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!