Once you become a confident photographer, a new lens should be next on your buying list. The default lens that comes with your camera, called the kit lens, is usually an all-around lens for general purposes. However, if you want to get some creative effects or focus on a particular genre of photography, you must invest in a quality lens.

Even if you have a fairly basic camera, upgrading your lens can significantly impact the quality of your photos. If you are not sure where to start, you're in the right place. We'll show you what to look for in your first lens.

1. Zoom or Prime?

Image of various lenses close to one another

The first question you want to ask yourself is whether you want a prime or a zoom lens. A prime lens has a fixed focal length, while a zoom lens can zoom to different focal lengths. You can choose either based on your preferences, but a prime lens can push your creative boundaries because you will move around a lot and improve your composition.

Also, prime lenses are faster with apertures that can open up to f/1.8 or f/1.4. This lets you shoot in low-light conditions. With prime lenses, you also get a shallow depth of field with buttery bokeh. In addition, prime lenses produce better-quality images compared to zoom lenses.

Zoom lenses have extra elements to enable the moving mechanism, and they tend to be less sharp at either end of their focal lengths.

2. Focal Length

Photo of camera lenses together

Once you have decided on the type of lens, focus on the focal length or range you want to cover. If you want a versatile prime lens for travel, portraits, and still life, look no further than the famous nifty fifty—also known as the 50mm lens. It is an inexpensive prime lens that can elevate the look of your photos. You'll find plenty of other reasons to get a 50mm lens as well.

If you are looking at zoom lenses, superzoom lenses like 18-200mm or 24-120mm are good places to start. This long focal length range will let you cover landscapes, portraits, and some wildlife too.

Wildlife photographers should look for a focal length in the telephoto range, preferably over 200mm, to get closer to their subjects. Wide-angle lenses, such as 10-20mm or 14-24mm, are best for sweeping landscape vistas or beautiful interior pictures. You can also get prime wide-angle and telephoto lenses like 14mm f/1.8 or 500mm f/4.

3. Aperture

Image of lens aperture

You may not have paid attention to the aperture value when you got your kit lens. But as you advance in your photography, you must note the aperture before buying a lens. As a general rule, lenses with wider apertures tend to be more expensive due to their solid build and superior performance.

Opt for lenses with an aperture of f4 or wider. This can be handy for shooting in low light and getting a nice background blur. Zoom lenses are slower than prime lenses, but still, some zoom lenses open as wide as f2.8. Unfortunately, these lenses can be pretty heavy and pricey too.

Another thing to note, especially when buying a zoom lens, is the type of aperture (i.e. fixed or variable). It can be either fixed or variable. A fixed aperture lens like the 200-500mm f/5.6 can open to the widest aperture throughout the focal length range. On the other hand, a variable aperture lens, like the 150-600mm f/5-6.3, changes its widest aperture for different focal lengths.

Again, fixed aperture lenses are not wallet-friendly. But, if your budget allows, go for a fixed-aperture lens. You will get a sturdy lens that can give you tack-sharp images.

4. Compatibility With Your Camera

Photo of a Canon R5
Image Credit: Canon

There are different types of cameras like crop sensor, full frame, micro four-thirds, and mirrorless cameras. You have to find the correct lens for your camera. Finding a suitable mount is crucial; otherwise, the lens won't fit with your camera. For instance, you can't put a DSLR lens on a mirrorless camera. You need a special adapter to make them compatible.

You have to be careful even when buying lenses from the same manufacturer. Take the example of a lens meant for a crop sensor camera. It will not work as expected on a full-frame camera. Instead, you get images that are 1.5 times cropped. Similarly, a full-frame lens on a crop sensor camera will give you a longer focal length.

These are not necessarily bad, and you can surely use them creatively, but you must know the difference and understand what's going on to use them effectively.

5. Image Stabilization

photo of a zoom camera lens

To avoid camera shake, you must keep your shutter speed high when using long lenses. This is conventional wisdom from the reciprocal rule. But shooting at a high shutter speed may not always be possible. Thanks to the in-built image stabilization on some lenses, you can get a couple of stops of extra light, allowing you to shoot at a slower speed.

Every manufacturer calls this differently, but the underlying concept is the same. You can find it as Vibration Reduction (VR) in Nikon, Image Stabilization (IS) in Canon, and Optical Steady Shot (OSS) in Sony. Do you often shoot wildlife handheld? Then, look for some stabilization in your lens. It will make your life much easier.

If you're a mirrorless camera user, your camera might have sensor stabilization, so you don't have to worry as much about stabilization in your lenses.

6. Other Accessories

Camera lens filters

When planning a budget for your lens, remember to include the potential expenses for accessories like adapters, filters, lens collars, and so on. Check your lens's thread size and find filters in the same size. You may also need a longer tripod collar than the complimentary one you get with your lens.

Make sure to check if your tripod can hold the weight of your lens. If not, consider buying a sturdier one.

The Right Lens Is a Worthy Investment to Improve Your Photography

As soon as you become a confident photographer, you may want to run and buy the latest camera. Of course, buying a new camera will give you extra megapixels and all the bells and whistles, but it won't make your photos any different.

A lens is literally the eye to your camera, and when you change it, you change the perspective. With good glass on your camera, your images will be sharp, and you get the opportunity to train your creative muscles too. In other words, when in doubt, buy a lens rather than a camera! And keep these tips in mind.