Getting hold of the appropriate camera lenses is imperative if you have any intentions of taking snaps that might otherwise be complex to gauge. Technically challenging shots will never have the real essence or aura unless captured through highly intricate lenses that are categorically meant for taking such shots. This might certainly hurt highly experienced photographers too, but the fact remains that if the right kind of lenses are not used or implemented, then the essence of the shot is lost in translation. The right kind of lens helps the photographer to get into the mode and gauge the object, subsequently getting the right angle and clicking.

Having appropriate lenses is also critical for they help in determining the efficacy with which the subject is transferred on the film in the form of an image. There are a lot of cameras that ask for specific lenses and simply do not have the designs to accept any other. The lenses required for these cameras are very rare to find and the photographer has to do a lot of reconnaissance to get hold of them. Plenty of independent lens manufacturers have tried to benefit from this deficiency that requires suppliers to come out with quality lenses suitable for all cameras. Underwater photography requires macro lenses that are necessary to capture the aquatic movement of the fish. Since water slows down the optical resolution, it is not possible to take such shots with micro lenses whose image resolution might be highly negligible.

Having said that, micro lenses work fabulously while shot in air. The smallest lens might be having the highest order of resolution. The focal length in lenses also differs extensively with many lenses not having identical lengths. Focal length determines the extent to which the shot can be trapped, has a strong presence to play in the size of images and the clarity with which the final result will be released also depends on it. The length of the lenses also plays an important role in exquisite photography. Shutter speed is a big requirement in longer lenses where as shorter lenses do not need that. Wildlife photography requires lenses with high resolution as a wild animal that has to be shot from a distance will always be in motion and lower resolution would mean that the shot does not come out with clarity.

Critical shots will always demand special lenses. Without these lenses, shots will be very tough to capture and the precise expression that is required of them will take a vicious beating. Optical resolution also might not be the same, which ultimately leads to a situation where the snaps turn out to be highly dissatisfactory. To avert such fiascos from happening, it is always advised that photographers take hold of the right kind of lenses so that the spirit and heart of photography is captured in the shot that would not just be an image but a portrait taken with a lot of caution, precision and benevolence.

You can go for camera lens rental at The LensPro. Also offering some of the valuable camera resources.

Camera Lenses FAQ:

Question: My olympus camera lens is broken?
My Olympus ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras is broken. On the part of the lens that connects with the camera, the little black bits that connect the lens to the camera are broken, is there any way to get this fixed, or do I have to buy a new lens?

Answer: I do not know if your lens is under warranty or not, that makes a big difference on going for a repair. If under warranty, then repair it and if the lens is not under warranty, then you can find a service repair center and get an estimate for a repair. If the estimate is high, then get a new lens.

If you have to get a new lens, then shop for a new or used Olympus lens or a lens made to work on Olympus cameras by a respected independent lens maker like Tamron, Sigma, or Tokina.

Question: Focusing Diana lenses on DSLR-camera?
I have considered purchasing Diana F+ Lens Adaptor for my DSLR camera, but wondered how does the focusing work? Are the lenses manual focus or somekind of fixed focusing?

Answer: As a rangefinder camera focusing a Diana was always difficult. Using it as an SLR when the image looks sharp in the viewfinder it will be sharp on the film plane.

Question: Samsung digital camera D1070 lens stuck halfway and won’t take photos?
I have a samsung D1070 camera and I took it outside for about 10 minutes in very cold weather but took it back in the warm, and now when I turn it on, the lens comes out halfway and beeps 3 times. I can view photos but can’t take any.

Answer: If there isn’t obvious damage caused to it (like being dropped or dunked into water) you may want to try and claim this on warranty. I’m not sure how cold it was, but still manufacturers leave a little margin for error.

If warranty has run out or won’t pay, then it’s probably better to buy a new camera rather than paying for a replacement.

Question: Does anyone know how to fix A “casio exilim” camera that keeps saying “lens error” everytime you turn it on?
It is my father’s camera and I accidentally dropped it on the kitchen table. I really didn’t mean to and I need help. Help me find away to home repair it.

Answer: There’s no way to fix it yourself. You’re gonna have to bring it to a professional to get it repaired. But you might want to check the repair cost first. If the repair cost is more than the original cost of your camera, it’s probably better to get a new camera.

Question: My digital camera says it has a Lens/ Focus error. What can I do to fix this immediately?
I have a FUJIFILM S5100 with 10x optical zoom. Very recently I tried to use my camera and as soon as I turned it on it read on the screen that there was a FOCUS ERROR. I just had used it a couple of minutes earlier and everything was fine. What can I do to fix this immediately?

Answer: Look at your user manual or use the link below to the online S1500 user manual. Page 104 says if you see this message turn the camera off then back on. If the message persists contact Fuji service. Pages 114 through 117 list the worldwide contact phone numbers.

Question: I just purchased a Fujifilm A170 digital camera. What do the indications on the lens mean?
What do the indications f=5.7 – 17.1mm 1:2.9- 5.2 on the cover of the lens mean?

Answer: 5.7-17 is the focal length of the lens. Digicams have wide angle lenses. On a full frame 35mm camera, that would be a fisheye. But the digicam has a much smaller sensor, so that is more like a “normal” lens.

The 1:2.9-5.2 is the maximum aperture range, or the width of the lens opening. At the wide angle 5.7mm, the maximum aperture is 2.9. At the “telephoto” end 17mm, the maximum aperture decreases to 5.2. (In aperture terms, the bigger the opening the smaller the number. So f/2.9 is a larger opening than f/5.2. f/2.9 lets in more light through a bigger opening, with less depth of field.) The aperture, combined with ISO and shutter speed control your exposure by deciding how much light is captured by your sensor (or film).

Question: Will repeatedly fogging up my camera lens damage it in the long-term?
I’m trying to get a decent macro shot of my braces and I keep having the lens fog up with me concentrating and breathing on it. I just wait for it to clear or wipe it if it’s taking a while, but I started worrying that I might be causing permanent damage, if I keep it up (shoving a camera in your mouth needs a lot of tries to get right).

Answer: Is it a little point and shoot camera? If it were a d/SLR, you can get a different lens that gives you more working distance. I would imagine that the moisture wouldn’t be too good for it, if you were doing this for a long period of time. Also wiping the lens with your pants could leave scratch marks. Use a micro fiber cloth instead.

Question: What lens should I buy for my 450 canon camera?

Answer: Can we assume that you are talking about a Canon 450D? Can we further assume you already have a 18-55 mm lens? If so, the 55-250 mm lens would be the next choice if your goal is to shoot sports, action or wildlife. The 10-22 mm would be the choice if you intend to shoot landscapes or architectural subjects.

As there is no one cameras that can fulfill all type of shooting situation, same goes to camera lenses. Each camera lens has its own characteristics and element with distinct advantage and disadvantage over others. By learning more about how camera lenses differentiate over each other, we get to know how to apply the right camera lens according the situation and demands.

It used to be that most 35mm SLR cameras (equivalent to the full frame format for Digital SLR) in the market come together with a ’standard lens’. Standard lens here refer to a lens with focal length of 50mm and this is the format that most people regards roughly as what we normally see with our own eye. As such, 50mm is still a very popular lens among all photographers. Normally 50mm camera lens has a maximum aperture of f1.8. There are also faster lens with maximum aperture of f1.4 and even f1.2. These fast lenses prove to bring better quality and much more useful though it all comes with much expensive price.

A thing that must take note of is that all SLR/DSLR cameras have interchangeable lenses. Changing of lenses can be done easily and is differentiated by the mount of the camera. The most popular mount for most cameras used today is the bayonet mount. In order to change lens in a bayonet mount, for taking out lens, press on a switch nearby to the mount then simply turn the lens 45 degree in a clockwise direction; for inserting another lens, simply align the lens accordingly to the marking on the camera body and camera lens and turn the lens in 45 degree anti clockwise.

The ability of changing lenses in SLR/DSLR is properly one of the biggest reasons behind the creativity and vast usability in photography compare to other cameras. Thus, a camera with a standard lens would not be able to allow you in using the camera to its fullest. Generally, most photographers will consider getting or must get another two lenses in the category of wide angle lens and telephoto lens.

What is wide angle lens? Wide angle lens usually cover in the focal range of 28mm to 35mm for full frame format. It will generally provide a wide angle view of what you see. As more area in front of the camera will be captured into the photo, it is widely use in landscape photography. Using wide angle lens, photographers generally has better control over the composition of the photo as the photographed subject can be really near to the photographer while at the same time the background can be kept in focus.

On the other hand, a medium telephoto lens usually covers the focal range of 85mm to 135mm. It generally gives photographer an advantage of capturing a subject that is far away. And more importantly, it is a superb portrait lens. Wide angle lens tends to makes the photo of a person’s face appear bulbous due to the focal range; with telephoto lens, a portrait photo captured with the focal range of probably around 100m will result in the photos to appear more pleasing. As the photographer would have to be quite a distance away, the person being photographed tends to be more relaxed and the end result photos will appear much natural as well. Other than that, a telephoto lens tends to make the background in the photo to appear much out of focus. While it is used in portrait photography, this will brings out more of the photographed subject, his/her eye, face, etc which will greatly enhance the photo.

In between wide angle and telephoto lens, many photographers have their preference on zoom lens as it is very convenient. Zoom lens as what it has in its name provides photographers the luxury of adjusting the focal lengths easily without changing the lens between wide angle and telephoto. Of course, the disadvantage of zoom lens is it would not be able to provide the level of quality a prime lens would provide. Though with the technology for the camera lens nowadays, it will take a really detail eye to notice the difference.

