From 1600mm to 1mm: A Lens Retrospective
If Part 1 covered the evolution of the camera body as the canvas that captures the world, Part 2 is the time to tell the stories of the lenses I chose to decide how—and with what depth—I would paint those scenes. Looking back at the records of lens changes meticulously kept in my Excel sheet, it feels like a journey of footsteps: stepping forward to observe a subject closely, then retreating to see the bigger picture. From chasing the moon at a 1600mm equivalent to exploring the 1mm world on my desk, this reflects my journey in refining my vision.
A lens is the medium that determines how to frame the world and what level of psychological distance to maintain from the subject. As Professor Jang Tae-soon once noted, this long journey of swapping focal lengths and adjusting depth of field was, in the end, an interesting process of looking back at myself to better understand the essence of my subjects.
Refining my perspective at the end of “Gear Acquisition Syndrome.” A 20-year memoir of cameras, lenses, and studios.
Part 1. From Point-and-Shoot to Studio: A Camera Body Retrospective
Part 2. From 1600mm to 1mm: A Lens Retrospective
Part 3. From Aspiring to Strobe Lighting to Mastering It: A Studio Retrospective
Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 OS (2011)
During my Canon 40D days, I chose this standard zoom to handle various everyday situations with a single lens. By securing both wide-angle breadth and the focus of a short telephoto, I aimed to observe the world comfortably without the constraints of changing lenses. The pseudo-macro feature was a bonus!
Canon EF 50mm F1.8 II ‘The Plastic Fantastic’ (2011)
This was the prime lens that first introduced me to the charm of background blur, which forces the viewer’s gaze onto the subject. Despite its flimsy exterior, it provided excellent sharpness and was a reliable companion that helped me build the fundamentals of using prime lenses.
Canon EF-S 60mm F2.8 Macro (2012)
I acquired this for 1:1 macro photography of plastic models and small gadgets. It served as a major turning point in my photography life, shifting my focus from macroscopic landscapes to the microscopic world of surface textures and finishes.
Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS (2012)
I added this to my kit to bridge the physical distance to subjects on a crop sensor body. While it was fun to pull in scenes beyond the reach of the naked eye, I eventually handed over its role to the “Mirror 500” to dive deeper into the unique characteristics of the ultra-telephoto range.
Samyang Optics POLAR MIRROR 500mm F6.3 DX (2012)
I used this mirror lens with a Canon T-mount because I was deeply into astrophotography and wanted to capture the moon and stars. By attaching a 2x converter to my 40D, I achieved a 1600mm equivalent focal length, which gave me the thrilling sensation of pulling the vast universe right into my room. The most frequent subject? The full moon, naturally!
Tamron SP AF 10-24mm F3.5-4.5 Di II LD (2012)
I used this temporarily during trips to Vietnam and Cambodia to capture the massive scale of Angkor Wat in a single frame without worrying about distortion. It was an early attempt to record the grandeur of spaces by pushing my field of view to the extreme. Because of its wide-angle nature, it invited too many unwanted elements into the frame, so it was eventually retired…
Canon EF 24-105mm F4L IS USM (2012)
During the early days of getting my full-frame 6D, this was the trusty lens that stayed mounted for the longest time. Thanks to its constant aperture and sturdy construction, I captured travel moments without the burden of lens swaps, even in the unpredictable outdoor environments. This was likely the lens I used the longest.
Canon EF 40mm F2.8 STM ‘Pancake’ (2013)
Purchased as soon as it was released in Korea, this lens was the primary contributor to drastically reducing the bulk of my heavy DSLR. It didn’t look intimidating on the streets, which encouraged natural candid shots, and it served as my go-to “body cap” lens until I acquired the 35mm f/2.
Canon EF 70-200mm F4L IS USM (2013)
I originally borrowed this, but after my nephew broke it, I had to pay for it—effectively becoming its owner. Despite that, its stable balance and sharp compression effects taught me the true pleasure of telephoto lenses: cleanly erasing backgrounds and focusing solely on the subject.
Canon EF 85mm F1.8 USM (2014)
Known as a “girlfriend lens,” I used this to isolate specific subjects from cluttered backgrounds and increase immersion. With its light weight and decent performance, it let me experience the spatial depth of the 85mm focal length and served as a stepping stone toward the 85mm f/1.2.
Canon EF 50mm F1.8 STM (2015)
I switched to this immediately after its release to address the shortcomings of the older version. Thanks to the significantly shortened minimum focusing distance, I could get a little closer to the gadgets on my desk, making it a very useful lens for reviews for some time.
Canon EF 85mm F1.2L II USM (2015)
Due to the heavy glass elements, the autofocus was a bit slow, but the extremely shallow depth of field created by the f/1.2 aperture compensated for all its drawbacks. It offered peerless rendering, as if the subject had been cut out from the space around it.
Canon EF 35mm F2 IS USM (2018)
An all-weather lens I switched to for a more natural field of view and stability in indoor settings. Thanks to the 35mm focal length, which is most similar to human vision, I could capture everyday life naturally without distortion. This is my favorite lens of all time.
Sigma APO 50-500mm F4-6.3 EX DG HSM (2021)
I bought this ultra-telephoto zoom to shoot the moon easily without manual focus. Despite the convenience of autofocus and a wide zoom range, it couldn’t replace the unique sentiment that the mirror lens provided, leading to a short relationship before it was sold off.
Canon EF 28-70mm F2.8L USM (2024)
A lens that traded the 24mm wide angle for everything else. It’s a monster that boasts prime-level sharpness across the entire range (though not compared to the latest RF glass). When it developed the notorious “balsam separation,” I spent a significant amount of money to have it fully repaired—a decision fueled by my firm belief in the texture and rendering this lens provides.
Canon EF 50mm F2.5 Compact Macro (2025)
This is the precious lens that currently defines the clear direction of my desk gadget review photography. It honestly captures the metal housing finish of custom keyboards or the minute lettering on small devices, fulfilling the essence of a review: delivering information. Unless Canon releases an L-series 50mm macro for the EF mount, I don’t think I’ll ever part with it.
Closing.
The gaze that once peeked at the moon with an ultra-telephoto lens has converged into a macro lens exploring a 1mm microscopic world. The time spent maneuvering between zooms and primes to tune depth of field was not just “Gear Acquisition Syndrome.” It was a joyful process of refining my own perspective to vividly convey the essence and texture of tech gadgets—from the finish of a metal housing to the finest engravings—exactly as they are.
However, even if you find the desired focal length and depth of field, it’s all in vain if you cannot master the light. In Part 3, “Studio Evolution,” I will continue by sharing how I have cultivated my lighting and mounting environment to maintain consistent quality.
RetrospectiveForAll
🔗 Original Post :
우주를 당기던 1600mm에서 데스크 위 1mm로, 거리와 심도의 카메라 렌즈 회고
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