Categories: prime lenses and zoom lenses

Zoom lens: has a range of focal lengths and you can zoom in and out, very convenient

Prime lens: only has one focal length, it’s fixed does not zoom in and out not as convenient

Three Types of Lenses: wide, normal and telephoto

Focal length: is the distance between where the lens focuses incoming light in the cameras digital sensor but it’s a lot easier to think of focal length as a magnification of the image so a higher focal length means higher magnification and a lower focal length means lower magnification

Aperture: there’s an opening in the back of the lens that opens and closes this is the aperture

Fixed Aperture: More expensive lenses have a fixed aperture that doesn’t change throughout the entire zoom range.

Fast/Slow Lenses: Fast lenses function better overall when working in low-light conditions, slow lenses do not.

Field of View (FoV): How much stuff can be seen in the frame. Also called Angle of view.

Perspective: Wide angle lenses make objects that are far away seem even further away, as well as smaller. Low angle lenses do the opposite.

Lens Distortion: Lenses that are wide enough tend to distort light to some degree. Be careful of this.

Lens Compression: Lenses that are much less wide tend to compress distance between two objects, the opposite of wide angle lenses.

Filters: There’s a number, usually, if not always, in millimeters, next to a circle with a slash through it. This is the diameter that you should memorize when using filters for a lens.

Macro: A photo that says “Macro” somewhere on the lens or camera are capable of getting really up close shots. Basically, it’s a magnifying glass.

Lens Mounts: Many different cameras and lenses have many different ways to attach. Be careful with this, and if you have to really try and force a lens onto a camera, you’re probably putting it on incorrectly!

Cinema Lenses: There are several noteworthy differences between photography lenses and cinema lenses.

Lens Breathing: The composition changes slightly when changing focus.

Cleaning Lenses: Be careful when cleaning lenses.

Lens Protection: Stay safe, kids. And clean this stuff, too, ’cause you probably spent a lot of money on one of these lenses.