• Camera lenseslenses and photo filters image by FrankU from Fotolia.com
  
  Choosing the right lens for photography makes a great deal of difference in the quality of the finished product. Lenses offer artistic control over the image while the image is in the camera, saving postprocessing work. The optics, glass, length and type of lens all combine to create the finished image. Lens ideas for professional photographers include prime lenses, zoom lenses and specialty lenses like the tilt and shift lens.
  
  

Prime Lenses

• Prime lenses are lenses with a fixed focal length. These lenses come in every conceivable length, from wide angle to telephoto, so they are suitable for many subjects including macro photography and wildlife photography.
  
  The advantage to working with prime lenses is that, because they do not contain the optical elements required for a changeable focal length or zoom, they often have wider aperture settings. This allows a prime lens to be used in lower light situations and to create a shallow depth of field, such as in macro photography. These lenses are good for portrait work or for studio work in which changing the distance between the photographer and subject is an easy possibility. Lenses such as a 50mm f 1.4 make an ideal addition to a photographer's kit bag.
  
  

Zoom Lenses

• Zoom lenses have a changeable focal length allowing the photographer to crop closer into the subject without having to move. These lenses cover a range of lengths, such as an 18-55mm zoom or a 70-300mm zoom, which allows the photographer to set his focal length anywhere within that range.
  
  Zoom lenses are good lenses for work that has a fast pace, as changing focal lengths is quick and easier than juggling prime lenses. A long zoom, such as a 70-300mm zoom, might be suitable for distant subjects or wildlife, whereas a shorter zoom, such as an 18-55mm zoom, is suitable for middle distance subjects. The drawback to working with zoom lenses is the additional elements make them heavier than their prime counterparts, and they may not have wide aperture capabilities.
  
  

Specialty Lenses

• A fish eye lens is a specialty lens that allows for a wide angle of view, up to 180 degrees. This results in a round distortion at the edges of the image, giving the distinctive fish eye appearance of the photo. These lenses are used in specialty work such as portraits or events and can be tricky to handle properly as the photographer needs to account for the distortion.
  
  Lenses such as a tilt and shift lens are used for applications in landscape and architectural photography. These lenses are designed to allow the photographer to change the angle between the film plane (or digital image sensor) and the lens. The bending of the rays of light can be used to correct distortion such as the convergence of straight lines in architectural photography. These lenses mimic the function of an old-fashioned view camera.