{"id":385,"date":"2025-01-21T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-21T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/?p=385"},"modified":"2025-03-28T12:41:17","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T12:41:17","slug":"zoom-lenses-your-comprehensive-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/21\/zoom-lenses-your-comprehensive-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Zoom Lenses: Your Comprehensive Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/zoom-lens\/\">Zoom Lenses: Your Comprehensive Guide<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\">Digital Photography School<\/a>. It was authored by <a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/author\/jaymes-dempsey\/\">Jaymes Dempsey<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><span class=\"responsive-image wp-image-248343\" style=\"width:1242px\"><span class=\"space\" style=\"width:1242px;padding-top:101.85%\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1242\" height=\"1265\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Zoom lenses: Your Comprehensive Guide\" class=\"wp-image-248343 lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/zoom-lens-photography-1005.jpg\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Zoom lenses are cheap, effective, and incredibly popular; they&#8217;re used by hordes of photographers around the globe. For many beginners, a nice kit zoom is an amazing way to get started with photography, and for many professionals, a high-quality zoom is pretty much <em>always <\/em>mounted to their camera.<\/p>\n<p>But what actually is a zoom lens? And what advantages does a zoom offer over a prime? In this article, I share all the basics, from a simple zoom lens definition to a handful of reasons why you should add a nifty zoom to your camera bag.<\/p>\n<p>So if you&#8217;re ready to become a zoom glass expert, then let&#8217;s get started!<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-section id=\"what-is-a-zoom-lens\">What is a zoom lens?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><span class=\"responsive-image wp-image-248334\" style=\"width:1500px\"><span class=\"space\" style=\"width:1500px;padding-top:75%\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1125\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Zoom lens photography\" class=\"wp-image-248334 lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/zoom-lens-photography-3.jpg\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>A zoom lens refers to any lens that offers <em>multiple <\/em>focal lengths. In other words, when using a zoom lens, you can capture images with several different fields of view simply by twisting the zoom ring on the lens barrel. <\/p>\n<p>An 18-200mm zoom lens, for instance, can capture photos at 18mm, at 200mm, and at any focal length in between.<\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/use-prime-lenses-for-better-photos\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"prime lens (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">prime lens<\/a>, on the other hand, only offers a single focal length, so if you want to adjust your image field of view while using a prime, you have to physically move forward or backward. An 18mm prime lens would allow you to capture <a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/7-ways-to-get-more-out-of-a-wide-angle-lens\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"wide-angle shots (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">wide-angle shots<\/a> but <em>not <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/10-tips-for-great-telephoto-photography\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">telephoto files<\/a>, while a 200mm prime lens would allow you to capture telephoto shots but not wide-angle images. <\/p>\n<p>While pretty much every camera manufacturer offers a variety of zoom lenses, here are a few common zoom focal lengths to keep in mind:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>24-70mm<\/li>\n<li>18-55mm<\/li>\n<li>70-200mm<\/li>\n<li>16-35mm<\/li>\n<li>200-400mm<\/li>\n<li>70-300mm<\/li>\n<li>75-300mm<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Note that some zooms offer far wider focal length ranges than others. A 12-24mm model, for instance, only offers ultra-wide and standard wide focal lengths, while an 18-300mm model boasts wide-angle, standard, telephoto, and even super-telephoto focal lengths. Of course, as I explore below, not all zoom lenses are equally effective, and their prices can vary wildly, too.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><span class=\"responsive-image wp-image-248335\" style=\"width:1500px\"><span class=\"space\" style=\"width:1500px;padding-top:66.67%\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Zoom lens photography\" class=\"wp-image-248335 lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/zoom-lens-photography-.jpg\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-section id=\"reasons-to-use-a-zoom-lens\">3 reasons to use a zoom lens<\/h2>\n<p>Zoom lenses come with a handful of key benefits, including:<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-section id=\"zooms-are-convenient\">1. Zooms are convenient<\/h3>\n<p>What&#8217;s the main reason photographers <em>love <\/em>zoom lenses? They&#8217;re unbelievably convenient.<\/p>\n<p>Instead of carrying around a handful of primes in a big camera bag, you can mount a nice zoom lens onto your camera and literally <em>never <\/em>take it off. It saves you the hassle &#8211; and the danger &#8211; of changing lenses, which will in turn ensure that you never miss a shot because you were trying to switch to a different focal length.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><span class=\"responsive-image wp-image-248336\" style=\"width:1500px\"><span class=\"space\" style=\"width:1500px;padding-top:66.67%\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Zoom lens photography\" class=\"wp-image-248336 lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/zoom-lens-photography-2.jpg\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Plus, if you like to take photos while traveling and space is limited, a zoom lens can be a lifesaver. You&#8217;ll manage to capture all the same shots, but <em>without <\/em>sacrificing tons of storage space and\/or luggage weight bringing an array of primes.