the 1st LENS Beginners Should BUY!

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In this week’s episode, we discuss the first lens beginners should buy for landscape photography and how it can help you improve your photography fast. It can be rather overwhelming when trying to determine what your first lens purchase should be as the options available are innumerable. And after using many lenses over the years, I've come to the conclusion that there's one lens available that's the best option for beginner photographers to start with for outdoor and landscape photography. This lens will not only help you create highly immersive and exciting photographs, but more importantly, it will help you improve your composition much faster than other available lens options. I hope you enjoy this week's video and as always thanks so much for watching! - Mark D.

VIDEO CHAPTERS:
🔘1st Option (Telephoto Lens) 1:20
🔘2nd Option (Mid-Range Lens) 4:13
🔘3rd Option (Wide Angle Lens) 6:48
🔘VERDICT! First Lens Should Be: 10:18

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**LETS CONNECT**

[MarkDenneyPhoto]

🔥QUICK QUESTION: What was your 1st Camera? And, Do you still have it?

[gizmobowen]

Not sure I'd make the same choice. Wide angle is an especially tough nut to crack and could be too hard for some. I think something like a 28-105 gets you a feel for wide, mid and zoom. After you've had it for a while you can decide where you like to take most of your photoss and go wide or tele for your next lens.

[daverademacher]

Hi Mark, I am a 74 year old retired software developer so I really have to reach back but I believe my first camera was a Panasonic 35mm film camera. Currently, aside from my drone, GoPro, and cell phone, my photography is centered around a Sony point and shoot, a Nikon D7100 and a Nikon Z6. I haven't settled in on a particular genre yet. We travel. Recently we traveled to Athens. I used the Sony for people pictures and the Z6 with a 24 to 200mm lens for pics of the Acropolis and the Parthenon just to mention a few. That trip ended in Venice and I took almost 2000 images. I have found that I also enjoy walking around tables at parties and posing couples. I want to mention that I enjoy your channel. Your video on masking has changed the way I edit. Thanx, Dave from VA Beach...

[Festvangelist]

After renting a few zoom lenses I settled on the XF 16-80. Gives me a lot of flexibility. I recently traveled again in Switzerland and found that this lens enabled me to carry 1 lens all day. There are other lenses that have a greater range but found this to be a good choice in terms of sharpness, dynamic range, ergonomics and flexibility.

[mryantong]

In 2012 my dad bought a Canon T3 for my birthday although he used it a lot more than me. we were just new immigrants and couldn't afford anything else, so we stuck with the Canon for like 6-7 years with its kit lens. After many years working hard we were able to afford buying, testing, selling few more Canons, but we still keep that T3 with us. I bought the x100v when it released, and Fuji in general and the x100v in particular make me fall in love so much mode with photography. Thats why I recently sold my Canon R and bought an XT4. My dad however is still a Canon fan with his 5D, and we sometimes argue or make fun of each other about which of our camera/brand is better lol

[jlward]

I know this is very late, but I took this advice about a year ago. I saw several videos. Tried to pick a starting direction and this video helped a lot.

Thank you for the advice. I watch many photography channels, but I always land back on yours. They've helped me more than you could know.

[andrealavigne]

My very first camera was a Kodak disc camera. Each disc shot 15 photos. I got it probably when I was about 9 years old (1984), as I earned it in Girl Scouts by selling 300 boxes of cookies that year. (And that was the only reason I made it my mission that year to sell that many boxes!) It eventually developed a problem where the sliding lens cap wouldn't stay open. So my dad wrote to Kodak, & they sent me the current model of that camera - free of charge. I still have some of the discs I shot back then, & of course many of the developed photos. Eventually, I "graduated" to my dad's SLR film camera when I was quite a bit older. I wasn't a huge fan, because it had manual EVERYTHING - even focus. If I needed to shoot something quickly, by the time I got the camera focused, I was often too late to get the shot. My first digital was a Canon Powershot that had a good zoom lens (built in, of course) and AUTOFOCUS! Eventually I upgraded to a Nikon D5000. Now I have a Nikon D7500. I do enjoy the ability to change lenses, use either manual or autofocus, etc. I loved this video, Mark. Thanks for all your helpful tips that you give every week. I hope you have a fabulous day! :)

[miroslavturiak]

Beautiful photos, Mark! I love them all!

[gwilliams]

You never say what focal length wide-angle zoom lens you recommend. I was waiting for that the entire video. Love your work BTW.

[joehowe]

I would recommend a 50 mm. Use that for a period of time to figure out what you like to shoot. Do your shots reveal the need for wide angle or telephoto?

[dankoons]

twin lens Argus that used 620 film. still have it. I miss going into camera stores to finger all the stuff. it helped to see angle of view before buying.

[danielschmaderer]

From a compositional standpoint, I do agree 100% that learning with a wide angle is a good start point for landscape. A difficult one with limitations, but a good one that forces you to think. A safe start would be a mid range. A typical 18-55 or 24-70 is definitely a safe bet, but zooming into the longer range negates forcing you to shoot a difficult situation that could require some thinking for a great image.

That being said, the Fuji 70-300 has been my main lens for everything about 85% of the time. Photographing my kids outside, wildlife, and some landscape. It’s been perfect for my needs. So at the end of the day, it all depends on one’s needs.

Great video as always and as usual, great images and comparisons.

[jeffkogler]

First interchangeable lens digital, a mirrorless Fujifilm X-S10 in June last year. The kit lens fits your recommendation being the XC 15-45mm. I have used it but prefer the longer focal lengths for most of my subject matter.

[Ndpurc]

Very engaging as usual, Mark! My first camera was a Brownie Box camera, followed by an Instamatic 33, circa 1968, and yes, I still have it along with all the others since then, but now a Fuji XT4 user and very happy with my kit lenses, 18-55 and 55-200

[glycerine]

A photography YouTube channel is the last place I expected to see a Sony Walkman. Oh the memories! Hope it still works!

Also, good advice on the lenses! I. Just got a R10 and am thinking of getting the RF 24-240 mm as an all around lens for both travel and beginner sports photography.

[rodschweiger]

I started with a Kodak brownie as a teen, then had several instamatics. My first serious camera was a Pentax spotmatic in 1971. I still have it. When I decided to take the plunge into digital I bought a nikon d3500. Learned a lot with that camera, but have moved up to d7500 with a 18 to 140 zoom kit lens. I like this combination very much.

[Festvangelist]

My first Camera 1972 was Nikon Nikkormat EL. One lenses a 50mm 3.5 macro. I learned how to compose with my feet. Have a quite few cameras since. At the start I also developed and printed my B/W negatives and shot color transparencies. If I liked the transparency ( slide) I made an inner negative and then enlarged to a print from a studio.

[DaveKingMusic]

Pentax K1000 and yes I still have it. It’s a classic.

[JeffreyHauser]

Canon A-1 film camera was my first.Later, replaced with a Canon F-1 film camera. Still have the F-1 & it works beautifully, with absolutely no issues. This camera is built like a “tank” & I believe it was one of the best film cameras that was ever made by any manufacturer.😊

[tonyb]

First camera, Pentax ME Super 35mm and yes, I still have it and yes, it still works.