Big lenses

[IronMaskDuval]

So I see photographers with these huge lenses. Is this because it's a certain type of lens, or is it because they're using full frame and my peasant crop sensor is just small.

 

[dxqcanada]

Long focal length lenses with very wide aperture capability are physically large ... ie 500mm f/4, or even 300mm f/2.8.
Most are designed for full frame compatibility ... they will be the largest.
Many sports and wildlife photographers utilize these types of lenses.

 

[runnah]

They are compensating.

 

[PixelRabbit]

They are compensating.

Or is it envy? I loooove my 100-400

 

[runnah]

Or is it envy? I loooove my 100-400

It's not the focal length that matters, it's the depth of field.

 

[Overread19 7]

Canon side they only make 9 crop sensor only lenses, and they are nearly all shorter focal lengths.

So the vast majority of lenses over 100mm that you see will be full frame compatible.

What makes some HUGE is the desire for very sharp, optically corrected wide aperture lenses. This puts a physical demand upon the lens to be a certain size to gather in the needed light, which makes the whole lens that much bigger. A 400mm f5.6is big, a 400mm f2.8 is a lot bigger and lot heavier.

When you're shooting sports, wildlife, action or most typical subjects that require long focal lengths you often also need a fast shutter speed (esp if working in less than ideal light). Having the option of using a wider aperture is a big help. Then you've got light gathering for the AF sensors, more light in means more for them to work with so gives faster and more accurate AF.

Interestingly many will not shoot wide open - a 500mm f4 might be used at f8 to give the depth of field needed; however if you can shoot at f4 you've still got that bonus of going wider as the light dims and you've got the f4 there all the time for the AF sensors.

 

[Overread19 7]

Also its a proven fact that the bigger the lens the more gals and lemurs you attract

They just can't get enough of them! ^^

 

[table1349]

Or is it envy? I loooove my 100-400

It's not the focal length that matters, it's the depth of field.

Yeah tell ya what there sparky, go take your 70-200 and fill the frame with a Grizzly and come back and tell me focal length doesn't matter.

 

[Trever1t]

Bigger is better if you know how to use it

Larger apertures like f1.4 - f2.8 mean larger glass elements. Simple as that. Fast lenses with the ability to pass light to the sensor to allow a faster shutter speed are going to be larger and heavier than there slower counterparts.

 

[JerryLove]

So I see photographers with these huge lenses. Is this because it's a certain type of lens, or is it because they're using full frame and my peasant crop sensor is just small.

Four things combine to make the size of a lens.

1) General design (front vs back focus, type of AF motors, other decisions beyond my ability to understand).
2) Focal length (makes lenses longer)
3) Aperture (makes lenses wider: and this appears to become a bigger deal as focal length gets longer)
4) Size of the circle it must project (so sensor size).

 

[480sparky42 42]

Or is it envy? I loooove my 100-400

It's not the focal length that matters, it's the depth of field.

Yeah tell ya what there sparky, go take your 70-200 and fill the frame with a Grizzly and come back and tell me focal length doesn't matter.

How did I get drug into this conversation?

 

[SCraig]

Aperture is the ratio of the diameter of the lens opening to the focal length. If you want a fast lens with a long focal length it is going to be big. Simple math.

 

[table1349]

It's not the focal length that matters, it's the depth of field.

Yeah tell ya what there sparky, go take your 70-200 and fill the frame with a Grizzly and come back and tell me focal length doesn't matter.

How did I get drug into this conversation?

Oh hell, junior, you ain't the only sparky around. When Custer decided to attack at the encampment at Onion Creek on the greasy grass I said to George, well Sparky, tell us how it works out. We all know how that one went.
Besides there boy, you got the wrong cartoon for Sparky. There was only one Sparky in the cartoon world.........

 

[480sparky42 42]

Oh hell, junior, you ain't the only sparky around. When Custer decided to attack at the encampment at Onion Creek on the greasy grass I said to George, well Sparky, tell us how it works out. We all know how that one went.
Besides there boy, you got the wrong cartoon for Sparky. There was only one Sparky in the cartoon world.........

That was Spanky, not Sparky.

 

[table1349]

Oh hell, junior, you ain't the only sparky around. When Custer decided to attack at the encampment at Onion Creek on the greasy grass I said to George, well Sparky, tell us how it works out. We all know how that one went.
Besides there boy, you got the wrong cartoon for Sparky. There was only one Sparky in the cartoon world.........

That was Spanky, not Sparky.

No..... Charles Schultz was known growing up as Sparky.
20 Things You Didn't Know About Charles Schulz