Zoom lenses can easily be described in one word: ‘versatility’. Unlike prime lenses, zoom lenses have more than one focal length. Some lenses have short ranges to maintain higher levels of image quality, and some lenses have longer ranges to achieve higher levels of versatility. “But then again, what range is best?” Short answer, there is no perfect range. Long answer, this depends. Though ‘..this depends.’ Requires fewer words, the long answer is for you to determine.
If versatility is important you, there are some trade-offs that you will have to make. Lenses with longer focal ranges are optically inferior to lenses with shorter focal ranges and prime lenses. This has to do with the optical complexity of the lens. The lens requires more moving parts, and more lens elements to ensure the lens is usable on each point within your focal range. More glass means more obstructions for light to pass through. Therefore, the quality of light decreases with every element it passes through.
Another trade-off to keep in mind is the maximum aperture. Zoom lenses generally have smaller maximum apertures than prime lenses, because the optical complexity makes it exceedingly challenging for lens manufacturers to achieve a large maximum aperture in zoom lenses. Luckily, some lens manufacturers managed to design lenses with a fixed maximum aperture, and some even succeeded to achieve a large maximum aperture in lenses. A very big applause for that! But then again, these lenses also become very big in size. And this is reflected in the price that you will be paying for it.
If the focal range is most prioritized in your list of criteria, more so than fixed apertures and large maximum apertures, then may we bring you some good news? Fortunate for you, there are plenty of lenses with longer focal ranges that are surprisingly affordable!
The general drawbacks to affordable zoom lenses, is that they tend to have variable apertures, and slower maximum apertures. A clear example is that many professional photographers use a zoom lens with a 70mm to 200mm focal range, and with a large fixed maximum aperture of f/2.8. This lens costs approximately two thousand US Dollars. Yes, an expensive cookie that is.
On the other hand, a popular telephoto zoom lens is the 70mm to 300mm focal range. This lens comes with a slower variable aperture of f/4(.5) to f/5.6. This variable aperture means that at 70mm, this lens has a maximum of f/4(.5), whereas zoomed in to 300mm, the lens achieves a maximum aperture of f/5.6. The price of this lens, you ask? Approximately five to seven hundred US dollars, depending on the brand. Yes, a whole lot more affordable, but quirky, cookie.
Depending on your needs, and don’t forget your budget, you will be selecting your lens. Don’t forget you will still be able to achieve quality images with the cheaper lens. Our first telephoto zoom lens was the ‘Nikon AF-S 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF ED VR’. Yes, it had a plastic mount, which is not as rugged as a metal one.. yes, it is not as light-strong as a professional-grade lens, like the 70-200mm as discussed earlier.. yes, it may not have a fixed aperture. But.. this was one fantastic value-for-money cookie. Don’t let the limitations of your cookie hold you back from being creative.