Finding the Perfect Lens for My City

Like many photography enthusiasts, I started out with a “kit lens” (a lens that typically comes bundled with a camera body), Nikon 18-55mm (f/3.5-5.6) back in 2008. It didn’t take long, however, to realize its limitations — such as a lack of sharpness and insufficient telephoto reach.

The Superzoom Experiment and a Lesson Learned

So, I upgraded to a superzoom lens, Nikon 18-200mm (f/3.5-5.6), thinking it would be the perfect all-in-one solution for a travel lover like myself. But after studying the focal lengths I actually used in my photos, I found that I rarely went beyond 30mm. 😅

It wasn’t a surprise, given that I had developed a strong interest in cityscape photography and shot mostly at the wide end (18mm). The long telephoto range went unused, and to make matters worse, I came to know that the superzoom’s versatility was actually a trade-off for image quality. 🥲

The Right Lens for My Photography

This experience taught me a valuable lesson — there’s no point in owning a lens that covers a focal range I don’t use. Understanding my range, I eventually purchased Nikon 18-35mm (f/3.5-4.5) in 2013 and have been using it ever since.

In fact, 18-35mm is the only lens I currently own, which must be quite rare among photography enthusiasts. The reason for this is simple — 18-35mm easily covers more than 90% of the cityscape photography spots in Singapore, where I live. 😀

First photo: Marina Bay (Singapore). 35mm, f/11, 194 secs, ISO 100.
Second photo: Singapore Skyline from Helix Bridge. 18mm, f/13, 120 secs, ISO 100.

That said, 18-35mm isn’t almighty, because different cities require different lenses. For instance, prior to my trip to Tokyo earlier this year, I had to rent Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens, knowing that many of Tokyo’s best cityscape spots would need something much longer than 35mm.

Keeping It Simple with One Lens

Since I spend at least 340 days a year in Singapore and travel only a few times, investing in another lens just for occasional use doesn’t make sense, especially when my 18-35mm already covers over 90% of my local cityscape spots.

If I ever relocate to a different city after retiring, I may need to purchase a lens better suited to its photography spots. Until then, though, I’ll likely stick to just one lens!

RELATED POSTS

NEVER MISS A POST

About the Author: LASTLIGHTS.NET is a passion project of Joey J, a Singapore-based Japanese photographer primarily shooting cityscape photography with long exposure at blue hour. Visit his Photo Gallery (40 most favourite photos taken) or download his free eBook, Getting Started with Long Exposure Photography .