14th March 2023
The lens you chose to capture your photographs with can completely transform the resulting shot. One of the key steps to be a successful professional photographer is to understand the workings of the different types of lenses and how they affect the photos you capture using them. So, we will briefly discuss the most common types of camera lenses that are taught about extensively at best photography colleges in India.
Prime lenses are lenses with fixed focal lengths which mean it can neither be zoomed in or zoomed out. So, if the photographer wants a closer shot of their subject, then they will have to move in closer to the subject physically with the camera or swap the lens of the camera with a longer focal length and narrower field of view. Similarly, if the photographer wants a farther, wider shot then he can move the camera away from the subject or swap the lens with a shorter focal length and wider field of view. The prime lens can be slightly inconvenient to use in certain outdoor situation but the quality of pictures taken with them is unbeatable. Hence, prime lenses are perfect for crisp portrait photographs or indoor photography for weddings or parties.
As the name suggests, these versatile lenses give you the advantage of zooming in on your subject for a close-up or zooming out for a wider shot without having to move physically. Apart from it, you also have the advantage to shoot in telephoto or wide-angle mode with just a click of a button when you use zoom lenses with your DSLR camera? When you invest in zoom lenses you do not have to worry about carrying around a dozen lenses while you go out for shooting like you might have to do with prime lenses. They are great for capturing wildlife photography or even during wedding shoots.
This lens opens up a whole new sphere of photography when used efficiently. It is used to catch the fines detail of the subject and produce life-size images of it which can go about five times their actual size. However, these lenses not for everyone or everyday shoots like portraits or wedding photography or landscape photography. They are mostly used to capture images that are hard for the human eye to perceive like drops of dew, the uniquely shaped snowflakes or the veins of a leaf. But they also do not come cheap.
Telephoto lenses are a contrast to macro lenses and are used for capturing photographs where the subject or scene is far away from the photographer. These lenses are quite heavy and might need a tripod to hold steady so there is no risk of damaging this expensive gear. This lens is absolutely perfect to shoot sports photography, wildlife photography and for capturing stars and planets.
These lenses can be quite expensive and burn a huge hole in your pocket. So, a photography course is a very wise idea to get a taste of these expensive gadgets and find what works best for your style of photography before investing in one.
