Wide angle lenses can be used to shoot both interiors and outdoors. But if you get a poor quality wide angle lens, the imperfection would really stand out. Better get something that fits the kinds of photos you usually take. Here is a quick guide to help you identify how wide your Canon wide angle lens should be.

Wide angle lenses have a focal length of less than 40mm. The shots they give are of near-far composition. You can use this type of lens in taking shots of the sky, wide vistas, and scenes with curved shapes. Because of the wide coverage, circular or curved shapes are easily depicted.

If you are into landscape photography, then a Canon wide angle lens is for you. Since there is an extensive angle of viewing, pictures appear dynamic, surprising, but sometimes exaggerating. You can truly bring dynamism into your photographs by exaggerating foreground details and perspective.

You will probably notice that Canon wide angle lenses have the IS and USM abbreviations. IS stands for image stabilization which is very helpful in taking shots with low light. The built-in stabilizer motor is an advantage especially if you do not have a tripod. USM refers to UltraSonic Motor which is a Canon patented technology that makes focusing fast and quiet. Wide angle lenses with the USM technology are perfect for weddings as taking photos won’t get unnecessary attention.

If you are choosing a Canon wide angle lens, consider first your budget. Do not forget to consider as well the type of camera that you are using. And of course, you have to identify the focal range you want to cover. This is simply the key in deciding how wide your wide angle lens should be.

Canon wide angle lenses allows you to take dynamic shots and large-scale images. This is a good type of lens for beginners since they cost less expensive and the 18-40 mm is a safe focal range. You can use this indoors, too, if you want to capture images or scenes with a broader perspective.

Perfect photographs are those that impart a story; those that do not just show a captured image or scene. With Canon wide angle lenses, you’re assured that you will be able to present the former and not just the latter.

Since the human eye cannot simultaneously perceive foreground and background, do not hesitate to use video or photography and a wide angle lens to help you focus on these two elements concurrently.

For serious videographers, Canon’s 3x wide angle lens is a good tool. It allows you to shoot in tight and small spaces such as vehicle interiors and small-spaced rooms. You can also focus on a single subject and get closer shots without the need for your camera to almost touch your subject. This lens includes a neutral density filter and is a vari-focus lens that operates automatically with manual overrides. Its disadvantage, however, is that it lacks image stabilization and has a short zoom range.

If you are on a tight budget, you can also match your Canon EOS photography lenses to your XL2 just by using an EF adapter. But depending on the aspect ratio you are using, there is a magnification factor of at least 7.8 applied to the focal length of the Canon EOS lens. This is because of the 35mm still photo camera design of the Canon EOS and the XL2’s smaller image plane. If you plan to adapt this technique, say for example mounting a 200mm EOS lens to your XL2, your focal length should work out to 1560mm.  It is also possible that you mount a wide angle prime lens together with a wide angle adapter and achieve a medium focal length view lens with the Canon EOS.

You can also try the 6x HD lens on your XL2 except for the iris ring which will only work on the XL H1. Other Canon XL2 wide angle lens options include the Canon 20x L IS which is a little more expensive compared to other lenses since it carries the “L” series designation which implies fluorite elements for excellent resolution and first-rate color accuracy. The Canon 16x Manual, 16x IS II, and 16x IS are also available for the Canon XL2 wide angle lens.

Most people generally prefer Canon 3x as their XL2 wide angle lens. But you can still choose other wide angle lenses; the choice will basically depend on your budget and your professional or amateur ability to take photos.

Most photographers choose a wide angle lens for shooting landscape photos. Because of the wider field of vision compared to the human eye, greater topographical expanse is captured.  And being the preferred camera lens for landscape shooting, this should be avoided when shooting details and focusing on distinct and specific single subject. Let this guide help you effectively use your Canon EOS wide angle lens and your Canon EOS camera.

