2 - LIFE THROUGH THE LENS

There is a bewildering choice of lenses for DLSR on the market and most videographers need to be selective, for reasons of budget and portability.

The best all-round lenses are the zoom lenses with a good range, such as 24–105mm (1). Both Canon and Nikon offer these models with an image stabiliser, which really helps when shooting video.

If you’re set on capturing wildlife, it’s wise to invest in a longer lens, but check out the size and weight of the lens in person before ordering online, as some of these lenses will outmuscle the camera itself. Choose a zoom lens with a good range, so you can capture action both far and near. A 100–400mm (2) will do the trick, although it is pricey, so novice shooters might prefer the distinctly cheaper 70–300mm flavour (3). Longer lenses are also favoured by sports photographers, so are good for all-round action shots.

A fish-eye lens or ultra-wide (4) is good for indoor scenes. Favoured by hotels and estate agents hoping to use sleight of eye to lure potential clients, they can make a room appear considerably larger than it is in reality.

Finally, it’s hard to beat the sheer image quality of a fixed focal length lens. For decades this has been the 50mm lens (5), as this offers the closest approximation to the image as seen by our eyes.