Types Of Lenses for Landscape Photography

Hello friends, today again we are going to cover another topic through this article. And this will be the next article in the series named “Learn Basic Photography” of our website. If you do not know the basics of photography then you can read the basics of photography from the list given below.

And in today’s article we are going to discuss about “Types Of Lenses for Landscape Photography”. In this article we have explained it in complete detail. And I hope that you will like today’s article very much.

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Table of Contents

Types Of Lenses for Landscape Photography

Irrespective of the type of photography, the camera lens plays a very important role in the quality and attractiveness of the photo. As we learned in previous articles that in landscape photography we capture a wide area, in which our focus is on each element. That’s why we need a good lens.

Below is a list of some of the lenses most commonly used in landscape photography.

Wide Angle Lens
Prime Lenses
Telephoto Lenses

So let us understand these in detail.

1.Wide Angle Lens

Wide Angle Lens is one which has shorter focal length than other standard or telephoto cameras. The specialty of these types of lenses is that they are able to capture a wide area. Along with capturing, it also makes it ideal for photography and videography. Here below are some points which describe Wide Angle Lens well.

Field Of View
distortion
perspective
Close Up Photography
Interior Photography
Landscapes
Architecture
Streets Photography
Lens Distortion Correction
Choosing The Right Lens

Field Of View :- Wide Angle Lens can capture a larger area in one photo. These types of lenses are mostly used for landscape, architecture and group photos.

Distortion:- Wide Angle Lenses also introduce distortion in the image. You can see this particular at the corners of the image. This distortion can also create a sense of depth and perspective in the photo.

Perspective:- Wide Angle Lens increases the sense of depth in your photo by making the objects in the foreground appear larger while the objects in the background appear smaller.

Close Up Photography:- You can use this type of lenses for close-up and macro photography. This allows you to get very close to the object while shooting the environment around you.

Interior Photography:- Interior photographers also like to use this type of lens because it is able to capture many rooms and many places with them in one shot.

Landscape Photography: – Landscape photographers like to use Wide Angle Lens the most. Because it is able to click very large areas in a single shot and emphasizes the vastness of any image.

Architecture Photography:- Wide Angle Lens is also used in architectural photography so that big buildings can be captured in a single photo without going away from the subject.

Streets Photography:- Wide angle lens also has a special contribution in Streets Photography because with this, a large part of the street is captured in a single shot, due to which the photo tells its story in detail.

Lens Distortion Correction:- Nowadays in new era cameras and editing software, it corrects the distortion seen in the photo due to Wide Angle Lens.

Choosing The Right Lens:- Wide angle lenses come with different focal lengths. So it becomes very important that you choose the right Wide Angle Lens as per your need. There are some common focal lengths of Wide Angle Lens like 14mm, 24mm and 35mm.

Explanation Of Wide Angle Lenses (Focal Length , Benefits)

Wide Angle Lens is that category of lenses with which we are able to capture a very large part of the space in a single shot. And these have less focal length. Understand that the shorter the focal length, the larger the area our camera will be able to capture. Below we have explained with some key points what are the benefits of this type of lens and will also discuss about the focal length.

Focal Length:-

The focal length of a wide angle lens is much shorter than that of a standard or telephoto lens. The most popular focal lengths of full frame cameras are 14mm, 20mm, 24mm and 35mm. And there is more than all this.

Field of View:-

Wide Angle Lens, as the name itself suggests, is a lens that has the ability to capture a wide area in a single shot. This wide field of view allows you to fit more of the scene within a single shot.

