Goal #1 of Camera Settings:

Creating Sharp Images

There are two primary goals you need to consider when
choosing the right camera settings: creating sharp images, and
getting the perfect exposure. In this card, we will go over how
camera settings affect image sharpness.

Shutter Speed
Use faster shutter speeds to create
sharper images when the subject
(such as kids or birds) are moving, or
when holding the camera in your
hands. As a general rule, the shutter
speed should be 1/200th or faster
when hand holding the camera.
Landscape photos on a tripod can be
taken at any shutter shutter speed.

Aperture
High aperture values (like f/8 or
f/16) create images with a larger field
of focus, but will let in less light.
Landscape photographers use high
aperture values up to f/16 to get the
entire field of view in focus from
foreground to background.

ISO
ISO is the camera’s sensitivity to
light. Higher ISO values will
create a brighter image, but will
have more noise and lower
sharpness than low ISO images.
Landscape photographers use
the lowest ISO possible to create
the sharpest images.
2
 Goal #2 of Camera Settings:
Creating correctly-exposed images
There are two primary goals you need to consider when
choosing the right settings to use for the image you are creating:
creating sharp images, and getting the perfect exposure. In this
card, we will go over how to get the perfect exposure.

Read the Histogram

Your camera’s histogram is your best
friend. This graph shows you the
exposure. If it is bunched up on the
right, the image is overexposed, or if
it’s on the left, it’s underexposed.
Ideally, the histogram should be just
touching the right side, but not
bunching up, as seen in the example
photo.

Don’t Overexpose the Sky

An overexposed sky is the most
common photography mistake.
Underexposed images can be
recovered, but overexposed images
will not be fixable in Lightroom.
Ensure that your histogram is not
bunching up against the right side
for perfectly-exposed skies.

Exposure Compensation
If you are using automatic modes
like aperture priority, you can
tell your camera to overexpose
or underexpose your image using
the EV button. In bright light, set
your EV to -1 to start. After
taking a test shot, review the
histogram and adjust EV to suit 3
your image.
 The Golden Rule for Sharp
Handheld Photos
The biggest reason landscape photographers take unsharp photos
is because they are taking photos hand held at a shutter speed
that is too slow. Shutter speed freezes motion, including the
motion from your hands, or even just from pressing the shutter.
Here's the easy rule to follow for tack-sharp handheld photos.

Match Your Focal Length

If you are using a 50mm lens, you
need a shutter speed that is at least
1/50th to create sharp photos. This is
the old way of thinking that was
developed in the film photography
days, when photography wasn't as
sharp as today. The rule still holds up,
though you should always err on the
side of a faster shutter speed for
safety.

No slower than 1/200th

New high-resolution sensors show
more motion than entry-level
cameras with lower resolution. If you
are using a high-end camera, you
should always use a shutter speed
that is faster than 1/200th (even with
wide-angle lenses) to ensure your
photos are tack sharp handheld.
Otherwise a tripod will be necessary.

Lens Stabilization
The only exception to these rules is
if your lens or camera has built-in
stabilization. Lens stabilization
counters small motions while
handheld, which allows you to
capture sharper photos handheld.
These lenses are often significantly
more expensive than
non-stabilized lenses. 4
 Lens Terms You Must Know
The lens is the most important part of your camera, because it is what
determines how you capture your image. A good camera cannot overcome
the limitations of a bad lens. There are four primary features of every lens
that you must know when determining if a lens is right for you.

Focal Length F/# (Aperture)

The focal length is the maximum The second most prominent feature in
and/or minimum zoom of the choosing a lens is the aperture value,
camera lens. Focal length determines denoted by f/#. This is the maximum
the lens' primary usefulness and is aperture size your lens is capable of,
often the most prominent feature which determines the amount of light
new photographers look for and is it lens in, as well as how much
the primary benefit of using a background blur the lens can produce
dedicated professional camera body. at a given focal length. Consumer
zoom lenses may have apertures that
vary with focal length.

Close Focusing Distance Stabilization

While not featured prominently on Stabilization is one of the best features
the lens, the close focusing on a lens, because it reduces camera
distance is a distinct feature. The shake. Good stabilization will allow a
close focusing distance determines photographer to take sharper images
the maximum magnification of the hand held at lower shutter speeds,
lens, or how large you can make an allowing for the lens to be used in poor
object appear on the sensor. lighting. Lens stabilization can be
Standard lenses rarely capture combined with sensor stabilization for
objects at true-to-life sizes. perfectly sharp photos at previously
impossible shutter speeds. 5
 Lens and Sensor Conversions
While lenses have standardized metrics based on measurements, they do
not perform the same on all camera sensors. Each sensor type requires a
conversion factor for both the focal length and aperture to know how it
will work across different formats. Note: the adjustment for the aperture
only relates to background blur, and not the amount of light let in. To use
the conversion factor, simply multiply the lens by the conversion factor to
get an equivalent field of view.