Other than these, there are also few types of special lens for specific purpose. For example, fisheye lens and macro lens. The macro lens will allows the photographer to take photo of subject appearing in life size while fish eye lens will provide a visual of 360 degree surrounding, as mimic to how fish is looking to the world. Such special lens can produce really dramatic result though it is not really any everyday use equipment as compare to the typical wide angle and telephoto lenses.

Find out more things about camera lenses. Know more about camera lenses and how to use it to its full potential. Check out Basic Camera Photography for more information.

Camera Lenses FAQ:

Question: Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera with which lenses to combine?
Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera with which lenses to combine? Please give your view on this maybe with your relevant experience in using this camera. I bought the body and very excited in choosing the lenses now.

Answer: That completely depends on what you will be photographing. Landscapes? Family and friends? Flowers? I suspect that for most shooting, you will want a lens in the range of 18mm – 100mm or so. Your “prime lens” setting for your camera will be in the area of 35-50 mm. I do not suggest picking a lens that zooms from say, 18– to 200mm….too much lens and too hard to adjust for exactly what you want. You will find that you rarely shoot telephoto, but wide angle is used much more often. I suggest you choose a Canon lens for your Canon camera.

Question: How do you clean a compact camera lens?
The thing is this, I bought a Sony Cyber-Shot w290 camera a couple weeks ago. 5 days after I bought it, every time I take a picture there are lots of little circles, and if I see the lens, I can see some dark little spots. I tried removing them with a microfiber cloth and then with a cotton swab with no results.

Answer: Keep the cotton swab off your lens. Breathe on your lens to fog it up, then wipe gently in a circle with the microfiber cloth. Make sure the cloth is not treated with any chemicals. That should work.

Question: What if you find blue stain on the side of your photo camera lens?
As I look threw the eye piece of my 35mm minolta automatic film camera. I noticed blue smudges on the sides? what do I do?

Answer: It could be mold or fungus caused by moisture on the lens. Clean it with some lens cleaner, you can easily clean the lens with the same cleaner that is used to clean glasses. Make sure you use a micro fiber cloth!

Question: Will my pictures turn out vintage-looking if I use a vintage camera (early 90’s) and normal film?
I was planning on buying an old camera just for the look of vintage pics. Is it the camera lens or the film that makes it look vintagey?

Answer: No, the camera doesn’t really matter, it’s the film that matters. You can cross process it and/or use expired film to get the vintage look.

Question: I broke my camera lens, and I need help finding a new one?
I have a Canon eos rebel xsi and I broke the kit lens for it (efs 18-55mm). I need to buy a new standard lens but I don’t want to buy the kit lens again, if I’m going to buy a new lens I want a better one. I’m only looking for a standard lens. I also don’t want to blow A LOT of money on it so help please?

Answer: It is a good time to upgrade, unfortunately buying the kit lens on its own is about 3x what it costs when you buy it with the kit. You should look at the Sigma 18-50 f2.8 DC EX as it is a worthwhile upgrade without going too nuts.

Question: How do I take the filter off my camera lens?
I’ve never put a filter on a lens before… I put a Green(X1) Hoya HMC filter on my Canon Rebel 2000. It screwed on, but I can’t get it to turn in either direction to take it off.

Answer: Get two rubber bands that will fit snugly around the lens. Wrap one tightly around the filter, and one around the camera lens itself. Now twist.

Question: Do I need lubricant for wide angle camera lens?
I bought a wide angle lens for my camcorder. What type of lubricant should I use on the threads of the wide angle lens?

Answer: Helical damping grease or Lubriplate.

Question: When looking into DSLR camera lenses can you have a 18-55 and a 70-300 and skip the 55-200?
I have a canon right now, and I want to upgrade my lense. I don’t know if I should go with the 55-200 lense or the 70-300 mm lense instead. would I be missing out a lot if I skipped the 55-70 mms in there if I jump to the 70mm-300mm one.

Answer: You don’t have to own any lens you don’t want to own. Why do you think you do? The only reason people suggest you have lenses that link from one to another is so there is continuity. Since there is no 55-70 mm lens and you seem to want to be able to reach out to 300 mm, the 90-300 mm will be a great lens for you.

If you are an animal shooter, you will be missing far more by not having the 300 mm on the end of your zoom, than you will with the 55-70 mm hole.

Zoom lenses these days are of such good quality that they are used by default. Most cameras in the market – even professional DSLR’s – are partnered with a zoom. But are they the best lenses to use? What about prime or fixed focal length lenses?

A significant advantage of using prime lenses is that they offer you more involvement with your subject material. You have to move to frame the image rather than just stand still and use the zoom capability. With zoom lenses the photography is more of an observer and less interactive with the subject material; especially so if the subject is people where there is no interaction. You can be a part of the action with a prime lens and more committed to the photograph. However, this is not to everyone’s liking, some prefer to take the voyeur approach. Admittedly, being involved with the subject material requires you to be comfortable with confrontational photography.

Another aspect is autofocus; if you don’t like autofocus, fixed lenses are far easier to operate manually than zooms.

There are many lenses of fixed focal length available and they are generally assigned to a group. There is the wide angle, normal and telephoto groups and these are useful for certain designated subjects. But this is not always so; here you can also step outside the boundaries.

Good portraits can be taken with an ultra wide angle, architectural can be shot on telephoto, so long as the photographer is aware of the distortion, compression and other characteristics of lens types.

Many of the world’s greatest photographs have been taken with fixed focal length lenses. So give them a try, you may experience a new world with your photography.

Roo du Jardin is a photographer who runs an informational website about Online Photography Courses. Read some more tips, techniques and resources at Online Photography Courses blog.

Prime Lens FAQ:

Question: What is a prime lens?
What is the difference between a prime lens and a zoom lens? Can you zoom with it at all?

Answer: A prime lens is a lens for a Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera with a fixed focal length. But a prime lens cannot zoom, so obviously for that you need a zoom lens. An alternate and apparently somewhat older meaning of the term prime lens is the main lens in a combination lens system. When the camera lens is used with some other optical device, such as a close-up lens or teleconverter.

Question: Can you recommend a wide angle prime lens for a Canon D50?
Can’t make up my mind about purchase of a prime lens for my D50. Any suggestions?

Answer: What do you want it for?

* An EF 14 mm lens is wonderful for shooting landscapes and architectural shots.
* The EF 50 mm lens is perfect for shooting portraits (medium telephoto when used on your 50D (the D50 is a Nikon product)
* The EF 300 mm f/2.8 is a great telephoto for shooting sports

As you can see the best “prime” lens really depends upon the subjects you intend to shoot with it. The much touted 35 mm prime is NOT a wide angle lens on your camera and only a moderate wide angle if used on one of the Canon full frame cameras like the 1Ds and 5D series digitals and all their 35 mm SLR’s. Many users of the Canon 40D and 50D cameras use zoom lenses to shoot wide angle shots like the EF-S 10-22 mm lens ($860 vs. $2,360) to keep within their budget constraints.

Question: How big of a difference is there between and F-stop of f/1.4G and f/1.8 lens?
I’m looking at a few prime lenses from Nikon and wanted to know how much of a difference is seen between the 1.4 and 1.8 lenses. I have a AF-S Nikkor 35mm 1.8G and I love it, but I am looking at the 50mm and even 85mm. It’s about twice as much for the 1.4 vs the 1.8.

Answer: You have discovered that when it comes to faster lenses, you will have to pay a ton, just for a 1/3 faster lens. With today’s DSLR’s, adding 1/3 stop to the cameras ISO is much more cost effective and the slight depth of field difference between f/1.4 and f/1.8 will be hard to see

Question: Why can’t a 50mm prime lens focus on nearby objects whereas my zoom lens set at 50mm can?
My zoom lens is a 17-70mm f2.8 – 4.5 sigma and my 50mm prime is f1.8 canon.

Answer: One of the specifications of every lens is called “minimum focusing distance”. Without adding something else to the camera or lens, you cannot focus any closer than this minimum distance. I have a telephoto with minimum focus of 5 feet.

The Sigma is designated as a “macro” lens, even though it does not meet the definition of such. Macro has come to mean “close focus”, which is not the same thing. According the B&H web site, the Canon 50mm f/1.8 minimum focus distance is 18 inches. The Sigma 17-70 minimum focus is 7.9 inches.

Question: Why should I buy prime lenses? and what is a good one?
I realize they can be limiting but that’s what other lenses are for. I have a 500D with some 18-55mm kit lens. Can you convince me into buying a prime lens?

Answer: A prime lens is usually anywhere between f/1.4 and f/2.8 on the max aperture so it is a brighter and faster lens. Because it only has to be good at one focal length they are smaller, lighter and less expensive than an equivalent quality high speed zoom. The IQ is also usually better throughout the frame than a zoom.

That said, there are some very nice zooms out there and they may have their place in your camera bag. If I were traveling I would definitely want a good zoom if I only took one lens along.

Question: Nikon 50mm 1.8D AF lens or Nikon 35 mm DX lens for my Nikon D90?
I’m looking for a good prime lens for my D90 to take portraits and great low lighting shots. Which one would be best?

Answer: For portraits the 50mm is the better choice. Back in the days of 35mm film cameras a focal length between 85mm to 105mm was considered the ideal for portraits. With your Nikon’s 1.5 “crop factor” the 50mm has the same angle of view as a 75mm lens on a 35mm camera – close enough. The 35mm lens on your D90 would have the angle of view of a 52.5mm lens and would be considered a “normal” lens on a 35mm camera. (A “normal” lens is one that has approximately the same angle of view as the human eye).

Although its more money, in my opinion the Nikon AF 50mm f1.4D would be a better choice, especially for low-light. True, its only 2/3 stop faster than an f1.8 but it has better optics and build quality. Plus, that 2/3 stop will give you a brighter viewfinder which makes composing and focusing easier in low light situations.