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, depending on the type of photography you do, a single zoom lens may not be enough. And there may be times when you&#8217;ll need to switch to another lens, especially if you tend to shoot a mix of ultra-wide and super-telephoto images. <\/p>\n<p>But in general, a zoom will dramatically decrease the weight and volume of your equipment, allowing you to travel and photograph with much greater freedom.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-section id=\"zooms-can-save-you-money\">2. Zooms can save you money<\/h3>\n<p>As I mentioned above, zooms come at a range of price points. And as I discuss down below, you have to be careful when purchasing a zoom because optical quality isn&#8217;t always top-notch. <\/p>\n<p>But if your goal is to cover a range of focal lengths and you buy a zoom, that means you <em>won&#8217;t <\/em>need to purchase a slew of primes. So while you may need to spend quite a bit to acquire a high-quality zoom lens &#8211; more than a single high-quality prime lens would cost &#8211; you&#8217;ll potentially save money in the long run because you can grab one lens rather than three, four, or five.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><span class=\"responsive-image wp-image-248337\" style=\"width:1500px\"><span class=\"space\" style=\"width:1500px;padding-top:66.67%\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Zoom lens photography\" class=\"wp-image-248337 lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/zoom-lens-photography-5.jpg\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Imagine, for instance, you&#8217;re hoping to do portrait photography with a range of focal lengths, from a standard-wide 24mm all the way to a short-telephoto 60mm, 70mm, or 80mm. <\/p>\n<p>A nice <a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/every-photographer-needs-24-70mm-lens\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"24-70mm zoom lens (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">24-70mm zoom lens<\/a> will be a real investment. But it may end up costing less than the price of a 24mm lens, a 28mm lens, a 35mm lens, a <a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/uses-versatile-50mm-lens\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"50mm lens (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">50mm lens<\/a>, <em>and <\/em>an 85mm lens, all of which together will deliver the same range of focal lengths as the 24-70mm glass.<\/p>\n<p>Note: This math will change depending on the focal lengths you hope to cover, the quality of the lenses, the maximum apertures, and so on. Always do a careful comparison before buying to make sure you&#8217;re marking the right choice!<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-section id=\"zooms-can-capture-a-variety-of-images\">3. Zooms can capture a variety of images<\/h3>\n<p>Some photographers prefer the simplicity of prime shooting, and they do have a point: Working with a single 50mm lens offers a certain wonderful straightforwardness that just isn&#8217;t present when shooting with a 24-70mm lens.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><span class=\"responsive-image wp-image-248338\" style=\"width:1500px\"><span class=\"space\" style=\"width:1500px;padding-top:66.67%\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Zoom lens photography\" class=\"wp-image-248338 lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/zoom-lens-photography-4.jpg\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>But what if you&#8217;re photographing a scene that features a wide array of subjects? When traveling in a national park, for instance, you might encounter distant wildlife, stunning vistas, and interesting close-up details. That 50mm prime lens won&#8217;t get you the shots you&#8217;re lens looking for, and unless you&#8217;re prepared to carry and swap multiple lenses &#8211; and unless you can do it all at high speeds &#8211; you&#8217;ll be forced to pick one type of subject and sacrifice the others.<\/p>\n<p>With the right zoom, however, you can quickly adjust your focal length as you shoot, and you can capture <em>everything<\/em>: the distant deer, the nearby patterns in the rock walls, and the entire mountain landscape. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><span class=\"responsive-image wp-image-248339\" style=\"width:1500px\"><span class=\"space\" style=\"width:1500px;padding-top:66.67%\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Zoom lens photography\" class=\"wp-image-248339 lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/zoom-lens-photography-7.jpg\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-section id=\"zoom-lens-drawbacks\">Zoom lens drawbacks<\/h2>\n<p>I&#8217;m a huge zoom lens fan, but these lenses are far from perfect. Here are a few reasons why you might want to avoid buying a zoom:<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-section id=\"optical-quality-is-often-lacking\">1. Optical quality is often lacking<\/h3>\n<p>It&#8217;s true: Zoom lenses tend to offer softer and more distorted images compared to their prime counterparts (especially when looking at <a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/primes-versus-zoom-lenses\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"primes versus zooms (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">primes versus zooms<\/a> in the same price range). <\/p>\n<p>Zoom lenses tend to be especially weak at the extreme ends of their range, and while there are plenty of zooms that avoid this problem and offer pro-level image quality, they can cost a significant sum. On the other hand, you can grab a very sharp prime lens for a few hundred dollars &#8211; and while you&#8217;ll lose significant flexibility, depending on the type of photography you do, that may not matter.