Full Frame APS-C (Cropped Sensor)

Full frame is the most popular sensor APS-C is the entry-level camera sensor
size for working photographers and is size of choice, and are often referred
the standard all lenses are compared to as crop-sensor cameras, because
to. Full frame is roughly equivalent to a the smaller size makes images appear
35mm film camera frame, and is the cropped in compared to full frame.
format most manufacturers put the
majority of their R&D budgets into Crop Factor:
perfecting because of its ideal size. Canon: focal length x 1.6
Sony, Nikon: focal length x 1.5

Medium Format Micro 4/3rds

Micro 4/3rds is the smallest
Medium format is any sensor format
standard-sized sensor format, which is
larger than full frame. In digital
prized by videographers because of the
photography, there are only a
amount of features and speed enabled
handful manufacturers, including
by the smaller sensor format as well as
Hasselblad, FujiFilm, and Phase One
cheaper lenses. Though the smaller size
making medium format cameras
does mean less focus blur, and higher
because of the cost.
noise in low light.
Crop Factor:Focal length x 0.79 6
Crop Factor: focal length x2
 How to Know Your Sensor Type
Camera specifications are confusing. Manufacturers like to throw
around a dizzying amount of terms to make you buy their cameras Here
are a few shortcuts you can use to find out what type of camera you
have so that you will know what lenses you can use, and how your lenses
will work with your current and future cameras.

Mirrorless image sensors lined up. Micro 4/3rds on the left, APS-C in
the middle, full frame on the right. Size, however, isn't everything. There
are advantages to every sensor size on the market, and in fact, many
professionals, especially in the video world, are moving to smaller
camera sensors for better image quality, cheaper, lighter, and smaller
lenses, as well as advanced features that make them preferable.

Model Number What brand is your

Full frame cameras often have camera?
single-digit model numbers. Canon,
The only manufacturers who make full
Nikon (Mirrorless only), and Sony all
frame cameras are Canon, Nikon, Sony,
use lower numbers to signify
Leica, and Pentax. If you are using a
higher-end cameras that most often
Fuji, Panasonic, Hasselblad, or
have full-frame sensors. If the camera
Olympus camera, the sensors will not
has a two or three digit model name,
be full frame.
like the Canon R10, of Nikon Z50, it is
most likely a crop-sensor camera.

Price Point Do a Google Search

Ultimately, the fastest way to know
Crop sensor cameras tend to be less
what type of sensor your camera has is
expensive than full frame cameras. This
to do a Google Search. This will also tell
is not always true, but if you are buying
you what mount format you are using,
an entry-level camera from the big 3
and which lenses will work with the
manufacturers, it will likely be an APS-C
camera. As a general rule, all full-frame
camera. The exception to this rule would
lenses will work with crop sensor
be if you use a DSLR camera, which are
cameras, but crop-sensor lenses will
selling for lower prices than mirrorless
not work with full-frame cameras.
cameras as they are being discontinued 7
 Lens Types
There are three primary focal length types in photography. Each
has their own primary use and are favored by different
photographers. In practice, the use case of each lens type varies
wildly — especially on the extreme ends of the spectrum. Though
in practice, this is how most will refer to these lenses.

Wide Angle
A wide-angle lens is any lens with a
focal length described by a number
smaller than 40mm. These lenses
have a field of view thought to be
wider than the human eye.
Wide-angle lenses make objects in
the distance appear smaller, while
objects up close look larger. Wide
angle lenses are favored by landscape
and street photographers.

Normal Lens
Normal lens typically refers to lenses
around the 50mm focal length, and is
thought to be the same field of view
as the human eye on a full frame
camera sensor.. The term normal lens
is not as common in the 21st century
because 50mm lenses are not as
common, having their place taken by
the 18-55mm in APS-C, or 24-70mm
lenses for full frame.

Telephoto Lens
Telephoto lenses are any lens with a
focal length larger than 70mm. These
lenses vary widely in use. The
70-200mm is preferred by portrait
photographers, while lenses longer
than 200mm are used by wildlife and
sports photographers. Telephoto
lenses have reduced distortion and
make objects in the distance appear
larger. 8
 Zoom Vs. Prime Lenses
The biggest debate in photography is whether it's better to use zoom
lenses or primes. Prime lenses don't zoom, and thus can have smaller
maximum aperture numbers, and theoretically sharper images. Here
are the pros and cons to both lens types.

Prime Lens Pros Zoom Lens Pros

The primary benefit is the smaller Zoom lenses are versatile and
maximum aperture number, often lower dependable. You can bring fewer
than f/2, which lets in more light and lenses more places while enjoying
creates softer backgrounds for the benefits of the latest advances in
portraiture. Prime lenses are also faster optics engineering. Good zoom
to focus and can be sharper than zoom lenses are the bread and butter of
lenses. These lenses are often used for camera companies, meaning they
low-light photography, including pour much more R&D time into
portraiture and Milky Way. making zooms the best they can
Photographers love primes because they possibly be in terms of size, features,
make you think more about your photos. and sharpness.

Prime Lens Cons Zoom lens Cons

If you only use primes, you will have Zoom lenses must use higher
to prepare to carry more lenses with aperture numbers to stay small and
you. And just because they don't lightweight. Entry-level versions may
zoom doesn't mean they're lighter have aperture values that change
weight. Prime lenses may also when you zoom in, making them
require you to move more when more difficult to use in low-light.
taking photos, which can be a benefit They often show chromatic
for some photographers, but can also aberrations and soft corners at
result in needing to crop more often. different focal lengths. 9
 Niche Purpose Lenses
Outside of the standard lenses, there are lens types designed to serve
niche roles in photography. They are often more expensive that
standard lenses, because they have designs meant to correct (or
create) looks that standard images can't.

