Landscape and travel photography is one of the primary photography categories and continues to grow more and more popular. For those looking to get into photographing landscapes and are not too sure what lenses to invest in, we’re here to help! This guide will explain what type of lens you should get for what photos you would like to capture.
20 mm And Under
With lenses that have a focal range under 20 mm is considered a wide-angle lens. This lens can capture further than what the eye can see. This style of lens is known for astral photography and wide-open landscapes, where you hope to capture as much visible as possible. These usually are built with a larger aperture opening, allowing the lens to capture as much light so that the camera can capture the stars.
 @ryan_hutton_ via Unsplash
16 mm – 24 or 55 mm
16 – 24/55 mm is the standardized size for lenses and is usually the zoom range that you get with your kit lenses. These are a great lens to use for wide-angle shots as well as walking around capturing multiple different landscapes. This lens size is usually the lens that photographers will keep attached to their cameras as it is the most used.
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24mm – 55 or 70 mm
The 24 – 70 mm is very similar to the size above but can even have a range from 16 mm – 70 mm. This range is another typical lens as it gives you a wide-angle as well as zoom range making sure you don’t miss a chance to capture a photo. Wither the lens starts at 16 or 24 mm this is a great universal lens to take on your adventure.
 @eberhardgross via Unsplash
70 mm – 200 mm Or Higher
Anything that falls within this range and has multiple different focal lengths. 70 – 200 mm or 200 – 600 mm is considered a telephoto lens. These lenses allow you to capture distance landscapes, isolate subjects and any animals you might see along the way. A lens great for in the daytime, but as they usually have a higher aperture range and are not the best option for night photography.
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Additional Notes
Weather Proof
With landscape photography, the photographer has to embrace the elements to get their perfect shot. But it is important to remember to protect your gear or it may be damaged while in use. Rain, water, dust, dirt and many other things can affect your gear. When you are buying, look for weatherproof equipment and well-built gear to ensure their durability.
 @riohodges via Unsplash
Prime VS Zoom
Prime and zoom lenses are something every photographer should carry as they both have different purposes. A prime lens only has one specific focal length, but with this comes crisp, clean photos. Through this, they can use a better type of glass than a zoom lens, because the focal length doesn’t have to change. With a zoom lens, these are more practical as you have multiple focal lengths from wide-angle to telephoto, not as crisp images as a prime lens but still very interesting.
 @sharegrid via Unsplash
Interested in Travel/Landscape Photography?
Check out our LIVE Virtual Travel Photography Class and learn how to take beautiful landscapes!