Choosing a lens – wide-angle, standard or telephoto?

The lens often has a greater impact on the image than the camera body. It determines whether a landscape will fit into the frame, whether you can bring a distant bird closer, and whether the background of a portrait will be beautifully blurred. In this guide, we’ll look at the three most common types of lens – wide-angle, standard and telephoto – explain what focal length and aperture mean, and show you how to find the right lens for your camera.

In a nutshell: which lens for which purpose?

Type of objectivity	Focal length (full frame)	Suitable for
Wide angle lens	less than 35 mm, e.g. 16–28 mm	landscapes, architecture, interiors, the Northern Lights
Standard lens	35–50 mm	street photography, travel, everyday life, environmental portraits
Portrait lens	85–135 mm	portraits, with a beautifully blurred background
Telephoto lens	more than 135 mm, e.g. 100–400 mm	nature, birds, sport, events
Macro lens	usually 50–105 mm	insects, flowers, close-up product shots

As my first lens A kit zoom lens, which usually comes with the camera, is suitable for most people, paired with a fast 50 mm fixed lens. Once you know what you’re photographing most often, add a wide-angle or telephoto lens accordingly.

Focal length and aperture: a brief overview

• Focal length (mm) indicates the angle of view. A small number indicates a wide angle of view, whilst a large number indicates a narrow angle of view that makes the subject appear larger.
• Aperture, or f-number indicates how much light the lens lets through. The smaller the number – for example, f/1.4 or f/2.8 – the better the lens performs in low light and the more blurred the background will be.
• Fixed or zoom: A fixed-focal-length lens is generally faster, sharper and lighter. A zoom lens is more versatile, as a single lens can replace several.
• Sensor size: On APS-C cameras, the angle of view is narrower than on a full-frame camera. Multiply the focal length by approximately 1.5 (or 1.6 for Canon) to get the equivalent focal length on a full-frame camera. For example, 35 mm on an APS-C camera is equivalent to approximately 50 mm.

1. Wide-angle lens – sweeping views

A wide-angle lens allows you to capture as much of the scene as possible. A wide angle of view is ideal for landscapes, architecture and confined indoor spaces, and it emphasises perspective, which adds depth to your photographs. A fast wide-angle lens is also ideal for capturing the starry sky and photographing the Northern Lights the most important tool.

• Landscapes: mountains, lake views and dramatic skies.
• Architecture and interiors: tall buildings and small rooms without having to back up very far.
• Events: overviews of crowds and event venues.
• The starry sky and the Northern Lights: a wide angle of view and a large aperture, for example f/2.8 or wider.

Example: The Sigma 16–28 mm f/2.8 DG DN Contemporary is a lightweight and compact wide-angle zoom lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras. Its constant f/2.8 aperture also performs well in low light.

2. Normal lens - a versatile all-round tool

The focal length of a standard lens on a full-frame camera is 35–50 mm, and its angle of view is similar to that of the human eye. Fixed standard lenses are often very fast, so they allow you to take photos in low light without a flash and create a blurred background (bokeh). Many photographers consider a 50 mm fixed lens to be the best first additional lens.

• Street photography: A discreet and fast lens for capturing moments.
• Portraits: full-length and half-length portraits in which the surroundings form part of the picture.
• Travel and everyday life: family celebrations, holiday snaps and everyday moments.
• Product images: a natural perspective without distortion.

Example: The Sigma 50 mm f/1.4 DG DN Art is an extremely sharp standard lens. Its large f/1.4 aperture performs well in low light and isolates the subject from a soft background.

3. Telephoto lens – bringing distant subjects closer

When your subject is far away, you’ll need a telephoto lens. It magnifies distant subjects and compresses the perspective, making the background appear closer to the subject. A telephoto lens is essential for nature and sports photography, and is also suitable for close-up portraits.

• Nature and birds: wild animals from a safe distance.
• Sport: action from the touchline.
• Portraits: close-up portraits in which the background is blurred whilst the proportions remain natural.
• Events and concerts: performers further away from the audience.

Example: The Sigma 100–400 mm f/5–6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary is a relatively lightweight super-telephoto zoom lens. The optical stabiliser (OS) helps you capture sharp images handheld even at long focal lengths, making it well suited to nature enthusiasts and budding sports photographers.