Macro Lens Tilt-Shift Lens

Standard lenses are not designed to Tilt-shift lenses are the most
get up close, which is one of the first expensive type of lenses, because
issues photographers face. Macro they are designed to precisely
lenses are designed to get close and correct converging lines and
magnify the subject, while correcting distortion from a wide-angle lens
issues like chromatic aberration and looking up or down. These lenses
focus field curvature that most are primarily used for architecture,
normal lenses suffer from when but also serve niche purposes in
focusing close up. landscape and portraiture.

Fisheye Soft Focus

Fisheye lenses are wide-angle If you can believe it, there was a time
lenses with exaggerated distortion. when photographers prized lenses
Objects in the center of the lens that didn't render the maximum
look much larger, while objects on sharpness. Soft focus lenses were
the sides or in the distance are popular in glam photo studios in the
significantly smaller. Today fisheye 80s and 90s, because they smoothed
lenses are primarily used for sports out skin without needing to edit the
and portraiture. negative. 10
 Lens Characteristics
Here are some of the primary features you must know about your lenses.
Every lens has a few characteristics that aren't advertised, but determine
what types of photos the lens can capture. Here is a rundown of a few of
the primary features you should look for when purchasing a new lens.

Aperture Blades Maximum Magnification

The number of aperture blades in a Every lens has a different
lens determine how smooth the magnification determined by
bokeh is, as well as the number of focal length and close focusing
points of light that occurs when distance. The closer a lens can
creating a sunstar (more on the focus, the more it will magnify
Sunstars Cheat Card on page 34). As a the subject. Wide angle lenses
general rule, the more aperture tend to have a higher maximum
blades, the better. magnification than telephoto.

Filter Thread Size Custom Buttons

The filter thread size (represented by Custom buttons can be used to
Θ#, Θ77 means a 77mm thread) change modes, focus, or any
determines which filters will fit on other features you wish to set.
your lens. If you buy a lens with a Custom buttons can make
larger filter size, then you will need to photography easier, and are
purchase larger filters for them. You becoming more common with
can always step filters down to a newer lenses and mirrorless
smaller lens, but you cannot step up camera bodies.
to a larger lens. 11
 Bad Lens Characteristics
There are 4 main bad characteristics that are common in all optics.
Most lens problems occur around the edges of the frame, where the
optics are not able to fully focus the light. Most of these problems
can be corrected and reduced by using higher aperture numbers.

Focus Breathing Chromatic Aberration

Chromatic Aberration is the red, blue,
Nearly every lens suffers from focus green, or magenta glow around the
breathing. This is when the focal edges of objects (shown in the image
length gets shorter when focusing above), especially when backlit.
closer to the camera. Focus Chromatic Aberration can usually be
breathing reduces magnification, and fixed by using a higher aperture
makes creating macro photos more number, or automatically by applying
challenging. Some of the best lenses profile corrections in Lightroom
reduce focus breathing. Classic.

Vignetting Lens Coma

Vignetting is the darkening of the Coma is caused by distortion in the
corners of an image. This is caused corners of the lens. Coma can cause
by the lens not transmitting as much stars or out of focus balls of light in
light in the corners of the frame as it the corners of the image to stretch,
does in the center. Vignetting is making perfect circles become a
usually fixed by closing down the distracting oval shape. Coma is
aperture. Vignetting can be fixed by corrected at higher aperture
enabling profile corrections in numbers, though there is no way to
Lightroom Classic. correct this problem in
Lightroom. 12
 Glass Vs. Plastic Lenses
Camera lenses need to meet the absolute highest standards of optical
quality to create tack-sharp images without defects. There are two
primary lens types used for camera optics: glass and plastic. Here's the
positives and negatives of both. Though there are no lenses made today
without at least some plastic elements.

Glass Lens Pros Plastic Lens Pros

Glass lenses are sharper and Plastic lenses are getting better
transmit light better than plastic. all the time. New technologies
Glass lenses also show less chromatic have gotten plastic light
aberrations, are less prone to optical transmission almost on par with
changes from temperature shifts, glass, while being significantly
and are less prone to changing color cheaper and lighter. They can
over time. That's why most also be crammed into smaller
professional lenses are mostly made spaces with tight tolerances.
of glass elements.

Glass Lens Cons Plastic lens Cons

Glass lenses may transmit light The largest drawback to plastic is
better than plastic, but they are that it can flare easier than glass.
much more expensive to produce That means in strong, direct light
and are far heavier. Glass lenses you are more likely to have flare
require stronger motors to move obscuring your images. Plastic
for focusing, as well as stronger elements are also more likely to have
supports to keep them in place. If chromatic aberrations around edges
the lens falls, it's easy for a heavy and can fog over time.
glass element to move out of place. 13
 Other Lens Materials
Glass and plastic are far from the only materials used inside lenses.
Here are four other materials and designs used to create the most
optically-perfect lenses on the market. These materials signify lenses
where the manufacturer goes above and beyond to create the sharpest
images possible.

Low-Dispersion Glass Fluorite

Low-dispersion glass is a new The most expensive lens elements
material used on telephoto lenses are made from fluorite, which is a
specifically. This type of glass comes lab-grown crystal that has
in many different varieties, and near-perfect light transmission.
significantly reduces chromatic Only high-end lenses will have one
aberrations. Every manufacturer has or two fluorite elements, since they
their own proprietary low-dispersion are fragile, and take 4x longer to
glass that goes by different names. shape than any other element.

