The Lens That Suits You

“What is the best lens that I should buy?"- This is one of the most frequent questions I received. There is no definite answer to it. The best lens for anyone depends on his budget and photographic needs. There are many lenses for every brand, and each was built for a purpose.

To understand which lens you should buy, first of all you need to decide on what kind of subject you will photograph most. It could be landscape or portraiture or action sports or anything else under the sky.

Below are some types of lenses (according to focal length based on 1.5x crop factor) based on specific functionality.

1. Lenses in the range of 12mm-18mm are suitable for landscape and architectural photography.
2.  50-80mm lenses are suitable for portrait.
3. Macro lenses in the range of 60mm-105mm are the best for capturing the image of flowers and insects from close range.
4. 200-400mm lenses are meant for sports and wildlife.

Apart from that you will need to specify your budget for the purchase. If we simply want to know which lens is the best, then we probably hit it right by looking at the most expensive and that of the highest quality within its category.  It is generally accepted that expensive lenses have wide maximum aperture such as f/2.8. High quality lenses are often equipped with useful features such as image stabilizer to reduce the effect of vibration.  But these lenses are expensive. If they are beyond your budget or the features are hardly applicable to your needs then it is a good idea to look at cheaper alternatives.

For those who just started the hobby, it is sufficient to utilize the kit lens by practicing with common subject in the surrounding. Resist the urge to acquire additional lenses. Given some time you will discover which genre you are more drawn to and by then it will be a good time (usually after a few months) to start looking for a specific lens that will bring your works to a greater heights.

Some people prefer to portraiture, some like landscape better and there are those who are dedicated to macro. After you have recognized your personal preference, it is a good time to get a high quality lens which is meant for that particular genre. Your investment in the lens will be worthy as it shall accelerate your development within the field of your interest.

A person who often works with macro subjects, for example, needs to purchase a high quality macro lens at around RM3,000. On the other hand, for someone whose interest lies in wildlife photography, the ideal lens would be something like a 300mm f/2.8 which is priced around RM18,000, provided he can afford it and willing to.

My advice is to thoroughly evaluate your direction before purchasing a lens without being influenced by peers. It is unwise, at least from the financial point of view, to purchase a lens for showing off, or to keep up with technology development, or to be at par with friends. Before purchasing additional lenses, you should understand what kind of photograph you can to capture and whether the lens you intend to purchase can help you to produce it. Make full use of the lens you have chosen. There is little sense in purchasing a high quality lens but rarely use it. If you are not planning to use it often, might as well get a cheaper lens or a used copy. Even better if you can just borrow one from friends.

Original article from fototeacher.com/blog by Hasnuddin Abu Samah. Translated by Amir Ridhwan

To read more article in Bahasa Melayu, please visit - http://hellofotografi.blogspot.com/

Bringing Your Camera in Flights

At times when you wish to bring your photographic equipment in an air trip, it is best to hand-carry it instead of putting it into checked-in luggage, together with you into the cabin.  This is to avoid the risk of getting damaged as checked-in luggage can potentially be mishandled and, in extreme cases, got lost.

If you check the camera bag as checked-in luggage, there is no guarantee that it will be handled with care even if it has “fragile” stickers attached. Cameras are fragile items and can easily get broken if mishandled. You should not take such chances. However if you have it properly packed in a rugged hard-shell bag, your camera might stand a good chance of surviving but there is still the possibility of it getting stolen or lost. There have been reported cases of theft involving passengers’ baggage and if you still want to put your camera as checked-in luggage please ensure it is well secured and locked.

People usually carry 2-3 bags when travelling by air. You can stuff clothing and other less valuable items into the checked-in luggage. All your photographic equipment should be grouped together and carried with you into the cabin. Take note that the hand-carry baggage should exceed the specified dimension of 56cm x 36cm x 23cm. The bag should fit into the baggage compartment above the seats or can be tucked underneath the seat in front of you.

As for an example, at the time of writing, Air Asia allows one hand-carried baggage not exceeding 7kg. Malaysia Airlines put the limit at 5kg for Economy class and allows addition accessories such as a hand bag or a carried camera. Their First Class and Business Class passengers are allow 2 bags of 5kg limit each. In practice it boils down to the flight attendants’ discretion whether to allow extra hand-carry baggage or not to be strict on the allowed weight. Yet the best way to avoid any inconvenience is by following the guideline from the beginning.

For the latest information of baggage guideline, please refer to your carrier’s website and ticket fine prints on terms and conditions. Above all, most importantly is to always carry your camera equipment with you when boarding.