Benefits Of Wide Angle Lenses:-

Expensive perspective:– Wide angle lenses are best for capturing a large area in one scene. And this is the reason why these lenses are considered ideal for landscape photography, architectural and interior photography. Because these lenses allow us to capture a very large area of land in a single scene. And note that the focal length of these lenses is less.
Close Up Shot:- As we know, as the focal length decreases, we are able to capture a wider scene. And if the focal length is increased, it also allows us to take a close up shot. It helps us in capturing intimate portrait, environmental portrait or street portrait.
Reduced Perspective Distortion:- Wide angle lenses have less perspective distortion than other lenses. When we photograph the subject from close range, it helps us in giving a natural look to the photo.
Enhanced Depth of Field:- Another main reason why wide angle lenses are mainly used in landscape photography is their greater depth of field. Because in landscape photography, we capture a very large area and we get to see all this The area has to be kept in focus and all this work is possible with a wide angle lens.
Dynamic Compositions:- With wide angle lenses we can create dynamic and dramatic compositions for our scenes. In this we can also add leading lines and foreground elements so that we can increase the interest of our photo.
Low-Light Performance:- The aperture of some wide angle lenses is quite wide such as (f/1.4 or f/2.8). And we know that the larger the aperture, the more light can reach the camera sensor, so this We can also shoot in dim light, inside the room.
Creative Distortion:- While wide-angle lenses ensure that minimum distortion is visible in the photo, we can also give this distortion a great look as per our creativity.
Note that you face some challenges even in wide angle lenses. This can appear by exaggerating the distance between two subjects in a frame, leading to less emphasis on subjects that are further away. Along with this, it can also cause distortion at the corners of the frame, which we call barrel distortion. However, these challenges can often be corrected in post-processing.

Example shots showcasing their use in landscape photography

2. Prime Lenses

We also use Prime Lenses for landscape photography. So let us first learn what are Prime Lenses? Another name for Prime Lenses is fixed focal length lens. As the name suggests, Prime Lenses are lenses whose focal length cannot be changed. This means that it cannot zoom in or zoom out like zoom lenses. These lenses have a fixed focal length which is known for its optical and ability to produce high quality and sharp images. Here are some key characteristics and advantages of prime lenses:

Fixed Focal Length
Image Quality
Wide Aperture
Bokeh
Compact and Lightweight
Speed
creativity
Consistency

1. Fixed Focal Length:- Prime Lenses have a specific focal length (such as 50mm, 85mm, 35mm) and cannot zoom.

The inability to zoom often forces photographers to move physically to compose the shot, which can lead to more creative and intentional framing.

2. Image Quality:- Everyone praises prime lenses for their optical quality. In addition to producing sharp images, it also ensures that images have less distortion, chromatic aberration, and other optical imperfections compared to zoom lenses, especially at wider apertures.

3. Wide Aperture:- Most prime lenses feature a wide maximum aperture (e.g., f/1.4, f/1.8, or even wider). We had read in our series called “Learn Basic Photography” that if the aperture is maximum then more light will reach the camera.

This lens will do excellent work in low light and achieving a shallow depth of field (background blur) for artistic effects.

4. Bokeh:- Wide aperture and fixed focal length can together create a beautiful background, known as “bokeh.”

This effect makes the subject stand out and creates a lush, dreamy background.

5. Compact and Lightweight:- Prime lenses are less heavy than other lenses. There is no problem in taking them with you. And they are used in street photography, portraits, and travel photography.

6. Speed:- Prime lenses are fast as a result of having a wide aperture, which means we are able to capture even fast moving subjects through the prime lens. And these are ideal for action and sports photography.

7. Creativity:- Due to the shortcomings of prime lenses, it forces the photographer to think more creatively and consider their composition carefully. And it gives unique and artistic photographs.

8. Consistency:- Prime lenses maintain much of the image quality through their fixed focal length because they cannot zoom. And this consistency is very important in types of photography like portrait and studio work.

Common prime lens focal lengths include 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 135mm, although there are many other options available. The photographer can choose the prime lens according to his work and needs.

Instances where prime lenses shine in landscapes

Prime lenses can be a great choice for landscape photography in some situations. Here are instances where prime lenses can shine in landscapes:

sharpness
Reduced Distortion
Wide Aperture for Bokeh
Low Light Performance
Portability
Minimal Flare and Ghosting
Color and Contrast
Specialized Prime Lenses
Panoramic Stitching
creative composition

Sharpness:- As we learned in the definition that prime lenses are widely used in capturing sharp images. Where you need to capture every detail of a scene in your frame, a prime lens delivers exceptional clarity from edge to edge. This is particularly useful when shooting landscapes with intricate textures or distant subjects.

