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This month: Zoom lenses
We kick off a lenses two-parter with a close look at the mighty zoom
Ultra-wide zooms are useful for scenics, urban and interiors. Taken on a Fujifilm X-T20 with a 10-20mm zoom at 11mm.
Will Cheung
Will Cheung
An imaging journalist and freelance photographer based in London, Cheung has a wealth of experience over several decades. www.williamcheung.co.uk
Your camera is basically a light-tight box – an expensive box packed with tech but no more than a fancy paperweight until fitted with a lens. This could be anything from a tiny hole punched into a piece of silver foil to a lens designed for the purpose of delivering sharp images onto the sensor. The most widely used lens type is the zoom and they dominate the market for a simple reason. In a single lens, there’s a broad range of focal lengths at your disposal to portray the subject as you see fit without having to move. Fixed focal length lenses, known as primes, remain popular and we’ll explore these in the next issue. But in terms of sheer popularity, zooms rule the roost.
Zooms range from budget lenses with modest maximum apertures that are often sold together with a camera to provide an entry point into the brand’s ecosystem, to fast aperture, weather-proofed zooms costing several thousands. Deciding which zoom to invest in depends on many factors so you need to consider the options, depending on your budget and what you want to shoot. There is also the question of sticking with your camera brand or opting for independent third-party brands which offer good performance at lower prices.
A 24-70mm and a 70-200mm (or equivalent for your camera format) pairing works well while adding a 15-30mm would expand potential further. If you prefer to travel light, a superzoom covering around 24-200mm or so is a good one-lens solution although you will get better quality with shorter-range zooms. If you have the funds, a fast aperture zoom could be the way forward, while on a more limited budget, you can still take the two/three lens approach but go for optics with more modest maximum apertures, perhaps from third-party lens manufacturers.
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Considerations when shopping for a lens
There are three key factors when buying a zoom lens: the budget, your subject and availability. Also consider the focal length range, maximum aperture, minimum focusing and physical properties.
If you own a DSLR, then Canon EF, Nikon F and Pentax K mounts have been around for decades so there’s a huge choice of camera brand and third-party options. For mirrorless owners it’s more limited. Micro Four Thirds (OM System and Panasonic) users have an impressive choice, with Fujifilm and L-Mount cameras next, while Sony is the best brand for third-party zooms.
Recent mirrorless entrants, Canon EOS R and Nikon Z, are playing catch-up although their DSLR lenses can be used via adapters. Both brands have a good choice of AF zooms but not yet from independents.
Lens barrel buttons and switches