Telephoto lens what do the numbers mean

Photographing using prime lenses with large apertures also means you can get a shallow depth of field which is useful for portraiture where you might want a softer or blurred background also known as bokeh.

Wide angle lenses are popular lenses for landscape photography , interiors, large group photos and when working in confined situations. Standard lenses are popular as they are closest to the angle of view we humans see. These lenses have minimal distortion, which can be flattering to the subject. They tend to use large apertures and allow a lot of light to enter the lens which makes them fast in low light conditions.

Standard lenses are the popular choice for a wide range of photography including portraiture, nature and low light situations where the photographer can not use a flash or is looking to capture the scene with available light. Telephoto lenses between 70 — mm are very popular lenses for portraiture and product photography as well as nature and wildlife imagery.

They allow the photographer to produce close crops on the subject. In the case of portraiture a telephoto allows the photographer to take the photo at a distance that does not intrude upon the subject. These lenses provide a good range for wildlife and sports photography where the photographer is limited as to how close they can get to the subject.

Close-up photography uses a specific range of lenses that allow up to reproduction. These lenses allow the photographer to focus very close to the subject and reproduce them at a life-size ratio on film or an imaging sensor. These lenses are popular for subjects such as flowers, insects and small products. By clicking Sign Up, you are opting to receive educational and promotional emails from Nikon Inc.

You can update your preferences or unsubscribe any time. A magnification means that the real-life image is the same size as it is on the sensor. If the ratio is , then the lens makes the subject twice the size of the sensor. If the ratio is , the subject is half the size of the sensor. You may have the option to change the ratio on your lens.

Camera manufacturers often stamp other letters onto their lenses. These show special features of the lens. The manufacturer will also tell you if this is a second version of the lens.

Usually, this is expressed with the Roman numeral II. These lenses are usually an improved version of an older lens. There are all sorts of letters that lens manufacturers use. In general, lenses with special features will cost more. Be very careful to look at all letters when buying a lens.

Some letters identify different mounts within the same system. These do not mount on Canon cameras with mirrors. These letter combinations are unique to the manufacturer. Here are a few ways different lens makers abbreviate lens specifications.

Many lenses have buttons and dials that include numbers and letter abbreviations. On a zoom lens , you will have a ring that changes the focal length. Sometimes you will also have an aperture dial on the lens. Twist the dial to change the aperture. Some lenses let you turn on and off image stabilisation. Landscape photographers often turn this off when mounting a camera on a tripod. You may alter the focusing distance or toggle between auto and manual focus on the lens.

It is important to know what all the letters and number of your camera lens mean. Each lens manufacturer has a unique way of labelling lens features. At the least, you can expect to see the maximum aperture f-stop and focal length labelled on the lens. You may also see other features of the lens, including the mount. It's also important that street photography lenses feature a fast maximum aperture for lower-light situations.

This means that something like the Fuji XF 23 mm f1. The Sigma 35 mm F1. Many people shell out for a DSLR or mirrorless interchangeable lens camera when they have a child, but by the time that child starts running around, the kit lens struggles to keep up, both in terms of aperture and focal range. This is especially true if you're trying to photograph the kids running around in the garden or on the sports field. This means you need something with a bit more reach, but probably without the bulk and weight that a professional lens would bring.

A zoom lens will allow you to keep your shots framed as you want while your subject moves around in front of you. While the kit lenses which come with most cameras are surprisingly good at the wide angle end, you could find that they don't quite go far enough for some of the landscape images you try to take.

So, unless you're able to keep moving backwards, you're going to need a new lens. Focal length is key here, and you'll only get some landscapes if you've got an ultra wide angle lens. You could go for either a prime or a zoom, but most people in this situation are probably going to be best-served by a zoom.

After a while you might find that you've simply outgrown your kit lens. You suddenly find that it's stifling your creative ambitions and preventing you from taking the photos that you want, even if they are within its focal length reach. This is the ideal time to get yourself a fast prime lens, and the good news is that you don't have to spend a fortune to do it.

Because they are primes, it also means you need to zoom with your feet, which will in turn probably mean you spend more time thinking about how you compose shots.

Never a bad thing. As we've seen, different lenses can give photographers the creative freedom to take all sorts of images.

It's no understatement to say they are as important, if not more so, than the camera you're using. This is why it's such a shame to see photographers buy cameras with the ability to change lenses and then never do so.

It's worth remembering that lenses can often last longer than your camera, because they will continue to work on the next generation of cameras, and the one after that, probably.

This is why many photographers are willing to spend more on an individual lens than their camera. However, buying new lenses doesn't have to mean spending a fortune.

We've seen how relatively inexpensive primes like the nifty-fifty 50 mm F1. There are also thousands of second-hand lenses which will work just as well as new ones out there — especially for DSLR shooters, where you can often use a year-old lens.

You never know, your father might even have some lying around in the attic. Hopefully this article hasn't made you feel compelled to buy more and more lenses, as that really wasn't the aim.

If you're not sure if you need a new lens, you probably don't. Instead, we hope this has helped you understand what to look for when you feel that your current lenses are preventing you from being the photographer you want to be. LOG IN. Menu HOME.

Search Query Submit Search. By Simon Crisp. Facebook Twitter Flipboard LinkedIn. Choosing which lens to buy for your DSLR or interchangeable lens camera can be a daunting and confusing experience. View 30 Images. A normal prime and a telephoto zoom are two of the most common lenses to be bought after a kit lens. Telephoto zooms are good for focusing in on specific details or distant subjects. Telephoto lenses offer a normalization of relative size which can be used to give a sense of scale.

The difference between various focal lengths, taken on a full frame 35 mm-format camera. Wide angles lenses suffer less distortion than their ultra wide counterparts, but you still get an exaggeration of lines and curves. Telephoto lenses enable you to capture subjects without having to get too close. Telephoto lenses are good for focusing in on specific details or distant subjects.

Typical uses of ultra wide angle lenses include landscape, architecture and interior photography. Wide angle lenses can still be used for portraits, just be careful not to distort faces unflatteringly by shooting too close. Because of their typical sharpness, macro lenses often make good portrait lenses too.

Telephoto lenses are those with a focal length in excess of 70 mm, though many people would argue that "true" telephoto lenses are ones which exceed mm. Marco lenses are technically those which are capable of reproduction ratios greater than Though normally used for close-up photography at which they excel , macro lenses can also be great for portraits. When working at close distances, macro lenses have a tiny depth of field. Many photographers consider a 50 mm prime as a normal lens, as it's said to reproduce an image which feels "natural" and similar to what you see with your eyes.

Wide angle lenses aren't just for buildings and large groups of people. Because different cameras use different sized sensors, there are a variety of lens formats. Superzooms are do-it-all lenses which cover focal lengths from wide to telephoto. Image stabilization allows for use of slower shutter speeds without suffering camera shake. Extreme focal lengths and larger apertures mean bigger and heavier lenses, along with bigger price-tags.

A larger maximum aperture means lens can gather more light, but it also produces a shallower depth of field. A 50 mm F1. Superzooms make good travel lenses as they mean you don't have to carry all of your gear around with you.

You'll only be able to capture some landscapes if you have got an ultra wide angle lens which can take it all in. Any lens can be used for street photography, but a focal range of around mm is often favored. You might need more focal length reach and a larger maximum aperture to keep up with the kids. Which lens should I buy next? Simon Crisp. Simon is a journalist and photographer who has spent the last ten years working for national UK newspapers - but has never hacked a mobile phone - and specializes in writing about weird products and photography technology.

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