articles/Nature/howtobuyalens-page1

How To Buy A Lens - part 1 of 1 2 3 4

by Mike McNamee Published 01/04/2010

In the previous article, Jon Ashton touched on the choice of lens for natural history and garden birds in particular. We decided not to waste the analysis we had conducted when trying to put some order in the price of lenses and this, in turn, morphed into this feature.

More than any other item, except perhaps for camera bags, the choice of lenses on offer is so vast that any decision to buy is a mass of compromises, a situation sometimes only solved by the purchase of more than one lens!

The decision to buy a lens runs something like this:


1. You have to start with a need for a lens, rather than a desire to collect neck-jewellery (leave that for the amateurs, but never forget - they buff up the profits so we can have what we need!).
2. What is the image you wish to capture and, crucially, how far away is it and how big? A secondary issue - 'is it dangerous?'.
3. What are your anticipated light levels and shutter speed requirements - this will determine your ISO requirements and may be reflected in your choice of camera body?

4. What are your depth of field requirements? For portraiture they may need to be minimal (buy a really wide-aperture lens!) and for macro they will almost certainly be as much as you can have (so other than assisting with focus, a wide aperture is a bit of a waste).
5. What is your budget? This may influence the decision to buy OEM, independent, second hand or even to hire a lens.
6. Think about secondary things such as weight, physical size, vibration reduction and how you intend to hold the camera. This has assumed greater importance if you have to travel on an aeroplane.

Does your intended use benefit from having a zoom facility? (see next section).

• How To Buy A Lens page 1
  
• How To Buy A Lens page 2
  
• How To Buy A Lens page 3
  
• How To Buy A Lens page 4
  

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