Question: Are there any stores that sell only DSLR bodies and prime lenses?
I want to buy a Canon EOS Rebel XS, but without the zoom lens. I’ve been hearing about this prime lens called the EF 50mm f/1.4 and that it produces really sharp images. I don’t feel like buying the Canon EOS Rebel XS with the zoom lens if I’m primarily going to use the prime lens. I’m new to photography, so I’m not sure if this is a good idea or not. Do you think it is?

Answer: Any decent camera store will sell body only and prime lenses.

Question: 50mm full frame vs Sony acds lens question Sony a330?
I have a Sony a330 camera that is less than full frame and I want to get a lens that is a 50mm prime for it. I’m a little confused as to how to go about doing this since I’m supposed to factor in the crop value, which is 1.5x for the a330. There is a lens I’m looking at buying, the Sony 50mm f1.8 that is designed specifically for my camera, but I’m not sure if the factoring has already been taken into account? Is this lens really a 50×1.5= 75mm lens? And if so, should I get something like a 35mm lens instead to get my desired 50mm?

Answer: 50 mm is 50 mm. When attached to your A330, it performs as a 75 mm would on a 35 mm camera. The 50 mm becomes a fine portrait lens or in other words a medium format lens.

A 210 mm lens on a 35 mm camera is a telephoto lens, on a 4×5 view camera it is a normal lens (like a 50 mm on a 35 mm camera) … but the lens is still a 210 mm lens… That does not change.

Interested in expanding your camera kit with an extra lens or two? Not sure about lens design and terminology associated with SLR lenses? Here is some information that may help in making that important decision. Good lenses are expensive and you need to get the optimum value for your purchase.

Types of Lenses

There are many types of lenses on the market today, too many to cover in detail here, but here are the most common types you will come across in your pursuit.

Prime or Zoom?

The first consideration is to decide whether you want a zoom lens or a prime lens. A zoom lens has variable focal length so it can function as several lenses in one package. A prime lens is fixed in focal length, so it is restricted to photography that is related to its size.

Photographers will still argue that a prime lens is always going to achieve a better result than a zoom. This is an optically sound argument; however, there have been some serious advances in optical technology over the past decades and the difference is now minimal.

Normal Lens

This lens is a prime and has a fixed focal length of 50 or 55mm. It is called a normal or standard lens as it provides a result the same as our normal viewing perspective. It is considered to be an all purpose lens and usually the first choice if purchasing a prime.

Zoom Lens

A zoom lens covers a variable focal length, the most popular being the 35 to 70mm zoom. This lens will give the same coverage as several prime lenses over this range.

Telephoto Lens

A telephoto is any prime lens with a focal length longer than 50mm. Lenses greater than 300mm are called super telephotos; these are generally in the 300, 500 and 1,000mm range. The greater the telephoto focal range, the greater the price tag.

Mirror Lens

A mirror lens is a telephoto lens but uses a combination of lenses and mirrors to achieve its telephoto capability. The main difference between conventional telephotos is its size, generally a lot shorter. This is great for handling and a cheaper alternative. The downside is it has a fixed aperture and provides less resolution.

Shift Lens

This lens is also known as a perspective correction lens, and has a rising and falling front panel that corrects perspective distortion and converging lines. These are mostly used in architectural photography.

Soft Focus Lens

These lenses are designed for different formats, are not that common and so are very expensive. The lens provides varying degrees of softness and is mainly used in fashion and portrait photography.

Macro Lens

Macro lenses are generally prime lenses and come in various focal lengths (not to be confused with the macro setting that most lenses come with). Macro lenses are for the serious macro photography as they are very expensive. Macro lenses are for extreme close-ups at a ratio of 1:1, 2:1 or larger.

Teleconverters

These lenses provide a cheap and simple way to extend the range of focal lengths without having to buy more lenses. These are fitted between the lens mount and the lens and increase the magnifying power of the original lens. A typical ratio is 2x and 3x converting a 50mm lens to 100mm and 150mm lens respectively.

These are a few ways to increase the capabilities of your camera that enables you to explore a greater variety of photographic subjects. Some are expensive, but others such as described here are not. There are some cheap alternatives available to help you take a further step in your photography.

Roo du Jardin is a photographer who runs an informational website about Online Photography Courses. Read some more tips, techniques and resources at Online Photography Courses blog.

Digital Camera Lens FAQ:

Question: Can you attach a lens to a digital camera?
I know this seems like a stupid question, but there has to be a way to rig it. I have a Canon Powershot a1100 IS, I’m thinking no, but someone somewhere has to know that answer!

Answer: Your camera has a permanently attached lens, you can not remove it. If the existing lens on your camera has a filter thread, it would be possible to attach a screw-on lens over it. The popular screw-on lenses are for achieving wide angle, semi fish eyes and telephoto. That is if the lens on your camera has a filter thread to accept extensions.

Question: What kind of digital camera lens would you recommend?
I have a Canon Rebel XS. I’m really into film photography, but it’s just to expensive, and I don’t have the space to have my own dark room and stuff etc. I love the look of film photography and the bokeh. I love how the picture and colours are so soft and light, I know you can manipulate the lighting in photoshop on digital photos to give it that look but it can only do so much. I’ve seen people out there with a certain kind of lens that has a nice background and focal blur for digital.

Answer: Canon’s 50mm 1.8 will do all you want and more, for only $100. The 1.8 means it can give a very shallow DOF, and in my experience, the bokeh is very smooth. If you want even shallower DOF and creamier bokeh, canon 100 f2 @ $450

Question: Canon SLR digital camera lens!?
I want to buy a camera as a gift. I saw a great price on a Canon SLR and it comes with a few lenses. However, these lenses are Tamron brand. I have never heard of them and I was just wondering if they are worth it or if I should just stick with finding a Canon with canon brand lenses. Any input would help.

Answer: I do not think there is any reason to fear Tamron lenses, they are a well respected independent lens maker. Sigma is also a respected independent lens maker. For what it’s worth, entry-level Canon DSLRs like the Rebel XSi(EOS 450D) or T1i(EOS 500D) are typically sold with a single 18-55mm image stabilized kit lens. Some kits include this lens and a telephoto lens. For example, both the Rebel XSi and Rebel T1i are sold in a two lens kit that includes the EFS 18-55mm IS and EFS 55-250mm IS lenses. Those two lenses cover nearly all the needs of a typical amateur photographer and both kits are sold for less than $1000 with current rebates.

Question: Do I need a lens for a digital slr camera to take quality pictures?
I’m not into spending a lot of money at the moment on a camera, and I found a nice one, but it doesn’t come with a lens. By the way, I’m not going to be shooting anything form a distance right away, so without the lens, I believe I will be fine.

Answer: The idea of buying a camera in “body only” form is so you can add a suitable lens of your choice to it, rather than getting the often “cheap” kit lens that most cameras come with. Without a lens a DSLR will not and could not take take a photo. By all means by a body only camera, but you will need to buy a lens to for it to work. My suggestion would be to not buy a DSLR but instead go for a SuperZoom bridge camera.

Question: Can I use a Vivitar Series 1 100-400 mm lens on a digital camera?
I bought it years ago when I had a Canon Rebel 35 mm. I found it today and I forgot I had it.

Answer: Yes you can use it on any Canon DSLR. The 35mm Rebel uses the same EF mount as today’s Canon DSLR cameras.

Question: Photos I take with my digital camera have spots on them. Can I fix this?
Just recently the photos from my digital camera have little green dots on them. It’s not just when they are on the camera but when I put them on my laptop too. I have tried cleaning the lens and it hasn’t helped. Does anyone know what these green dots are caused from and can I fix this in anyway?

Answer: Might be due to the ISO being turned too high. ISO, which references the sensitivity of the digital sensor that records the light input, can create ‘noise’ on pictures taken in low-light situations, ‘noise’ that manifests itself through little colored dots across the whole image. Also if you point your camera at light, it can damage the lens and if you have dropped it, got it wet or touched anything on the lens that could also be the source of your problem.

Question: In a digital camera what is the name of the device used convert light into digital signals?
Light moves through the lens the question is what device detects the light to convert it into digital signals. The device used in any cyber shot or phones like nokia.

Answer: It is simply called an imaging sensor. There are different kinds though, a phone is most likely to have a CCD sensor, while advanced cameras most likely have a CMOS sensor. Technically a CCD just converts light it collects into an analog signal. Additional electronics are needed to translate that signal into digital information. With a CMOS sensor light is converted into digital information right at the individual pixel.

Question: All my videos have a blue dot with my Canon Digital Camera, Can I fix it?
It’s not stuck in the same spot because when I zoom It moves with the zoom. My pictures are fine but my video recordings all have the blue dot. Is there a diagnostic to fix this? I’ve tried cleaning the lens with a Q-Tip. Anything else I can do?

Answer: Sounds to me like a dead spot on your screen. If your camera is still under warranty it should cover this, if not don’t worry about it.

Many people looking to buy a second lens for their digital SLR camera are baffled by the number of lenses available. There are so many to choose from, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the choices. Check out these 5 top SLR camera lenses and discover why people love them so much.

1. Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens

The key to this lens is the image stabilization. The stabilization allows more photo ops without having to use a tripod. This makes for more crystal clear photos at Johnny’s soccer game, or capturing a flock of birds at take-off. Image stabilization is an absolute must on a hand-held zoom telephoto lens.

2. Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens

For people looking for a fixed focal length, this lens is lightweight and affordable. The images are sharp with great color balance. It’s great for portraits and it focuses as close as 18 inches, so you gardeners will find this lens very useful. Most people who use this lens can’t stop talking about the picture quality.

3. Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED IF AF-S VR Zoom Nikkor Lens

This Nikkor telephoto zoom len also has image stabilization which they call Vibration Reduction. It’s the Nikon version of the Canon listed above. The lens is ideal for sports, action, wildlife, and travel when you want a telephoto lens. The fans of this lens love it for capturing sports and action.

4. Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor Lens

Like the 50mm Canon lens above, this lens has a fixed focal length. But the quality of the pictures outweighs the fact that you need to move your feet around alot to get the shot. It’s really versatile and should be in everyone’s camera bag. Fans of this lens say it works great in low light situations both indoors and out.

5. Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR [Vibration Reduction] Zoom Nikkor Lens

This Nikkor telephoto zoom lens is great for professional or advanced amateur photographers. It helps you capture close-up sports shots and national park wildlife without standing right next to your subject. The Vibration Reductions extends the use of the camera to capture more shots while hand held. Like the telephoto lenses above, the lens is slower than a professional zoom, so it’s not a good choice for action photography in lower light conditions (like indoor sports without flash or outside sports at dusk).

Now obviously, these SLR camera lenses are only suitable for Canon and Nikon camera fans. But take this information and find a lens that works with your camera. You’ll explore an exciting new area of photography and take your hobby or profession to a whole new level.

Debbie Lattuga is an photography enthusiast encouraging people to express themselves through photography. To find out more about SLR camera lenses, check out her blog at Best SLR Camera. She helps people find the perfect SLR camera lenses for them, without all the hassle.

SLR Camera Lenses FAQ:

Question: Does the quality of an slr camera lens affect how colour is captured?

Answer: Yes. Cheap lenses are poorly corrected for chromatic aberration and have less effective coatings to control flare and/or ghosting. That’s why they are cheap. High quality zoom lenses are expensive because of the extra design requirements of a variable focal length lens and the constant aperture common (usually f2.8) to them. The coatings are more exotic and greater effort is made to correct for chromatic aberration. Cheaper zoom lenses are variable aperture (usually f3.5-5.6) which can be a real hindrance to a sports photographer. Prime lenses – fixed focal length such as 20mm, 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 100mm – will always out-perform a zoom lens. The difference is narrowing but its still there.

Question: Do I need a lens for a digital slr camera to take quality pictures?
I’m not into spending a lot of money at the moment on a camera, and I found a nice one, but it doesn’t come with a lens. By the way, I’m not going to be shooting anything form a distance right away, so without the lens, I believe I will be fine.

Answer: If you are going to buy an SLR you are probably going to spend at least $400-$500 dollars and a lot of the SLR’s come with a lens. The best thing to do would be buy the kit because you can not take photos without the lens.

Or you can buy a nice point and shoot camera for about $100 and there is no need to buy a lens for those. Nikon’s are fantastic cameras in both the SLR and point and shoot!

Question: Foggy d-slr camera lens?
I let my brother borrow my nikon d3000 and when he returned it to me, it was in the camera bag and all but the camera and lens was cold. I pulled the camera out and examined it, and the lenses were foggy and so is the mirror in the camera. Evidently he left it in his car in the cold weather. I tried using lens cleaning papers but it seems to not work all the way. Should I just let it sit inside for a little bit so it can defrost? Or should I try something else to clean it?

Answer: Leave the camera and lens in a clean dry place for a day or two. Don’t blow on it or try to clean it.

If you are very worried, buy some self indicating blue silica gel crystals (from any science store) and keep a cup full of these crystals, your lens and camera in an airtight box for a couple of days. Make sure that you don’t leave your camera and lens in the box for more than 1 day when the crystals are colorless or white.

Question: What is the technical name of the male/female coupling that connects an SLR Lens to the Camera?

Answer: It is a bayonet mount, but different manufacturers also have different names for it. Nikon call it an F mount, while Canon have an EF mount.

Question: I accidentally removed my lens while my slr camera was on, is there any defects?

Answer: The sensor attracts dust more when the camera is on so you shouldn’t do it but it does not cause immediate or serious problems once and a while.

Question: Is SLR in Cannon Camera lingo compatible with Rebel XSI for lens purchasing?
Buying zoom lens for daughters camera (Rebel XSI).

Answer: Look for any Canon EF or EF-S lens. They are all compatible with any Rebel DSLR camera.

Question: NIKON N75 SLR 35mm Camera w/NIKON 28-80mm AF Lens?
I’m wanting to take a photography class and i need a 35 mm adjustable film camera, how is this one?

Answer: Most film bodies are very similar, so long as it’s functional, you’re set. That lens has a decent range, you should have fun with it.

If I was forced to pick what I thought are the best SLR lenses, it would likely be either the Tamron AF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 LD for Canon Digital SLR Cameras, the Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG Macro Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras, or the Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras. Sure, they’re all for Canon cameras, but they’re also all for under $200 dollars, and deliver great value for the dollar.

Let’s take a closer look, at not just the SLR lenses, but the cameras that use those lenses.

Lucky me, as today I get, to illuminate you in all things SLR related. Like learning anything new, it takes a little determination to get truly comfortable using a SLR. Make the best use of your time, and don’t expend too much time questioning trivial pros and cons of your camera purchase, or you’ll never get around to taking pictures.

Well, let’s start things up shall we. This might not make a lot of sense, but the staggering amount of technology in these babies, is good for you. Stick with me, and I’ll prove it to you. Just ask anyone directly involved in the business of digital photography, and they’ll tell you how challenging and demanding the market is. Manufacturers and salesman alike, have to offer more and more features with their DSLRs and bribe consumers with the best prices.

So, it may seem hard to believe, but all this competition and high technology is about to make you a much happier consumer. I will promise, that you will be happy with your purchase, no matter which of the top SLR cameras you buy. You likely couldn’t find a horrific SLR camera from the top rated cameras if you tried. To prove it, just have a look at the features in this bunch of SLRs. It would be hard to be faulted with a Canon Rebel XSi, now that prices have dropped with the T1i release. I’m also a fan of the Olympus Evolt model line, or the Nikon D90.

You know that getting any of these cameras for between five hundred and a thousand dollars is bound to make any photographer do the happy dance. At these prices, digital SLRs are really one of the few remaining gadget values left today. Those early adopters among us that spent big money for very basic digital cameras in the not so distant past, will remember.

I make these sweeping generalizations when it comes to photography, because I know, that the camera you have in your hands is only one consideration in the workmanship of your photographic images. You and your ability to make out quality photo opportunities are really of greater value when it comes to freezing a moment in time. A gifted photographer can take insightful photographs with just about any camera.

Plenty of folks are choosing to buy digital cameras lenses from the internet presently. Most trustworthy camera websites have lower priced SLR lenses, and a larger selection, then even your local neighbourhood camera retailer can provide.

Even with so many DSLR choices, finding digital SLRs and lenses online is pretty painless. Well, you can’t research forever, it time to choose. Believe me, taking photographs is way more fun, than looking through camera reviews.

Getting The Best SLR Lenses, is never an easy thing, especially with the way digital technology is constantly changing. Fortunately, there are plenty of helpful websites online, that can narrow down your search and help you find the SLR lens with all the features important to you.

SLR Lenses FAQ:

Question: SLR lenses?
I’m quite new at photography and I will buy a 35mm SLR.(probably Canon Rebel K2). I really don’t know about lenses and need to learn about them. For example what is the difference between a 28-80mm lens and a 50mm lens? and what do those numbers represent?

Answer: A lens marked 28-80mm is a zoom lens or variable focal length lens. Most zoom lenses have a variable aperture, shown as f4/5.6 – this is the largest opening of the lens and changes as you zoom from 28-80mm. The more expensive zoom lenses will have a constant aperture – if its f2.8 at 28mm its f2.8 at 80mm.

A lens marked 50mm or 100mm or 300mm is called a “prime” lens or a fixed focal length lens.

Question: Can a Canon EOS SLR film camera use Canon digital SLR lenses?
I’ve got an older 35 mm Canon EOS SLR. I’m seeing a lot of the 28-135mm zoom lenses on sale that come with the Canon 40D digital cameras. Can I use that lens on my film camera?

Answer: You sure can. All EF lenses can be used on both film and digital Canon cameras. The only lenses that your film camera can not use are the EFs lenses these are designed specifically for the cropped sensors on DSLR cameras. For instance many DSLR cameras come with a EFs 18-55mm lens. This would be the equivalent to the EF 28-90mm lens that comes with many film cameras.

Question: Can older SLR lenses be used with a Nikon D90?
I have older auto focus lenses from my film Nikon SLR which I no longer use (model N70). I am wondering if my old lenses will work with a new Nikon D90.

Answer: Yes. The only restrictions are on the entry level DSLR’s like the D40(x) and D60. You have to use the AF-S and AF-I lenses made since 1992 with them.

Question: Can someone explain slr lenses zoom with optical zooms?
Looking to buy a slr camera and lenses, and want to know what the lenses compare to on a regular p&s digital camera,

Answer: A “true-to-life” (if such a thing exists) focal length on a 35mm camera is 46mm… though the actual lens focal length that is available is 50mm.

So, as far as zoom, a 2x zoom, would then be 92mm. Most manufacturers have lenses in 85mm, 90mm, or 100mm, to represent that 2x focal length.

By that estimation, I believe you could consider a 200mm lens to be 4x, and so on.

This all assumes a full-frame sensor or a 35mm camera. If you’re using a DSLR with a 24mm sensor (ie, not a pro-end camera), these ratios are actually a bit higher.

Question: What does the mm mean in a lens? Why don’t SLR lenses just tell me their optical zoom like P&S cams do?
I look at Point & Shoot cams and they flat out list their zoom capabilities like “10x optical zoom”. SLR lenses list their mm. What do the mm mean for the lens, and how do I tell how far they will zoom?

Answer: mm refers to the focal length of the lens. A wide angle is 15 to 30 mm normal is 30 to 50 mm and telephoto is 50 to 200 or more. Digital cameras now, typically refer to the focal length as a 35 mm film camera equivalent. So back to your 10 x zoom question. If you get a SLR lens that ranges from 70 to 210 mm, this would be a 3x zoom lens.

