Background: The more complex zoom lenses used in high end digital SLR cameras can be made up of up to 20 elements – some of which are themselves a compound of elements. The most common material used is glass due to its resistance to scratching and excellent optical properties, however acrylic, quartz glass, fluorite, germanium and meteoritic glass are also used. The surface of most modern lenses is coated to reduce flare, have a UV coating to help with colour balance and elements to minimise abrasion.
However, a set of the most expensive, complex lenses will not enable you to take great photographs if you lack imagination, intellect, creativity and resourcefulness. Many great photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson – the father of modern photo journalism – used just one lens most of the time.
However, if you are looking to become a professional, you will be looking to optimise your talent with the help of one or all of the following: standard telephoto, wide angle/mid-range zoom and ultra wide angle.
A standard telephoto lens is advisable for taking portraits. It will give you excellent definition in both head and shoulders shots and in close ups. If you take portraits regularly, you will see the difference in clarity between even an excellent zoom and a standard telephoto lens. It is also good for wedding and party photography when you want close ups taken discreetly.
For group shots and wedding photography, a mid-range wide angle lens is excellent especially with a zoom that will let you alter the focal range when the group size increases or diminishes.
An ultra-wide lens is essential when taking shots of the inside of a church during a wedding service and similarly for large group shots. Some landscape shots benefit from an ultra-wide lens too.
For interiors and architectural photography, an ultra wide angle and a wide angle zoom will help you get as much in the frame as possible. However, you may get distortions, so it’s worth bearing in mind that a standard 16mm lens on a normal film SLR, with cropping to take out any distortion, can be perfect for interiors, and therefore preferable to your digital camera.
Nature and sports photography tends to involve motion – fast-moving animals or sports people or vehicles, and usually some distance between the subject and the camera. Dealing with the first issue of rapid movement requires a lens which allows in plenty of light, flash, faster film or high ISO settings if using a digital camera. However there are issues with each. Letting in plenty of light can be a problem with the long telephoto lens you might need for a close up, yet your flash may not provide sufficient illumination, especially if there is a fair distance between camera and subject. A fast lenses can be heavy, large and expensive, and lastly using fast film or high ISO settings can mean diminished picture quality.
So, get the fastest (i.e. largest aperture) lens affordable, alongside a long telephoto zoom, be prepared to crop, but not too much as this can diminish resolution in digital, use image stabilization, use fast film or high ISO settings to minimise shutter speeds (although this too can affect picture quality) and use a camera with fast focus and minimum lag time.