Reduced Distortion:- Prime lenses have less distortion than zoom lenses. When you’re looking for a landscape that has straight lines and architectural elements, it gives you minimal distortion and helps keep your elements straight.

Wide Aperture for Bokeh:- In landscape photography, you need deep depth of field, so having a wide aperture also gives you benefit. You can use it to create artistic effects, isolate a foreground subject, or blur distracting elements in the background.

Low Light Performance:- Prime lenses have a large aperture size (e.g., f/1.4 or f/1.8) with a fixed focal length. Because the size of the aperture is large, we can also use it to shoot in low light.

Portability: –We had read in the definition of prime lenses that these lenses are less heavy than others, hence we do not face any problem in carrying them with us.

Minimal Flare and Ghosting:- There is very little use of glass elements in prime lenses. So that flare and ghosting can be minimized. This is very important when we are shooting in a bright light, this light can be sunlight or artificial lights.

Color and Contrast:- Prime lenses are known for their ability to produce vibrant colors and high-contrast images. And they can enhance the visuals of your landscape photography, especially in scenes with very rich colors.

Specialized Prime Lenses:- There are specialized prime lenses, like ultra-wide-angle primes and tilt-shift lenses, designed for specific landscape photography needs. These lenses can help you capture unique perspectives and correct for distortion in architectural scenes.

Panoramic Stitching:- When we are stitching many shots in one frame, it is called panoramic image. In such a situation, using prime lenses gives us very good results in which the clarity of every shot remains the same because these lenses do not have zoom.

Creative Composition:- Because this lens is full of some shortcomings. Due to these shortcomings, photographers have to think creatively to bring creativity in the photos, which gives you a very unique and creative composition over which you have complete control.

Example images showcasing prime lens capabilities

3. Telephoto lenses

Telephoto lenses have a longer focal length. And these are made for such scenes where we need more focal length. For example close up shots etc. This lens is for those photographers or videographers who have to shoot distant or close-up subjects. Here are some key characteristics and uses of telephoto lenses:

Long Focal Length
Magnification
Compression
Narrower Field of View
Image Stabilization
aperture
Size and Weight

Long Focal Length:- The normal focal length of telephoto lenses is more than 70mm and it also increases beyond 300mm. Longer focal length results in greater zoom in.

Magnification:- The first purpose of telephoto lenses is to magnify distinct subjects. These types of lenses are used in shoots where it is impossible to get close to the subject. For example wildlife photography, astrophotography etc.

Compression:- Telephoto lenses compress the perspective of the image, making a distant subject appear closer which is actually far away. This effect can be used in landscape photography or to isolate a subject from the background.

Narrower Field of View:- Telephoto lenses have Narrower Field of View compared to wide angle lenses. And this can be advantageous for us when we want to focus on one detail and ignore the distracting background.

Image Stabilization:- Most telephoto lenses come with Image Stabilization technology, this prevents the camera shake effect from appearing in the photo. This is very important when we shoot with long focal length or in the presence of low light.

Aperture:- Telephoto lenses have a smaller aperture than prime lenses (f2.8 or f4). It allows us to take shots even in low light and has the ability to achieve shallow depth of field and blur the background.

Size and Weight:- If you have ever seen Telephoto lenses, they are much larger than other lenses, due to the complex optics required to achieve long focal lengths.

Telephoto lenses are commonly used in various photography genres

Wildlife Photography
Sports Photography
Sports Photography
Landscape Photography
Astronomy and Bird Watching

Wildlife Photography :- Telephoto lenses allow photographers to capture detailed shots of animals without disturbing them.

Sports Photography:- In this type of photography we see that it is impossible for the photographers to go near them. But there are some shots which we need very close, so telephoto lenses are best for this purpose.

Portrait Photography:- Longer telephoto lenses (e.g., 85mm, 135mm) can be used for flattering portrait shots with a pleasing background blur (bokeh).

Landscape Photography:- telephoto lenses can help capture distant features or compress the scene for a different perspective.

Astronomy and Bird Watching:- High power telephoto lens is used for celestial photography and bird watching.

Just keep in mind that these lenses are heavy and you will need a tripod to keep it stable, especially when you are using long focal lengths.