Pro vs Consumer Digital Camera Lenses

Do you get better results from choosing an expensive “pro” quality DSLR lens over the consumer “kit” lenses bundled with most digital cameras? “Kit” lenses are the standard zoom lenses that are typically bundled with modestly priced DSLR type digital cameras.  The truth is, there is surprisingly little difference in sharpness when comparing professional lenses with high price tags to lower priced consumer grade lenses. In 2003, Popular Photography Magazine, in an article entitled “Zoom Lenses: Cheap vs Expensive” compared expensive professional lenses offered by Nikon, Canon and Minolta to their cheaper, consumer based equivalents. Note their observations after comparative testing: “Sharpness, usually considered the single most desirable quality in a lens, varied little between the $1,000–$1,500 pro and $100–$450 entry-level zooms. In fact, based on sharpness alone, we couldn’t determine whether 11×14 test prints were made with budget or pro glass. And that’s only half the story. . .” The conclusion? When it comes to sharpness, there is no clear advantage in buying pro grade lenses.

Cheap Lenses vs Pro: This image shot with cheapest Nikon kit lens. ⇑

More expensive lenses usually have more durable construction needed by busy pros and wider / faster apertures (e.g. f:1.4 pro lens maximum aperture vs F:3.5 in consumer lenses). The heavier construction, larger glass elements (needed to let in more light for wider apertures), and fancier coatings add greatly to the cost of professional lenses. These are specialized features that are highly valued by pros who do portrait or wedding photography. Wider apertures produce the nicely blurred backgrounds and bokeh that are often seen in wedding photography. And, the sturdier construction is important to hard-working pros who use their equipment on a daily basis. A helpful article in this regard is “Why I Need Pro Lenses” by Steven Bedell in Shutterbug Magazine. A professional portrait photographer, he explains the key benefits of pro lenses. However, these special qualities do not matter much to casual photographers! Even serious landscape photographers like myself can do great work with consumer grade camera lenses. In most photography, the two key qualities needed from a lens are sharpness, and, sufficient depth of field to keep the entire landscape in sharp focus. Those two demands are easily met by most well designed kit or consumer grade lenses. Lack of sharpness is simply not an issue in modern lens design. Depth of field at the sharpest apertures (F:8 – F:11) of most modern lenses will render a  landscape in sharp focus. Take the money you save by not buying expensive glass, and visit some of the faraway places worth photographing!

There are, arguably, more esoteric benefits of expensive lenses such as more complex coatings that enhance contrast, minimize aberrations and control flare. Also, use of glass with special qualities may provide small enhancements to image quality. These benefits become more meaningful in high-powered telephoto lenses used by wildlife photographers.  However, these benefits are subtle at best, and are most often appreciated by trained photographers looking for minor image flaws. Skillful post-processing of raw image captures can also address many of these minor image flaws. Truthfully, capturing an interesting subject, along with good light and composition are far more important than these minor technical issues.

Of course, I am not against professional lenses. The point is that you can do excellent photography with affordable consumer quality lenses and digital cameras. If you understand their limits and work within them, you can achieve excellent results. The lens is not what makes a great photographer. Your eye is still the best lens you can own.

Consumer Lenses vs Pro Glass: Another image shot with the lowest priced Nikon kit lens ⇑

This is a topic fraught with controversy and, at times, raw emotions. Nothing makes some owners of expensive lenses more upset than suggesting that moderately priced lenses can be just as effective under most conditions. I was once thrown off an online photography forum for daring to suggest that you can get pro quality results from consumer grade lenses used within their limitations. However, if you are not demanding sharp results when shooting wide open (sharpness at the widest apertures is a weakness of most inexpensive lenses) you can get competitive results from consumer lenses by stopping down the aperture to F:8. If you do not need faster lenses for freezing action in poor light, then the results from your consumer grade lenses should be virtually indistinguishable in a print at normal viewing distances and viewing online. Having said that, there are manufacturers that have an exceptional reputation for building consumer lenses that are excellent by any standard. Olympus kit lenses have a sterling reputation, as well as recent kit lenses from Nikon and Pentax. Canon recently upgraded the quality of its lowest priced kit lens. So stop worrying about the quality of your lenses. Most likely, if you are getting blurred photos it is either because of not keeping the camera steady, or a moving subject at slow shutter speeds. Learn how to use them properly, carry a tripod when needed (to insure maximum sharpness), and make some great photos! Having said all of that, there are low-priced gems to be found in the used photography market that can produce pro-quality results. Read my review of a used lens you can find for under $100 that produces pro lens results!