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Classic Focal Lengths, for the Classic Photography Genres
One of the best parts of getting serious about photography is discovering everything you can achieve with a broad array of lenses. It can be mind-blowing, but also frustrating if you don’t have someone to guide you during your first lens investments.
Many entry-level cameras come with an 18–55mm bundle lens, and that is no accident. Limited as it may seem, this lens configuration actually helps many new photographers figure out not just what kind of lens they should invest in, but guides them along their endless journey to perfect their style.
Our goal in this article is to accompany you along the rocky road of lens-buying. The optics I describe below are offered by almost every camera manufacturer, so we’ll avoid naming specific brands here. The reason I talk about these focal lengths specifically is that they work extremely well for certain types of photography — like street photography or portraiture — and have become pretty much standard in these genres. The main differences from brand to brand are coatings, aperture capabilities and internal components (things that could be hard for the vast majority of us to comprehend, unless we are true geeks or engineers).
Depending on the size of your camera’s sensor, you will experience what is known as a crop factor, but don’t worry about that. What…
