to remember the | | | | double check your requirements against the |
| following: fast lenses are best suited | | | | features of different lenses. If you are |
| towards successful photography in darker | | | | still unsure if a lens will cater for your |
| lighting conditions, and slow lenses are | | | | needs then by all means try to test it so |
| targeted towards photography in lighter | | | | that you can see some results before you |
| conditions.The Ins and Outs of a Zoom | | | | buy!Gary Hendricks runs a hobby site on |
| LensUnlike a fixed-focal-length lens, a zoom | | | | digital photography. Visit his website at for |
| lens often gives you the diversity of a range | | | | tips and tricks on buying digital cameras, as |
| of focal lengths all rolled into a single | | | | well as shooting great photos. |