Thorium Blue Refractive Glass

Before fluorite, manufacturers used The latest elements to precisely
thorium to make ultra-clear glass. control chromatic aberrations in
The problem with thorium is that it's camera lenses. Blue light causes the
measurably (though not dangerously) worst chromatic aberration in lenses,
radioactive. That's why this material is so engineers have begun creating
not used today, despite being cheap elements just to control this
to source and flexible to use. You will wavelength of light. Lenses with BR
only find thoriated elements in lenses elements will create the sharpest
made before the 1980s. images possible. 14
How Lenses Affect Depth of Focus
Depth of focus (a.k.a. depth of field) is the amount of the image that is
in focus. If you are taking a landscape photo, you will want the largest
depth of focus possible, while if you're taking portraits, you may want
a small depth of field to separate the subject from the background.

Focal Length Aperture

The longer the focal length, the less The aperture is controls the field of
depth of focus. With a 500mm lens, you focus. The higher the number, the
can capture a photo of a bird or bear more of the image will be in focus.
from 50ft away at f/8 and still create a Landscape photographers usually use
completely blurred out background. a high aperture number (like f/16) to
Most lenses have a depth of focus scale get the entire image in focus from
on top that shows how much of the front to back. Using numbers higher
image will be acceptably in focus at a than f/16 will result in diffraction,
given aperture and focal length. reducing overall image sharpness.

Distance from Subject Sensor size

This is the bain of every macro As a general rule, larger sensors will
photographer's existence. The produce images with smaller depth
closer you are to the object you're of focus because a larger sensor lets
focusing on, the smaller the depth you get closer to your subject. That
of field will be. When taking means you will need to use a higher
photos up close, you may need to aperture number to achieve the
use focus stacking to get the same depth of focus on a full frame
whole image in focus from front to camera than on a crop sensor
back. camera. 15
 Why Aperture Size Matters
The most important rule in photography is: the smaller the aperture
number, the more expensive the lens will be. Lenses with small aperture
numbers are highlight desired by photographers for many reasons.
Here's why manufacturers spend millions each year researching how to
make lenses with smaller apertures — even if it makes the lens
technically worse.

Lens Size Background Blur

The size of the lens is directly Most photographers associate the
proportional to the smallest aperture aperture number with how much
number. The smaller the aperture background blur they can create. Some
number, the larger the aperture size photographers will pay thousands to
needed to let in more light. Wide angle go from f/2.8 to f/1.4, even if it means
lenses can still be fairly small, even with hauling around extra lenses. That said,
aperture numbers as low as f/1.4. background blur also changes with
However, longer focal lengths get focal length, where longer focal
increasingly bigger and heavier to lengths create more blur.
accommodate larger apertures.

Autofocus Speed Low-Light Performance

Autofocus speed is remarkably faster Improving autofocus speed isn't the
with lenses with larger aperture only benefit to smaller aperture
numbers. That's because the lens lets numbers. Since these lenses let in
more light into the camera, which more light, they allow the
makes it easier for the camera to photographer to use lower ISO
detect the perfect point of focus, even settings, which reduce the amount
in a dark room. Wedding, event, of noise in your images. This is
sports, and wildlife photographers particularly important when taking
seek smaller aperture numbers for photos indoor.
this reason. 16
 How Focal Length Changes the Image
Focal Length changes much more than just depth of field. There are
plenty of other factors to consider when you're trying to create your
image. Knowing how focal length changes the image helps you
prepare to create the best photos of your life!

Background Compression & Distortion

The biggest change telephoto focal Wide angle lenses make objects up
lengths make is the background. A close look larger and rounder while
16mm lens can make the tallest objects far away look smaller. Telephoto
mountains in the distance look like lenses compress close up features and
molehills, while a 200mm lens will make them appear true to life. Portrait
make them appear gigantic. This is photographers rarely use wide-angle
extremely important to know when lenses up close, because they make
framing your image. If you want to noses larger and round out facial
bring the background close, use a features. Though in landscapes, it make
telephoto focal length. small features in the landscape look
large compared to the background.

Lens size Depth of Field

Perhaps the most obvious change focal
length makes is to the lens size. The Wide angle lenses create a larger
reason why telephoto lenses don't have depth of field (the amount of the
small aperture numbers is because they image in focus) than telephoto
require a much larger diameter to let in lenses. This can be extremely
the same amount of light. A 24mm lens useful for creating subject
only requires an 8.5mm (0.3") aperture separation in your photos. More
diameter for f/2.8, while a 500mm lens information on this important
requires a 178.6mm (~7") diameter to let topic available on the previous
in the same amount of light! cheat card. 17
 How to Overcome Lens
Limitations
What if you don't have the right lens for your situation? Or what if
you do have the right lens, but the highlights are too bright and the
shadows are too dark? Here are three easy post processing
techniques you can use to overcome the limitations of your lenses
or camera!

Wide-angle photos without

a wide-angle lens
The easiest way to get a wider field of
view is to create a panorama. This
works by taking multiple photos
overlapping by approximately 30%.
Then combine these photos to create
a single, ultra-detailed wide-angle
panorama photo in Lightroom.

Too small depth of focus

If your image requires a telephoto
lens, but you have objects in the
foreground that you want in focus,
then you can use focus stacking.
Focus stack your images by taking
multiple photos at different focus
points and combining them in Adobe
Photoshop to create a single image
that is perfectly sharp front to back!

