PHOTOGRAPHY 101 – LENS, part 2
Previous 101 articles are in our blog archives.
As we talked about before, your glass (lens) makes a huge difference to the finished image. It’s not just about megapixels and sensors (though very important); a good lens can make an image either sub par, or cause a double take! The good thing about spending money on a lens is that technology won’t make it obsolete in 3 years (well, probably – you never know these days!) like a digital camera or computer. With lens, it’s still about quality materials and craftmanship – technology just makes things nicer.
Let’s talk about some of those nice features:
Vibration Reduction (VR) or Optical Stabilization:
Different companies call it diferent things, but this feature helps sharpen the image when you’re shutter speed is too slow for the movement of your body, creating “shutter shake” in your image…the image becomes a bit blurry – not because of a focus issue, but because of shutter shake. Now, pros don’t always appreciate this feature, because, if you are shooting in ideal circumstances, and with a tripod – you sacrifice sharpness because the lens will try and compensate anyway!
Silent Wave: More expensive lens have the technology to zoom and focus with great speed and at barely a whisper. A must for a pro, nice for the consumer.
Lens Hoods: From a great colleague in the business, Ken Rockwell (if you want unbiased reviews before buying, he’s the man!): “There is a reason that lens hoods are included with your lens. It’s not because these companies are ‘nice’, or ‘generous’…no, but the hood is PART of the lens.” What he means is, the hood is a major part in the consideration of the manufacturing and performance of the lens. It is meant to be there…your images will have better color saturation as well as keep intruding light (and those pesky lens flares) away.
Zoom vs. Fixed
Zoom lens are incredibly convenient, and almost all modern cameras have them included. However, with few exceptions, a fixed lens is going to be slightly sharper. You will still find many commercial, still life, and landscape photographers that are avid fixed lens users. One exception to this principle, is the jaw dropping, drool causing, get-u-hoppin Nikon 14-24mm wide angle zoom…which, according to Ken, is a bit sharper than the fixed version.
On an ending, but important note, the Focal Length, or zoom capacity of your lens can either flatter a person or make them look AWEFUL! It’s simple – zoom out all the way (lots to see in viewfinder) and the image starts to stretch (think big noses!). Zoom in all the way (closeup) and you instantly flatter faces! Next time we will go into more detail on this, which is called “perspective”, the “sweet spot” of some lens, as well as notes on macro (closeup photography).
Cheers!
Daniel Jolly
Ps. – we have lot’s of photography items for sale or for free use (like our light-table and loupe) to help out. Come on in!
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