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If you’ve found yourself struggling to decide what types of lenses you should be using to cover almost any situation then look no further because the ‘Lens Trinity’, also known as the ‘Holy Trinity’ is the solution to all your worries!
Through the generations photographers have tried every conceivable combination of camera set ups, including of course, the lenses that they use for their everyday work. This has led to a general consensus that the perfect combination of lenses for any photographer, regardless of what genre they are working in, is the Lens Trinity.
So What Exactly Is The ‘Holy Trinity’ of Lenses?
The Lens Trinity is a group of three camera lenses that give photographers the flexibility to shoot top quality photos in any scenario! The combination of these three lenses gives you the precision and versatility to work to your best while covering every important focal length; saving you the stress of carrying more than three lenses with you at any one time.
The Lens Trinity consists of:
- (Ultra) Wide Angle Lens.
- Standard Zoom Lens.
- Telephoto Zoom Lens.
Exploring The Holy Trinity of Lenses in Detail.
The combination of a wide angle, standard zoom and a telephoto lens gives you a huge range of focal length and capabilities. The Lens Trinity usually includes an ultra wide focal length of 10-16mm, right up to a massive 200mm telephoto. The standard zoom lens then fills in the middle focal ranges, giving you complete control.
The Holy Trinity can be used to photograph any genre of photography, including portraits, travel shots, product photos, architectural and street photography, landscapes and sports photography! You can put together a Holy Trinity collection of lenses for every brand of camera, and if you want to save money you can buy third party lenses that are compatible with your camera’s manufacturer.
There really is no better combination of lenses to be working with – so let’s find out more about the lenses that make up the famous Holy Trinity.
The Ultra Wide Angle, 16-35mm, f/2.8 Zoom Lens.
The first lens that you need in your Holy Trinity is the ultra wide angle lens with an aperture of f/2.8. Using this lens you can capture amazing shots of sweeping landscapes while incorporating the full magnificence of the scenery; shoot fantastic architectural photos and even work on your astrophotography at night! You can also use your wide angle lens to shoot creative portraits and vista shots.
Wide angle lenses are one of the favorite go-to for street photographers because the f/2.8 aperture allows you to shoot in conditions when the lighting is not perfect – which is often the case while out of your studio and on the streets.
Standard Range 24-70mm f/2.8 Zoom Lens.
The second element of the Holy Trinity covers the middle ground between the focal range extremes and is the mid range 24-70mm zoom. This lens is ideal for more intimate portraits, landscapes and travel photos. It’s a superb choice for general street photography as well as casual photos of friends and family.
The f/2.8 aperture can be used to create stunning bokeh effects which is why it’s so popular for portraits but you can also use it in low lighting, making it a great choice for events and conference photography.
Telephoto 70-200mm f/2.8 Zoom Lens.
This excellent final addition to the Holy Trinity gives you the ability to shoot excellent portraits, headshots as well as more abstract architectural and landscape photography. The images will be more compressed but it allows you to really get up close to your subjects and pick out the most interesting features and details.
The 70-200mm lens is perfect for sports and wildlife photography and as with the others, the f/2.8 aperture allows you to work with faster shutter speeds while maintaining the image sharpness.
What Are The Advantages of The Holy Trinity And Is It Still Relevant?
Some photographers in the modern world claim that the Holy Trinity is no longer relevant, partly because the precise definition of what it is has changed over time. For example, during the 1970s a triple lens combination of 28mm, 50mm and 135mm was the most popular! However, regardless of the precise definitions and details of the Holy Trinity that you can use, the concept remains sound and is a valuable tool for any working photographer!
There’s no need to stick slavishly to the precise Lens Trinity that has been recommended and you can deviate from it while still creating an extremely effective set up!
Therefore, the Holy Trinity is still relevant and even if you only use it as a guide for selecting the right lenses for your requirements the concept that underlies it remains a useful, effective and powerful tool in the hands of photographers, whether they are professional or amateur.
So What Are The Main Benefits Of The Holy Trinity.
- Unbeatable Focal Lengths and Reach: The Holy Trinity gives you an almost unbeatable range of focal lengths that allows you to take a massive range of photos in almost any situation. There will hardly be a time when you find that you can’t take the photos you envisage so make sure you pack these three lenses in your gear.
- Easy To Upgrade: Although the standard Lens Trinity is a superb combination you can actually extend the reach even further by adding a teleconverter of either 1.4x or 2x to your telephoto lense. This can be a critical addition to your setup if you are shooting wildlife, birds or sports photography and won’t require you to buy another lens to get the same results.
- Priceless Versatility: Not only do you have excellent focal range at your fingertips with the Holy Trinity but you can also work in tough lighting conditions due to the f/2.8 apertures. This can make all the difference if you’re working on the streets taking photos or outside the studio and not able to set up your own adequate lighting.
The Lens Trinity is Super Convenient.
Once you have your three lenses you’ll never really need to buy another one! It’s extremely convenient to only need to pack three lenses and there’ll be one less thing to worry about while preparing for a project.
Do Beginners Need A Lens Trinity Set Up?
Every photographer should have a Lens Trinity and it’s just as important for beginners as seasoned professionals. As a beginner, it’s vital for your further growth and development as a photographer to be able to experiment and work with a wide range of focal lengths and types of lenses.
The price might seem to be slightly prohibitive when you’re first starting out as a photographer. There is no reason why you need to buy all the lenses at once though and instead you can start out by buying a standard zoom, then later a wide angle lens and then finally, to complete your Holy Trinity, pick up a telephoto lens!
Are There Any Downsides of The Holy Trinity?
Although the Holy Trinity is a superb addition to any photographer’s camera set up there are a few downsides of the selection.
- Costs Can Be High: It’s inevitable that if you want such a powerful combination of lenses then you’re going to have to spend some money to get the kit. One way to help keep the costs down is to buy second hand lenses at first and then later, when you can afford to, you can upgrade the new lenses over time!
- The Size and Weight!: When put together, the Holy Trinity will take up quite a bit of space in your kit bag! Unfortunately there’s no way around this and you’ll have to find practical work arounds to make it easier to carry your gear around. A good way to make it easier to transport your triple set of lenses is to use a rucksack. This will not only take the weight off but it will also leave your hands free to shoot photos. Remember though, just to keep things in perspective, that if you wanted to get the same range of focal lengths using prime lenses then you would need about 10 or more lenses – so in a sense, you are actually saving on space, weight, size and cost by using the Lens Trinity instead.
The Lens Holy Trinity – The Perfect Combination for Any Photographer.
When you’re setting out to plan which lenses you need in your kit then it’s hard to find a more powerful combination than the Holy Trinity of lenses. This superb set of three will give you an incredible focal range and leave you ready for almost any circumstance, including poor lighting if you use a classic f/2.8 aperture in your trio.
From portraiture, landscapes and events to photography, you can’t do better than having a wide angle, standard and telephoto zoom lens on hand to cover all your needs. Some people have said that the combination is too bulky, however if you use a rucksack camera bag you’ll have no trouble transporting your lenses while leaving your hands free to shoot photos.
Do you own the holy trinity of lenses?
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