Standard Camera Lenses

Series Summary

Photography is the practice of making images by exposing film or another medium to a timed flash of light. The basic equipment used for photography has changed dramatically in the last decades, many people finding digital photography an inexpensive and creative hobby. We use photography as a means of communication worldwide: to sell things, to tell stories, capture memories, evoke passions, fight for causes, make new meanings, and inspire the imagination. Mastering the art of photography is a technical and challenging experience. Even with an automatic, digital camera, one has to learn how to frame a shot, choose a background, interact with the subject, use natural light, and select the right supplies and tools.

In this free video series, pro photographer James Flint gives you everything you need to know about camera lenses. James covers standard, wide angle, and telephoto lenses. You will learn how to take care of them, clean them, and pick out new lenses. James covers aperture settings, shutter action, light, and much more. You get professional tips on depth of field, when to use manual or automatic settings, and basic maintenance. It is all here.

Video Transcript

"Understanding what a standard lens is will help you take the best pictures with a standard lens. Standard lens is normally what will come with a camera when you buy it. And typically a standard lens is at fifty millimeters. The camera I purchased came with the lens that ranges from eighteen to seventy-seven millimeters. So, it has the fifty in the middle, which is the standard lens. And they call it standard because that's typically how the human eye sees something. If, it's a great place to get started with. It's pretty much the essential lens to have. So I would definitely start with the fifty millimeter or something that has a range with fifty in between. So that you're able to take photographs that show you again the standard eye view. These are going to be the easiest images for people to relate to. And you're not going to be a very versatile photographer if you're only shooting wide angle or you're only shooting telephoto. So it's the comfortable median, and it's what's going to really help you get a normal shot. So get out there. Get started with a fifty millimeter or something in that range, and you'll probably be pretty pleased with what you have. And you'll know at times when you need a wider or a longer lens. But, fifty millimeters is going to be, you're going to be able to use that sixty to eighty percent of the time."