why isnt there a super lens for all purpose use?

[NEMESIS_2008]

Title says it all. Why must there be hundreds of lenses and no all purpose lens that can give you any aparture at any focal length?

[jayt90]

The title says nothing. What you want can't be done, at any price.

[KorruptioN]

Too big
Too expensive
And it won't be "best" at any one thing

[Akraz]

so let me get this straight, you want a lens that can do ... what.. up to 300mm in focal length but also be able to do let's say... 10mm for Ultra-wide... at any aperature.

Do you understand the number of groups of elements needed to achieve that?... and how can you possibly get 10mm in focal length with a lens that large?


YEAH OK THERE BUDDY.


Also, lol, your next question "Why must there be all these different types of computer processors? can't they just make one that does a jillion gigahertz and has a million cores?"

Next question "why are there different types of harddrives? Can't they just make one with unlimited capacity?"

Next question "why are their so many different colored humans with all shapes and sizes? can't they just make a standard model?"


The logic in your question (or lack thereof) can be applied to any product... I hope you understand how ridiculous your question is. Which is why im mocking you... because its beyond insanity what you just asked.

[B0000rt]

Title says it all. Why must there be hundreds of lenses and no all purpose lens that can give you any aparture at any focal length?

Nikon 18-200mm!

[zero_2003]

because the image quality of this lens will not be good at any focal length.

[blair7]

There are all purpose lenses and even some that are decent but no one at this point has the ability to build what you are apparently looking for.

Everything is a compromise.

I have a number of very good lenses and fortunately I don't mind changing lenses. My wife, on the other hand, loves her 18-250 Tamron. It works for her but not for me.

So make a compromise or better yet go to the Henry's Photo Show and ask the lens reps the question.

[bhrm]

Like a 8mm to 400mm f1.2?

That would be badass. Imagine that, having fisheye 8mm all the way to 400mm f1.2 constant aperture.

And give it 1:1 Macro capabilities at any focal length.

This lens should have its own wheels and motor to drive around.

[nite4evr]

I'm sure what you're looking for is possible, but there's no way you can afford it.
Not until the technology start mass production of course.

At the moment, your best bet is to get a Tamron 18-270.

[Vietlord]

http://gizmodo.com/#!5580300/canons-...-of-the-future

Just wait a bit longer

[sylpherware]

The logic in your question (or lack thereof) can be applied to any product... I hope you understand how ridiculous your question is. Which is why im mocking you... because its beyond insanity what you just asked.

There's really no need to mock the OP.

Who knows, maybe there will be technology that allows the deformation of lenses in the future to provide the best optic characteristics at all zoom ranges.

[mrspec3]

50mm lens is pretty much all purpose and it's certainly super

[cipher]

Title says it all. Why must there be hundreds of lenses and no all purpose lens that can give you any aparture at any focal length?

There's nothing that says it can't be done with current technology. But most people couldn't afford it or carry it.

[Raead]

you know, if we can walk on the moon ages ago, it's very possible to have a 8mm-600mm F1.1 lens now

but then again it cost you bijillion to walk on the moon... and you know what the rest of the sentence would be

[gelu88]

To actually answer the OP's question, the problem lies in how optics works.

every lens design works best at certain apertures and focal lengths, usually the less flexible the lens, the better its quality. For example lenses that don't zoom at all are usually the best in terms of quality. This is becasue the designers can focus the design at that one spot.

a real lens like a 18-200 or, even worse, a 18-270 like someone suggested, covers a very wide range, but the optical quality will be very poor. Same idea with the 30X super-zoom cameras. They can zoom like crazy, but fine detail will be poor, and if you take a pic of a hallway it'll probably look more like a round tunnel

aperture is even harder, if you want to let in more light, the front of the lens has to be bigger so more light enter.

consider this 300mm f/2 where the front is the size of a dinner plate...

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography...if20/index.htm


to conclude this simply; current glass technology cannot create a broad- zoom range lens that has a large aperture, as well as good image quality.