Questions tagged [lens]
A photographic lens is used to focus the light onto film or a digital sensor. Many cameras have interchangeable lens systems, allowing the photographer to choose the type of lens to use.
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What do all those cryptic number and letter codes in a lens name mean?
When looking at a lens name, there are a lot acronyms describing its features (often specific to the manufacturer).
Examples, Nikon:
Nikon AF-S DX 16-85mm VR f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED
Nikon AF-I 600mm f/4D ...
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Why are lenses always round in shape?
Why are lenses round in shape although the image sensor is not? Why they can not be square or something matching the shape of image sensor?
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What is "angle of view" in photography?
I read on the Lens Buying Guide @ neocamera:
Focal-length determines the angle-of-view seen through a lens for a
given sensor-size. With a full-frame sensor a lens gives the same
angle-of-view ...
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How much do lens lineups vary across DSLR platforms?
I was reading this question and recalled how often I hear the advice "choose your lenses and then choose the body that matches" in the context of deciding on a camera platform (Nikon/Canon/Pentax/Sony,...
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How do I convert lens focal length (mm) to x-times optical zoom?
What is the rule to convert the 'mm' notation to the 'optical zoom' notation? I searched a bit and found this one:
...
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Is it lenses which make your photographs, not camera bodies?
I read somewhere on this site itself that you should spend more on your lenses and less on your camera bodies.
Is it a myth or a fact that mostly it is the lenses which make your photographs not the ...
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Are there any downsides to using a good-quality UV filter?
Are there any real downsides to using a UV filter?
I know that a poor quality UV filter can effect image quality ... but, assuming I use a good quality UV filter, will that actually be an issue? Is ...
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Is there a noticeable difference between 1.8 and 1.4 prime lenses?
I have been shopping around for a prime lens for my Nikon D50. I noticed that the 1.8 is hundreds of dollars cheaper than the 1.4 AF-S. What will I gain for that cost difference? Is it really ...
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Why are wide-angle lenses so much more expensive?
What is it about wide-angle lenses that makes them so much more expensive than an equivalent-quality tele or prime lens? Take the Canon EF-S 10-22mm USM, for example. RRP is nearly £1,000!
Are they ...
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Where can I find reviews of lenses?
I want to check reviews when deciding to buy a lens. There are so many factors beyond what is written in the name. Where can I find such reviews? What information does each site cover? Which reviews ...
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Why do some lenses cost 10 times as much when the specs are very close?
For example, a Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens is about US$110, while another Canon 50mm f/1.2 lens is about 14 times as expensive, at about $1450. Is the 1.8 or 1.2 the main reason for the price difference?
...
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Is there development in the world of lenses?
Now, I'm not an expert, so if this post makes you laugh, you're welcome. Still, as far as I know there are basically two components that determine the potential quality of a camera's photos:
Sensor
...
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Why do pro photographers use huge lenses to take portrait shots?
Every time I see a photoshoot video on youtube, the photographers have the biggest lenses I have ever seen in my life to shoot portraits or full-body shots.
For example, the Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 ...or ...
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What can be done using a 18-55mm lens?
I have a Canon EOS 1000D with 18-55mm kit lens (entry level, as many say). Whenever I go out for a shoot, I always end up feeling handicapped because of the limited zoom range.
Most of my friends ...
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Why is the 50mm prime lens the most standard?
Seems that most photographers choose the 50mm as their prime lens (at least from what I've read). I'm looking at getting a prime lens for my Nikon D3000 and the cost difference between the 35mm 1.8 ...
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What image-quality characteristics make a lens good or bad?
When reading lens reviews on the Internet, I often find subjective statements about the image quality that a lens produces, such as "good contrast" or "sharp". The problem is that I don't think I am ...
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What is the best way to clean lenses and filters?
After removing dust with an air pomp and a brush, what are you using to remove stains from the lens and filters?
So far I'm using the liquid from a Giotto's CL 1002 cleaning kit for the lens, but I'm ...
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Do professionals really never use a 24-70 lens?
I was reading lens reviews on the Rockwell site — mostly because it came up as first result in Google search — and he was saying professionals don't need and don't use mid-range zoom lenses like ...
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Which focal-length lens is usually used for portrait photography, and why?
What focal length or range of focal lengths are usually used for portraits?
What is used by professionals? Why would one select a certain focal length? What are the advantages and disadvantages of ...
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Why does fungus form in lenses, and how to get rid of it?
Recently I was using an old Pentax 50mm f/2 that had a quite big green spot, and later I was informed that it was a fungus.
A couple of questions raised from this:
Why does fungus form inside the ...
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How do constant aperture zoom lenses work?
Cheaper zoom lenses usually are faster at the wide end and slower at the long end (for example, the $150 Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6). More expensive constant-aperture zoom lenses have the same ...
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Should I keep Image Stabilization (IS) off when I do not actually need it?
I own a Canon 7D and a EF-S 15-85 IS lens and I keep the image stabilization turned on all the time.
Recently, an experienced photographer told me that this is a huge mistake because it reduces image ...
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What are the dangers of removing a lens while the camera is on?
The manual warns that you should turn the camera off to remove the lens, but it doesn't say why.
I suspect this may have to do with dust, but I could imagine there are lots of other reasons. I'm ...
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What does the number of elements and groups in a lens mean?
All lens specifications include a statement of how many elements the lens contains, and in how many groups, for example:
Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 70-300 mm 1:4,5-5,6G: 17 elements in 12 groups (two ...
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What can a fisheye lens be useful for?