Bright Sky, Dark Foreground

If you're unable to capture an image
without overexposing part of the frame
in one exposure, you can use HDR, or
High-Dynamic Range, processing to
create a single image with perfect
exposure. Take three images, one
two-stops over exposed, one perfectly
exposed, and one two-stops under, and
then combine them in Lightroom!
18
 Lens adapters and converters
There are a number of different adapters that you can use to alter
your camera lens to suit another purpose, or to fit your lenses on a
different camera system. Adapters sit between the lens and camera
body. Here are the most common adapters photographers use

Lens Teleconverter Extension Tubes

This is the most popular modification Extension tubes are an inexpensive
for your lens. A teleconverter gives empty tube (no lens) that transforms
your lens extra reach, usually 1.4x or 2x any normal lens into a macro lens.
the focal length, at the expense of They are great for trying out macro
reducing the aperture by 1-2 stops. without investing in a lens. The
The downside of teleconverters is they downside is you lose infinity focus, and
can reduce image sharpness, slow your your photo's corners will not be as
autofocus, and can reduce the number sharp even when using high aperture
of usable autofocus points. numbers.

Lens Adapters Speed Boosters

For using other manufacturer's lenses Speed boosters are a new type of
on your camera. The most common adapter that does the exact
use case is for adapting DSLR lenses to opposite of a teleconverter. The
new mirrorless cameras, or for booster effectively increases the
adapting vintage lenses to modern lens aperture and widens the focal
cameras. You may lose some camera length, which also brightens the
features or aperture control when image. They are most useful for
adapting lenses. Make sure your lens crop and micro 4/3rds camera
matches or exceeds your sensor size sensors. 19
so there are no dark edges.
 How to Turn Any Lens Into a Macro
There are three primary tools for making lenses effectively magnify
your subjects. This is such a common need that many different tools
have been used over the last 100 years of photography history. Here's
what they do, and why macro lenses are still the superior choice.

Extension Tubes Lens Macro Filters

Extension tubes move your lens Macro filters are like a magnifying
further away from the camera so that glass that screws onto the filter
the beam of light hitting the sensor thread of your lens. They are the
spreads further apart. This magnifies simplest tool for increasing lens
the image in the center of the lens magnification without losing
across the sensor. With simple autofocus or aperture control,
electronic contacts, extension tubes though they often introduce issues
will still allow autofocus and aperture like chromatic aberrations and
selections, though you will lose the reduce sharpness in the corners.
ability to focus in the distance.

Lens Reversal Adapters Benefits of macro lenses

While all these solutions create good
A lens reversal is an adapter that
macro images, none of them are as
mounts the lens backwards on your
high-quality as a dedicated macro
camera, turning it into a macro lens.
lens. Macro lenses are designed to
This can produce stunning, sharp
have a flat field of focus for sharp
results. Though focusing and
images corner to corner with no
controlling aperture with modern
vignetting or chromatic aberration.
electronic lenses may prove
Macro lenses are often the most
impractical when working with
over-engineered lenses in any 20
moving subjects.
manufacturer's lineup.
 Lenses for Landscapes
Landscape photography is flexible, and does not require any special
lenses. There are no bad choices — especially with modern cameras
and post processing techniques that can overcome any limitation.
So in this card, I will give you some examples of what these different
lenses are used for in landscape photography.

Ultra Wide-Angle
These lenses, like the 14-24mm f/2.8
are used to capture sweeping
landscapes with an element in the
foreground such as flowers or cracks
in the mud. Ultra-wide angle lenses
create a large depth of field, making
it easy to capture the whole image in
focus from front to back. These
lenses make the background look
small compared to the foreground.

Wide-Angle Zoom
Ex. 24-70mm will be the lens you use
for just about everything! This lens is
wide enough for most landscapes,
and zooms in tight to capture
stunning detail shots, or to create
incredibly detailed panoramas! There
is no lens as versatile as the
wide-angle zoom.

Telephoto
Ex. 70-200mm, the telephoto
zooms in tight to reveal details
and textures in the landscape,
while making the background
larger. If you have a sweeping
landscape with a subject in the
distance, the telephoto lens will
capture it best. 21
 Lenses for Sports & Wildlife
Wildlife and sports photography require the most expensive
lenses. And worse, they are often impractical for any other
situation. This is also the most difficult type of photography, as it
requires the most patience, speed, and skills to capture good
photos.

Medium telephoto zooms

Lenses like the 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 are
designed for a mix of sports and
wildlife. These lenses are designed
for hobbyists who need to prioritize
flexibility in other genres over
maximum image quality. These
lenses are great for beginners, and
often used with tele-extenders.

Long telephoto zooms

Lenses like the 200-500mm f/5.6 or
the 150-600mm f/5-6.3 are the most
popular for wildlife and sports
photography. Their flexibility, size,
and attractive price make them
perfect lenses for starting out. They
create images that are more than
sharp enough for professional use.

Prime lenses with low

aperture numbers
Lenses like the 600mm f/4, or
400mm f/2.8 are the gold standard
for wildlife photography. They are
the most expensive, but are desired
for their fast focus and low-light
performance, making it possible to
shoot any time of day with low noise
and strong background blur. 22
 Lenses for Flowers & Insects
Flower and insect photography requires lenses that can focus
close and magnify your subject. The gold standard is the 1:1
macro lens, which makes objects the same size on the camera
sensor as they are in real life. But similar effects can be
created with other lenses. Here's how to get as close as
possible to your subjects.

