Pancake Camera Lenses for Nikon

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Why Pancake Lenses Are a Must-Have Prime Lens

Whether some consider themselves to be serious photographers or they like to snap a digital photo every once in a while, a pancake lens is a camera accessory that every user should try to use at least once. Many people who have not used this type of lens are often pleasantly surprised at how much it can improve the quality of almost any photo. Nikon, as well as other camera manufacturers, make SLR and DSLR cameras equipped to use this type of prime lens.

How Is a Pancake Lens Different From a Telescopic Lens?

There are some distinct differences between a standard telescopic camera lens and a lens fashioned with the pancake-style design. Here are a few ways that the latter differs from a standard telescopic lens:

  • Shape: A pancake-style lens is one that has a wider circumference instead of a longer length. The shape of the lens helps to give photos the full-frame effect that captures more imagery.
  • Simplistic Design: The simplistic design helps to make this type of macro lens easier to add to, or remove from, the camera body than many large specialty telescopic lenses.
  • Size: Considered to be in the macro lens category, the smaller size of the prime lens allows it to be lighter and more compact to carry.

In Which Ways Does This Lens Improve Photographs?

Some manufacturers make cameras that are able to accept a pancake lens, which helps make finding compatible E-mount and DX lenses for Nikon mirrorless cameras, as well as other brands and models, much easier for the consumer. Here are a few ways that this type of lens can improve autofocus or manual focus photographs for professional or personal use:

  • Aperture Enhancement: A large number of cameras come with a kit lens that does the intend job; however, many pancake lens users notice a marked aperture improvement with the pancake-style lens versus a zoom lens or other telephoto kit lens.
  • Increased Image Stabilization: While many people may intentionally seek out blurriness in photos to achieve the bokeh effect, the blurriness that can come from chromatic aberrations is not usually welcome when not intentional. Pancake lenses give users more image stabilization to help reduce this undesirable effect.
  • Plump Up the Volume and Focal Length: Camera users who want to increase the spatial imagery in photos may find that this lens captures wide angles clearly even in low-light environments over other types of autofocus or manual focus camera lens varieties. Although small in stature, autofocus snapshots and even close-ups can achieve an improved image quality due to the enhancement of the focal length offered with a pancake lens than what many all-in-one wide-angle lenses offer.

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