PDA

View Full Version : Looking for a lens



Manda74
18-05-2023, 5:47pm
Hi looking for a new lens for my Nikon z5 camera I have a 24-50. I want something to do portrait landscape and to zoom in and out what would you recommend

Tannin
19-05-2023, 11:05am
Hi Manda74. You are looking for at least two, perhaps three different lenses, I'm afraid.

Most people say you need a wide angle lens for landscapes. You don't. You can do great landscapes with any lens from 15mm to 600mm, and anything between (say) 15mm and 300mm is more than useful, but most of the time something like a 24-50 is pretty good, especially if you have something longer to match it (say a 70-200 or an 85 prime). As a general rule, speed is a non-issue in a landscape lens. You mostly want to be at f/11 or so anyway, so the only benefit of a fast lens is a sharper clearer viewfinder - which doesn't apply on mirrorless anyway.

But for portrait work, a wide aperture is a must (f/2.8 is good, wider still does no harm) and medium-long focal lengths generally work best. Anything in the 50mm to 120mm range would be about right.

If you want to do all those things in a single lens, it will be quite expensive and heavy. Something like a 70-200/2.8 would do the trick very nicely, but it will put a big hole in your pocket.

Another way to go would be to replace your 24-50 with something more versatile, such as a 24-105/4 (which is a bit slow to be a good landscape lens) or a 24-70/2.8 (which is heavy and expensive and a bit on the short side).

Finally, you might consider something like an 85/1.8 prime. It doesn't zoom but it is a cracker of a portrait lens and great for landscapes and general work too.

Have fun!