AF Lens
AF lens allows us to enjoy an easier method of photography experience which is not complicated and also focus on capturing the moment than trying to focus. AF lens compromises of both passive and active categories. However most cameras use a cheap passive AF lens whilst the expensive cameras will have an active AF lens or sometimes professional cameras will have both.
AF has its limitations when trying to capture more fuzzy artistic expression photos which you will not be able to do so with an AF lens. Moreover the AF implementation can fail in certain scenarios. In most cases the camera will move back and forth the AF lens and will eventually not be able to focus.
With a passive AF lens you will be able to measure the distance between the camera and the object that you wish to capture in the picture. If you know the distance between the object and AF lens, you will be able to set it to focus on the position. The AF system will shoot a beam of invisible light which is generally infrared, at the object which is at the center of the picture and then measures the distance towards that object. Based on the distance calculated the focus is then set.
Most expensive and professional cameras will have both AF passive and active lens. These cameras will be able to identify the right lens according to the scenario or sometimes will check between the lenses at the same time. The photographer can decide between the systems that he/she wishes to use manually. In cases of capturing blue skies the camera can try to use the active system and then measure the distance. The camera can set the focus and then skip the passive focus.
In some cases the AF lens can fail due to not properly focusing and when the picture is of fuzzy nature and sometimes the picture might be in focus but the camera adjusts itself. When capturing low light pictures, the passive AF lens needs to focus on the picture to actually work and this may not be the case in low light cameras. Sometimes these will use a series of flash to adjust in these situations but in the end will fail to capture the perfect shot.
AF lens will fail with objects that tend to absorb the infrared beam that it uses. These will cause the system to measure the distance incorrectly.
Macro Lens
There are many different types of photography. Macro photography is close up photography. It is when the photographer takes pictures of small objects, making them larger than they are. This is done using a macro lens. Macro photography ratio is usually around 1:1, meaning that the image produced on the film is around the same size as the object that is photographed. Hence, when it is printed, the image is large. This type of photography is only possible with the use of a macro lens.
The ratio of macro lenses vary. The most common macro lens is the one with a 1:1 ratio. However, lenses with a ratio of up to 5:1 can be purchased by photographers. Such lenses are able to focus on miniscule objects like snowflakes and wings of insects with great clarity. For beginners a 50mm lens would be sufficient as many types of close up pictures can be taken using this type of lens. These lenses are cheaper than other macro lenses making them the most cost effective option for many people. However, if you frequently take pictures of small animals and insects this type of lens may not be sufficient. Therefore you will have to purchase a lens that is about 120-150mm. These lenses are more expensive than other ones but come with added advantages. They can take clear close up pictures of even the smallest objects and give the photographer more working space.
When taking photographs using macro lens lighting can be a problem. Many lenses have to be brought extremely close to the object being photographed. On many of these occasions there is not enough space between the camera and the object resulting in a bad image being formed. To evade this problem, you can use a lens that is around a 100-150mm. This type of lens enables you to take the same picture from a longer distance allowing enough of light to be captured. When using a flash a similar problem results. Flashes that are mounted on the camera often create shadows on the object, ruining the photograph. To evade such a problem, the flash should be separate from the camera. When using the flash it should be placed above the camera or from a side.
Macro photography is a delicate and fine art. When using macro lenses, photographers should be very careful and always protect their lenses with lens covers when they are not using them.
Telephoto Lens
There are many ways to take a photo. This has led to many different types of photography. Telephotography is the photography of distant objects. This is done to highlight objects that are far away. Telephotography is done using a telephoto lens. Any lens that is over a 100mm is usually regarded as a telephoto lens if you are using a 35mm camera. There are many advantages of telephoto lenses because of their ability to capture images from long distances.
Telephoto lenses are perfect of taking pictures of animals in their natural habitat. You can catch a perfect picture of an eagle in a nest that is on a cliff without too much trouble. You can also take pictures of dangerous animals like lions and alligators without coming into close contact with them. Telephoto lenses enable you to capture photographs of objects that you cannot get close to. An example of this would be capturing a photo of a dragonfly in the middle of a large lake or pond.
There are two types of telephoto lenses. Fixed and zoom. Fixed telephoto lenses are the cheaper of the two because they have a fixed focal length. However, many photographers prefer the zoom telephoto lens. This is because they can vary the focal length to their liking and as a result, take a wider range of photographs. Telephoto lenses provide the added advantage of highlighting the subject. Therefore, when you take a picture you are always emphasizing on you subject. The backgrounds on most telephotographs usually fade out enhancing this effect. The lens enables many natural photographs to be taken. The picture can be taken from a distance and the lens becomes handy when photographing timid animals like rabbits and deer.
When purchasing a telephoto lens, buy one that suits your need. If you constantly take photos from a fixed distance you may want to opt for a fixed lens. This will save you some money but will not compromise on your ability to take good photographs. If you are purchasing a zoom lens, buy one that gives you the best value for money. Zoom lenses vary in cost depending on their zoom capability. Therefore, make sure you are getting good value for the money you pay. Remember to check shutter speeds of lenses and how they react to camera shake before purchasing the lens. Always replace the lens cap on your telephoto lens after use to prevent it from getting scratched.
Telephoto Zoom Lens
Most of us are used to having a camera with standard lenses. The telephoto zoom lens is completely different from what a standard lens would be like. Simply stated, the telephoto zoom lens is similar to a telescope. A telescope brings objects closer to you and makes it appear larger. The same applies to a telephoto zoom lens. Objects that are placed far will look closer and also larger than the actual size.