1. Consider perspective. Wide angle lenses have the capability to stretch perspective in that distant (from the camera) objects appear smaller and near objects appear bigger. Get the scenes fit perfectly into view by adjusting perspective. Step back or forward to adjust what gets to be captured in the frame. Remember that we want to get the impression of stretching the perspective.
2. Capture wide and big. Canon EOS wide angle lens allow you to easily focus on the primary subject while still capturing the other details. Increase the size of your primary subject by using the “stretching perspective” effect. Make the other elements of your photo the background and make the primary subject stand out by using a wide angle lens. If space or an overall view is a consideration, you can easily fit image details into a single frame with this type of lens.
3. Make distortion effects. This can easily be achieved by using the widest angle of a wide angle lens. This adds a funny look to portraits and may be used to highlight certain parts, aspects, or details of a single subject.
4. Use it to get personal. Gone are the days when you have to come closer to your subject in order to get a good close-up shot. With the Canon EOS wide angle lens, you can easily capture candid shots and close-up photos without getting noticed. You can now take a shot of the details you want the outcome photo to speak about and create that personal connection between the photo and the viewer.

The Canon EOS wide angle lens will surely add an interesting touch to your photography. Just make sure you know how to use this range of lens effectively and you will definitely produce photos that are fascinatingly out of the ordinary.

Are you considering a Canon camera lens to go with your DSLR? Let these 3 reasons help you decide whether you should get one from Canon or not.

1. Canon has a wide array of lens choices for every photography enthusiast. Your choices include the wide-angle lenses, standard zoom, telephoto zoom, ultra-wide zoom, standard and medium telephoto, telephoto, super telephoto, macro, and tilt-shift.

1. Canon packed their lenses with exciting and interesting capabilities and creative features.

Choose over the standard zoom lenses that feature the most popular focal lengths including wide-angle to telephoto. There is a variety of apertures, too. If you want to expand your perspective, go for the ultra-wide zoom that allows you to bring more area into focus and capture scenery with greater depth of field. You can use this for creative shots as well because the zoom range offers small adjustments perfect for such coverage shot.

Telephoto zoom lenses are also on hand. Now, capture small details and fast-paced action or zoom a thorough portrait with a blurred background. Broaden your viewing angle and increase depth of field through Canon’s wide angle lenses. Bring more area into focus and expand the distance between the foreground and background with such exceptional perspective. These wide angle lenses are remarkably compact making it easier and comfortable to carry around.

Go of standard and medium telephoto for a more natural viewing angle and perspective.  These lenses will give you images that are similar to how your very own pair of eyes perceives the subject. These type of Canon lenses are perfect for portraits and for images that require natural depth of field.

Choose one of the telephoto lenses for close-in shot of a subject or a good zoom for a far-off subject. The longer focal lengths allow effective distance compression between the camera and the subject thus capturing the feeling of a far-off scene.

1. Canon has been in the photography industry since 1930s. With the long years of providing imaging and optical products, the brand has established a reputable name thus it will less likely fail in providing quality products and services.

Indeed, Canon camera lenses promise impressive images through the notable creativity every lens property allow. And of course, you can never go wrong with an established and highly regarded brand such as Canon.

If you are fond of capturing the beauty of greeneries, mountains and landscapes, then a Canon wide angle zoom lens should be your favorite photography tool. But aside from having such tool, you should also have a basic understanding of how to use it properly. Let the following information help you take perfect mountain and landscape photographs and avoid wide angle zoom lens mishaps.

When using a Canon wide angle zoom lens in taking photos of mountains, remember that the subject will get relatively smaller regardless of how much foreground you have. Even if you have perfect meadow scenery in the foreground, the small mountains will appear even smaller in the picture. Now if what you want to capture is the mountain range, then you have to get closer to where they are.

A Canon wide angle zoom lens is not enough for you to take a good shot. Remember the theory about stretching perspective. When using this type of lens, it is important that you get to the right location first.

Next is to focus it properly. If you are using a 17-18mm wide angle lens on a digital camera with a crop feature, just focus it at five feet and set the lens to f22 for you to have the right depth of field and maximum sharpness. If you are using a 12-16mm wide angle zoom lens, focus it 3 feet away from the subject then shoot at f22 and record exposure with 2 feet to infinity depth of field. Through these processes, you get the maximum depth of field when shooting wide angle.

A Canon wide angle zoom lens tends to have less sharpness at its very wide angle, particularly at the widest aperture. This design constraint is hard to avoid but can be corrected through focusing it into 1/3 of the scene from the foreground. If possible, use the depth of field (DOF) preview on the camera and check the sharpness zones.

Take these considerations in mind and use your Canon wide angle zoom lens efficiently. If used properly, this type of lens can provide you with dramatic and exciting photographs. Learn the techniques and utilize your lenses to the fullest and effortlessly achieve that pro-shot.