64 HIGH TIMES I OCTOBER 2019
MY PIXELS ARE
BETTER THAN YOURS
Many people get hung up on megapixels, but
the truth is you probably don’t need as many
as you think. I have incredible pot photos taken
back when DSLRs only came with six megapix-
els! That’s why even older 18-megapixel cam-
eras are good enough to create large, detailed
prints and fabulous internet posts.
Most entry-level cameras come with a
standard zoom lens, while high-end profes-
sional cameras are commonly sold as bodies
only, with lenses sold separately. Lenses make
a huge difference in photography, and using
the right one is often the only way to get that
shot you want. Camera bodies come and go,
but a good lens will be with you for a lifetime.
It’s not unusual to spend half your budget on
lenses, so be prepared for sticker shock.LENSES
Many cameras have a “crop factor” of 1.5x to
2x. This is because the camera body uses a
smaller sensor than a traditional 35-mm, full-
frame camera. However, to simplify, I’ll keep
things in 35-mm terms.FISHEYE LENS (8 mm to 12 mm)
Most everyone’s familiar with the curved,
ultra-wide-angle shots produced by the
fisheye lens. This lens is perfect for when you
need to show your entire grow in one shot.
But fisheye shots can be a real challenge to
make interesting. The best tip I can give for
using a fisheye lens is to think “near and far.”
You need to fill the space with your subject
first (near), then make the space around
it work (far). It’s a lot more difficult than it
sounds!WIDE-ANGLE LENS (12 mm to 24 mm)
Most pros carry a wide-angle lens in their bag.
If you want to show an entire greenhouse or
outdoor grow without the distortion of a fish-
eye lens, nothing beats a wide-angle lens. A
good 16-to-35-mm lens can set you back a few
bucks, but it’s a good long-term investment.
A wide-angle lens emphasizes the feeling of
depth and can show vast areas in just a single
shot. If you want to make your grow site look
huge, grab the widest lens you can find.NORMAL LENS (35 mm to 70 mm)
Our eyes are equivalent to a 50-mm lens. Nor-
mal lenses have a reputation of being boring,
but many pros make a living off this common
focal range. When you need both wide-angle
shots along with a few mild zoom shots, it’s
hard to beat a 24-to-70-mm lens. A normal
lens is great for taking photos of everything
from greenhouses to staff portraits. Add an
extension tube and you can take macro pho-
tos rivaling a true macro lens. Have you everwanted one of those epic bud shots where
the cola is in focus, but the background is a
blown-out, soft, beautiful texture? A cheap,
fast 50-mm, f/1.8 lens will give you those ultra-
creamy backgrounds you’ve always dreamed
about. It’s easy to find a used “nifty-50” lens
for less than $100.TELEPHOTO LENS (70 mm to 200 mm)
A telephoto lens is basically a telescope for
your camera. A large telephoto lens will allow
you to get up close and personal with far-
away subjects. Telephoto lenses compressdepth, making things appear closer together
than in real life. This is great for that shot
where you want to fill the entire photo with
thousands of buds. Stand back, zoom in and
fill the frame with endless stacks of colas. You
can also isolate just one giant cola while blur-
ring out everything in the background.MACRO LENS (50 mm to 60 mm,
90 mm to 100 mm, 150 mm to 200 mm)
A macro lens is used for extreme close-up
photography and is one of the most valuable
tools in your arsenal. If you want trichomes