Lens help for a novice photographer

[BatmansBabe]

Hi there.
Let me start out by saying I am a COMPLETE novice in photography. I know very little about the craft, but would like to make a career out of it, so I could use some help

So here's what I need help on now. I am looking for lens filters for my Zuiko 14-42mm lens, but I don't quite understand what "14-42mm" means. Does that mean I can get a filter that is between 14 and 42mm? Or does it mean something else? See, I really know nothing. I saw that the filters were categorized by size, but I didn't see one that was marked "14-42mm" so I am guessing I have to find something in between...? Please help a very confused beginner in this field. I would greatly appreciate any tips. Thank you.

-BatmansBabe (Emily)

 

[Baaaark]

Hi there.
Let me start out by saying I am a COMPLETE novice in photography. I know very little about the craft, but would like to make a career out of it, so I could use some help

So here's what I need help on now. I am looking for lens filters for my Zuiko 14-42mm lens, but I don't quite understand what "14-42mm" means. Does that mean I can get a filter that is between 14 and 42mm? Or does it mean something else? See, I really know nothing. I saw that the filters were categorized by size, but I didn't see one that was marked "14-42mm" so I am guessing I have to find something in between...? Please help a very confused beginner in this field. I would greatly appreciate any tips. Thank you.

-BatmansBabe (Emily)

Keep in mind the road to becoming a pro photograper is VERY LONG. So it will be five to ten years at best before you are good enough you can start charging.

14-42 is the zoom on the camera. The numbers are kinda pointless without anything to comare them to. But basically that lens goes from being very wide, to kinda normal zoom. If you want something to zoom in very far away, you'll have to get the 40-150.

Best of luck to you. Remember becoming a pro is possible, but its going to take lots and lots and lots and lots of hard work. Which is why most people don't bother.

 

[benlonghair]

Hi Emily. The 14-42mm is the length of the lens. 14mm is a quite wide angle (an angle of view of maybe 140 degrees) and it zooms to 42mm which is 'normal' on a digital camera (close to the view of a human eye).

The filter size will be designated somewhere on the lens with Ø xxmm, where the xx is a number.

 

[BatmansBabe]

Thank you both very much!

Baaaark, I do know it takes years to go pro. That is why I am starting early!

Benlonghair, I see on my lens a Ø58. So would I find a filter that also has that number on it?

 

[benlonghair]

That will be the size (in mm) of the filter. Check this out. Each category will give you options at 58mm. If you look to the right on that page under the heading Filter Accessories you can step up or down the size of the threads so you can use different lenses with the same filter. (For example, my 70-300 takes a 72mm filter, and my 18-55 takes a 52mm. The smart way for me to do it is get a step up ring for the 18-55 and buy 72mm filters to use on both lenses.)

I'm a noob too, but if you have any questions, feel free to pm me.

 

[Dao]

If you are talking about this lens: Olympus Zuiko Digital 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6

This is a standard zoom lens capable of changing the "Focal Length" from 14mm to 42mm where the "Maximum Aperture" varies from F/3.5 to F/5.6 accordingly.

As for the filter thread size, it should be 58mm.

 

[KmH]

Keep in mind the road to becoming a pro photograper is VERY LONG. So it will be five to ten years at best before you are good enough you can start charging.

Hardly........Photography is not that complicated.

 

[Baaaark]

Keep in mind the road to becoming a pro photograper is VERY LONG. So it will be five to ten years at best before you are good enough you can start charging.

Hardly........Photography is not that complicated.

Maybe if you don't give a crap about the quality of your work, but it takes a long time to become a TRUE professional.

Even if I got better exponentially, I wouldn't feel comfortable charging for my work until it was perfect. For example, I would be disappointed with some of the people's work around here who otherwise think they are good enough to charge. But then again, I am insanely picky, and my own worst critic.

Five years at least. That's how long a photography bachelors would take you, and that's basically working in photography for about 4,000-6,000 hours.

 

[ladybug31087]

fist of all i agree that it takes quite a time before the average person can consider themselves a 'professional' and charge money, for some this means never. I am curious though, what BFA program takes 5 years? I finished my BA in 3. Unless your a 5th year senior or something...

 

[KmH]

Keep in mind the road to becoming a pro photograper is VERY LONG. So it will be five to ten years at best before you are good enough you can start charging.

Hardly........Photography is not that complicated.

Maybe if you don't give a crap about the quality of your work, but it takes a long time to become a TRUE professional.

Even if I got better exponentially, I wouldn't feel comfortable charging for my work until it was perfect. For example, I would be disappointed with some of the people's work around here who otherwise think they are good enough to charge. But then again, I am insanely picky, and my own worst critic.

Five years at least. That's how long a photography bachelors would take you, and that's basically working in photography for about 4,000-6,000 hours.

One of the trickiest things to learn about business is when good enough, is good enough.

"Even if I got better exponentially, I wouldn't feel comfortable charging for my work until it was perfect."

Well, thats you, and it's pie in the sky, because your work will never be perfect.

There's a lot more photographers out here that are self taught and/or mentored than there are that got a photography bachelors degree.

But hey, do whatever works for you.

 

[dezignx]

]One of the trickiest things to learn about business is when good enough, is good enough.

Totally agree

It may or may not take someone 5 or 10 years for them to become a pro...I think it all depends on "that" person. I don't think the number of years title you as a Pro because some people learn faster than others and catch on quick and have access to the money & resources to help speed up the learning process....

For example, I've been doing Graphic Designing & Photo Retouching for almost a year (self taught) and I'm just as good and better than some thats been doing it for 3 & 4 years and I didn't start charging people until "I" compared my work with others & felt I was good enough to do so....

But you will never be perfect, or learn enough, or know too much...