8 Best Lenses For Car Photography (35mm vs 50mm) 2022

Dash cam or DSRL with Lens? which is the better option for the trucker?

There’s no simple answer to this question – it depends on your specific needs and preferences. However, we can give you some things to consider that may help you make your decision.

A dash cam is probably the better option if you’re primarily concerned with safety. Dash cams provide a clear view of the road ahead and can be a valuable tool in documenting accidents or incidents. They can also help you keep an eye on your surroundings while driving and help spot potential hazards.

On the other hand, if you’re more interested in capturing high-quality photos and videos, a DSLR with a lens is probably the better option. This is because DSLRs produce much higher-quality images than dash cams and can be used to capture beautiful scenery or interesting moments that you may want to share with others.

Ultimately, the best option for you will depend on your specific needs and preferences. If safety is your top priority, go with a dash cam. If you’re more interested in photography and videography, go with a DSLR. And if you’re somewhere in the middle, you may want to consider getting both!

Car Photography Tips:

There is much more to great car photography than photographing shiny, expensive machines (although that certainly helps!).

Here are some pointers to assist you in your search for excellent automobile photography:

When shooting cars, you should always use available light for the best results. If that’s not possible, you can shoot with studio lighting if it feels right for the shot you want. Remember that people will be able to see your photograph at its absolute worst (no matter how bad your photo is). So take advantage of the good mentioned photography factors to win every chance you get!

Composing Pictures

Composition takes perfect, but even a basic eye for photographic composition. So it will help enormously when taking pictures of cars. Naturally, many things have already been said about good composition, but here are a few key points to consider when capturing car photos.

Where to Position the Car

The rule of thirds works for car photography, too, so try positioning your car centrally or off-center if there are other objects in the image. You will draw your eye to it more easily. Be aware that you can’t move around your subject as much as normal. But you can zoom in and out with telephoto lenses, which is one way of getting closer or further away from your main subject.

Background

Try not to position cars against busy backgrounds such as trees, buildings, or lamp posts because they can distract viewers from what you’re trying to show them about the car. Choose a simple background instead, such as a plain wall or the sky, for your car photos.

Remember to get close enough to show your subject in detail without getting too close. Most modern cameras have telescopic lenses to help you get closer by zooming in. Also, be on the lookout for backgrounds that complement your main subject and work with it, not against it.

Include People

If you want to add people to the picture, make sure they look at the car and are only in the picture if they enhance it. The exception to this rule is when you’re shooting a photo of someone next to their dream car, for example.

Line

One technique that can help draw viewers into your photographic composition, especially when taking pictures of cars against a skyline or near trees or other objects, is leading lines. These could be roads, paths, railway tracks, etc. – any long straight line will do! Simply follow them with your camera lens to make your final image more dynamic and interesting for your viewers.

Use different lenses

Opt for an 80mm telephoto lens on a full-frame camera if you want to get close-up shots. For extra-wide shots, use a 20mm wide-angle lens. Prime lenses are good for low-light situations because they have larger aperture settings than zoom lenses. So try out f2.8 primes if available. In addition, you can move freely to move more cameras while taking photos without walking backward and forward. At the same time, using zoom lenses can be useful when photographing cars, especially vintage ones that might need repositioning several times after each shot for best composition/ lighting, etc.

Focal Lenght/ Aperture – Wide Angle of View

You may consider using a wide-angle lens to show a larger view or scene for dramatic effect if you’ve got the space behind your car, of course! Also, try out ultra-wide lenses such as fisheye, which give an even more distorted view. While they can be used to humorous effects when shooting cars, especially vintage ones, these lenses might not be ideal in all situations unless they’re used correctly. In short, the focal length is very important for car photography.

Gimbal

If you can’t afford a gimbal stabilizer for your camera, it might be worth trying to find one second-hand. These are very useful because they can eliminate camera shake caused by your hands, especially when using telephoto lenses or shooting at longer focal lengths where the slightest movement of the camera will result in blurred photos. Also, try experimenting with different shutter speeds, showing motion blur effects.

Tripod

Using a tripod for car photography works particularly well, especially when shooting with longer focal lengths or low light conditions. Of course, your success at getting sharp shots will depend on the type of camera and lens you’ve got. But for me, the tripod is an essential accessory for my Sony a6000. In other words, it helps to produce consistently sharp images.

Flash

The flash for modern cameras for sony a7ii is great for taking low light levels. But it’s best to avoid direct front lighting with them because this can create flat-looking images and highlights any dust or dirt on the car. So instead, if you use your flash, it’s best to bounce/reflect it off a wall behind the car. Avoid using your built-in popup flash if you can, though, especially for daytime shots because they usually create too harsh and contrasty images with deep shadows.

Buyers Guide:

You should consider many factors about lenses while purchasing camera lenses to capture cars’ images. Unluckily, I had faced many problems during my first days as a professional photographer. That’s why I am writing this buyer’s guide to help novice photographers pick the Best lenses for car photography.

Focal length

The FL or focal length is the distance between the lens and the image sensor. So it can focus on an object at infinity. A shorter focal length will help create a wide-angle view. You can use it to show more details of nearby objects. Yet, it may make distant objects appear smaller due to their wide-angle nature. A longer focal length will reduce distortion effects. But it narrows your field of view. This can make it hard to photograph nearby objects without seeing them in the background. Having said that, if you are photographing car models or details, you are probably better off with short focal lengths, around 28mm or below.

