Buyer's Guides Lens Buyers Guide Buyer's Guide 2024: Lenses
Buyer's Guide 2024: LensesHow to choose the best glass for your D-SLR |
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Page 2 of 5 CODE WORDS Focal lengths, ƒ-stops and designed-for-digital are all pretty easy to figure out. But when you’re choosing between two lenses of similar focal length and speed, what are you supposed to make of all those code words, like IS, VR, LD, HSM and T*? Even worse, why aren’t those codes universal? The lingo can be confusing, but their hidden meanings usually aren’t. APO, ED, LD, SD—these terms refer to coatings applied to a lens’ glass surfaces to help improve color, contrast and sharpness. Low-dispersion glass is designed to keep the light in line, improving optical fidelity and frequently resulting in a lens with fewer elements, which can translate into smaller, more compact lenses. Some coatings are also designed for digital, helping to optimize the sensor-friendliness of the light as it enters the camera. Other terms like aspherical and rectilinear refer respectively to the ability to deliver edge-to-edge consistency both in sharpness and color and eliminate barrel distortion—edge curvature of straight lines with wide-angle lenses. IS (Canon), VR (Nikon) and OS (Sigma) denote that the lens features an image-stabilization system to help eliminate camera shake, making it easier to create sharper handheld images with longer lenses at slower shutter speeds. This feature may add heft and cost to a lens, but it can also save your tail. If you always use a tripod or a powerful flash, these features may not top your priority list. If not, think about how many camera-shake-blurred photos you’ve made, and consider a lens with stabilization. Terms like HSM and USM refer to the fast and quiet autofocus motors found in many lenses. The faster and quieter a lens focuses, the better. Unfortunately, like all good things, better may also mean pricier. If you’re not an autofocus fanatic or a sports shooter, maybe you could better spend your dollars on a lens with other features optimized for you.
Tokina’s 10-17mm AT-X 107 AF DX ƒ/3.5-4.5 is a variable-aperture, designed-for-digital fish-eye zoom. Built for APS-C sensors, it uses a super-low-dispersion element to reduce size and weight. Its maximum angle of view is 180 degrees, and the front element incorporates a waterproof coating designed to make cleaning easier. The full-frame fish-eye is ideal for photographers who want to take in massive scenes where curvature and distortion are desirable, so it’s a fun lens for Nikon and Canon shooters on a budget. Estimated Street Price: $525.   |
ULTRA-WIDE ZOOMS AND FISH-EYES