Wide-angle lenses
Wide-angle lenses create more
magnification than telephoto
lenses because they can often
focus much closer. With a set of
inexpensive extension tubes, these
can easily be used to create
stunning macro photos that
couldn't otherwise by captured!

Macro Lenses
Macro lenses are typically 70 or
100mm lenses that are designed to
focus up close and create tack-sharp
images edge to edge. These lenses
are engineered for a perfectly flat
field of focus, which is why they
rarely zoom in or out. Most macro
lenses create a 1:1 magnification, but
some specialist lenses make a 2:1, or
double the size of your subject.

Probe Lens
Probe Macro lenses are designed for
use underwater or in tight spaces.
There is only one manufacturer,
Laowa, who makes this lens, which
has an f/14 smallest aperture
number and a 24mm field of view
and an LED light on the front,
making it a highly specialized lens
for niche scenarios. 23
 Lenses for
Astrophotography
Astrophotography requires using wide-angle lenses that let in
as much light as possible to capture detailed photos without
blurry star trails, which are caused by the Earth's rotation. Use
apps like Photo Pills to find the ideal shutter speed settings for
your lens.

Prime Lenses
Because the amount of time you have
to capture a sharp starry-night sky
image is limited, you need a lens that
can let in as much light as possible,
meaning having the smallest aperture
number possible. Most wide-angle
prime lenses have aperture numbers
as low as f/1.8 or 1.4, which will
reduce the ISO you need to capture a
good exposure.

Wide angle field of view

Wider lenses can use longer exposure
times without seeing star trails than
telephoto lenses can. That means the
wider your lens, the lower your ISO
can be to capture the Milky Way. For
this reason, most astrophotographers
love the Sigma or Nikon 20mm prime
lenses, though 24mm primes may be
more useful for everyday users.

Using Star Trackers

When you fall in love with
astrophotography, the way to
capture more detailed photos will be
to use a device called a star tracker.
These move at the same speed and
orientation as the earth to make your
sky photos sharper at longer
exposure times, allowing you 24
to use lower ISO values.
 Lenses for Portraiture
Portraiture requires lenses that make people look their best. That
often means using telephoto lenses that compress facial features
and create background blur that separates the subject from the
background. While the lens certainly helps creating flattering
looks, the most important factors are angles and lighting. If you
can place your subject in the best light and capturing photos of
them at their best angles.

Distortion & compression

The wide angle lenses used on phones
are one of the primary reasons why
young women are getting unnecessary
surgeries. Objects close to a wide angle
lens will appear larger and wider, such
as your nose or forehead. That's why
portrait photographers love telephoto
lenses. Wide angle lenses should only
be used when you stand back

Aperture
Many photographers think you need to
use the smallest aperture number
possible when taking portraits, but doing
that might result in only the subject's
nose or eye being in focus, while the rest
of them is out. A better approach is to use
an aperture value like f/4 or f/5.6 to
make their whole face and body in focus.
Even if your focus isn't perfect, you will
still have a sharp photo.

Popular lens options

85mm: the most prized portrait lens
because of it's compression and
low-light usability.
35mm: perfect for family and events.
Moderate distortion up close, but wide
enough to capture multiple people or
environmental portraits.
24-70mm: most used portrait lens
of all time. 25
 Do you need to upgrade
from your kit lens?
The kit lenses are perfect for starting out with photography.
They are designed to work in nearly every situation, but
without specializing in any one. Kit lenses are designed to help
photographers dabble in as many different types of
photography as possible.

Sharpness and versatility

Kit lenses are typically sharp,
lightweight with a mix of
wide-angle and telephoto focal
lengths to create good portraits and
landscape photos. However, the kit
lens is not usually the sharpest, and
doesn't create background blur or
subject separation.

Variable Apertures
Apertures that change as you zoom in
and out can be frustrating, especially
when taking photos for professional
uses in changing light. This can mean
your images become significantly
noisier when you have to zoom in to
get the shot, or your shot suddenly
becomes too dark.

Jack of All Trades

But master of none. The kit lenses
are great at giving you an
introduction to many different
types of photography, but will
usually hold you back from
achieving your vision in one way
or another. 26
Super Zooms: Can One Lens Rule Them All?
Many photographers dream of having one lens to do everything — and
manufacturers continue chasing that dragon to develop the one lens
that never has to leave your camera. These lenses are amazing for
everyday photography, and are perfect for most photographers.
However, they do have some downsides professionals cannot ignore.

Variable Apertures Sharpness and

Superzooms often have variable
imperfections
apertures that get much higher at Superzoom lenses are not designed
the zoom end of the spectrum, for perfectionists. If you're the type of
making them difficult to use indoors photographer who pixel peeps, you
or in low-light situations. They also will not be satisfied with superzooms,
do not create good subject isolation which can be more or less sharp, have
for portraiture. Always be careful to vignetting and exaggerated distortion
watch your exposure when using at different focal lengths throughout
superzooms. the range.

Close focusing Are Superzooms Worth It?

