Examine the
portfolio of an average professional photographer, it won’t be surprising to
observe different combination of lenses for their shooting preferences. Lens
have various ranges and types. From the more expensive 24-70mm( which works
with both DX and FX Nikon camera and its
counterpart from cannon) to the cheaper 70-200mm f/2.8( mostly for indoor
Portraits), to the far cheaper prime ( non-zoom) lens like the 50mm f/1.8G. The
list is endless. With this vast amount of lens out there, what use can the
typical kit lens( either of 18-55mm or 18-105mm) that accompanies most cameras
be of?
I have shot
with my rugged Nikon D40 for some years with the kit lens and I can tell you
categorically that I continually get amazing results. Though the Nikon D40
doesn’t fit a back up camera for most photographers, I can boldly say that it
is my back up camera and its work as been amazing for me. Nikon D40 is an old
fashioned camera that comes with the typical 18-55mm lens. The lens is composed of 7 elements, 5 groups, one of which is
an aspheric
and one of ED glass.
The maximum aperture of this lens is f/3.5-5.6.
Most
photographers believe this lens ought not to remain on a camera body and thus
has to be changed immediately after the
purchase of the camera. Most of them outline this to its lack
of versatility and inability to perform well in low-light situations. As
true as this believe is, I have learnt over the years to overcome these
challenges thereby making me a better photographer. Moreover, to acquire a new
piece of glass, you might need to invest a huge amount of money. Unless one is
a professional photographer, the immediate upgrade to a more expensive
glass might not be an immediate course of action.Therefore, one has to learn how to manipulate this kit lens.
In order to overcome the poor results you would naturally obtain from a
typical kit lens, you will need to invest a few bucks into getting a good speed
light. A good speed light on your camera with your kit lens can work wonders.
Though you might have heard all sorts of things concerning the use of on-camera
flash (external flash mounted on camera), using it is not as scary as most
people paint it. If you learn to shoot in low-light situations with your kit
lens then you are most likely going to be a master photographer when you set
your hands on hands on better
lenses especially those with very high
aperture.
When it comes to outdoor, this lens performs wonderfully well. I have
taken pictures of landscapes and the quality has always been good. Though the
bokeh of this lens is well below average, you can still manipulate it to get
pictures with good bokeh. To do this, simply drop your aperture to the maximum (usually
between f/3.5-5.6), increase the subject/ background ratio and move very close
to your subject. You will be surprised at the amazing things that can be done
with this lens.
outdoor shot at f/6.3, 1/160s and ISO 400
Finally, do be in a haste to discard your kit
lens. Try to explore it and get to see the amazing things it can do especially
if you don’t have the budget for a new piece of glass. Photography is fun but the
real fun lies in the process of utilizing ones equipment effectively despite the challenges one might be faced with.If you thought using your kit lens was a no go area, now is the time to change that idea.keep shooting and keep having fun.
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