Question: Will Canon T35 SLR Lenses from an older 35mm Canon SLR camera fit any newer DSLR Canon on today’s market?
I have a T35 Canon SLR, about 30 yrs old, will the lenses from this camera fit the newer rebel series of today?

Answer: All T-series DSLRs used the FD mount which was used by Canon before they introduced the EF mount which is used today. FD mount lenses are not directly compatible with current DSLRs but will work fine with an adapter. The lenses will be fully manual of course.

Question: Is it me or digital SLR and lenses are way more expensive than film SLR and lenses for those?
I had film SLR and lenses years ago before the whole digital SLR thing took over. I don’t remember a decent camera and lenses costing me an arm and leg. And those lenses are indeed decent with large aperture. But lenses for digital SLR with large aperture will cost many times more.

Answer: The cameras were not terribly expensive, although if you adjust the price to modern levels, a decent SLR in 1975 cost as much as a decent DSLR in 2009. I’m thinking I paid something like $175 for my Canon AL-1 w/50mm f/1.8 and 199A flash. That was in 1982. Convert that to 2009 dollars, and that combo would run $450-$500. The technology in these new rigs is something we’d never thought of in the film days.
This is a much better way to take photos

Question: Will my manual SLR lenses fit on a new Digital SLR camera?
Has anyone else upgraded recently from a manual SLR to a Digital SLR? I have several really nice lenses (Vivitar and Minolta) for my old manual Minolta SLR. I’m hoping these will fit onto the newer digital models, such as the new Nikons.

Answer: Minolta changed lens mounts when they left the MC series (SRT-101) and moved to the MD mount (XD-5, XD-7, X-700). Later, for autofocus, they again changed to the A mount, the predecessor to current Sony DSLR lenses.

Chances are, your older Vivitar and Minolta lenses are MC or MD series and are not compatible with any current digital SLR.

Digital cameras have come a long way since the first consumer based models were released back in 1994. They were once thought to be the reserve of specialist tradesman such as photojournalists, but now they can be found in the hands of people the world over.

Many photographers will agree that Canon offer the most comprehensive digital camera system in their EOS SLR range. This includes the digital camera units themselves, and a wide selection of lenses and other accessories. The Canon EOS SLR cameras have been proven in the field, and are favoured by professionals and everyday photographers alike.

Canon undoubtedly has the largest range of compatible lens assemblies, with both a wide selection of official Canon Lenses and the many compatible 3rd party lens offerings such as those from Sigma Imaging. One of the new comers to this extensive lens range is the Sigma EX telephoto zoom lens for Canon DSLR cameras, which has a maximum 1:8.6 zoom utilising a state of the art optical design specifically designed for EOS cameras.

The Sigma EX telephoto zoom lens for Canon has a focal length of 120-300mm, and Sigma has packaged this into a fixed enclosure which does not change shape when focusing or zooming. This makes the lens easy to handle, and provides a maximum aperture of F2.8 at all focal lengths. The lens is also designed with an inbuilt tripod mount which adds balance to your setup, and creates an ergonomically complete package which is a pleasure to work with.

From the moment you take the Sigma EX telephoto zoom lens for Canon out of the box you will immediately notice the superb build quality and feel, and the optical qualities of the Sigma EX telephoto zoom lens for Canon are on par with the best prime lenses on the market.

Sigma Lens FAQ:

Question: Upgrading Olympus 14-42 kit lens to Sigma 18-50 EX DC?
Is the Sigma lens any better than the kit lens? And is it worth upgrading?

Answer: Olympus cameras were designed to be used with digital lenses, I have two for my E-300. Both are Zuiko lenses, these were designed to go with the Olympus cameras, the Sigma lens offers no advantage and would be inferior to what you already have. What purpose is compelling you to look for a new lens? The lens you have is suitable for the majority of camera users. If you have a need, why not buy a Zuiko 40-150 mm lens to complement the one you already have?

Question: I wanted to buy a f/2.8 28-70mm constant lens. What is the difference in the Sigma EX Aspherical and EX DG?
Is one better or worse than the other? The Aspherical one is $100 less. There is a price difference in the following three: EX Aspherical, EX DG, EX DG IF

Answer: DG have a special coating on the last lens element (posterior most). This is to reduce reflections and flare due to high reflectivity of low-pass filter and sensor itself. Sigma doesn’t specify much about DG maybe due to lack of good marketing agents. DG lens provide slightly better color and sharpness than without DG on digital SLR’s.

IF is just a way of focusing where only the internal lens elements are moved without changing the physical length of the lens. This has its own advantages and I like such lens due to the less chance of dust being sucked in.

All the three models use aspherical lens elements too. EX is Sigma lens body finish (exterior finish) which looks terrible but is very easy to use.

I would choose the EX DG or EX DG IF.

Question: How is the Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Lens for Nikon SLR Cameras?
I have a D50 and would like to start macro photography. Can you recommend a good macro lens or should I go with close up adapters first to see if I like it?

Answer: Yes, a good plan would be get some $40 adapters until you can afford a Nikon 60 mm macro lens. Skip the third-party lenses … Your lenses will last for decades … through maybe four of five camera bodies as technology advances.

Question: Is the SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 EX DC a good lens? I know there is a similar Tamron, but which is the better one?
I shoot with a Canon 20D and am looking for a good, fast lens to shoot portraits of my new baby. I know that Tamron has a similiar lens to the SIGMA one, but the Tamron lens was a little too loud for me while focusing. Now I could probably over look that fact if the Tamron is the better bet in over all image quality.

Answer: In general Sigma lenses are slightly better than Tamron lenses; however if you have a 20D, you might as well go for the Canon lens…see if you can get a rebate.

Question: Sigma EX 105mm 1:2.8 Lens. What mount?
I have one I want to sell but everyone wants to know what mount. How do I determine this?

Answer: There aren’t any markings on the back of the mount to indicate which one it might be, so you have two basic choices to answer your question:
1) go into a camera store, show them the lens, and have them compare the mount to their cameras/lenses or identify from personal knowledge. Or

2) get photos of the various lens mounts from the Internet and compare to the lens you have.

Question: Has anybody used Sigma Lens “18-50mm f2.8 EX DC Macro HSM” on Nikon D90? Are they fully compatible?

Answer: Your Nikon D90 has the built in auto focus motor so any lens designed for Nikon can be used with full compatibility.

The f2.8 is handy in dim conditions as it means the camera can still auto focus without ‘hunting’, but the Macro only goes to 1:3 or 1/3rd lifesize so its not a true Macro. If Macro is your main interest then then the 70mm or 105mm f2.8 macro might be better, it gives a true macro lifesized image and being a prime will give better image quality, though, that said, any modern Sigma lens is good. Currently the Sigma 70mm f2.8 Macro is the sharpest lens from any manufacturer.

Question: Why is the Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG APO AF Telephoto lens more expensive now?
About five months ago, the Sigma 150mm f/2.8 was widely available for $589, or less than $600. Now, it is $729 (same distributor as five months ago)! Why has it increased so much? Will it ever decrease in price again?

Answer: Sigma is a Japanese company. Like Canon and Nikon, Sigma recently increased their prices across the board to compensate for the the weak US dollar.

These companies hadn’t increased their prices in the preceding years, although the US dollar had dropped by 30% to the Japanese Yen in that period. In effect, Sigma was charging the same $ amount as a few years ago but making 30% less money. The price hike is a measure to correct that. If you do the math, you’ll see that the price for the 150mm should actually be even higher.

Question: Sigma 12-24mm focusing ring continues to rotate despite reaching maximum and minimum focusing distance?
There is a bit of difference in the tension when going over. Is this something common among Sigma HSM lenses? Or have I been duped by the store that sold it?

Answer: Call Sigma, that is not typical. What I think you should do is bring it back and ask them if they can show you another.

The lens is one of the most important components of any camera. It stands at the front line of the photographic process, focusing and rendering the captured light for film. Its condition will weigh on the ultimate quality of every photograph. The lens is fragile and is directly exposed to the outside world whenever it is in use. Proper care must be taken to keep the lens clean and in good working condition. These tips will help you care for and maintain your camera lenses.

One essential element of lens care is regular lens cleaning. Dirt, dust, and grime will inevitably accumulate on your lens, and it is important to remove these substances to preserve the integrity of your camera’s image quality. Dust and other light pollutants like pollen can be quickly and easily removed from the lens with a microfiber cloth. It is important that you only use a cloth approved to clean camera lenses, as certain materials can damage the surface of your lens. Lightly stroke the lens from the center out. For more resilient dirt or mud, it is best to use an approved lens cleaning solution. Many other cleaners designed for glass can irreversibly damage the surface of your lens. Any cleaning will wear on the fine coating of protective oil present on many lenses. A filter can be used to keep the lens surface clean, extending the lifetime of both the coating and the lens itself.

Scratches are, unfortunately, impossible to repair without specialized training and equipment. As a camera owner, the best thing you can do for your lens is to prevent scratches in the first place. Whenever the lens is not in use, be sure that its cover is affixed and that it is securely stored. To protect a lens from scratches while it is in use, you can use a filter. There are a variety of filters which bear little to no effect on photos shot with standard film. Be sure that the filter is approved and of a good quality, as a poor one can itself scratch the lens.

Water can wreak havoc on the internal electrical components present in so many lenses manufactured today. It can also seep into and over the smaller internal lenses, where it will dry and leave a deposit which will impact the performance of the lens. Be sure to keep your lens in a case when it is not in use, as even relatively minor temperature fluctuations can cause condensation to accumulate within the lens. It is also important to remember to use a rain hood if you plan to shoot in the rain. If your lens is exposed to water, you should wrap it in a highly absorbent cloth and rest it mount-down. Take the lens to a camera professional as soon as possible.

