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Member
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Wales, UK
Posts: 31
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What does this mean?
I am obviously very new to photography and I was wondering what the difference between lenses was. What does it mean by 18-105mm on a lens? 
I know some might think "what on earth is this girl doing with such a fantastic camera when she knows so little" but it was a sort of gift
I know some might think "what on earth is this girl doing with such a fantastic camera when she knows so little" but it was a sort of gift
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Kit 1 Nikon D90 |
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My Compact/P&S: Sony H10 |
 Senior Member
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: West Cork, Ireland
Posts: 7,578
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This is quite a good link and may help you out! 
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tut...era-lenses.htm
xx
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tut...era-lenses.htm
xx
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Kit 1 Nikon D800 Nikkor 50mm f1.4 Nikkor 24-70mm f2.8 Nikkor 105 mm f2.8 macro Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 Sigma 50-500mm F4-6.3 EX DG HSM Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM Nikon 70-300mm AF f/4-5.6G Nikon 50mm f1.8 |
Kit 2 Nikon D700 |
Other Kit View my profile to see my other kit! |
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My Compact/P&S: Fuji finepix bridge |
 Senior Member
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Dorset
Posts: 984
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And what is focal length?
One of the better explanations I have found is this
Choice of lens dictates how much of a scene you’re able to include in an exposure. This useful information is described in terms of the lens focal length, which tells you its all-important field-of-view.
Understanding how focal length affects your pictures is very useful. The easiest way of thinking about it is to remember that on standard 35mm-film SLRs, the 50mm focal length equates to the stereoscopic view from our eyes (which is why images look so ‘natural’). In DSLR photography, the most natural field-of-view focal length is around 30mm (on a DSLR with an APS-C sized sensor).
Shorter focal lengths (wide-angle lenses) give a wider-angle of view; longer focal lengths (telephoto lenses) give a narrower view. You’ve probably already come across these numbers on the lens that came with your DSLR, which is likely to have a focal length of around 18-55mm. This means you have the option of shooting the image from a wider to a narrower view than your eyes.
In digital photography, telephoto lenses typically have a focal length of 50mm and longer, giving a much narrower field-of-view than those with shorter focal lengths. The higher the focal length the greater magnification the lens will give, allowing you to pick out distant parts of a scene and still fill the frame.
Wide-angle lenses, typically have a focal length of 10mm to 24mm, allowing you to include a broad view. This means you can include more of the width of a scene than with longer focal length lenses, but objects will appear smaller and seem further away.
The standard 30mm focal length gives a similar magnification to our eyes, so can give the most ‘natural’ looking images.
From http://www.photoanswers.co.uk/Advice/Search-Results/Techniques/Lens-focal-length-explained/
Steve
One of the better explanations I have found is this
Choice of lens dictates how much of a scene you’re able to include in an exposure. This useful information is described in terms of the lens focal length, which tells you its all-important field-of-view.
Understanding how focal length affects your pictures is very useful. The easiest way of thinking about it is to remember that on standard 35mm-film SLRs, the 50mm focal length equates to the stereoscopic view from our eyes (which is why images look so ‘natural’). In DSLR photography, the most natural field-of-view focal length is around 30mm (on a DSLR with an APS-C sized sensor).
Shorter focal lengths (wide-angle lenses) give a wider-angle of view; longer focal lengths (telephoto lenses) give a narrower view. You’ve probably already come across these numbers on the lens that came with your DSLR, which is likely to have a focal length of around 18-55mm. This means you have the option of shooting the image from a wider to a narrower view than your eyes.
In digital photography, telephoto lenses typically have a focal length of 50mm and longer, giving a much narrower field-of-view than those with shorter focal lengths. The higher the focal length the greater magnification the lens will give, allowing you to pick out distant parts of a scene and still fill the frame.
Wide-angle lenses, typically have a focal length of 10mm to 24mm, allowing you to include a broad view. This means you can include more of the width of a scene than with longer focal length lenses, but objects will appear smaller and seem further away.
The standard 30mm focal length gives a similar magnification to our eyes, so can give the most ‘natural’ looking images.