Original article from fototeacher.com/blog by Hasnuddin Abu Samah. Translated by Amir Ridhwan

To read more article in Bahasa Melayu, please visit - http://hellofotografi.blogspot.com/

More article about travel - http://sipolanbinsipolan.blogspot.com/

What is the Best Camera Brand?

Probably one of the most common question asked by someone new to this hobby is “What is the best camera brand?” In reality there is no clear cut answer to this question- everything actually boils down to individual’s needs and preference. However there are a few things to know which can help you out of this dilemma.

Many companies make consumer cameras. Some are rarely heard of since they focus mainly to a selected group of users. For example, the company Horseman and Sinar concentrate only in making view cameras and other high end cameras which are used by a handful of very specialized photographers.

Some brands are more recognized as makers of certain kind of cameras. Leica, for example, is more popular for its line of rangefinder (although they actually do produce DSLRs and compacts). Another example is Hassleblad which is renowned for making medium format cameras. These two brands are synonimous with exceptional quality and their prices far exceed that of the common DSLRs.

From the aspect of quality, Hasselblad can be said to be among the world’s best. Still it cannot be said to be the most suitable to most people due to its exorbitant price and size (and weight, of course). Although the quality is unquestionable, this camera is not necessarily the best choice for the average photographer.

Hasselblad medium format camera (photo from Hasselblad)

For DSLR cameras, the more well-known brands are Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus and Pentax. Other than sheer quality, the popularity of these brands is highly influenced by its local marketing strategy. For example, a camera might be very popular in Japan but hardly has significant presence in Malaysia. It is not necessary that the most popular brand produces the best camera but as a general rule of thumb, it is a safe choice to pick your first camera from a brand which is well known and has a larga user base.

Each manufacturer has its own pricing strategy. Usually the more expansive an equipment, the better it is. Apart from that, a brand brings along a certain prestige which is included in the pricing package.

Other than the quality of a camera, you should as well understand the reliability of the brand’s after sales service. Is the product difficult to be repairs? Is the process lengthy and reasonably charged?

Every company has their own mission and vision. Some are more advanced in technology, others may put more emphasis on quality while there are those who are more inclined to miniaturization.

Another important thing you should know is that each camera brand belongs to a unique proprietary system which is incompatible with the others. Equipment such as camera, lens and flash from one brand can only be fully utilized when used within the same brand. For example a Canon camera cannot use a lens made by Nikon (except by using an adapter, even then it is not fully compatible). In fact some equipment within the same brand cannot be used on a different model. Henceforth is it paramount that you understand each photography equipment that you plan to acquire will be compatible with what you already have.

Apart from being compatible within its own brand, cameras can utilize equipment made by a third party but based on the same system. Companies such as Tokina, Tamron and Sigma produce lenses for various camera systems. These are usually cheaper than comparable lenses made by the original manufacturer. Keep in mind to ensure the third party lens you are planning to purchase is of the same mount as your camera.

There are also third party manufacturers of flash such as Metz and Nissin which make models compatible with many camera systems such as Nikon and Canon.

Before deciding on which brand you are buying into, you should deeply consider how you are going to use it in the long run. Obviously once you buy into a system, you are bound into it. Every lens, flash and accessory you will eventually obtain must be compatible with the system.

In the span of a few years you will acquire an array of lenses and accessories for that system. Should you then decide to switch to another system, you may need to dispose your entire drybox content. You shall bear a loss and have to restart from scratch- purchasing each lens and accessory for your new camera all over again. It is usually not advisable to use more that one camera system at a time due to the high cost.

Another important matter which needs to be considered before purchasing a camera- it is advisable to get a camera from the same brand which most of your friends are using. This makes knowledge sharing easier especially on matters pertaining on the usage of the system. You can even exchange and test lenses and accessories with them when in need.

After comparing several cameras, you might face a situation where you need to choose between two cameras from different brand. After comparing the specifications, you probably decide that they are more or less similar. A way to release the deadlock is to just go with the camera that you like base on, perhaps, aesthetical or ergonomical reason. Here the final decision will be more prone towards the image carried by the exterior design of the camera. Ultimately this is the one factor which makes you love and be proud of the camera.

The question on what is the best camera brand has always been raised by those who just recently become interested in this field. The fact is each brand has its own strength and weakness. The choice is in your hand- make the decision based on your needs, budget and personal taste. Whatever brand you use, it is your skills that will reflect how good you are as a photographer.

Original article from fototeacher.com/blog by Hasnuddin Abu Samah. Translated by Amir Ridhwan

To read more article in Bahasa Melayu, please visit - http://hellofotografi.blogspot.com/