Mr. Oliver is a marketing agent of David Proett Photography. The full-service wedding, event, and family photographer travels on-site and offers studio sessions throughout the Richmond Virginia area. For more information on their Family Photography Richmond Virginia please visit their website.

Camera Lens FAQ:

Question: How expensive will it be to get a camera lens fixed?
I have a GE E840s and my friend was looking at my pictures and dropped it while the lens was out, and now my lens won’t go back into my camera and when I go to picture mode it says “lens error” and shuts off. I payed about $160 for the camera. I have no warranty on the camera. Will it be more expensive to get it fixed or to get a new camera.

Answer: The cost of repairing most electronic things outside of warranty is excessive so in most cases, it is cheaper to replace.

Digital cameras require lots of power. If electrical contacts are not really good, this can cause lots of problems so battery and camera contacts must be cleaned properly. Batteries may be fully charged, but will be viewed as low if contacts are not really good. The LCD display is a low steady load, but when lens extension, optical zoom, focus, and flash charging are added in the capture mode; the load is very heavy. With bad contacts, cameras do strange things like making bad pictures or shutting off with the lens out.

To prevent damage in the future, always use a wrist strap.

Question: What causes a camera lens to become inverted, and how is it fixed?
My digital camera lens suddenly has turned inward and now the camera wont work because it can’t auto focus. It was working fine and taking pictures on the beach and then about an hour later it stopped working.

Answer: I don’t think I have ever seen “inverted.” However I know that having a good camera on the beach can be the death of it.

As soon as sand gets into the moving parts that can jam them and ruin it permanently. The salt spray also is not great for the electronics or the lens coatings.

I bring a cheap digital when I go to the beach just for fear of that kind of problem.

Question: How to clean my digital camera lens without the products?
I have a sony cyber-shot and I have gotten some smudges on the lens. I need something that would work besides a cleaning cloth made for a camera.

Answer: I recently cleaned mine with my eye glasses cloth, or you can use any other cloth like that.

Don’t use a tissue or a towel even if it seems soft, that will scratch it. Use those soft clothes that you get when you buy, glasses, or an Iphone.

Question: Will Zeiss lens wipes also work for cleaning camera lenses?
I’m not talking about the Zeiss wipes that are white and fall apart, I’m talking about the Zeiss wipes that are cloth-like ones. They’re for glasses, but I’m sure they’ll also work for camera lenses… right? I need something to clean my Nikon D40 lens with and I’m hoping this will work.

Answer: There are special tissues for camera lenses and they are not that expensive. But if all you have is those wipes, they should be fine.

Question: Where can I go to get my camera lens cleaned?
I went on vacation and accidentally touch the lens inside my camera so there are fingerprints all over it now. The camera is a Panasonic Lumix digital camera so it’s pretty small, the lens. I”m afraid that I might scratch the lens up even more if I try to clean it on my own. I was just wondering if it’s possible to have places like Cord Camera clean it for me?

Answer: Get a lens cleaning kit. They sell them at places that carry cameras and lenses, and they don’t cost much. The tissue will be specially made to not leave a pulpy residue. The cleaning fluid will be the right type for camera lenses, and will remove oils from fingerprints. And a blower brush will blow off bits of dust. Just add a few drops of cleaner fluid on the tissue, rub it gently around your lens, and it will be fine.
Once your lens is clean, invest in a UV filter to keep over your lens, and you won’t have to worry about scratches on your lens. Just maintain the filter and you’ll be okay.

Question: Help in cleaning camera lens?
my digital camera is a Samsung and it works perfectly fine only the pictures are all blurry because i think the lens (from the inside) is not clean.

Answer: Don’t put the camera near a source of heat. If this problem doesn’t clear by just leaving the camera in a warm room for a day then I think that there may be a fault with the focusing system. Speak to Samsung to get their advice.

Question: How to clean a camera lens and LCD screen?
Okay so I have a Kodak EasyShare c180 camera. So I was wondering how to clean the lens..my dad said use eye glass lens cleaner but I didn’t to be on the safe side. Also my LCD screen has little scratches and smudge marks. So what can I clean my LCD screen and lens with?

Answer: For my compact digital and Nikon DSLR equipment, I use a canned blower first to clean off loose surface dust. Then, I use distilled water (no chemicals) ON an inexpensive microfiber cloth. Never drop liquid on the lens itself, as there’s a chance it could get behind the front lens element or into the lens mechanism. I turn the cloth frequently so that each wipe is used with a fresh, clean surface.

As far as the scratches go, you can’t “clean” them off, but that’s an excellent reason to have clear adhesive screen protectors on. I use the protectors on my cellphone, compact cameras, and pda. On my dslr, I have a snap-on plastic protector.

Whatever you do, never clean the lens with a paper towel as they can be very abrasive and wear off the lens coating.

Question: Where to buy camera disposable lens tissues?
Would you recommend those for camera lenses or just a microfiber cloth?

Answer: Costco sells lens cleaning tissues in a large box. Each one is individually wrapped. If that’s not an option, just go to a good, local camera store. They should have them.

The focal length of your lens is it’s main characteristic. It determines your angle of view, that is, how close or how far away you have to be from your photographic subject to capture it in a certain size. With a short focal length (wide-angle lens) you can stand close to somebody and still capture their full body size. Opposite, with a long focal length (tele-photo lens) you can stand far away from somebody and still get a close-up picture. Briefly, the wide-angle lenses are considered good for landscapes and photojournalism since you can capture the whole scene in the same shot and the long tele-photo lens is considered good for sport, wildlife and paparazzi photography, since you can be relatively far away from your subject, ideal if you don’t want to disturb it or be noticed. The range of lenses and focal lengths available is listed here:

Fish-eye lenses: 8-14 mm

Ultra wide-angle lenses: 15-20 mm

Wide-angle lenses: 20-40 mm

Normal lenses: 40-60 mm

Portrait lenses: 80-100 mm

Moderate tele-photo lenses: 90-150 mm

Tele-photo lenses: 150-300 mm

Extreme tele-photo lenses: 300-1000 mm

Note: The focal lengths given here are by the “35mm equivalent” scale. Modern pocket-size digital cameras use a different scale and you might see something like “focal length 2.8-9 mm” on one of these. This does not mean that everything is taken with an extreme wide-angle / fish-eye look. Refer to your camera manual to see how it converts into the 35 mm equivalent.

Now the question is, what focal length is good to use and in which circumstances?

It is often said that the fish-eye and wide-angle lenses provide an exaggerated perspective and a large depth of field (depth of focus). Strictly speaking though, this is not true since the perspective only depends on where you stand in relation to your subject and the depth of field only depends on what lens aperture you are using.

But these truisms, technically incorrect perhaps, are there for a reason. The thing about the exaggerated perspective comes about since, with a wide-angle lens you’ll normally go closer to your subject in order to fill your frame. Taking a picture of a rose, for instance, with a 20 mm lens you’ll need to be within one foot distance in order to render it in a decent size on your print. With a 200 mm lens however, you’ll normally take a few steps back, thereby changing your perspective. So while the perspective strictly speaking isn’t determined by the lens itself, for practical purposes it is.

In order to avoid the ‘exaggerated perspective’ there is a good rule of thumb saying that you should be at a distance of at least 10 times the depth of your subject. Things like the size of your final print and the intended viewing distance also plays a role, but for simplicity’s sake let’s just follow the rule of thumb: If the rose is 10 cm across, you’ll have to be at least 100 cm (1 meter) away from it to avoid exaggerating the perspective. Once you’ve decided on your distance and viewpoint, just zoom your lens to the focal length that fills the frame with a nice composition.

Now nobody says that you have to get a ‘correct’ perspective, certainly I don’t. But for some purposes it is more important than others. If you’re taking a close-up photo of someone’s face for instance, exaggerating the perspective and making their nose look huge can do bad things for your popularity. Again, determine the depth of the visible parts of your subject, in case of a human face straight-on, it will usually be about 15-20 cm from the tip of the nose to the back of the ear. Then multiply by 10 and move back until you are at least 1.5-2 meters away and zoom in to fill the frame. Your focal length will typically be in the area of 100 mm which is incidentally referred to as a portrait lens.

In case of big landscapes, long streets etc. it is impossible to be 10 times further away from it than the total depth of the entire scene. To capture such scenes from close to far away, you’ll normally need a wide-angle lens and the perspective will as a result be ‘exaggerated’. This has a charm of it’s own though. It can result in a nice sense of depth in the photo.

With a long tele-photo lens your perspective will often become flat since you’ll be a bit far away and the relative distances from you to the subject and the background are not that much different. And thus, the ‘flat’ perspective arises because the background objects aren’t rendered that much smaller than objects a little closer to you.

Now about the depth of field that the lens provides, as I said before, strictly speaking it doesn’t depend on the lens focal length. But for practical purposes, it does! When you zoom in on something, making your focal length longer, you magnify that part of your image more and more, thereby increasing what’s known as ‘the circle of confusion’. It is exactly equivalent to cropping your short focal length photo and thus, since it’s basically the same image, it has the exact same depth of field. Confused? Don’t let it keep you awake at night. When you look through your camera viewfinder or at the LCD screen on the back of it, you’ll see what’s in focus and what isn’t.

A more important thing to be aware of is that when you zoom in and use a long focal length, it gets more important to keep your camera steady. A tripod is best, but it can be a bother to log around with all day long. Instead, try to look around you and see if you can put your camera down on a table or a stone somewhere, making it rock steady. If not, at least try to steady yourself by leaning slightly against a tree or something. And use a quick shutter speed. If you are using a focal length of, say, 300 mm, then use a shutter speed of no more than 1/300th of a second. You might want to make it even less, perhaps 1/500th of a second to be sure not to let that shaky hand of yours blur the picture. Even slight hand-shaking from your pulse can blur your image when using long lenses, so be sure to follow this rule of thumb. Some modern tele-photo lenses have a stabilization mechanism build into them, and this can greatly reduce hand-shake on the lens, allowing shutter speeds to be 4 to 8 times longer.

