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Zoom lenses are identified by their focal length range. These numbers
are important because they tell the photographer the lens' widest and
longest setting.
These numbers, however, don't tell the user the situations in which the
lenses can be used.
A renaming of zoom lenses is offered here. Keep in mind that these designations
are simply intended to give the novice photographer an idea of how the
lenses can be used.
- Photojournalist's
lens, 17-35 mm zoom
At
the 17 mm to 20 mm settings, the 17-35 mm zoom offers an extra-wide
angle-of-view and very good depth-of-field. As a result, both the subject and
the surrounding area are in sharp focus. The 24 mm to 35 mm settings
still offer fairly good depth-of-field, but with a smaller angle-of-view
– about equal to the view we see with our eyes.
Photojournalist's favorite!
I photographed these school children in Lombok, Indonesia with a 17-35
mm zoom lens set at 20mm, the lens I call a photojournalist zoom.
- Standard lens,
28-105 mm zoom
Today,
a 28-105 mm zoom lens is considered a standard lens by many photographers
because it's adequate for landscapes (at the 28 mm setting) and people
pictures (at the 105 mm setting).
The in-between settings are good for grab shots and snapshots.
The new standard.
While enjoying a sunset in Trinidad, Cub, I set my 28-105 mm zoom lens
set at 28 mm. For me, the 28-105 mm lens has become my standard zoom
lens.
- Portrait and
animal lens, 70-200 mm zoom
This
lens is a good choice when a photographer can get relatively close to
a person or animal. As you zoom in on the subject, the background and
foreground becomes increasingly out of focus, enabling your subject
to ''stand out'' in your picture.
Name of the game, fill the frame!
I took this picture of a farmer in Costa Rica with my 70-200 mm zoom
lens set at 200 mm, the lens I often use for basic people and wildlife
photography. When photographing people and animals, I like to fill the
frame with the subject for added impact.
- Fashion and wildlife
lens, 100-300 mm zoom
Fashion
photographers like this zoom because the background becomes a soft blur
at the 300 mm setting (when the maximum aperture is selected). The 300
mm setting also provides a comfortable working distance between the
subject and the model; the shorter settings can be used for wider compositions.
Wildlife photographers like this lens because it brings them ''up close''
to the subject. And for an even closer view, a 2X converter can be attached
that makes this lens a 200 mm to 600 mm zoom.
Get up close and personal.
For this portrait of a resting lion in Kenya, I set my 100-300 mm zoom
lens at 300 mm). When I can’t get close to a subject, my 100-300
mm gets me up close and personal.
Remember, these designations are not offered by zoom lens
manufacturers; they are intended to show you – the user –
the versatility of the lenses in certain shooting situations.
Update for digital photographers: If you own a Digital SLR, keep in mind that your camera probably has a smaller sensor, cropping the image. When buying lenses for these cameras, remember that a 100mm lens will appear to be a 150mm, a 10mm will cover the same area as a 15mm lens on a 35mm camera, if the digital camera has a 1.5X "Lens Multiplication Factor". When shopping for a digital SLR lens, look for "35mm equivalent" when choosing a focal length that corresponds to the above lens designations.
All the images in this article can be seen in Rick's 22nd book,
Rick Sammon's Complete Guide to Digital Imaging.
See www.ricksammon.com
for more information.
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