The telephoto zoom lens has a focal length longer than 50mm. This amount is usually seen in a standard lens. The shortest focal length of a telephoto zoom lens is considered to be around 85mm while the highest can be around 200mm or more.
Longer the focal length of a telephoto zoom lens, the better magnification it will have. A telephoto zoom lens with a focal length of around 100mm will give twice the magnification of a standard lens that has a focal length of 50mm. A 400mm telephoto zoom lens will give almost eight times the magnification of a standard lens. Unbelievable isn’t it?
If you are a person who enjoys the wildlife, the telephoto zoom lens will be the ideal option for you. For example, imagine yourself face to face with a lion. Although it is somewhere around 50mm away from you, it is still pointing its eyes at you. This would be the perfect moment to capture a picture of it. Having a 50mm standard lens would mean that the lion would look really small on your digital SLR. Having a telephoto zoom lens with a focal length of 400mm or 500mm would give you almost 10 times of its size, nearly filling up the whole camera frame.
Safety comes first and a telephoto zoom lens can be the answer to it. How so? Let’s say that you were stuck in your jeep while there were a few lions grazing somewhere nearby. Going near them to take pictures would be dangerous. Luckily if you are the owner of a camera that has telephoto zoom lens, you could take pictures no matter how far you are from the object. This can be done in the safety of your vehicle.
Pictures of different sports could be taken from the sidelines. Candid pictures of your children could be taken. If you were a reporter that needs to take pictures from an unnoticed place, the telephoto zoom lens would be the most ideal.
The telephoto zoom lens comes in two types; the prime telephotos and the zoom telephotos. It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner of a professional photographer, the telephoto zoom lens is considered to be an invaluable tool for taking outstanding, high-quality pictures.
VR Lens
Over the years, the main players in the optical industry have introduced many enhancements for camera lenses. These changes have practically changed the lives of photographers. Vibration Reduction lens (vr lens) is one of such invention that has revolutionized the arena of digital photography.
Let’ have a look at what vr lens do.
Taking photographs of moving objects has always been one of the main problems. Technically speaking, camera’s expose (controlled by the shutter speed) is what effected taking dynamic photographs. Since the quality of a dynamic photograph was fully based on the camera’s settings and photographer’s skills, there weren’t many quality dynamic photos produced.
Vr lens introduced the answer for this age old problem in photography. Vr lens systems are able to sense movement horizontally and vertically. For this movement detection, vr lens uses a technology called gyroscopic sensors. The movements of the object are called vibration and a floating lens is used for nullifying this vibration. The floating lens is moved electromagnetically.
Although vr lens provides you the best quality photographs of moving or dynamic objects, you should not use it every time. As an example, if your camera is tripod mounted and you are taking still photos, you should not use vr lens. Using vr lens will not give you the best quality still photos. If you are into still photography rather than dynamic, or underwater photography, then vr lens is not needed for the type of work you do.
If you are in constant need of vr lens for your photography, but cannot afford one, then there are a couple of alternative in hand. First of all getting to know and practice a good camera holding technique is the best solution available which cost you nothing. Additionally, you should have a good camera that will have lower shutter speeds that can be controlled manually.
There are many players in vr lens market at the moment. Nikkon is one of the main producers of vr lens and their product is usually considered more superior than the competitor’s. Therefore, Nikkon vr lens is manufactured to suit other camera. This cross vendor compatibility is one of the main advantages when it comes to accessories of photography.
Since vr lens is a delicate piece of equipment, it is necessary to take all precautions to keep it damage free. Incorrect handling of vr lens can damage the floating lens, making the vr lens unusable.
Wide Angle Lens
A wide angle lens is used to capture a much larger area when compared to a normal zoom lens. The advantage when capturing photos of an object or scene that has to be squeezed in a normal photo captured using a standard lens. With a wide angle lens you will be able to capture more than a standard lens, this definitely more advantageous over the type of lens. It also allows getting up and closer to an object and yet being able to capture the details of the background.
With a wide angle lens you will be able to move very close to a subject, then place it in the foreground and keep both foreground and background in focus. This helps photographers to capture any landscape or seascape. For a seascape photographer, a camera with a wide angle lens is more beneficial. You will be able to capture the movements whilst keeping the background still in focus.
If you are looking for a wide angle lens for landscape or seascape then you would want to go for the fastest lens that you could possible get hold of. A lens with an aperture of F/2.8 is what you should be looking at. However this will definitely cost you a lot more than a standard normal lens but will quality will be at its best and you will be able to achieve the objectives. If you are not in a position to afford a wide angle lens go for prime lens in which you will not be able to zoom, however these will provide sharp focus on objects and provide extraordinary results.
The most important factor to be considered before purchasing wide angle lens is quality and price. Wide angle lens is not suitable for portrait photos, as it captures the background and this can be disturbing. Wide angle lens is generally used for close up shots and sometimes can make objects different distances look much closer to each other than what they are really are. It compresses the natural look, and makes people separated in distance look closer to each other.
The same goes for landscape photography when a scene is being shot with a wide angle lens, you will be able to reduce the background at the same time focusing on the object. This may look a bit unrealistic. The wide angle lens give prominence to the foreground rather than giving prominence to the background. This will make the background look much smaller and further in distance.