I have a variety of lenses in my camera kit. One that I do not have, and has me curious, is a fisheye lens. I mostly understand what it does: it captures an image with distortion similar to what you ...
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What should one look for when buying a used lens?
When buying a used lens, what should the buyer check? Other than looking for obvious physical damage on the outside of the lens, what else should be inspected to identify the condition or quality of ...
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Should I get DX for my APS-C camera, or FX lenses in case I upgrade to full-frame in the future?
I recently bought a Nikon D90 camera body, which has a "DX" APS-C-sized sensor..
Within the same budget, should I go with DX lenses or should I get full frame lenses in case I upgrade to a full frame ...
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Why no zoom lenses with a maximum aperture wider than f/2.8?
I can understand that a zoom lens with a maximum aperture wider than f/2.8 would be difficult and costly, but it seems like something pros would kill for. Surely it can't be more expensive (if its ...
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Why do people recommend 50mm or other prime lenses as starting lenses for learning photography?
I've seen quite a few people recommend the 50mm prime lenses, in particular the sub-$100 50mm/f1.8, as a starting lens for photographers (especially because they're likely to be using cameras with ...
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When you zoom in with a lens on an SLR why does the lens go in then out?
I guess this is more a question of optics than photography but I just got an SLR with a basic 18-55 lens. I noticed that when going from 18 to 55 or 55 to 18 the lens physically comes back in and ...
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What is back-focusing?
What is back-focusing? Is it something I need to be worried about, or can I just live with it? How can I tell if my camera/lens is sufferring from it?
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How do I interpret an MTF Chart?
As part of how Canon (and other lens makers) give technical information about their lenses, they supply an MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) chart. How do I read and interpret what the chart is ...
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What is a macro lens?
I've read a few threads on here that mention some elementary descriptions of macro lenses and found some marketing fluff in the box for my Canon about them as well, but being a complete novice I was ...
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Do good lenses really last a lifetime?
I’ve heard people say “a good lens will last a lifetime” many times. Is this actually true of modern lenses? More specifically, will a good lens be usable for a lifetime?
With an inexpensive adapter, ...
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How can I test a new lens to make sure it is operating correctly?
How can I test a new lens to make sure it is operating correctly? I found two similar questions with answers specific to things such as sharpness and focus, but I want to cover any and all possible ...
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How do you find out the "sweet spot" of a lens?
I've tried googling this, but have never found a satisfactory answer.
I've heard the term "sweet spot" thrown around by some photographers to mean the f-stop of a lens which results in the highest ...
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Does it make sense to put an expensive lens on a cheap camera?
I've spent a while looking at lenses and their prices, and now I'm wondering... Does it make sense to bolt a really expensive lens onto a cheap camera? Or is the extra performance only worth it if you ...
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What is the difference between a telephoto lens and a zoom lens?
Looking at the product page for Nikon lenses, I notice a distinction between telephoto lens and zoom lens.
What is the difference between the two? Why would I want one over the other? I wiki'd ...
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How to capture the scene exactly as my eyes can see?
What settings of my DSLR camera will emulate the scene exactly as I can see through my naked eyes?
I think it's not possible to get the contrast and colors exactly as my eyes can see, and it may vary ...
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Should I buy a camera with kit lens, or body plus lens separately?
I am planning to buy a DSLR soon.
Before I zero in on the model, I want to know whether it is advisable to buy a kit (body + 18-55 lens) or not? OR should I go for the camera-body and the lens ...
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Do I really need a fast 50mm lens?
Everyone I speak to says that a 50mm lens is the best and beats them all as an all-rounder. I was wondering whether to get myself a decent, fast 50mm as well. However I'm still not 100% sure whether I ...
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What is the definition of a "prime lens"?
There are many discussions of differences between prime, zoom and macro lenses. I have not heard about prime lenses until recently.
Could someone explain what exactly a prime lens is?
Is it ...
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Which lenses should be included in a travel photography kit?
On a crop sensor camera, e.g. Canon EOS 7D, what would be the best kit to travel with around Europe for a few weeks? My shooting style will focus on landscape, architecture, and general travel shots (...
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What does a hexagonal sun tell us about the camera lens/sensor?
In this picture, we see that the sun comes out as a hexagon. I am sure it is not arbitrary. What does the hexagon tell us about the instrument that captured the image?
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What is T-number / T-stop?
Usually, when discussing aperture of a lens, F-stop and F-number are used for quantifying. But some photographers, and especially videographers, also mention T-stop. The concept and numbering used (e....
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Is it worth to upgrade from Canon 50mm f/1.8 to Canon 50mm f/1.4 on 550d?
I'm a newbie in the world of DSLR photography, having played around with my Canon 550d for few months. After posting my first question here and getting some superb advices I decided to buy Canon 50mm ...
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What is a zone plate?
I was looking into alternative methods of photography and I happened upon something called a 'zone plate.'
Three questions:
What is a zone plate?
How does it work?
What can I do with it?
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Will a tilt-shift lens solve my 'leaning building' shots?
I shoot primarily with a Nikon D300, and that's not likely to change soon. The camera does everything I need it to do, but this. I also use a 17–55 mm lens, which I know that Thom castigates as ...
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Why do wide angle prime lenses have relatively small apertures?
I've noticed that many of the wide angle prime lenses (at least for Canon) have somewhat smaller apertures than their normal or telephoto counterparts. E.g. the regular Canon 24mm prime is f/2.8 while ...
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What is a pancake lens?
I've read about a "pancake lens" but don't really understand what that means.
What the pros and cons of having a pancake vs. another type of lens?
I'm thinking of getting a Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 ...
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