<\/p>\n<p>Before you reject zoom lenses due to image quality issues, however, it&#8217;s important to identify the purpose of your images and determine whether any reduced optical quality will really make a difference. Even cheap zoom lenses often create passably sharp images, and you can improve sharpness further by narrowing the <a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/aperture\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"lens aperture (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">lens aperture<\/a> when shooting.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-section id=\"the-maximum-aperture-can-be-variable-and-narrow\">2. The maximum aperture can be variable (and narrow)<\/h3>\n<p>Many zoom lenses, especially zooms that are designed for beginners, feature a variable maximum aperture (often written like this: f\/3.5-5.6). Therefore, as you extend the lens, the maximum aperture value will change. If you&#8217;re using an 18-55mm f\/3.5-5.6 lens, you&#8217;ll be able to use an aperture of f\/3.5 at 18mm &#8211; but as you start to zoom in, the maximum aperture will change, until you&#8217;re forced to shoot at f\/5.6 and narrower.<\/p>\n<p>This may not matter at all if you like to use a narrow aperture to keep the entire frame sharp &#8211; but if you frequently work in low light or hope to capture files that boast <a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/how-to-achieve-nice-bokeh-in-plain-english\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"gorgeous background bokeh (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">gorgeous background bokeh<\/a>, this aperture narrowing can be very frustrating.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><span class=\"responsive-image wp-image-248340\" style=\"width:1500px\"><span class=\"space\" style=\"width:1500px;padding-top:56.87%\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"853\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Zoom lens photography\" class=\"wp-image-248340 lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/zoom-lens-photography-6.jpg\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Relatedly, even the best zooms don&#8217;t offer maximum apertures quite as wide as many primes. You can purchase a 24-70mm lens with an f\/2.8 maximum aperture, but you can grab a 50mm lens with an f\/1.8, f\/1.4, or even an f\/1.2 maximum aperture instead!<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-section id=\"who-should-buy-a-zoom\"> Who should buy a zoom?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><span class=\"responsive-image wp-image-248341\" style=\"width:1500px\"><span class=\"space\" style=\"width:1500px;padding-top:66.67%\"><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"Zoom lens photography\" class=\"wp-image-248341 lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/zoom-lens-photography-5-1.jpg\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>I highly recommend purchasing a zoom lens <em>if<\/em>:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You need to change focal lengths while shooting and don&#8217;t have time to switch lenses<\/li>\n<li>You aren&#8217;t too concerned about optical quality or you have the money to buy a pro-level lens<\/li>\n<li>You frequently travel and want to keep your gear size and weight to a minimum<\/li>\n<li>You plan to shoot casually and like the convenience that a zoom can provide<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>On the other hand, I&#8217;d recommend avoiding zoom lenses if:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You want to maximize optical quality as much as possible<\/li>\n<li>You don&#8217;t mind changing lenses or working with a single focal length<\/li>\n<li>You work in low light and therefore need ultra-wide apertures<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>More specifically: If you plan to photograph events, landscapes, or travel scenes, a zoom could be a very good buy. But if you&#8217;re looking to capture products or portraits in low light, you may want to consider buying a prime (or three) instead.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" data-section id=\"zoom-lenses-final-words\">Zoom lenses: final words<\/h2>\n<p>Now that you&#8217;ve finished this article, you know all about zoom lens photography &#8211; and you&#8217;ve hopefully determined whether a zoom is right for you.<\/p>\n<p>At the end of the day, both zoom and prime lenses have their benefits, and it&#8217;s tough to go wrong with either. If you&#8217;re really struggling to decide, you can always rent a few different models and see what you think!<\/p>\n<p>Now over to you:<\/p>\n<p><em>Do you plan to buy a zoom lens? Why or why not? Share your thoughts in the comments below!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/zoom-lens\/\">Zoom Lenses: Your Comprehensive Guide<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\">Digital Photography School<\/a>. It was authored by <a href=\"https:\/\/digital-photography-school.com\/author\/jaymes-dempsey\/\">Jaymes Dempsey<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The post Zoom Lenses: Your Comprehensive Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey. Zoom lenses are cheap, effective, and incredibly popular; they&#8217;re used by hordes of photographers around the globe. For many beginners, a nice kit zoom is an amazing way to get started with photography, and for many professionals, a high-quality zoom is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":387,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-385","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cameras-equipment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/385","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=385"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/385\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":397,"href":"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/385\/revisions\/397"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/387"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=385"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=385"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.logsbylynn.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=385"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}