Finding the right lens can seem daunting. If you’re just starting out in the commercial product photography industry, it's hard to even know where to begin. In this article, I’ll first help you break down the basic types of lenses, regardless of which brand of camera you’ve chosen to shoot with. Then we can get into more of the specifics. I shoot with a Canon EOS R5, so I’ll focus on Canon lenses, and tell you which lens I like to use in different scenarios.
From a basic standpoint, there are two types of lenses: prime and zoom.
PRIME LENS:
If you’re looking for a specified focal length, you’d choose a prime lens. You can find prime lenses of different focal lengths (standard being 50mm), ranging from fisheye to telephoto. A prime lens will take sharper, highly contrasted photos, but is not very versatile. With a prime lens, the only way to have your subject fill the frame would be to move closer to it. In that same regard, the only way to capture more of the background around your subject would be to move further away from it. For product photography, I use the Canon 100mm Macro lens because it helps keep my subject in crisp, clear focus, shows all the tiny details, and allows for a true representation of color.
ZOOM LENS:
A zoom lens, in contrast, will have a varying range of focal lengths, which makes it much more adaptable. With a zoom lens, you’re able to turn the zoom ring in one direction to make your subject appear larger. Moving the zoom ring in the opposite direction will allow you to make your subject appear further away. Every zoom lens will have specifications as to their range of zoom. For example, a 70-200mm will allow a focal length of 70mm to 200mm and each focal length in between. Another specification that a zoom lens will have will refer to the size of the aperture. For example, a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L zoom lens has an aperture range of f/4-22, but only a certain, limited size aperture will be available at it’s varying focal lengths. In contrast, prime lenses have a single maximum aperture. (If you need more help understanding what aperture is and how it affects your photos, I found this video super informative: Aperture Explained.)
PRIME VS ZOOM: WHICH IS RIGHT FOR ME?
There are advantages and disadvantages to both types of lenses. Let’s break down the advantages of each.
ADVANTAGES OF PRIME LENSES:
Cost: This is a big one, whether you’re an amateur or commercial photographer. A prime lens is, generally speaking, much more affordable than a zoom lens, while still allowing you to take stunning photos.
Size: While not a hard and fast rule, a prime lens is often more compact and weighs less due to the basic configuration differences of prime and zoom lenses.
Faster Aperture: You’ll have creative control over the aperture of a prime lens, which can allow you to capture beautifully rendered images with creamy backgrounds.
Low Lighting: If you’re working under circumstances where you don’t have much control over the lighting, a prime lens can be an optimal choice, thanks to a wider/larger aperture.
Image Sharpness: When shooting at maximum focal length with a zoom lens, you can potentially lose some of the sharpness in your image, but this isn’t the case with prime lenses. A prime lens is also ideal if you’re looking to take photos with a shallow depth of field.
Macro: Macro photography can almost always only be attained using a prime lens, like the one I use for food and beverage photography.
ADVANTAGES OF ZOOM LENSES:
More Versatile: The biggest and possibly most obvious advantage of a zoom lens is its versatility. With a prime lens you’ll have to physically move closer or farther away from your subject to get it in focus. With a zoom lens, all you have to do is turn the dial on the lens.
More Portable: While a zoom lens is often bulkier and heavier than a prime lens, bringing one zoom lens to a commercial photoshoot leaves you with many shooting options. With a prime lens, you may have to bring two or three lenses with you to a photoshoot to obtain the same effect.
As a commercial product photographer, I find benefits to both types of lenses. Some of my shoots require both types. I might begin my morning shooting in-studio product photography with my Canon 100mm Macro lens and end my day shooting lifestyle photography with my Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L zoom lens. At the end of the day, lenses are a personal choice! Some commercial photographers swear by their prime lenses. Other photographers couldn’t live without their versatile zoom lenses. I find that experimenting with both in different environments has made me a stronger, more adaptable commercial photographer.