A photographer’s skill in capturing the perfect image is just one piece in the puzzle of creating stunning product photography. But without the best camera for product photography, it can be difficult for a photographer to capture their vision and create images with the right quality, lighting, and other elements that make up eye-catching product photography. However, no camera can function without the right lens for product photography, and which one you choose also plays a role overall.
But how do you choose what lens to use for product photography? Given the nature of your average product photography shoot, some features are better to have. Here’s what you should know when browsing for different types of product photography lens.
What to Look for in Your Product Photography Lens
There are a number of things to consider before choosing your lens for product photography. The most important is compatibility with your current camera. Some cameras are compatible with a wide range of lenses, while other cameras are only limited to a certain brand or a series from that brand.
Check if your camera has a cropped or full-frame sensor, as lenses can work differently because of this. On a crop sensor camera, the lens will produce an image with its focal length multiplied by the camera’s crop factor. This is most common with non-DSLR and entry-level DSLRs, and allows you to take better macro shots.
Next, consider the features of the lens you want to get. For instance, prime lenses are more ideal for still-life subjects common in product photography. These can lead to sharper results and can avoid lens diffraction that can affect the overall quality of your image. However, more high-end zoom lenses may also give you similar results.
You should also consider special types of lenses. For instance, macro lenses allow you to take very detailed close-up images of your subject without it blurring up. However, keep in mind that there are plenty of lenses on the market labeled as “macro” lenses, but be sure to look for one with a magnification ratio of 1:1. It’s not the lens to use all the time, but having it can be handy if you want to handle a diverse range of product photography projects.
Canon EF 24-70 f2.8
Price online: Php 60,000-75,000
Best for: Entry-level cameras that are compatible with Canon L series lenses, photographers who are beginners and want their lenses to adapt to automatic features, photographers who want the versatility of manual control.
These lenses are a versatile zoom lens that’s popular for Canon users. Offering different shots like wide-angle and portrait lengths, it works well in both well-lit studios and in conditions where you have minimal control of your lighting (natural light).
This is one of Canon’s more sophisticated optical designs as it includes one Super UD element and two UD elements. These features prevent color fringing and chromatic aberrations to prevent discoloration and ensure your raw photos are clear and have a true-to-life vibrance. Its contrast and sharpness features are also fairly remarkable, according to reviews online.
With a mechanism that supports automatic focus, this is a good option for both beginners who want to start off with a point-and-shoot camera, as well as those who want to explore manual controls. It’s also durable enough for both indoor and outdoor use.
Sigma 24-105 f.4 Art
Price online: Php 45,000-55,000
Best for: Photographers who want a wide angle lens that focuses more on quality and high resolution than other features.
This is SIGMA’s wide-angle high-performance zoom lens that deliver on high resolution. It’s a premium zoom lens and has the same level of quality as prime lenses. SIGMA promises “full power of your camera’s image sensor”, allowing you to leverage the full power of your lens to get high-resolution images even as you zoom.
Another strong feature of the SIGMA lens is its proprietary A1 MTF, or modulation transfer function. This allows you to work with a high megapixel resolution. On one hand, this can be great for creating crystal-clear images which can be used for larger prints. However, high megapixel cameras can translate to bigger image files, so these need to be optimized for web design to reduce slow loading times that can affect customer experience with your client website’s image loading.
Overall, it’s not a prime lens, but it offers powerful features that makes it a contender for entry-level camera lens for product photography.
Nikon AF-S FX Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G Lens
Price online: Php 9,000 to 15,000
Best for: Product photographers with entry-level cameras from Nikon, great for basic everyday use.
One of the more compact options, this Nikon lens is good for everyday use, including basic product photography. With its fast aperture and the basic level of features you’ve come to expect from Nikon for professionals, this lens can help you achieve vibrant images that stand out from their background even in less than optimal conditions.
This lens has a great auto-focus feature, providing better sharpness, lighting, and color consistency when capturing product photography. Its 50mm focal length ensures that your focal product remains sharp in any picture and stands out from any background. The AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G’s Aspherical Lens Element also ensures that images captured stay true to their natural color to avoid discoloration or taking away the natural vibrancy of your subject.
Macro Lenses: Sony FE 90mm f/2.8
Price online: Php 45,000 to 65,000
Best for: Product photographers with entry-level cameras from Nikon, great for basic everyday use.
Macro lenses aren’t best for everyday product photography, but it helps to have them in your equipment when they’re needed for certain types of products. The Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 is a genuine macro lens, offering a stunning resolution at up to 1:1 magnification. Built for stunning resolution and optical performance, this len is able to zoom incredibly close without distorting the quality or focus of its subject.
It also has certain features that provide you with the creative flexibility to explore out-of-the-box creative shots. The lens offers built-in image stabilization, which means you can hold your camera and explore different angles rather than relying heavily on a tripod for stable images.
Focus on Your Product Photography Projects with Paper Boat Creative
With a camera and good lens for product photography, you can achieve your vision of stunning product photography with the right equipment to capture vibrant and clear images. As long as you consider these tips when browsing for lenses, you can find one that best suits your needs.
However, product photography isn’t just limited to production in the studio. To get the best results, you’ll want to work with a photo retouching expert in post-production. With Paper Boat Creative, you can enhance your raw images and deliver the best results to your clients with our high-end product photography retouching services.
At Paper Boat Creative, our experienced editors have extensive experience in editing and have access to the latest editing software and apps. We can work with you to make your vision come to life and produce flawless product photos. Get in touch with us today for a free demo of our photo manipulation services.
