Camera lens guide

Ever wonder which lens should you use? This beginner's guide shows you several lenses and their effects on your images, subjects, and scenes.

Even if cell phone cameras keep improving and reach unimaginable levels of image quality, I’ll always carry around a larger, heavier, and more complex camera. Why is that? One word: lenses! An interchangeable lens camera opens up a vast world of photographic visions through a huge variety of optics. Choosing among the dozens and even hundreds of lenses can be confusing and intimidating, so in this beginner’s guide, I’ll explain the types of lenses available and what you should buy.

Buying photography equipment for the first time is a daunting task. Useful guides exist to help beginners choose a good camera, but few newcomers realize that the camera itself is only the first of many pieces of equipment necessary to create a full setup for photography. In this guide, I will suggest a complete kit — everything from lens cloths to computer monitors — that will provide a beginner with high quality images (and room to grow) for a price of around 2000 US dollars.

How to decide which camera lens to get next. A breakdown of several lens types and tips to choosing the right one for your needs.

A camera is only as good as the lens that goes with it. So we'll explain everything about the different types of camera lenses, and why and when to use which!