At the point when we begin taking pictures, we before long acknowledge that pick carefully the camera lens that will go with us in each circumstance. Among every one of the components of our gear, the camera lens will be the main, the most tedious and the most interesting while picking one. Anyway, what would it be advisable for us to consider prior to purchasing a lens? You need to know unmistakably what you need, since it isn’t the least expensive photograph extra accessible, a long way from it.
Besides, the choice will be definitive with regards to giving quality and character to our pictures. Considering this, what would it be advisable for us to search for when purchasing a lens? Today, we disclose what we consider to be the 5 central issues to think about while picking a photograph lens.
The aperture, an important part of the lens
An aspect that will greatly influence our shots, and this is true for any type of photography, such as social, night or portrait photography, is the maximum aperture of the diaphragm. This subtle fact is decisive in the play of the depth of field and the brightness of the image. Therefore, it is important to take it into account before buying a lens.
Maximum aperture of the diaphragm
Accoridng to DZOptics, lenses with maximum apertures of f/2.8 or less are known as “bright lenses” because they allow more light to pass through to the sensor, but they are also known as “fast lenses” because by having the ability to open the aperture wider, you have more leeway on the shutter speed.
A bright lens can help you in low light situations, such as night scenes or interiors. It can also help you achieve images with a shallow depth of field, which is quite useful and striking in some cases in particular, such as portraits and close-ups.
The number of aperture blades
Another aspect to observe in relation to the diaphragm is the number of blades that make it up. The theory says that the more blades of the diaphragm, the better. Why? Because it improves the quality of the “bokeh” since the blur obtained is created by the defragmentations of the light in perfect circles, which is not the case with a diaphragm composed of few blades.
To obtain an almost perfect circle, we could speak of diaphragms with at least 9 leaves or blades in its constitution. Obviously, this characteristic of the lens fully justifies an increase in its price.
Does the lens have an image stabilizer?
Now we come to another important aspect when buying a photo lens, namely whether it has an image stabilizer or not. This system is based on a set of added lenses that compensate for movement. You can use up to 4 or 5 stops slower shutter speed without the image appearing blurred. A real advantage when you find yourself in a situation where there is little light and you want to remedy this by extending the exposure time.
Nikon usually calls this system IS (Image Stabilizer), while Canon calls it VR (Vibration Reduction). As for Tamron, it has chosen the concept of VC (Vibration Compensation). If you decide to opt for a photo lens incorporating an image stabilizer, you will have to take into account a larger budget.
In case you choose a lens without image stabilizer and you have to face situations in which you have to use shutter speeds slower than 1/60, the most advisable is to use a tripod. In any case, this is a “problem” with a solution.
Other features of the lens
In addition to the aspects just mentioned, these accessories have many other features that can be decisive before buying a lens. I have presented the most general ones, which are important for almost all sub-disciplines, but what if you are planning to practice a specific type of photography?
If, for example, you want to take pictures of flowers and insects, you might be interested in a lens with a macro function and a very short minimum focusing distance. If, on the other hand, you would like to use it for shooting videos, you will be interested in finding one that incorporates a silent focus motor or even a light and silent aperture transition, as well as toothed rings in its structure, to allow for the assembly of Follow-Focus systems.