The example lenses are for Sony’s E-mount. The same models are also available for other mounts; please select yours from the product page.

Portrait and macro lenses

Portrait lens It is usually a fast 85 mm fixed-focal-length lens. Many consider it the best portrait lens: facial proportions remain natural, and the background is heavily blurred. On an APS-C camera, the same effect can be achieved with a lens of around 50–56 mm.

With macro lens You can get right up close to your subject and capture a small subject in the frame at its natural size. Read more in the guide the most important tools for a macro photographer.

Which mount? Here’s how to find the right lens for your camera

Bayonet (in English: lens mount) is the connection between the camera and the lens. The lens mount must be the same as that on the camera body, and mounts from different manufacturers are not compatible with one another. On Fotomonza.com, you can view the lens mount options on the product page as selection buttons.

Camera brand	Mirrorless cameras	Older digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras
Sony	E-mount: FE = full-frame, E = APS-C	A bayonet
Canon	RF = full-frame, RF-S = APS-C	EF = full-frame, EF-S = APS-C
Nikon	Z-mount (DX = APS-C)	F-mount (DX = APS-C)
Fujifilm	X-mount (APS-C), G-mount (GFX, medium format)	–
Panasonic, Leica and Sigma	L-bayonet	–
OM System and Panasonic	Micro Four Thirds (MFT)	–

• A full-frame lens on an APS-C camera: It fits onto the same manufacturer’s bayonet mount – for example, a Sony FE lens on a Sony APS-C body. The angle of view is simply narrower.
• An APS-C lens on a full-frame camera: the edges of the image become darker, or the camera crops the image to make it smaller.
• Identification mark: The camera and lens both have a focus mark; for example, a white dot on Sony lenses and a red dot on Canon’s EF and RF lenses.

Sigma designations: DG, DC and DN

• DG DN: Full-frame mirrorless cameras.
• DC DN: APS-C-sized mirrorless cameras.
• DG HSM or DG without the DN designation: full-frame digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras.

Adapters – when the camera and lens aren’t a perfect match

An adapter allows you to use lenses with different mounts, such as a Canon EF lens on a Sony mirrorless camera With the Sigma MC-11 adapter or with Canon’s own EF–EOS R adapter. This is a good solution if you’re switching systems gradually and don’t have the budget to replace everything at once.

• A lens designed for a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera can usually be fitted to a mirrorless camera, but the reverse is not possible.
• With the manufacturer’s own adapters, autofocus and image stabilisation usually work perfectly. With third-party adapters, focusing may be slower.
• Please check compatibility in the product information or contact us before purchasing.

An affordable way to try out a new focal length is second-hand lens. We inspect each one before it goes on sale, and they all come with a guarantee of at least 90 days. You can find all our new lenses in the section lenses.

Are you thinking of buying a second-hand lens? Read this first Checklist for buying a second-hand lens: How to spot mould, mist and a warped lens.

Frequently asked questions

Which lens should I buy first?

For most people, a good first additional lens is a fast 50 mm fixed lens (equivalent to approximately 35 mm on an APS-C camera). It’s affordable, performs well in low light and creates a blurred background, something a kit zoom lens cannot achieve.

What is the best portrait lens?

A classic choice is an 85 mm f/1.8 or f/1.4 lens for a full-frame camera and around 50–56 mm for an APS-C camera. A 50 mm f/1.8 lens is a more affordable way to get started.

What does the f-number mean?

The f-number indicates the lens’s maximum aperture. The smaller the number, the more light the lens lets through and the more blurred the background becomes. For example, f/1.4 is considerably brighter than f/5.6.

How do I know what type of bayonet mount my camera has?

The mount depends on the camera’s make and model; see the table above. For example, the Sony A7 and A6000 series use the E-mount, the Canon EOS R series uses the RF mount, and the Nikon Z series uses the Z-mount. If you’re unsure, just ask us and we’ll check it for you.

Will a Canon EF lens fit on a Canon mirrorless camera?

That’s fine. With Canon’s own EF–EOS R adapter, EF and EF-S lenses work on EOS R cameras, including autofocus and image stabilisation.

Can I try out the lens before buying it?

Welcome to our shop in Kouvola. You can try out the lenses with your own camera, and we’ll help you choose the right focal length and mount.