Superzooms are not meant for For many photographers, a
magnifying your subjects. They often superzoom could be the only lens
cannot focus up close, and don't work you ever need! If you often work
well with extension tubes. The with a tripod, or don't mind a bit of
problem is these lenses are difficult to noise, a superzoom can accomplish
correct for problems like focus nearly any task. And they're getting
curvature and chromatic aberration at faster and sharper every single day
all focal ranges. These issues become thanks to modern engineering.
magnified when working close up. 27
 The First Lens Every New
Photographer Needs to Try
The 50mm f/1.8 prime lens is the most popular lens in
photography. This used to be the kit lens that came with every
camera, so it has been tried and true for generations of
photographers. The 50mm f/1.8 is available at a low cost on every
system and should be the first lens you use. Here's why:

Perfect Portraits
The f/1.8 aperture opens up a whole
new world for portraiture. It will let
in significantly more light than the
kit lens, and gets the background
blur you desire when you first pick
up a camera. This will be the first
lens that easily makes the images
your phone tries to fake.

Normal Focal Length

The 50mm field of view is considered
the closest to the human eye, making
it easier to visualize images in a
50mm focal length than any other.
That means what you are seeing in
real life will more easily be captured
by a 50mm focal length, where others
will require more practice.

Tack Sharp
Because this lens has been used
for generations, even the low-cost
versions are tack-sharp compared
to kit lenses. The lens will show
virtually no chromatic aberration,
vignetting, or unsharp corners
when used a stop or two down
from wide open. 28
 The Holy Trinity of Lenses
These are the most popular lenses among working
photographers. These three lenses can accomplish nearly
everything because of their small aperture numbers and useful
focal length ranges. They are the sharpest, and best engineered
lenses by every manufacturer because of their popularity.

16-35mm f/2.8
(landscapes, architecture)
14-24mm on some cameras. This lens
is most useful for landscape
photography because of its
ultra-wide focal length that makes it
perfect for capturing landscapes that
are tack sharp front to back, even
with subjects close to the camera.

24-70mm f/2.8
(The best all-around lens)
This is the lens most photographers
base their entire career around. This
focal range is perfect for landscapes,
portraits, close-up sports, street,
candid photography, events, and
nearly everything else you can
through at it.

70-200 F/2.8
(portraiture, landscapes, events)
When you need a little more reach,
the 70-200mm is the best lens to
go for. Photographers use this lens
to isolate subjects in a landscape
and make the background larger in
the frame.
29
 Lenses For Crop Sensors
Most photographers start out using crop-sensor (APS-C) cameras, which
can use smaller, less-expensive lenses. Crop-sensor lenses can be just as
good as professional lenses. Here are the must-have lenses for
crop-sensor cameras. These closely mimic the range and aperture
numbers of the Holy Trinity of Lenses for Full Frame cameras. Here are
three of the top picks for crop-sensor users.

*10-18mm
(landscapes, architecture)

This ultra-wide angle lens (15-27mm

on full frame) comes in many
variations. It's the perfect lens for
close-up landscape photography
when you want the whole range in
focus from front to back. Look for the
Sigma Lens version for a fixed f/2.8
aperture.

*17-55mm f/2.8
(Best Wide-Angle Zoom Lens)
The 17-55mm lens is the 24-70mm of
crop-sensor cameras. While close to the
same focal length of your kit lens, this
version will be significantly sharper and
more useful. The f/2.8 aperture makes
this perfect for portraits, landscapes,
low light, and so much more. This will
be the lens you never take off your
camera again.

70-300mm F/4-5.6
(portraiture, landscapes, events)
The 70-300mm (105-450mm on crop
sensor cameras) should be the first
lens new photographers with
crop-sensor cameras should pick up.
This lens will allow you to start
capturing wildlife, sports, and will
open the doors to new types of
photography that can't be done 30
with a phone.
 Are Third-Party Lenses Worth it?
There was a time when third-party lenses were to be avoided at all
costs. But since the early 2010s, manufacturers like Sigma, Rokinon, and
Tamron have all made lenses that are practically as good as the Original
Equipment Manufacturer lenses by Canon, Sony, and Nikon. But it's not
all roses and savings. Here's the pros and cons to third party lenses.

Third-Party Lens Pros OEM Lens Pros

When comparing sharpness, OEM lenses will be designed from the
distortion, vignetting, and chromatic ground up for their system, instead of
aberration, third-party lenses are being reverse engineered. You will get
just as good and sometimes even faster autofocus, better performance,
better than the OEM lenses! And the more stabilization, and auto lens
best part is they're often significantly corrections embedded in your photos
cheaper, providing incredible value to make processing faster. OEM
for photographers. lenses also have stronger resale value
than third-party lenses.

Third-Party Lens Cons OEM Lens Cons

With the race to make the best
mirrorless cameras, OEMs have The largest downside to OEM
lowered their prices on cameras so lenses is the price. They're often
much that they're betting their $1,000 more for professional lenses
businesses on lens sales. That means than third-party lenses. For DSLR
they're pushing third-parties out the cameras, this may not be worth the
door, banning them altogether, or cost. Though for mirrorless
limiting features when they're used. To cameras, there are fewer
get more frames and faster autofocus, third-party options available.
31
you may need to use OEM lenses.
 Should You Buy Used Lenses?
It's no secret, photography is expensive. One of the best ways to save
money is to purchase used camera gear, but what are the risks
involved? And is it worth it? Here are the positives and negatives to
buying used gear.

