Pro Learning Center Choosing Your
Second Lens

Without question, the single greatest advantages of digital SLRs (DSLRs) are their ability to change lenses instantly, and to see exactly what your picture will look like in a bright optical, eye-level viewfinder. These signature features provide unparalleled optical and framing flexibility, allowing you to pick the precise type of lens that best suits your subject and shooting style —from ultra-wide angles to super-telephotos and everything in between. Indeed, lens interchangeability, along with instant responsiveness and “what you see is what you get” through-the-lens viewing are the key features that have made the DSLR the hot ticket for everyone from serious photographers and pros to sophisticated amateurs seeking better picture quality. However, if you expect to get the most out of your DSLR, you have to choose the right lenses, and picking your second lens is perhaps the most crucial decision of all. The aim of this article is to help you make that decision wisely and well.

Your first lens sets the stage

By far the most popular first lens bought with a DSLR is a short zoom lens (sometimes called a “standard” zoom) such as the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom lenses offered by Canon, Nikon, Pentax and others as standard with their DSLR starter outfits and kits. The 18-55mm, which is equivalent to a 28-85mm lens on a 35mm film camera, provides wide-angle to medium telephoto coverage and a 3:1 tele-to-wide zoom ratio. Compact, lightweight, and inexpensive, the 18-55mm is a great starter lens for general photography that lets you enter the wonderful world of DSLR photography without breaking the bank. However, you can increase your telephoto reach for relatively little additional cost by opting for an 18-70mm lens (equivalent to a 28-105mm) lens as your first lens instead.

Alternative “first lens” choices

Many first-time DSLR purchasers now pick a long-range wide-to-telephoto mega-zoom as their first lens. The classic Tamron AF18-200mm XR Di II f/3.5-6.3 (28-300mm equivalent on consumer DSLRs) is a popular choice, in lieu of the usual short zoom that “comes with the kit” because it’s compact, lightweight, and affordable. An increasing number experienced DSLR shooters are going whole hog and opting for the Tamron 18-270mm VC, the ultimate mega-zoom (15X, 28-418mm equivalent) with built-in Vibration Compensation as a “universal lens” when acquiring a second DSLR body. No, even 11X or 15X zoom can’t do absolutely everything, but it’s a fantastic choice for, say, hiking a nature trail or walking around the zoo where you want a compact one-lens outfit to cover as many picture-taking opportunities as possible.

Lenses in the 18-200mm, 18-250mm and 18-270mm class are also a great choice for folks who want to get all the other advantages of using a DSLR without having to change lenses! Another fascinating first lens for photographers who want to shoot natural looking non-flash pictures in low light is a fast, short zoom like the Tamron SP AF17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II. This lens, roughly equal to a 27-80mm on a 35mm film SLR, offers the superior light-gathering ability of a wide f/2.8 aperture at all focal lengths—great for street photography and indoor “available light” shooting. Neither of these alternative first lenses is as inexpensive as a normal zoom, but in the long run either one may help you build an efficient DSLR lens arsenal at the lowest possible cost.

The wide, wide zoom: Great for small spaces and wide vistas

Do you take lots of pictures indoors—interior views, kids having fun in the family room, and groups of friends and relatives gathered around the holiday table? If so, an ultra-wide-to-wide-angle zoom like the Tamron SP AF11-18mm (17-35mm equivalent) is the perfect second lens for you. And for a fairly modest additional outlay, you can opt for the incredible new Tamron SP AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di-II LD Aspherical IF (ultra-wide 16mm to semi-wide-37mm equivalent on consumer DSLRs), the widest, longest lens in its class. Either one makes it easy to get everyone in your extended family into the picture, shoot in tight spaces, and capture all the action from an intimate perspective. They’re also a superb choice for shooting expansive landscape pictures and scenic vistas, and for giving a more spacious look to everything from car interiors to small rooms. That’s why an ultra-wide zoom is considered the essential lens for taking real estate pictures of your house for posting on the Internet, and a great choice for travelers who want to bring back memorable photos of historical landmarks.

The super telephoto: It’s for the birds…and wildlife and sports

If you like to take pictures of birds and other small, skittish woodland critters, or you’re into shooting big league baseball from the bleachers or NFL or college football from the 50-yard line, there’s nothing quite like a really long telephoto zoom lens such as the Tamron SP AF200-500mm f/5-6.3 Di. On a consumer DSLR, a 200-500mm is the equivalent of a whopping 310-775mm lens, a range that’ll let you capture intimate shots of birds in a nest or close-ups of that great catch in the outfield, and that’s why it makes a great second lens for these applications. This big gun is most effective on a tripod or monopod, but it’s also easy to handhold, and its aperture is fast enough to let you shoot at high shutter speeds to stop action and minimize the effects of camera shake. This is especially true with the latest crop of DSLRs that deliver superb image quality at ISO 800 and 1600. If your DSLR has a built-in anti-shake system, your handheld shooting range with the 200-500mm is even greater.