Aperture

The lens’s aperture is an adjustable opening that can change its size. Thus controlling how much light passes through it. A wider aperture allows more light to reach the sensor. So it is useful during low-light conditions or moving vehicles. Or even any other place where you can’t use your tripod. The f-number of the lens is related to its aperture.

A lower f-number (f/1.4) means a wider aperture, allowing more light into the camera. Meanwhile, higher numbers (f/16) mean a smaller aperture, and less light gets through. Yet, having a larger aperture also means less depth of field. As a result, the objects at a different distance from the camera will appear blurred due to shallow focus. This makes it difficult to take photographs of the entire car in focus.

Build

A lens with a sturdy build can be an excellent choice when photographing moving objects. It will not cause much vibration or shaking when you click a picture. If your camera has a crop sensor, lenses are designated as EF-S lenses. So it will also fit perfectly on your camera. In addition, lenses with a large maximum aperture will help achieve shallow depth-of-field to isolate your subject.

Composition

The best photographs involve careful composition techniques. So it is important to take your time when photographing cars or any other large vehicle. If you want to isolate the car from the background, position your camera at an angle. So it is facing towards the side of the road rather than straight up or down.

Usually, The lens will eliminate distracting elements like trees and power lines or anything that might disturb you. As a result, you will not focus on your subject while not adding anything significant to your photograph. When taking pictures of whole cars, make sure you use either a standard lens (28mm) or a telephoto lens (300mm) at a minimum. Using a wide-angle lens can distort the car’s proportions and may not work with every vehicle.

Type 

The most common lenses designed for car photography include standard zoom, wide-angle zoom, telephoto zoom, prime lens, and macro lens.

Standard Zoom

The general-purpose standard zoom lenses are good for beginners because they have a large range of focal lengths and provide excellent optical quality even at wide apertures. Standard Zoom is not the best option to shoot with a shallow depth-of-field. But they can produce great images in the most difficult lighting conditions where fast shutter speeds are required. Most standard zoom lenses have an aperture of f/2.8 or lower.

Wide Angle Zoom

A wider field of view is achieved using a shorter focal length, often impractical due to geometric distortion issues. Some manufacturers have created wide-angle zoom lenses to achieve this effect without drawbacks. These lenses can zoom in without losing image quality. So, you can shoot with a shorter focal length while keeping the same aperture as your standard zoom lens.

Telephoto Zoom

A telephoto zoom is similar to a standard zoom, but it provides magnification at the telephoto end of the lens range. This results in a more pronounced compression effect, with distant objects appearing closer together than they are.

Prime Lens

A prime lens is another option for photographing moving vehicles. It has a fixed focal length and no zooming capabilities. Yet, this also means that you will have to change the camera’s position every time you get a different shot.

Frequently Asked Question

What are the best lenses option for car photography?

The best lens for car photography depends on where you take your photos and your subject. If you want to get a close-up shot, use a macro lens. Moreover, If you want to take a photo from far away, use a telephoto lens. If you want to take a photo from above, use a fisheye lens. Yet, If you want to take a panoramic view of the car and its environment, use an ultra-wide-angle lens.

What Should You use a macro lens for the small products?

A macro lens is a type of lens that can focus on objects very close to the camera. In some cases, the object can be so close that it appears larger than life-size or even fills up the entire frame of the picture. As a result, you can easily capture small products and other things.

Why is a 50mm lens a common choice for car photography? 

A 50mm lens is considered a good choice for car photography because it has the right focal length to take in the front of the car, which is often what you see when looking at it. If you shoot with this lens from far away, you can even get good shots of the driver and passenger side windows.

What is an ultra-wide-angle lens best for?

An ultra-wide-angle lens is a type that captures more of what’s in front of it. This makes it great for taking photos of the environment around the car, but not so good at shooting close-up images or detailed shots.

What are some disadvantages of a too wide lens on a full-frame sensor camera?

A too wide lens can result in extreme distortion, making straight lines look curved. This also gives the photo a unique artistic effect, but it’s not something you want when photographing cars since most of their detail comes from the sharpness and symmetry of their exterior design.

What Can You do with fisheye lenses?

A fisheye lens has a UWD lens that captures up to a 180° view of its surroundings. With photo editing software on your laptop, you can also add a fisheye effect to any photo. If you want to get a more dramatic effect, use your camera’s digital zoom and then process the image in post-production.

How to shoot good photos from within the vehicle itself instead of shooting from the outside of the vehicle?

The best way to shoot photos from within the vehicle itself is to open one of the windows and place your camera up against it. This gives a more intimate picture of what’s going on inside, but it will come at the cost of quality if you use a standard lens rather than something ultra-wide.

Conclusion

You have to consider a bundle of lens specs when taking car photos. These include the type of lens, where you take your photos, and what photo effect is needed. There are several lenses for your camera; You can buy even prosumer cameras with multiple lenses included in the price. Be sure you know the different lenses and how they affect your photographs. For example, if you take photos from within the vehicle, use a lens that allows great depth-of-field to get shots that clearly show the car’s interior.

Whichever lens you use for your car photography, always make sure it has a high aperture rating to ensure very little color fringing in your photos. You should also use good lighting to get good results no matter what kind of lens you are using. Finally, be aware of the weather situation before taking outdoor shots so that you can shoot in the best conditions possible.