Used Lens Pros New Lens Pros

The largest benefit to used lenses is the New lenses come with a
cost savings. Lenses are like used cars guarantee, and ar easier to return
— they lose 1/3rd of their value after or replace if they don't work out.
leaving the box. But unlike cars, lenses You also get better customer
don't break down, and photographers service from a shop who wants to
store and care for them with extreme make sure they're selling a tool
caution because of their value. As long that will actually benefit your
as a lens is used, it will continue to workflow, instead of passing a hot
function for years to come. potato.

Used Lens Cons New Lens Cons

The worst part of buying used is The largest con is price. You can pay
dealing with private sellers. Sellers 30% more on a new lens than used,
may try to hide issues, such as only to instantly lose that on the resale
decentered lenses, scratches, or value. A good lens will last a lifetime
worse, mold. You will need to when used and cared for properly,
carefully test and inspect every meaning used lenses will maintain or
used lens for defects that can turn even increase in value. That money
a good deal into a lemon. could instead be spent traveling to
create stunning photos. 32
 How to avoid buying lemons
There is some risk that you assume when you purchase a used lens.
Here are three things you need to look for when buying a used lens to
make sure you're not going to buy a lemon. If anything feels off, or if
you feel pressured to make a purchase, always hand the lens back
and walk away, or start the return process. If you order a lens online,
it's important to create videos of this testing process as you open the
box.

Buy Lenses from

Reputable Sellers
If the seller has even one review
saying item not as described on Kijiji
or Facebook Marketplace, do not
purchase anything from them. That's
a clear sign that they could be hiding
relevant information to increase
their sale price.

Test the Lens

Always bring your camera with you to
test the autofocus and stabilization of
the lens. Focus on something close
and then focus outside a window. If
there are any hiccups in good light,
the lens may have an issue. Take
photos at different ranges and
apertures to test the aperture and
check focus across the lens to look for
decentering (one half out of focus)

Shine a Light
Shining a light will test for fungus
and fogging, which are usually only
found on older lenses. If you see
anything other than dust, hand the
lens back, as fungus and haze only
get worse with time and are very
difficult for professional technicians
to fix.
33
 Can Cell Phones Replace Cameras?

Cell phones do many things extremely well, and even better than digital
cameras. However, there are a few uses where cell phones will not be
able to replace a camera with a large sensor. Here are the tradeoffs
when considering the best camera for the job.

What Phones Do Better What Cameras Do Better

Sharp handheld photos in More control: Dial in the perfect
low-light: cellphones take multiple aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to
photos in low light and combine achieve your vision.
them to recreate the sharpest
details. Many new phones can even Real background blur: phone cameras
capture the Milky Way using these can mimic background blur, but it
processing techniques always looks fake compared with real
bokeh from a professional camera.
Automatic processing: look your
best without doing anything! Phone Capture fast action: pro cameras can
cameras smooth skin, create capture more detailed wildlife and
flattering light, and capture perfect sports photos.
When
skin the without
tones sun is inwork!
f
More detail, less noise: cell phone
Panoramas and multiple lenses: photos look great until you zoom in.
phone cameras can cycle through
lenses and looks faster and Realistic processing: phone
automatically stitch panoramas and processing can sometimes overdo it
HDR photos faster than ever since they cannot understand your
before. vision for the photo. 34
 Reducing Lens Flare
Flare happens when the sun or another bright light is shining
directly inside the camera lens. Flare occurs because the light is
bouncing around inside the lenses, which reduces saturation,
and can be extremely difficult to clean up in post productions.
Here are a few tips for reducing glare in your camera when you
want a photo with the sun in front of the camera.
Use a Lens Hood
Lens hoods block light coming in
from the side or top of the frame,
which causes the worst types of
flares. Most professional lenses
come with their own lens hoods
that are designed to give the best
performance without blocking light
from entering the camera. Use
these hoods over 3rd party or
generic lens hoods for best results.
Keep Your Lens Clean
Cleaning your camera lens is one of
the best ways to prevent flaring. Dust,
fingerprints, oils, and other elements
on your lens can make flaring much
worse. Find a kit that has a lens
cleaning spray and a thin microfiber
cloth for best results. Clean off any
debris with a rocket blower before
using the spray so you don't damage
the lens.

Large Aperture Numbers

The easiest way to reduce flaring is
to use a larger aperture number
(smaller aperture) like f/8 or f/16.
Larger aperture numbers
straighten out the light as it enters
the lens, increasing depth of field
and reducing flaring from
bouncing around the lens.
35
 Stunning Starbursts
Starburst add interest to your photographs, and are surprisingly
easy to capture. Set your aperture to f/16, and place half the sun
behind a hard object. The starburst will only show up over dark
objects on the edge of the frame, so be sure to have some darker
elements in the frame to partially obscure the direct sunlight for
best results.

Exposure Mode
The main setting that is needed
for creating starbursts is a large
aperture number, usually
between f/11 and f/16. The
larger the number, the bigger
the starburst. Use aperture
priority, and let the camera do
the rest of the heavy lifting for
you.

Place Your Starburst Over

a Dark Element
Starbursts will not show on bright
skies or water. Be sure to have a dark
element in the frame and place the
sun partially behind its edge to
create a dramatic flare.

Painting With Light

Brightening and increasing the
saturation of your starburst in
Lightroom will make it more
dramatic. Use the contrast, dehaze,
and temperature sliders on an
adjustment brush to make them
stand out. 36
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