| What lens should I choose for nature and | | | | 400mm for land animals and 600mm for birds |
| landscape photography? | | | | (since they are often far away). |
| Quite often when you buy your first SLR (single | | | | With a telephoto lens, especially for wildlife, it can |
| lens reflex) camera, it will come bundled with a | | | | be worth spending more on a fast lens (with a |
| lens. Some stores are flexible and will let you | | | | low aperture number) but this can be costly. It is |
| choose a different lens (with varying cost) to | | | | worth looking for a camera with the IS or VR |
| take with your camera body. | | | | function - 'Image Stabilized' or 'Vibration Reducing' |
| The lens is just as important as the body you | | | | depending on the manufacturer. This means there |
| choose, and will determine the quality of your | | | | is less shake when taking a picture hand held (but |
| images. | | | | it is better to use a tripod if you are using a long |
| The aperture of the lens is important, but in | | | | telephoto). |
| terms of choosing a lens, the lower the number, | | | | Wide-angle lens |
| represents how wide the lens can open, and how | | | | Then there are wide-angle lenses, perfect for |
| fast it can work. This is because the wider a lens | | | | landscape. Because they can fit a lot into the |
| can open, the more light can be let in and the | | | | picture, you can capture much of the landscape; |
| faster an image can be taken. The aperture is | | | | foreground, a feature and perhaps the sky. As |
| represented by 'f.' and the lower the number, the | | | | they tend to have a greater depth of field, it is |
| wider it gets. So, a lens that is 50mm with an f | | | | easier to have sharp pictures. They are also |
| 2.8 is pretty fast. Why would you want this? It | | | | wonderful for building and architecture shots, as |
| means you can take pictures quickly even when | | | | you can use the wide angle to give a great sense |
| you are handholding the camera. | | | | of space. They can vary from 10mm up to |
| There are generally three types of lenses you | | | | 35mm (but bear in mind the multiplication factor |
| can choose; Standard, Telephoto and Wide Angle. | | | | with a digital camera.) |
| Lenses can also be 'fixed' or 'zoom'. | | | | Macro lens |
| What does this mean? | | | | If you want to take close up images, it is a good |
| Zoom and fixed lens | | | | idea to buy a macro lens. Macro lenses of 90mm |
| Well, a zoom lens will have two numbers, say 80 | | | | to105mm with an aperture of 2.8 are often a |
| - 200mm. This means that it can take images | | | | good choice. These can be great for pictures of |
| from 80mm to 200mm (from a standard view to | | | | insects or of small wildlife and plants. |
| fairly close up). A fixed focal lens or 'prime' lens | | | | Lens accessories |
| will not zoom in and out, but just provide one | | | | There are different accessories you can purchase |
| viewpoint. These lenses are often more | | | | in order to get other effects. |
| expensive because although they do not have the | | | | There are lens hoods, which attach to the rim of |
| flexibility of the zoom lenses, they are of higher | | | | your lens, and provide a shade from the sun. This |
| quality and can normally take pin sharp images. | | | | prevents flare; the yellow dots or beams that |
| However, the zoom lenses mean that you can | | | | sometimes occur when you take a photograph |
| carry one instead of three separate lenses and | | | | with bright sun. |
| offers more possibilities to the average | | | | Filters are an inexpensive and excellent way of |
| photographer. | | | | adding color or special effects to your images. |
| Standard lens | | | | They also protect your lens from scratches and a |
| In film format, a standard or normal lens is around | | | | lot of photographers will have a clear filter ready |
| 40mm to 55mm, although 50mm is the closest to | | | | (regardless of whether they use digital or film) to |
| how the human eye works. This makes the lens | | | | put on a lens before they dream of taking it out. |
| very user friendly and suitable for many situations. | | | | Filters can come with an adaptor, in which you |
| Telephoto lens | | | | can slot square shaped filters into it, or in a |
| The telephoto lens is a widely used choice in | | | | circular form, that you can screw on top of the |
| wildlife photography. With a telephoto, you can | | | | lens. With digital photography, the use of filters for |
| stay a fair distance back from the object you are | | | | color and enhancement is less popular because |
| photographing and close in on it. If you are | | | | effects can be added later with digital editing |
| photographing animals, quite often you do not | | | | software. |
| want to disturb them, or else they will run away. | | | | With film cameras, the number and types of |
| Additionally, if you are on safari, you cannot get | | | | filters are numerous; polarising for bringing out the |
| to close to dangerous animals - if you are in a | | | | sky and clouds, graduated for adding color to the |
| zoo, you often have to see animals from afar. | | | | sky, star filters for making stars and lights shine. |
| Telephotos can be from 85mm up to 1200mm. | | | | Companies like Cokin, Hoya and Kood make a |
| The recommended lenses for wildlife is 300mm - | | | | wide selection depending on your needs. |