Digital SLR Lens Wishlist
The idea of a digital SLR lens wishlist was borne from the need to have a simple way to explain to people how to find the best lens for their SLR cameras.
It was also just a matter of good timing: right when I was writing my digital SLR lens guide, I was in the market for a lens myself.
I kept notes of the steps that I took to narrow down the field of options, and how I structured my search for the perfect lens.
The key element that came out of this analysis is the digital SLR lens wishlist.
What's a Wishlist?
A digital SLR lens wishlist is a portrait of your ideal lens.
This is the one lens that will keep you happy for years to come, and will help you take the photos that you enjoy the most.
Key point: all lenses are NOT ideal for all photography styles.
For example, a bird photographer with a wide angle lens won't get very many great shots, since the birds will appear tiny in the photos 
.
The bird photographer really needs a telephoto or super-telephoto lens to get up close and personal with these elusive subjects 
.
Identify a Need
The wishlist begins when you identify a photography need AND you realize that the current lens you have isn't the right one for the job. Some photographic needs might include:
- I want to photograph scenic landscapes
- I want to photograph dogs at the park
- I want to photograph my daughter's soccer games
- I want to photograph building interiors
Each one of these needs creates different requirements for the lens that you're looking for.
Once you've got a need in mind, then it's just a matter of building your wishlist and making decisions about lens features along the way.
The Best Lens Ever
When you get done with your wishlist, you'll have a complete picture of the perfect lens. Reality check: this perfect lens may not exist.
But the good news is that there are plenty of lenses that will come very close. All you have to do is pick the lens that's a close match to your perfect lens, and also within your budget.
All well and good, you're thinking - but I don't want to have to go to the trouble of creating a digital SLR lens wishlist.
Not to worry - I've done that for you.
Wishlist Download
I've put together a wishlist document that follows along with my digital SLR lens guide step for step.
Here's all that you have to do:
- Click the button below to download your digital SLR lens wishlist (it's in PDF format, so you'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader if you don't already have it)
- Print out your lens wishlist (it's a lot easier to fill out this way)
- For each question in the wishlist, mark the checkbox for the lens feature that you'd like to have
Once you have a printed wishlist ready to go, you can get started on the first step of the digital SLR lens guide - deciding what focal length you'd like your lens to have.
