About the Lens

[Annie2]

Hi guyz please i will like to know if it is the Lens that brings out the effect from the camera or is it the settings of the camera that matters??

[jprzybyla]

Hello Annie,

To my thinking it is both Annie, each has a separate function and support each other to produce the final image.

[ktuli]

Annie,

Joe definitely gave the right answer. The camera and the lens do different jobs, but they're both necessary jobs. That also depends on what "effect" you are looking for. For example, certain lenses (fisheye lenses for example) will produce distinctive distortion and views that other lenses will not - so that is an effect that is only achievable with those lenses.

If your question is more directed at the argument that some photographers will tell you to spend your money on high quality lenses and worry less about the camera that is on the lens, then that is likely speaking to the fact that most lenses will out-live their cameras. Most photographers will buy a lens and often use it on a number of camera bodies over the years. The argument there being that if you buy quality lenses, they will produce a quality image for your camera to record, so you should spend your money more on the higher quality lenses. However, we all have budgets, so you have to spend the money on the combination that works best for you and your budget. If you go too cheap on the camera, and can't properly record that quality image the lens is presenting, then what was the point of buying an expensive lens?

It is all a juggling act, and one that I don't think anyone has mastered just yet... the most important piece is the photographer. Some people produce amazing images with iPhone cameras, some people produce horrible images with the most expensive gear... the lenses, the camera, etc are all just tools - it is the photographer that makes the difference.

- Bill

[Annie2]

Thanks Joe and Bill.....But would you be so kind to tell what lens i can use to produce good images .....i am using a Cannon EOS 1100D and the range of my Lens is 18mm-55mm....but i dont really like its production. i cant do much with it....plz can you tell me what i can do or if you have an idea on how i can work with this lens of mine to give me good effects ...effects like back ground blurring and other kind of effect....

[ktuli]

Annie,

We would need more information regarding what you are looking to take photos of and what you don't like about your current lens.

Regarding the background blurring effect, you need to use a wide aperture (low f/#) to achieve that. For example, the 18-55 lens you have likely has a minimum f/# of f/3.5 when at 18mm and f/5.6 when at 55mm. Neither of those settings are incredibly wide of an aperture. They work well to get the majority of the scene in clarity, but don't work as well for getting that nice blurred background. A good lens for blurred background will have a minimum f/# of something like f/2, f/1.8, or even f/1.4. Canon makes a 50mm f/1.8 lens - it is not a high quality lens in the least (it is almost all plastic construction) - that is a nice budget lens to get into that kind of stuff... it usually runs about $125USD these days.

But again, we'd need to know what you're looking to take photos of to recommend specific lenses. That 50mm I just mentioned might work just fine for portraits, but won't work too well for wildlife or landscape work.

Let us know what you are hoping to photograph, and perhaps what your rough budget is (though I can only offer prices for the US market, and your pricing and availability will likely be different), and we can start giving you some ideas of what to look for.

Also, let us know how you are currently using the camera - perhaps post a couple photos with the EXIF info, and we can review any changes you might have been able to make to get effects you wanted.

- Bill

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Annie,

Another technique which will help you achieve a soft focus background is to get closer to your subject and maintain as much distance between the subject and background as possible. Plus, as Bill said, use the widest aperture you can.

Welcome to the CiC forums from ....

[WJT]

Hi Annie,

You can think of it like this; the camera is the brain and the lens is the eye. Blurred background is ussually achieved by using a big aperture setting, such as a 2.8 to 5.6. This works well when the back ground is a distrurbance rather than complimenting the picture.

[Annie2]

Thanks Guyz .....I will work on your advices and get back to you guyz ....am so glad i have people who can put me through ....thanks