Lenses form the backbone of any camera system. Looking back through the history of photography, with some notable exceptions, it is often the lens mount which becomes legendary rather than individual camera models. The technology and the crosscompatibility of a lens system outlives the specific cameras on which they may have briefly been paired.The availability of lens options is commonly a central aspect driving the decision to invest in a camera model, as the variety, competence and versatility of optics will dictate the buyer’s success for many years.
With such engineering precision comes a multitude of confusing terms and intimidating choices. Even as an experienced professional photographer, it is possible to fall out of step with the current offerings from the lens manufacturers. New features, hidden functionality and a plethora of suffixes in the model names can sometimes make selecting the perfect lens for your photography a challenge.
As with all areas of photography gear, not all of these features will be critical for your particular genre of imaging. Some technology is built into the optical design of many new-generation lenses, so is not optional, while other specifications are user-selectable based on the price range.
In this guide to pro-level lenses, we break down the common tech in each category of lens, to help you find the best value models for your photography requirements and get more from those you already own.
Understand wide-angle lenses
Make your choice of optics for landscapes, interiors and architecture
In many ways, it is wide-angle lenses that have seen the most diversification in the industry over the past few decades. The introduction of digital photography pushed the boundaries of optical technology out of necessity. The first widely-available digital models featured sensor chips smaller than full-frame, meaning existing film-era wide-angle lenses no longer provided a truly wide field-of-view. New designs had to be introduced that compensated for the crop factor
