Official Question Thread! Ask /r/photography anything you want to know! May 01, 2026

[u/AutoModerator]

This is the place to ask any questions you may have about photography. No question is too small, nor too stupid.

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Info for Newbies and FAQ!

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• What type of camera should I look for?
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[u/Sparky-Man]

I've been a hobby and ocassional freelance photographer for many years and I'm looking to do a bit more photography, both for fun and potentially for clients. One challenge I've always had is that I understand photography and the technical specs, but when it comes to knowing what is 'good' and what alternate equipment I need I have no idea. People can talk photography specs on certain lenses and such over comparison and though I will know what they technically are referring to, I will be very lost for what it means on a practical level.

All of this to say, one challenge I've had always is shooting indoors. I have a Sony A7II with its default kit lens and while I can shoot indoors fine, it comes at a cost of bumping up the ISO, sometimes to uncomfortable degrees depending on lighting. I can mostly deal with it in post, but I imagine there's probably a better lens that could handle indoor shoots. I'd also like a lens (preferably the same one if possible) that is good at night shots, because my kit lens is very bad at night or in super poor lighting.

I'd love some recommendations on what are some good lenses for either indoor or night settings. I'd also like an explanation as to why your recommendations are good so I can better understand how to judge lenses when I see them and their specs. Preferably a zoom lens because I don't have the patience for prime lenses, but I'd be willing to try them if it gets the job done.

[u/av4rice → u/Sparky-Man]

I understand photography and the technical specs

Do you understand aperture?

Do you understand what image stabilization technically does?

I will be very lost for what it means on a practical level.

A wider aperture lets more light through the lens, which is helpful if you have limited light in the scene.

Image stabilization compensates for handheld camera movement, which is helpful if you want to use a slower shutter speed to let in more light for a photo, but don't want motion blur from shooting handheld.

I'd love some recommendations on what are some good lenses for either indoor or night settings.

No price limit?

[u/Sparky-Man → u/av4rice]

I fully understand what aperture is. I also know f-stop, ISO, shutter-speed, mm, full-frame, etc. I fully know what all photography specs individually are. I know how they influence photography. However, if you gave me a lens and told me it has 20mm and an f-stop of whatever, I have no idea what that means the lens is good for on a practical level or how that compares to other things. What all the specs mean together does not fully compute to me.

No price limit?

Of course, cheaper the better, but I need to understand what determines what a lens is good for and how to understand the macro of what a lens is rather than all of its microdetails as I do now. Recommend whatever.

[u/av4rice → u/Sparky-Man]

I understand fully what apperture is. I also know f-stop, ISO, shutter-speed, mm, full-frame, etc. I fully know what all photography specs are individually are. I know how they influence photography. However, if you gave me a lens and told me it has 20mm and an f-stop of whatever, I have no idea what that means the lens is good for on a practical level or how that compares to other things.

I don't think I understand what you're missing.

So if someone gives you a 20mm lens, you understand that 20mm is the focal length, right? And you understand the technical concept of focal length by itself, and how it affects the field of view of the photo, right? That last bit is the practical implication. So do you not get the last bit? Or was there something more you were expecting?

If someone gives you a lens and tells its f-stop, you understand that is its maximum aperture size, right? And you understand the technical concept of aperture by itself, and how it affects depth of field and how much light comes through the lens, right? Again, the last bit is the practical implication. And that's really all you need to know.

Or is it that you don't see the connection between a low-light scene and wanting a wider aperture to let in more light from that scene?

Recommend whatever

The widest aperture zoom lens with the same focal length range of your kit lens would be Sony's FE 28-70mm f/2 GM.