The author, Morten Svenningsen, is an international photographer in Nepal, Asia Visit his web site http://www.mortensvenningsen.com to see hundreds of documentary photos, travel photos and portraits. It’s even possible to order a few posters.

Lens Focal Length FAQ:

Question: What’s a good lens focal length for taking pictures of small products?
I’d like to get a prime lens for my DSLR to take pictures of small products — say, other cameras — for selling online and such. My question is, what’s a good single focal length to get for this purpose? Normal, like 50mm? Short telephoto, like an 85mm? How about macro lenses, like a 50mm macro or 60mm macro? Since I have a DSLR with a 1.5x focal length field of view multiplier, I understand that a 50mm lens basically becomes a 75mm field of view, an 85mm lens becomes a 128mm field of view, etc.

Answer: You really want a 60mm macro lens. If you are using the D40, you might want to consider the 105, just because it is an AF-S lens that will still autofocus with your camera.

Question: If you could have only one fixed focal-length lens on your camera, what would it be?
The focal length you should quote should be for the 35mm film format. I’ve just bought an old SLR camera with screwfit lenses, and am curious to what you would recommend to be the lens which I will probably use with it most of the time.

Answer: On a 35mm definitely the fastest 50mm you can get. A 50mm on a 35mm camera gives a very flexible combination, not too wide that is distorts, and not so deep that it crops too much.

There are always plenty of 50s for an M42 mount, with a lot of Russian stuff going for cheap, though the quality can be somewhat poor at times. I personally prefer German for M42/M38.

Question: In optics: Is it possible to translate a focal length of a 35mm lens to a magnification value?
For example, if I have a 400mm focal length lens for a 35mm camera, can that translate to a magnification level? Most people that aren’t familiar with optics or photography ask me what kind of lens I have…. when I tell them it’s a 400mm they just kind of look back with a blank stare. I think they would understand better if I could tell them it was a 10x or 12x or something like that.

Answer: Your eye sees at close to a 50mm lens. So a 100 is 2X a 400 is 8X.

Question: Is the bokeh created by a long focal length lens same as a wide apeature lens but short focal length?
I’m planning to buy tamron 17-50 f2.8 or sony 18-250mm lens. I was wondering, if I’m using the sony 18-250 increase the focal length very much to take a portrait picture? Will the bokeh created same as the tamron?

Answer: The word that stood out in your question was ‘portrait’. A longer lens works better. Longer lens with large aperture. The 18-250 mm (I’m not familiar with it), may not, and probably not have a large aperture. If your budget allows you to get a fix focal length lens – a short telephoto, it will work better.

By the way, the quality of bokeh depends on how many aperture blades. The 35 mm f 2.8 Canon is said to have an ugly one, because it only has 5 blades (and therefore, is not ’rounded’).

Question: How can I find out the min and max focal plane on a fixed focal length lens 105mm to be exact?
I am asking this question to try to assess the min and max depth of field on a lens of fixed focal length, nikon 105mm macro to be exact. I know that depending on the aperture the focal plane will change, that is why I would like to find out the range.

Answer: Well first of all your terminology is a bit off. The focal plane is where the film or sensor is located. I think what you are asking is how to determine the circle of confusion and its impact when using various f/stops at certain magnification ratios.

Focus shift happens with certain lenses, but the depth of focus can usually handle this. My old 4×5 camera had a lens that did not shift its focus as I stopped it down, but some of my fellow students had less expensive lenses and had to refocus as they stopped down. That said, you will have to know that both Nikon and Canon macro lenses are some of the best in the world.

There is a help line at Nikon; Nikon USA’s free live tech help line, (800) NIKON-UX, is open all the time, 24/7/365

Question: What’s the best focal length lens for landscape photography?

Answer: More great photographs have been taken with a “normal” focal length lens than all the other focal lengths combined. In 35mm format a “normal” focal length is 50mm to 55mm since the angle of view approximates that of the human eye.

Wide-angle lenses are also good choices.

Question: hat is the best DSLR lens (in terms of focal length) for QTVR panoramas?
I am a photographer and just starting in Quick Time panoramas. Any ideas on the best lens (in terms of focal length) that will help achieve wonderful panoramas of hotels (both exterior and inside their rooms, suites, etc..)? I will be using a Nikon DSLR.

Answer: You can use any focal length you want, but there are a couple of considerations. A long lens will need to have more frames to get your 360 degree, on the other hand a wide angle needs fewer frames but each frame is distorted by the lens. So a focal length of around 50mm (35mm format) is probably the best compromise.

Question: What are your thoughts on the new Tamron 18-270mm Variable Focal Length lens?
All the Tamron zooms I ever owned produced mediocre image results. This one promises to be even worse?

Other than convenience would you be afraid to use this lens if final image quality was a concern?

Answer: For those who only want one lens or are afraid of getting dust on their sensor, this lens should cover everything but extreme wide angle shots.

Are you sure this lens is a Variable Focal Length or a true zoom? As most veteran shooters know, the variable focal length lenses have to be refocused at each focal length setting, were as a true zoom stays in focus, not matter which focal length is used, one in focus.

While many questions arise about the optical quality of so called third-party lenses, there are a few that should be considered.

1) Will chromatic aberrations, sometimes more evident when the third-party lenses are used wide open be a concern to you? (this can usually be corrected by stopping down two stops)
2) Will the lens perform well for a few decades like the OEM lenses?
3) Will you miss the propriety firmware built-in to the OEM lens that will be missing on the third-party lenses?

Given the current state of technology, a case could be made that a photographer could exist today with only two lenses – a wide angle to moderate zoom, and a short tele to long tele zoom. That would be a mistake. For as good and flexible as today’s zoom lenses are, there are some compelling reasons to choose fixed focal length lenses on occasion. I’ll admit, 90 percent of the time I’ve got a zoom strapped onto my rig, but while researching and shooting the images for this story I once again found the joy in shooting with fixed focal length lenses, for the reasons stated below. Follow along with me to see why you should consider adding a couple of more lenses to your arsenal. For many of you, you already own them!

First, let me state that this article is aimed at those of us who do not own full frame digital cameras. While the debate about that is beyond the scope of this column, the fact is that the 1.5 conversion factor of many cameras make them ideal for portrait photographers who enjoy the look of long lenses and fast apertures. And they can achieve the look for a price unheard of in medium format days.

So here’s what I’m suggesting as an unbeatable, inexpensive, butt kicking combo – a 50mm f/1.8 or faster lens, and an 80 – 105mm f/2.8 or faster lens. On my Nikon D300 camera, that figures out to a 75mm lens, and about a 120 – 160mm lens, when compared to 35mm or full frame. You can do a lot of damage with this combo. Let’s see why you should consider this dynamic duo for yourself.

One: Results. Let’s start at the heart of the matter. If you can’t cook the bacon, the stove ain’t no good! And the combination of a short to medium length telephoto with a wide opening is a sure fire recipe for super results in the hands of a skilled shooter. One of the cornerstones of professional outdoor portraiture is the ability to separate the subject from the background. By shooting with these lenses wide open or close to it, throwing backgrounds and foregrounds out of focus is almost automatic.

The longer lens partner is obviously easier because of the larger image size at any given distance and narrower angle of view. Remember, all lenses have the same perspective, to change perspective, you must change distance. Also remember, two images taken with two different lenses at the same distance with the same f/stop will have the same depth of field, one will just have a larger image size. That’s why we love long lenses – to get further away from our subject for great perspective and have an image we don’t have to crop!

Two: Price: Here’s the best part – these lenses are free! OK, maybe not for everyone or someone who’s new to the game. But for those of us who have been shooting 35mm for years, we may already have these lenses! I know I did. I still have a Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens (used to have a 1.4, darn) that came with one of several Nikons I used to own. And I bought a Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Macro lens that gets me to 1:1 years ago for shooting flowers and wedding detail shots. Both lenses are excellent performers. I’d guess the Nikon 1.8 glass is better than the 1.4 version, slower lenses usually are, and the Tamron 90 is known for it’s sharpness, so this is a great combo.

A little checking found used Nikon 1.8’s for about $60 and new ones for about $115. The Tamron lens can be had for about $400 new and $250 used. Nikon also makes an 85mm lens in 1.8 and 1.4 varieties. The fast version is about $750 new, the slower only about $400. For portraits, I’d say the 1.8 is plenty fast, only buy the 1.4 if you do weddings in low light. It’s not a price issue, these prices are peanuts compared to medium format, but the super fast lenses usually make sacrifices in quality to attain the speed. Buy new or do some checking around on SHUTTERBUG, KEH, and other sources to find the combo that’s right for your shooting needs and equipment.

Three: Availability. Since these lenses I described were originally designed for 35mm film cameras, there are plenty of them around. I found some in the camera store across the street. Other professional will have them laying around, be smart and go buy them cheap off them! As mentioned above check SHUTTERBUG, KEH, EBAY, and others for used lenses, or buy them new from your local camera store (you won’t find them at Best Buy!) or one of the SHUTTERBUG advertisers. An important point here. If buying a new zoom lens, it pays to get one designed for digital, I’ve done my own testing and there is a difference. The fixed focal length lenses I’m discussing here have all performed admirably for me, so don’t hesitate to buy them.

