“What’s the best lens?” is one of the most frequent questions that I get asked. And if you’re serious about photography, this is a question worth asking yourself. There are just so many lenses out there. Professional photographer Ram Chary gave us some tips on choosing the right lens for the right situation to make sure your pics always look great.

1. What type of camera do you have?

Today, most photographers use a DSLR. The “D” in DSLR stands for digital. This lets the photographer view their subject through an optical viewfinder instead of using a monitor on the camera’s back to focus and compose their images. This is why DSLRs are still popular among professional photographers because it’s not practical to spend hours editing your images on a computer after each assignment.

2. What kind of camera lens are you currently using?

Camera lens options are vast – from superzoom lenses that cover wide-angle to extreme telephoto, fisheye for full-frame coverage up to 15mm, macro lenses for an extreme close-up, super-fast lenses for low light with large apertures for blurred background with shallow depth of field. You can even get specialized lenses like a tilt-shift lens that allows you to control the focus point of your image after it is shot and a star effect filter if you want to create the popular 3-pointed starburst design.

3. What kind of photoshoots will you be doing?

It’s important to know what kind of work you’re going to be shooting before choosing a lens because each lens has its specialty.

For example – the superzoom lenses are great for covering as much as possible in a single shot without changing lenses or zooming in and out so much. This makes it ideal for sports photography, where the photographer needs to capture a scene from both close and far ends of the football field, soccer field, or basketball court all in one shot – without missing any action.

4. Where will you be using that lens?

Some lenses can withstand being exposed to dust and water, and some lenses can’t. However, the more expensive and higher-quality lenses designed for professional use will always be made of higher-grade materials that make them sturdier while protecting the camera’s internal gears, making them last longer.

5. Find out if this lens is worth the investment – do some research on different brands and types.

Whenever you’re considering purchasing any product, whether phone or camera equipment, always do your research first. Check out customer reviews to see what other users are saying about the product and if they’ve had complaints about anything. You can even search for specific questions about lens capabilities, like “how versatile is this portrait lens?”

6. At the end of the day, it all comes down to what type of photos you’re going to be shooting.

Choosing a lens is a very personal decision, and there’s no “one size fits all” solution when it comes to this question. The best advice I can give is to go out and shoot with different lenses so you can understand their capabilities. You’ll start to notice that some lenses work perfectly in certain situations, while others are just not quite right for what you’re trying to capture.