BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: To Be Categorized

Best Zoom Range for Sharp Pictures

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August 02, 2001

When you use zoom lens you sacrifice quality, easy as that. You would have to experiment with your lens in order to determine at what length they are the sharpest. I know that my advice is far from helpful, but it's the best I got. Actually, the best advice I have for you is to go with fixed lens (non-zoom). They always give you the sharpest pictures. The reason for that is because they (fixed lens) have less glass to stop the light that gets to your film, therefore, the pictures are sharper.

I know I was not of much help, but consider this formula for any future lens that you might purchase:

more zoom= more glass= less light to film= poor quality

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August 20, 2001

Although I completely agree with Vasko on the zoom/quality issue along theoretical points, I must disagree with his advice as to switching over to fixed lenses. In years prior, the quality of zoom lenses were noticeably inferior to that of fixed lenses. However, lens manufacturers have significantly increased the quality of zoom lenses, and their results are often indistiguishable from that of fixed lenses. In fact, it is possible to purchase an expensive zoom lens from an outstanding manufacturer that surpasses that of a cheaper fixed lens made by more average manufacturers.

There are also other issues to consider in the choice of zoom or fixed lenses. Using a fixed lens is, frankly, a pain in the ass compared to using a zoom lens. Who wants to move back and forth and switch lenses every time he/she needs to make a shot?

The only time that I could actually recommend using a fixed lens over that of a zoom would be when the situation calls for a very large focal length, such as that equal to or greater than 400mm. At that point, I would completely agree with Vasko's view. More zoom=more elements=less light and more abberations=poorer quality.

So, I would purchase only high quality zoom lenses that have the following characteristics: apochromatic, aspherical lens elements, and short zoom ranges.

As to your specific question, the only way to be sure is to test the lens under standard conditions. Simply use a standard subject and lighting and, then, repeatedly shoot using different focal lengths for each image. The only problem with this is that aperture can affect the results as well. The problem with this is that you can use many frames of film before getting an satisfactory answer. Another, perhaps, easier choice is to call the manufacturer directly, read reviews of lenses in photo magazines, and read the literature that accompanied your lens.

Cheers,
Glenn

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September 09, 2001

Chuck

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September 14, 2001