From http://www.photoanswers.co.uk/Advice/Search-Results/Techniques/Lens-focal-length-explained/
Steve
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Kit 1 Canon 5D MkII Canon24-105mm f4L IS USM Canon 70-200mm f2.8L IS USM Canon 17-40mm f4L USM Canon 100mm f2.8 USM Macro Canon 70-200 f4L USM Canon MT-24EX Macro Flash |
Kit 2 Canon 5D, Canon 40D, Canon 20D |
Other Kit View my profile to see my other kit! |
 Senior Member
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Oregon, USA
Posts: 2,657
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I'll pass on a link posted by Himmelblau - www.dtowntv.com/category/episodes
These will help you understand everything from flashes, lenses and camera features. There are 23 episodes already and very helpful.
These will help you understand everything from flashes, lenses and camera features. There are 23 episodes already and very helpful.
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18mm Fujinon 35mm Fujinon 60mm Fujinon 18-55 Fujinon 55-200mm Fujinon |
Other Kit View my profile to see my other kit! |
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My Compact/P&S: Fuji X-E1 |
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: east sussex
Posts: 3,484
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There are two types of lens Vikki variable and prime. Variable lenses come in all sorts of ranges anything up to 500mm and it depends on how much "reach" you need to get a photo. Sometimes its impossible to get near enough to a subject to get the picture, Think about taking a photo of something on an island where its impossible to get any closer as an example.
A general " long" lens in this group would be around 70mm-300mm which covers most of the mid range to distance shots. For wide angle photos I have the Nikon 12-24mm lens which does the trick for me. The less mm the wider to picture.
The other type of lens is the "prime" lens which is meaning the mm range is fixed. These are more expensive as the glass can be ground to a far more exact setting. Prime lenses therefore can produce far better "sharper" images as a rule than the variable type, but obviously you can't bring the subject any closer. You can still take photos of most things with them but how far away the subject is stays that distance and can't be brought any closer by adjusting the lens.
The other thing that might confuse you is the "f" number on the lens. Consumer (cheaper) lenses are usually numbered something like f3.5-5.6 which basically means they let less light into the camera sensor than say an f2.8 which is the professional range. Again the glass is ground down to a more exacting standard than the consumer range.
You will see other members talking about a 50mm f1.4 or f1.8 lens (prime lens) and may wonder why. They have a very narrow D.O.F meaning depth of field. Whats that I hear you say, well it means what is you focus on is sharp yet anything infront or behind is blurred. This makes the subject leap out from everything else. Generally accepted to be excellent for portraits and the like.
Just one other thing about lenses, you may see in the Nikon range VR which stands for Vibration Reduction or in the Sigma range OS meaning Optical Stablisation. Both do the same thing and help to reduce camera shake where you can't hold the camera steady enough and produce blurred pictures. Its only idiots like me that stand out in the freezing cold shaking like a leaf to get a photo of something totally uninteresting.
Hope this addition to the others postings is of some help
Bazza
A general " long" lens in this group would be around 70mm-300mm which covers most of the mid range to distance shots. For wide angle photos I have the Nikon 12-24mm lens which does the trick for me. The less mm the wider to picture.
The other type of lens is the "prime" lens which is meaning the mm range is fixed. These are more expensive as the glass can be ground to a far more exact setting. Prime lenses therefore can produce far better "sharper" images as a rule than the variable type, but obviously you can't bring the subject any closer. You can still take photos of most things with them but how far away the subject is stays that distance and can't be brought any closer by adjusting the lens.
The other thing that might confuse you is the "f" number on the lens. Consumer (cheaper) lenses are usually numbered something like f3.5-5.6 which basically means they let less light into the camera sensor than say an f2.8 which is the professional range. Again the glass is ground down to a more exacting standard than the consumer range.
You will see other members talking about a 50mm f1.4 or f1.8 lens (prime lens) and may wonder why. They have a very narrow D.O.F meaning depth of field. Whats that I hear you say, well it means what is you focus on is sharp yet anything infront or behind is blurred. This makes the subject leap out from everything else. Generally accepted to be excellent for portraits and the like.
Just one other thing about lenses, you may see in the Nikon range VR which stands for Vibration Reduction or in the Sigma range OS meaning Optical Stablisation. Both do the same thing and help to reduce camera shake where you can't hold the camera steady enough and produce blurred pictures. Its only idiots like me that stand out in the freezing cold shaking like a leaf to get a photo of something totally uninteresting.
Hope this addition to the others postings is of some help
Bazza