A zoom lens is the most versatile lens any photographer can have. A zoom lens covers a wider range of focal lengths than a prime lens that only covers a single focal length. The ability to capture multiple different focal lengths with a single lens is invaluable, and with a zoom lens you can go from shooting wide-angle scenes to zooming in for close-ups in seconds. Zoom lenses can cover a very large focal length range, or a very small range, but all zoom lenses have some ability to zoom in or out.
Zoom lens vs. telephoto lens
Telephoto lenses and zoom lenses may overlap in many features, but they are not the same thing. Telephoto lenses are designed to capture close-ups of distant objects. These lenses are often referred to as "zoom" lenses because they can "zoom in" on the subject's view. However, not all telephoto lenses are zoom lenses, and not all zoom lenses are telephoto lenses.
A telephoto lens is usually a lens that achieves the larger focal length required to capture a close-up view of distant objects. A telephoto lens is generally defined as a lens with a focal length greater than 70 mm. Many telephoto lenses have zoom elements, meaning they can span a certain range of focal lengths, such as from 70 mm to 200 mm. Not all telephoto lenses are zoom lenses, though. There are some telephoto lenses that are considered prime lenses because they only cover a single focal length, such as 300 mm.
A zoom lens can cover any focal length range. A zoom lens refers to any lens with a different focal length, such as 11-18 mm, 24-70 mm, or 24-240 mm, etc. Some zoom lenses cover a larger range than others, but any lens with a changeable focal length is considered a zoom lens.
Different types of zoom lenses
While "zoom lens" is a very broad, all-encompassing term, there are several different subsets of zoom lenses. Different kinds of zoom lenses differ in terms of coverage and how far they can be covered.
Wide-angle zoom
The first type of zoom lens is a wide-angle zoom lens, which are designed to capture large areas and scenes that require a wide field of view. These lenses are often found in landscapes, cityscapes, and travel photography, and photographers want to capture very expansive scenes. An example of a wide-angle zoom is a 14-24 mm focal length lens.
Standard zoom
The next type of zoom is a standard zoom lens. These lenses cover a medium-range zoom and typically cover a wider range than a wide-angle lens. This lens is great for portraits, as you can quickly go from a wide-angle full-body** to a close-up view of the model's face. An example of a standard zoom lens is a 24-70mm focal length lens.
Super zoom
Next, we have the super zoom lens. These lenses cover a very large zoom range, much larger than either wide-angle or standard zoom lenses. These lenses are very attractive to photographers because a single lens can cover a very large range of scenes, often with just one lens to cover scenes from wide angles to telephotos. However, the downside of these lenses is that they are often several times heavier than other zoom lenses and often lack image quality compared to their counterparts. An example of a super zoom lens is a 24-240 mm focal length lens.
Telephoto zoom
Finally, there is the telephoto zoom lens, which is designed to reach a farther focal length to capture objects at close range or very far away. These lenses are popular with wildlife photographers for their long range and shallow depth of field. An example of a telephoto zoom lens is a 100-300 mm focal length lens.
When to use a zoom lens
All types of photographers can benefit from zoom lenses. Due to its versatility, a zoom lens is ideal in many situations, as photographers also don't want to have to change lenses every time they need to adjust their focus. Without a zoom lens, every lens you use will be a prime lens, which means you can't zoom in or out of focus, you're stuck at a fixed focal length, and the limitations of using these lenses are too great for you to frame the scene perfectly.
Portrait Wedding photography
Portrait and wedding photographers alike will love zoom lenses for their ability to quickly switch between focal lengths to capture many different types of ** in fast-moving action. Because every time you want to shoot a new **, your model or wedding guest may not wait for you to change lenses, using a zoom lens allows you to zoom in and out quickly without missing a beat.
Landscape photography
Landscape photographers find zoom lenses very useful because you only need to carry one or two zoom lenses to shoot almost any scene. Most landscape photographers don't know exactly what focal length will perfectly frame their scene, so it's important that the lens has the ability to zoom in or out of the scene.
Wildlife photography
Wildlife photographers will love the zoom lens because it can provide many fast-moving opportunities for wildlife photography. Want to take a picture of a grizzly bear on the side of the road and then turn around and shoot the birds in the trees?Having a zoom lens allows you to perfectly frame two subjects with just one lens.