When you start taking pictures, you may want to buy as much equipment as possible. However, professional photographers who have been doing this for decades seem to have every lens in the world. It’s natural to try to buy as much equipment to be as professional as possible, but the problem lies in the details, as it takes decades to accumulate equipment, and even then, experts still there are some things they want to buy.
For example, I’ve been harboring the idea of owning a medium format camera for a while now. I’m not saying I’ll buy it, but I just might. It all depends on how well work goes in the summer. I’m off topic. While the natural instinct for many beginners is to simply buy equipment, there is an alternative that few people consider: renting. The rental costs are a lot less and you can rent any equipment you want. For example, if I want to try something specific before I buy it, I can rent it and do the testing. In this article, I will recommend some high-end professional lenses that you should rent and try as a beginner photographer. They mainly apply to portrait and fashion photographers, however, any image creator will find these lenses useful to some extent in their work.
Starting with the king of 50mm lenses, this goes directly against the first piece of advice every photographer receives: buy a 50mm f/1.8. While it is a great lens, it is nothing compared to the pro version, sharper and more accurate. When I tried out that lens, I noticed that it was quite heavy, which made me realize that I probably wouldn’t invest in it.
The second lens that always catches my eye when I’m just starting out is the 70-200mm f/2.8. It just looks like a perfect device that I’m simply missing out on. In fact, when I saved up, it was the first real professional gear I bought back in the day. I still have that lens. It is an animal. However, nowadays, I rarely use it because again, it is a heavy device. Another reason is that it forces me to be naturally away from the subject, which is not desirable if I want to make a connection and actually work with the model in front of my camera. The only reason not to sell the lens is that if the client requires a shallow depth of field, I would use f/2.8 at 100+mm to get that lens.
The most boring lens I also happened to review. The reason it’s boring is that it doesn’t have any interesting features like other lenses. The zoom range is average, the shallow depth of field is almost nonexistent, and the excitement is mild. Also, this is the lens I use 95% of the time. While the zoom range doesn’t provide super wide or super telephoto images, it does provide enough for fashion, beauty and other creations. I can shoot full body, bust and close-ups with 24-70 mm. I truly believe this is a lens that every photographer should try and use.
Going to wider apertures and focal lengths, this is a lens many photographers like to use for full-body portraiture. No wonder, as it offers both a relatively wide field of view as well as a wide aperture that can help create a shallow depth of field. Such a lens could be great in an event, wedding, portrait or fashion bag. High-end versions of this lens offer extreme sharpness and precision, as well as fast and responsive autofocus. 
This list would not be complete without this lens. I mean, honestly, can we ignore this magical device that so many portrait photographers use to take their pictures? It provides everything needed to create interesting images: long focal length, wide aperture, and more than that, sharpness. At the same time, if you try this lens out, you will quickly discover that it is not always sunny and rainbows, and that in fact it has some disadvantages, such as its weight and capacity. focus. If you take a close-up portrait at f/1.2, you’ll quickly notice that the subject’s nose as well as the ears disappear. 85mm is better used for busts because then you will get the subject more or less in focus. Then again, sharpness and focus are major issues with this particular lens. The elements are huge, and if you get your hands on older versions of this lens, you can quickly be disappointed with the results. For Canon 5D Mark II owners: forget it. I’ve never seen anything worse in focus than the 5D Mark II with the EF 85mm f/1.2 lens. This is where I have to admit that there is a mirrorless camera that is much better than a DSLR. Thanks to the focusing technology that modern cameras and lenses have, you can easily take amazing pictures with f/1.2 at 85mm. It really helps you focus on the shooting, not the technology.
Stop thinking
In short, as a beginner photographer, you must try out lenses before making any major purchases. Equipment rental is an affordable and effective way to determine which lenses work best for your style of photography. I really recommend doing this. I think choosing the right lens can make a significant difference in your photography. It’s important to consider your style and the type of photo you want to create before making any purchases. Remember that it takes years for professionals to accumulate equipment, so take the time to inspect and test before purchasing it. With time, practice and the right equipment, you can take your photography to the next level.
What lenses have you tested over the years? Did you finally buy them? What are the best and worst lenses you’ve tried? We’d love to know in the comments.
