The Lens Dilemma
Church Production has already talked about what’s better—if you must choose—a good camera or a good lens, so feel free to read that if you only have the budget for one or the other, but let’s say you pick “good lens,” and you’re still limited on funds (as most of us are). What are some principles for purchasing, and where’s a good place to start?
Generally, if a brand you trust makes good cameras, they make good lenses, too.
Principles for Purchasing
Consider the Brand
Generally, if a brand you trust makes good cameras, they make good lenses, too. That being said, be sure to think about what kind of camera that company makes. Anecdotally, I’ve found that camcorder-focused companies don’t always make great lenses, at least not budget lenses. But a company focused on really good camera bodies is usually motivated to create good lenses that attach to those bodies, even at lower price points.
Some brands, like Tamron or Sigma, don’t make cameras, but do make great lenses. Again, trusted brands are trusted for a reason.
Not sure about a brand? Google it. Head to Reddit and search for a brand name to see what the communities there have to say. Do your homework; check reviews.
Consider Buying Used
This might seem obvious, but you need to remember that lenses, if given the proper care, are just glass inside a metal cylinder. Yes, zoom lenses contain complicated mechanical gears and whatnot for adjusting zoom, but again, given the proper care, an old lens is still a good lens even if it’s lost market value to newer models. Do some Googling, some eBaying, or even some Google mapping to find a local camera shop with some used lenses. The latter option is ideal for church creatives because you can support a local retailer and develop a relationship that will benefit you in the long run when you need some advice on gear or best practices.
Facebook Marketplace is also a great spot if you don’t mind internet-yardsale’ing. While not as fast an option as online retailers or eBay, you can find great deals if you’re patient, especially in or near a large metropolitan area. Use best practices to keep yourself and your money safe, and only buy something after you’ve tried it in person.
For any church seeking an all-around general-purpose lens, a prime lens can really fit the bill.
Consider a Prime Lens
Not Optimus Prime, but rather lenses that don’t zoom. They feature a single focal length like 50mm or 35mm, so you have to physically move closer or farther from your subject depending on how you want to frame it or what kind of depth of field you want. These lenses often offer a wide aperture which means they’re great for low light, and since they don’t need all the fine mechanisms of a zoom lens, they also offer a great cost-to-quality ratio. You can get into new, quality glass like this Canon “nifty fifty” for just $125.
Prime lenses will somewhat limit your depth of field and bokeh capabilities, but for any church seeking an all-around general-purpose lens, a prime lens can really fit the bill.
Consider Crop Factor
Let’s say you find a heck of a deal on an older, quality lens. Before you pull the trigger, you need to make sure you’re thinking about your camera sensor size because even though your mounts might match, your rear element and sensor size might not, which will result in cropping.
We’ve written at length about sensor sizes, but what you need to understand is that if your camera sensor is smaller than your rear element, your focal length will be zoomed in. If you have a 35mm lens on a micro 4/3 sensor, the focal length becomes 70mm because your sensor is only capturing the center half of the lens’ image, effectively zooming it in. Conversely, if your lens is smaller than your sensor, your images can have a vignette because the lens doesn’t bring light to every part of the sensor.
Some Models to Investigate
While these models below are not specifically road-tested by our writers or church production pros, they’re a good place to start in your search for a high value lens—
- $125 // Canon Nifty Fifty previously mentioned
- $548 // Sony FE 85mm/1.8
- $697 // Nikkor 18-30mm
- $699 // Tamron 28-75mm