More telephoto choices: The short of long

If you don’t really need the spectacular reach of a 200-500mm and you want a smaller, lighter lens that’s easier to handhold, you should definitely consider a shorter telephoto zoom like the Tamron AF 70-300mm Di Macro as your second lens. It’s the 35mm equivalent of a 108-465mm lens and it’s also a full stop faster than a 200-500mm, which means you can shoot at higher shutter speeds in low light. And it gets down to 1:2 (half life-size) in macro mode, so you can get dramatic close-ups of everything from nature subjects like insects to small, detailed collectibles. The 70-300mm also provides enough reach for sports and wildlife, and its relatively light weight makes it popular with soccer moms and dads. The 70-300mm’s ability to shoot close-ups from a greater distance (that is, its greater working distance) is also a real plus in all kinds of macro photography, including nature shooting.

The new Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di-II VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO is another spectacular choice for the long-range shooter, delivering a maximum equivalent focal length of 418mm along with tri-axial Vibration Compensation on Nikon and Canon DSLRs. It will also get down to 19.3 inches in macro mode, and, considering its breathtaking specs it’s amazingly light at 19.5 ounces.

Long-rangers with reach

Other good second lens choices in that they provide long telephoto focal lengths are wide range zooms such as the compact Tamron AF55-200mm Di II (85-310mm equivalent,) and the exciting Tamron AF18-250mm Di II Macro (28-387mm equivalent). Although no longer the King of the Wide-Range Zooms (that honor going to the new 15X Tamron 18-270mm VC mega-zoom) the 18-250mm still provides a staggering 13.9X zoom range plus macro at an advantageous price. It is second only to the breakthrough 18-270 as the most versatile zoom lens in current production!

Telephoto macros: Super for close-ups and portraits

If you specialize in taking extreme close-ups or shooting portraits, you should seriously consider choosing a macro telephoto as your second lens. When it comes to taking pro quality close-ups of flowers, coins, or nature subjects, nothing beats a single-focal-length (non-zoom) macro lens such as the acclaimed medium-tele Tamron SP AF90mm f/2.8 Di Macro or its long tele-macro companion, the Tamron SP AF180mm f/3.5 Di Macro. Both of these extraordinary lenses get down to 1:1 (life-size on the sensor) for extreme close-ups, and both provide the superb imaging performance that only a single-focal-length lens specifically calculated for macro photography can deliver. They also have wide apertures (f/2.8 and f/3.5 respectively) that let you focus and view with greater precision, a significant plus when shooting in the extreme close-up range.

Macros for portraits? Yes, here’s why!

Having a long-focal-length 90mm or 180mm macro lens is really like having two lenses in one because both also make superb portrait lenses, and their wide maximum apertures allow you to use shallow depth of field (also called selective focus) to make your subjects “pop“ off the background. This time-honored technique has been used by many of the great portrait photographers past and present. Employing it with a 90mm or 180mm lens is especially effective because it allows you to shoot portraits from a great enough distance to get a pleasing perspective that flatters your subjects and de-emphasizes defects such as prominent noses and ears. Many photographers know that a lens like the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Macro is considered a “portrait tele” because of its focal length, but a significant number of today’s top portrait photographers are now using longer lenses like the Tamron 180mm f/3.5 Macro to achieve the even more dramatic portraits seen in leading magazines and portrait studios.

A happy medium: A fast semi-wide to moderate telephoto

Are you the type of shooter who shoots in the medium range and wants a great compact, lightweight general-purpose lens with a wide enough aperture for very bright viewing and effective low light shooting? A fast, semi-wide-to-moderate telephoto lens like the Tamron SP AF28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di may be just the ticket as your second lens. Its coverage on a consumer DSLR is equal to a 44-116mm lens on a film SLR, a very useful range for reportage, street shooting, and general events coverage. That’s why the 28-75mm is popular with “weekend warriors” who supplement their income shooting weddings and other events where the action is fast and the lighting isn’t always predictable. Its zoom ratio may not sound too impressive but its performance is—which is why you’ll find this “sleeper” in many pros’ bags.

Conclusion

Obviously, there are so many subjective factors in choosing lenses for your DSLR and there are really as many answers to the question “What second lens should I buy?” as there are photographic styles and working methods. The main thing to bear in mind when buying your second lens is to pick the one that works best with your first lens to extend your photographic range in a direction that includes the type of pictures you shoot most often. And remember—this is not a test, so there are no wrong answers. If you’re like most photographers, there will come a time when even your first and second lens won’t be able to do everything you want to achieve, and you’ll think about acquiring a third and fourth lens. Hopefully we’ve provided enough good solid info here to let you do that, too. Good shooting!