Operating PHOTOGRAPHY LENS

Have a good look at your camera lens. See the number of nobs, number of rings, abbreviations, and various numbers written on it.

Operating a lens

Study the PDF below

(to be used for educational purposes only)

operating photography lens PDF

Begin with removing and fixing your lens back on to the camera body. When doing for the first, and especially if its a new camera model, please consult the user manual also. Please do not use any extra pressure on any part of the camera. They are delicate. The process is,

Align the mounting index dots, white to white (cropped frame), or red to red (full frame). The lens sits into the bayonet mount.
Rotate the lens though the bayonet mount. For Nikon anti clockwise, and for canon clockwise. This may differ from brand to brand. Rotate till you hear the click/lock sound. Now it is fixed.
To remove, keep pressed on the lens release button on the camera and rotate back. The lens comes off into your hand. Make sure you are holding the lens and camera strongly and comfortably, because some lenses and cameras are heavy.

Remember that there is a lens cap in front of the lens. You must remove it before being able to see through the lens.

It is important to note how to hold a camera for clicking an image. Your camera rests on your left hand palm, leaving the fingers free and reachable to manipulate the rings on the lens. You grip the camera with last three fingers of your right hand, leaving your index finger to press the shutter button and manipulate necessary other buttons. Your thumb grips the camera from behind, but is partially free to adjust certain facilities. You may rotate the camera when you need a portrait orientation picture.

In the beginning just begin with camera and lens on auto mode. To put the camera body on auto mode, on mode dial turn to green rectangle or to where its written auto. And lens to AF (auto focus position)Get comfortable with the camera. Click images and review your images

Main function on the lens

Auto/Manual focus switch: switch between these to make the lens focusing auto or manual.

Image stabilisation: (written on Canon as ‘IS’ or ‘stabiliser’; on Nikon, VR (vibration reduction) helps in correction vibrations and small shakes that have happened while taking an image. I recommend placing it always towards on position. Unless you need to see the motion blur etc.

Focal length indicator: it is the spread out focal length numbers across the zoom ring. It indicates at what focal length are you shooting.

Zoom ring: the zoom ring helps in composing the image. It helps to frame the image wide or narrow. You cane frame an image at the widest possibility of a lens or the farthest possibility of a lens by using the zoom ring. It is always done manually. Remember that prime lenses do not have zoom ring.

Focus Ring: after composing the image we use the focus ring to bring clarity to the image. It could be operated on auto mode or manual mode.

Minimum Focus Distance: this is the minimum distance one must maintain from subject to camera lens to be possible to focus. It is indicated on the lens in feet and in meter.

As a user of a camera and lens, one must also learn to clean the camera and lens, the right way and with the right equipment.

Yes. That is it. Start using your lens.

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