Lenses #2 - Standard lenses

[RichardTaylor]

Lenses 2
Standard lenses.

Cameras can be purchased with a "standard" lens.
Usually they are a zoom lens with a focal length range of approximately 17mm-55m at the very least, sometimes to over 100mm, with maximum apertures of F3.5-F5.6 for consumer crop cameras.
In other words from wide angle to short telephoto.
For full frame they are typically from around 24mm-70/105mm/120mm with maximum apertures of F2.8 or F4

Some of the consumer lenses are built to a price and this reflects in their build quality, focussing speed and image quality, and bokeh (the subject of another post).

I am only personally familiar with Canon lenses and the full frame kit lens is a big step up in build quality, focussing speed and image quality. Also it is a big step up in price.

Image stabilisation or vibration reduction.
This is a lens construction the reduces the effects of camera shake. It will help you to shoot at least 1/4 of the shutter speed you can normally hand held.
This makes the lens a lot more versatile when shooting static subjects hand held in low light. It will not stop subject motion but will allow more creative use of shutter speeds when shooting hand held.


What standard zooms are not good for.
"Freezing" moving subjects in low light (because of the small maximum apertures), and possibly even being able to focus in low light, and shooting with very shallow DOF, except possibly with a F2.8 lens. Shooting some sport dependant on how well and quickly they focus.

What are they good for.
They are great for general purpose photography like scenery, family pics in good light and travel. With image stabilisation they can be ok for hand held city street shots in low light and building interiors. The fast, F2.8, ones are a lot more versatile for narrow depth of field and low light moving subjects. Some of then focus fairly close which can be good for flowers etc.
They can be relative small, and light and inexpensive.

Last major vacation 90% of my photographs were taken with one of the "better" kit lenses. It was not a "wildlife" vacation.

Some examples. All taken, hand held, with a full frame camera and a 24mm-105mm image stabilised kit lens

(1) Where a wide angle (24mm or approx 15mm on a crop camera) "lets you get it all in.

Camera Canon EOS 5D
Exposure 0.01 sec (1/100)
Aperture f/18
Focal Length 24 mm
ISO Speed 400
Exposure Bias -2/3 EV


(2) This illustrates the versatility of having a large focal length range.
This is at the telephoto end.
Shot from the same position as pic #1

Camera Canon EOS 5D
Exposure 0.008 sec (1/125)
Aperture f/10
Focal Length 95 mm
ISO Speed 400
Exposure Bias 0 EV

(3) What a wide angle (24mm) and image stabilisation can do. Hand held at 1/13 second.

Camera Canon EOS 5D
Exposure 0.077 sec (1/13)
Aperture f/4
Focal Length 24 mm
ISO Speed 800
Exposure Bias 0 EV

(4) this is about the shallowest DOF you can get. It is shot wide open. Most of the kit lenses do not do this well. It also illustrates how close you can shoot with this particular lens.

Camera Canon EOS 5D
Exposure 0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperture f/4.0
Focal Length 97 mm
ISO Speed 400
Exposure Bias 0 EV


Camera and third party lens manufacturers do offer alternatives to the kit lens. They may be faster, built better, and focus better than the original kit lenses.


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Part 1 (Introduction) can be found here:
Lenses #1 - Introduction to DSLR lenses.


Zooms & primes.
For a good introduction to zoom and prime lenses see this post (on this site).
http://www.digital-photography-schoo...which-are-best

(2) "Standard" zooms - this post

(3)Superzooms
Lenses #3 - Superzooms.

(4) Wide angle zooms.
Lenses #4 - Wide angle.

(5) Telephoto.
Lenses #5 - Telephoto

(6) Fast lenses
Lenses #6 - Fast lenses
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Thanks for looking.
Feel free to ask questions and feedback would be appreciated.

Richard