Lenswork

“Canon EOS 300D / Digital Rebel”

I want to buy more lenses for my Rebel, and actually have decided on a replacement for my kit lens for general usage. But reviews have forced me to do a double-take.

I’ve come to learn that photography is a very complicated hobby. The sheer number of lenses available for any particular brand isn’t because the companies have nothing else to do, but simply because, one way or the other, there are actually needs for each specific lens model. Else they could’ve just made a single lens that could do everything.

Before you continue reading, I just want to state that I am a newbie in photography, so take my opinions with a grain of salt. I’m just here to discuss how I understood the concepts so that newbies such as myself will have basic understanding of the terminology used.

The Hobby – by JRR Tolkein hehehe

Thankfully, I know i’m quite specific with regards to my use and needs, so I don’t easily fall victim to the “simply-get-the-best-equipment” syndrome (why do you think i’m an AMD user? hehehe). So in deciding on equipment, I focus on how I imagine my regular shooting day to be (usually in beaches, places of interest, parties, stakeouts, orgies, beheadings, you know… the fun stuff).

I don’t like changing equipment too often. Maybe I have yet to graduate to another perspective in photography, but the truth is, I want to take shots quickly, with the same practicality of a point and shoot camera (interpret it as you will).

I like shooting with the premise that:

  • I like taking low light shots (this is where all the problems surface)
  • I’m poor (if I had that much money to spend, i’d buy ALL lenses and my problems would be over.
  • I have no assistant to get my stuff for mem and I don’t fancy attaching and de-attaching stuff often as it is frustrating and tiring.
  • Aside from the camera bag, I don’t like bringing cumbersome objects with me; be it external lights, tripods, etc.

Besides, more often than not, the nature of which I want to take my shots doesn’t even grant me enough time to even use any of the previoulsy mentioned accessories.

These given facts seem to suggest one thing: use a point and shoot. But I love SLRs for their simple Through the Lens (TTL) viewing style. Their manual nature makes them flexible enough for photographers who are open to “growth.” The fact that you can change lenses and add stuff to your SLR immediately covers the whole spectrum of “possibilities” in photography. With the [right choice of] lens alone, you can go from the simple preference of delivering shots similar to your favorite point and shoot, to the intricate/exciting world of manual photography.

Having said all of that, I return to my dilemma: Which lens to buy?

Photography 101 (or even lower)

I view photography as the art of exposure. Of course I realize there is more to it than mere exposure, but this is my personal take on it. All my discussion will probably be focused on output with regards to “light,” meaning all aspects I will try focusing more on how light enters the medium given the different settings.

Proper exposure can be achived by manipulating various settings on a camera. Most important of which are.

  • Aperture When talking in terms of light, aperture is the opening where light enters. A smaller number indicates a bigger/wider opening wherein light is permitted to enter. When talking in terms of focus/clarity, your Depth of Field (DOP) is affected; the difference in focus of the subject from everything else. Check here for visual examples.
  • Shutter Speed With light, it’s the length of time light is allowed to enter. With focus/clarity, it’s the at which you can stop motion (or do some fancy tricks to impress the neighbors).
  • ISO speed For me, I guess it’s the sensitivity of the medium: ISO in analog film affects how fast it can “react” to light (for lack of a better term) For digital sensors I guess “record” would be a more appropriate term. Higher speeds can “react/record” more light.

A combination of the three is usually balanced out to get proper exposure and focus. You can over/under expose something (wether by artistic intention to work around difficult situations) by adjusting these three.

When talking in terms of light, a high aperture (f/1), long shutter speed (a BUNCH of seconds), and high ISO (3200) will probaly give you a white image, as you have just let a lot of light in (aperture) for a long amount of time (shutter) into a very light-sensitive medium/setting (ISO)

Also, when talking in terms of focus/clarity, the less light that is needed to enter seems to be better as it yeilds sharper results. Note that is needed is different from is allowed. This simply means that assuming you have enough natural or ambient light for a decent exposure, if you decrease your aperture size (say to 8 and above) or use a faster shutter speed, or use a lower ISO, then you’ll usually have shaper images than that of the opposite.

Why this is so? I don’t really know =) But maybe it’s the same concept involved as to why we squint our eyes if we like to get a better view of something, we let less light come in come to think of it, but why do we do it? hehehehe.

Of course, if you are in a substandard lighting situation, then all I have just mentioned will not apply.

My Dilemma

Why did I go through all the trouble of explaining this when all I intend is to buy a lens (shutter and ISO do not apply to lenses)? Well all those facts, coupled with the needs and preferences I’ve just stated tells me that if I want clear low-light shots, I’d either have to have a large aperture (which severely limits my DOP options of any shot), high ISO (which will have noise as I go up), or longer shutter (which is prone to shake, and blur).

Since I like to use a single lens solution, then for my needs, I’d first I’d go with a lens that has nice zoom range. Of the three important exposure factors, only the aperture is present in a lens. And believe me there are a LOT of lenses with different apertures. For decent low light shots, you usually need a “fast” lens (a lens is said to be considered fast if it has an aperture of f/2.8 or larger)

We even got some as wide as f/1 I believe, where you can practically shoot in the dark. So I narrowed down the search for my ideal zoom range (since it will be a general-use lens after all), then drill down the details from there.

After much ado, I decided I needed this type of lens. It’s got a decent zoom range and macro capabilities. The only problem is the aperture is the same of the kit lens, so low light shots will be as hard as using the stock lens. But it’s got Image Stabilization (IS), which allows the use of faster shutter speeds.

Also, I’ve decided to get a second bonus lens for my “artsy shots,” which I think is a really good buy no matter what type of user you are.

The reviews of first lens however, mention some drawbacks in clarity/sharpness. But I think most of the users which commented negatively were all Luxury/L lens users (L lenses are use the best glass and best material). It’s always unfair to compare a Honda to a Ferrari.

But in fairness to those users, I truly believe that once you use an L lens, you’ll not want to go back. But they’re ridiculously priced. As much as I want one, I don’t think I can justify the price-usage ratio. Photography is just a hobby for me right now, unless I use that L every second, i’ll never forgive myself of spending such an amount for it. Maybe when (and if) I graduate to being a real amateur or professional photographer, then i’ll consider getting one (or if I simply have money to burn hehehehe).

Back to the lens in question, the reviews have some good things to say about it too. It is said to be an “ok” lens (of course that translates as the bottom heap when you’re serious about photography), but stunning at f/8. f/8 indoors or in low light is next to impossible unless you use a tripod. Even IS cant hold the image steady long enough for that exposure.

Then it hit me: Why am I assuming I will shoot ALL my shots at night, or without any flash (or any other light for that matter)? I realized I was delving too deep on the worst-case scenarios. I wanted to play it safe, but I soon realized that playing it safe would require a lot of money (to get a really fast L lens)

So I guess for now, i’m happy that i’ve engaged myself in a very healthy internal debate on choosing the right lens for my needs. I think the 28-135 will suit me just fine.

One Reply to “Lenswork”

  1. Ayos! Matagal na ‘kong naghahanap ng “layman’s definition” (disclaimer: the previous term in no way, shape or form classifies you as a “layman”. ‘la lang akong maisip na term at this time.) ng mga technical terms sa photography. Tenkyu tenkyu. Now all I need is to borrow my uncle’s 10D. Hehehe.

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