Thoughts on various lenses and accessories

[sarahhearn]

So i was browsing through some lenses online the other day. I was skeptical because I am unclear on if they are worth it or not. One of them I kept going back to is the wide angle lens. I only have 1 zoom lens and one telephoto zoom lens. Are wide angle lenses a good thing to have in a camera bag?

Also I wanted to ask about external flashes. Are they better than using the built in lens? I have never used one so I dont know if there is much of a difference. I know there are various accessories that you can use with that flash. So buy purchasing a flash... is it necessary to get any covers...boxes... etc?

thanks everyone

 

[Overread]

The more you expand your equipment the more possibilities and options you open up for what you can and can't do. That said adding cheap quality low end items can, whilst being ok in the short term, also show up weaknesses in the longer term and might even end up costing you more as you expand to better quality at a later date.


My advice is to first get an idea of what you do shoot, what you like to take photographs of. Then consider if there is anything that hinders you with getting those photographs with what you have now - are there some photographs you feel you can't get in certain situations? If so what are they?

Having some specific and even generalist ideas really helps in giving you some goals and then you can get a feel on the market for what can best help you - sometimes it might be a new lens, or it could be lighting equipment or even other support gear.

Further having an idea of what you have now as well as a rough idea of any budget you have will help as well.

 

[MLeeK]

It depends on the lens. Some are great, some are not. It also depends upon what you need. I shoot primarily with one wide angle and one telephoto. I have a few other things in my bag, but those are my go to for a wedding or walkabout.
Using the on board flash is almost never a good idea, so yes a speedlite is a giant step forward. Before you add in flash and change the rules make sure you fully understand how to create your exposure yourself (not in auto.)
A good resource for learning to use a flash properly:Strobist
There are also several books if you are a book kind of person

 

[sarahhearn]

Ok thanks for all the info
I like to shoot nature shots but I am also trying to get into portraits. So i have no idea what lens would be ideal. The telephoto is great for further distances but I want to expand my bag and get some good lenses that would be great for the kind of shots I like to take.

As far as lighting... are their outdoor lighting I can get? I have seen the little rings that you can use to reflect more light but I haven't been able to find outdoor lighting that can run on batteries....

 

[KmH]

For portraiture no one lens is ideal, because there is a range of portrait types - head shot, head and shoulders, 3/4, full, environmental, groups, etc.

Consequently, a portrait photographer needs a suite of lenses. Figure 24 mm to 200 or 300 mm for a range of focal lengths, and that would likely include both prime and zoom lenses.
My favorite portrait lens was a 200 mm f/2 prime lens, but it wasn't the only one I used.

As far as outdoor/on location lighting there is the minimalist lighting (not shoe flash unit used off the camera) approach, and the using studio lighting outside/on location approach.
The minimalist lighting approach is often more expensive to gear up for than using studio lighting powered by batteries and an inverter.

Minimalist Lighting: Professional Techniques for Location Photography
Photographic Lighting Equipment: A Comprehensive Guide for Digital Photographers
Light It, Shoot It, Retouch It: Learn Step by Step How to Go from Empty Studio to Finished Image (Voices That Matter)
Master Lighting Guide for Portrait Photographers

 

[MLeeK]

Keith has some excellent information that should keep you busy for days.
I know we 'reviewed' your website recently and it was weak. Which leads me to ask you where you are in this process of really learning photography?
Do you completely understand exposure, how to create it yourself and what each element of it does to the image?
Are you working in raw or jpeg when you shoot?
Do you know how to process or use raw images?
Are you using an editing program at all? And what is it?
Do you understand how to meter well to get your camera to produce the exact exposure you are looking for?

The reason I am asking all of these questions totally unrelated to lenses and flashes is because your website and your questions lead me to believe you need to master a few of the first steps. Once you do this you'd have a much better understanding of what the needs are for certain types of photographs-such as landscape vs portraiture. Between Keith and all of the other members here we have an arsenal of tutorials and information that we can give you, but it doesn't work very well if we throw information at you that you aren't ready to properly use. You have to know step A before you move on to step B or it doesn't all work right together and will frustrate you immensely.
Or in short: I want to know what you don't know so that we can actually help instead of making it harder.