Choosing the best lens for product photography starts with defining the goal, or purpose, of product shots. We want to present an image of an item in such a way as to make the viewer want to purchase that item. So, we want to make the item appear attractive or useful or at the very least, worth the money that we’re trying to extract from the buyer. Most of us want to be ethical, too. So, we want to also provide the potential buyer with an accurate representation of the item.
So, the question is, at least for the purposes of this post, “what is the best lens for product photography?”
Now, if you know anything about camera lenses, you probably know that wide-angle lenses tend to distort an object’s appearance (or a face or human figure). This is especially true if the lens is relatively close to the subject. Certain parts can look way out of proportion. Of course, the farther you are away from the subject, the less pronounced this distortion.
So, if we’re not going to use a wide-angle lens, we probably want to go with something in the normal focal-length range. But what is “normal?” Most photographers regard the standard 50mm lens as normal — it’s said that its field of view is pretty close to what we see with our own, human eyes. But that’s not necessarily true for all camera formats. The 50mm is normal for a 35mm film camera, or a full-frame digital. But on a medium-format camera, 50mm is pretty wide.
In any event, you’re probably using a regular full-frame or cropped frame camera. So, 50mm is probably going to be the widest lens you’ll want to go, either way.
You can also go with something in the telephoto range as long as you’ve got enough room to work with.
In the video, note the differences between different focal lengths while I try to keep the object about the same size within the frame.
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For your next product shot or still life, think about the focal length of the lens and how it affects the way the items are being rendered in the shots. Also consider aperture because DOF is an effective, creative tool for showcasing your items as part of a scene.
Finally, don’t forget to experiment with lighting. Whether you’re using natural light or artificial, you can use the lighting to give your shots a sense of atmosphere or communicate a mood. Some product shots are necessarily plain and straight-forward. But depending on what you’re trying to sell, telling a story with your scene can be very effective.