Four: Focal Length: As discussed above, this lens combo is ideal for the digital cameras that have a conversion factor of about 1.5. The 85mm focal length will of course be fine with a full frame cameras, but one lens does not a combo make! Full frame shooters may want to consider finding an 85 and 135 lens to approximate the results we’re describing here. But those of us with the smaller sensors are able to find great inexpensive lenses in ideal focal lengths for portraiture. The 50 (75) length is great for shooting where space is at a premium and the 90 (135) length is about the ideal combination in terms of length, price, weight and performance.

Five: Weight. Weight is the enemy of pictures taken. Think about it. If you’re like me, the thought of hanging a big, heavy zoom around your neck all day doesn’t sound like fun. If I ain’t having fun, I don’t want to take many photos. In the studio is one thing, but running around at a park or beach with heavy lenses and a tripod doesn’t appeal to me. I usually shoot with a bare minimum of equipment and rarely use a tripod, so weight is important to me. Will an 80-200mm f/2.8 lens take care of most of my shooting needs? Absolutely! But at over 2.5 pounds, it’s an albatross around my neck! Compare that to the 5.5 oz. of the 50mm lens, or the 13.2 oz of the Nikon 85mm f/1.8 lens. Remembering that you must carry backup gear, that allows me to carry a pretty small bag and shoot pretty freely with my subject. See the smile on my face?

Six: Maximum Aperture. Here’s one of the best parts – that big old f/stop. Working at f/1.8 was only a dream in medium format and f/2.8 was only on the ‘normal’ lens. There are of course two big reasons we love the fast lenses – the shallow depth of field and the ability to shoot in low light, even at slower ISO’s. The shallow depth creates a great look that sends sharp backgrounds and foregrounds packing. The speed extends my shooting day into the time where the light is usually at it’s best – the tail end of the day around and even after sunset.

I prefer not to use flash on my outdoor portraits and beach portraits are very popular in my area (East Coast). The only way I can hold detail in both my subject and the water and sky in the background without a flash is to wait until the brightness range is lowered at the end of the day. (That again is beyond the scope of this article, I’ll address it later.) In many cases I’ll shoot with my f/2.8 lenses until it’s so dark I’ll grab the 1.8 and finish the shoot with that. I’ll usually start shooting at ISO 100 and end up at ISO 400. When I hit about a 30/th of a second at f/1.8, I’m done, remember I’m not using a tripod unless it’s a group. Any darker than that and I’ll probably wander into the ocean anyway!

Conclusion: While full frame shooters can play in this group with a few different rules, the cameras with the smaller sensors are a bonanza for portrait shooters who want to be able to assemble a collection of lightweight, fast, and inexpensive lenses capable of producing fantastic results. The two lens combo described above should be capable of handling just about any portrait assignment that doesn’t call for a wide angle lens, and most traditional portraits don’t. Put together your own combo and have some fun!

Steven M Bedell has been a photographer and writer for over 30 years. He is a regular contributor to Shutterbug magazine where he has written over 100 articles. Steve also published EPhoto, a photography ezine, every two weeks. It is an opt-in newsletter with about 2000 subscribers. His specialty is natural light portraits.

Steve holds the Master of Photography Degree and Photographic Craftsman Degree from the Professional Photographers of America. He is also a PPA International Print Juror and 7 time New Hampshire Photographer of the Year.

To see Steve’s educational products, please visit http://www.ephoto-photo-school.com/

Zoom Lens FAQ:

Question: What lens parameters change when I zoom and focus on a zoom lens?
Suppose I have a 70-200mm zoom lens. I zoom it to 130mm, and half-press the shutter button to auto-focus, something moves inside the lens and adjusted its focus. What lens parameters have changed in the previous two steps respectively? For those lens with non-changeable focus length, there is still a focus ring which you just adjust, what does that change?

Answer: A true zoom should stay focused on the same point over the range of focal lengths.

A variable focal length lens without constant focus is called a vari-focal lens such as the Vivitar Series 1 35-85mm Vari-Focal f2.8

Many zooms will change the effective aperture over the zoom range, that is why you see two f stop parameters quoted, unlike very good zooms that tend to have a constant aperture over the whole zoom range.

Question: What is the best zoom lens for canon EOS 50D?
I don’t have enough knowledge about camera lens. I just bought a new canon camera EOS 50D. I am also planning to buy zoom lens but I have no idea what is the best lens for EOS 50D. Your recommendation is highly appreciated.

Answer: For the 50D you will need a ‘good’ lens if you want excellent image quality. A cheap telephoto lens is not a good idea for a camera like this, so don’t even think about getting a budget one that only costs a couple of hundred dollars or so, because it won’t deliver on image quality and will not be good enough for lower lighting. One with a wider (faster) aperture of f/2.8 is an excellent choice.

Another excellent lens with a longer starting focal length is the EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L, with or without IS or the f/4 version with or without IS.

Question: Is Image stabilization important when considering a zoom lens?
I currently have an the original canon 18-55 kit lens, the canon 10-22mm wide angle lens, and now II’m considering a zoom. Also, I don’t carry an extra flash (just the one on the camera that pops up). Which would you recommend the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L? Canon 70-300mm with IS? Or the Canon 28-135mm with IS?

Answer: You’ll be better off with the lens with Image Stabilization, especially at the longer zoom lengths. Whether you need the 28-135 or the 70-300 depends on what you plan to photograph. The longer lens would be suggested for wildlife and sports.

Regardless of which lens you choose, buy a quality HAZE/UV filter and keep it on the lens. Its cheap protection for that front element. One scratch or smudge turns your lens into a paperweight. The HAZE/UV filter “cuts through” haze you see in distant scenics.

Another good filter to have is the Skylight 1A or 1B. It eliminates the bluish tint seen in distant mountain scenes or in photos taken in open shade.

Question: How do I work out the magnification of a zoom lens for a DSLR?
I recently got a Canon EOS 400D digital SLR camera and I am looking to upgrade the lens for one with a more powerful zoom. However separate lenses are new to me so I am struggling to figure out which lenses are more powerful than others.

I was hoping someone would be able to tell me how you can either work out the strength of the optical zoom on Canon lenses, or give me suggestions of lenses to look at.

Answer: Suppose you are using a 50mm lens. You focus on a subject 30′ away. Now you switch to a 300mm lens and focus on the same subject 30′ away. The image will appear as though it is 6 times closer – or 6 times bigger – as though you had used the 50mm lens at 5′. A zoom of 50-300mm would have a 6x zoom ratio. A zoom of 18-200mm would have an 11.11x zoom ratio.

Simple, isn’t it? Just divide the large number by the small number.

A note of caution: Pay particular attention to the f-stops on zoom lenses. If its a 50-300mm and says f3.5/f6.5 that means it is a slow lens at 300mm (f6.5) – and its not all that fast at 50mm (f3.5). Unfortunately, lens speed costs $$$ – usually lots of it.

Question: What is the fastest zoom lens ever built?
Fast as in large aperture. f/2.8 is the common fast “pro” zoom and those are available from roughly everyone. Did anyone ever make a faster zoom lens?

If, then was it actually any good or just a gimmick like Canon’s “record” primes?

Answer: The Canon, Leitz and Nikon (and others) super fast lenses were not gimmicks … they were designed for use in extreme low light conditions … mostly on the end of a 35 mm motion picture camera (Stanley Kubrick’s “Barry Lyndon” famous candle lit scene with a Carl Zeiss 50mm f/0.7 lens) or broadcast TV cameras, but later adopted by well heeled photojournalists.

The f/2.8 zoom is new on the scene … most of the first ones were in the f/3.5 to f/4 range.

Olympus may have the record for the fastest zoom lens at F/2.0 The 35-100 mm f/2.0 is designed for the Olympus DSLR’s which have a smaller sensor that other DSLR’s so the lens is equivalent to a 70-200 mm lens on a 35 mm camera, so would be a good choice for those shooting wildlife at dawn or dusk … or highschool football games where the lighting is not as bright as on a pro field

Question: Where is the best place to get a good quality zoom lens?
I live in new york city, and have a canon eos rebel. Great camera but I only have the lens it came with. Where can I get a good used zoom lens for a good price?

Answer: Try B&H Photo Video in New York.

Question: Is there a lens for the Canon 450D that can be used for macro and zoom and be good at both?
Also, what would you get first, wide angle lens, zoom lens or macro lens? I normally photograph gardens and countryside.

Answer: You shouldn’t be looking for an “all in one lens” because that’s the beauty of a lens. It is geared towards perfecting a certain angle or look so it’s specifically designed to achieve just that.

For a “zoom” lens which is your telephoto, a really good one is Canon 70-200 mm f4L IS USM. This is pretty pricey though..pretty hardcore stuff. The lower end version would be Canon 70-200 f4L USM.

If you like photographing gardens and countryside/landscape a better option would be a wide lens in which case, you should look up: Canon EF-S 10-22 f/3.5-4.5 USM. I find that wide angle lenses have “macro” capabilities as well. But if you like, read up on macro lenses Canon EF 100mm f /2.8 USM and Canon EF-S 60 mm f/2.8 Macro USM.

Just do your research so you can decide which lens is the best for you.

Question: Nikon standard zoom lens not working properly?
I have a Nikon D700 and I recently bought a Nikon standard zoom lens (specifically, the AF-S Nikkor 24-70 mm f/2.8G ED). When I use my camera and look through the viewfinder using the standard lens, everything is really dark and dimmed. When I switch to my wide angle zoom lens and look through the viewfinder, everything looks normal.

Answer: Check the aperture lever on the inside of the lens, this is the bit that opens the aperture when the lens is attached. It’s the lever on the right of the bayonet when looking at the back of the lens. When you move it, it should open the aperture mech inside the lens.

Alternatively check the aperture coupling lever on the inside of the camera mount. If this is bent then it won’t catch the lens aperture lever when the lens is attached. To check this take the lens off the camera and look inside the camera’s bayonet. The aperture lever is on the left on the inside of the bayonet as you look at it.