[size=20] Introduction [/size] So you have yourself a handycam or other smaller camera, but want to get a better picture quality, right? There are cheap solutions at hand that this guide will introduce you to - which will help you work out how to get the best shots possible, even if you're working with a standard definition camera. The first thing to cover here is to check out your camera. On a small camera, you have little depth of field because most smaller cameras don't have a barrel - although recently some newer cameras have a single barrel control, or the barrel control in the form of an iris switch just under where it should be. A barrel or barrel control, is the part wrapped around your camera lens. If you can rotate a separate piece of plastic around your lens, then you have a barrel control, if not, then that's just a stub - and a barrel would attach from here outwards. 9 times out of 10 on modern cameras lenses are only rarely used on a production, unless the focus of the production is to film purely in one extreme - such as a nature show about bug, which would use a macro lens. Lenses are purely for the extremes, when the compound lens typically supplied with most cameras, isn't quite up to the job. Sometimes if you're using a very basic camera with a single chip system, (A single CMOS/MOS or CCD sensor - check your manual...or maybe the sticker on the outside!) then you might consider using lenses all the time to improve video quality via choosing more specific lighting patterns - a prime lens should suit this very purpose. [size=20] Lenses [/size] Just as in photography, there are different lenses for different jobs. Different lenses have different symmetries for warping the light coming into the camera in differing directions to either converge, diverge, refract or transmit the light flow. There is a lot more to it than this - there is the aperture and focal length, but for now I think we'll just concentrate on the lenses, because as you do so, you'll gain an eye for just the right angle of view purely via experience. So aside from the biconvex lens - usually either a digital or optical zoom which you should already have on your camera, (optical being the better choice) there are quite a few to choose from: - Fisheye or Wide Angle Lens: For a very wide picture to capture as much as possible that's placed in front of the camera - Macro Lens: infinite focus, a lens used for filming insects or similar small objects - Telephoto: brings distant objects closer to you - a favorite with paparazzi the World over - some can take a medium shot from 3 miles away. - Primes Lens: fixes the shot, limited flexibility - good to use with older camera to improve quality, nothing special though. [size=20] When to use a lens [/size] Choose your lens according to how you think you're going to frame your shot when you're setting up your camera. If it's the first shot of the scene, then you'll want a wide establishing shot, so either the fisheye/wide angle lens if you're shooting in a large space and/or indoors. If you're outside, try using a Telephoto Lens - you don't have to zoom in because the impression you'll get when watching the footage later is that the shot is taken from afar. If you have control of the camera's focus on the outside of the camera, (As opposed to primarily via the digital display) then perhaps you could use the macro lens to focus on one object, and then focus onto the subject(s) - this always looks good at the start of a scene in the middle of a film, or if you're introducing another character, or want to emphasize something else going on in the same place. The Prime lens is good to use when you aren't making any other changes whilst filming - in other words if you aren't zooming in, focusing, then this can be a pleasant addition. [size=20] A Buyer's guide [/size] Firstly shop around because every retailers sells lenses at different prices. There are lots of retailers out there, so there is a lot of competition. Don't spend anymore on the lens that you spend on the camera - if you do, you might be purchasing something that isn't compatible. The best tip I can give you though is if you're really short on cash, get a conversion lens. Usually these are WAY cheaper, and do exactly the same thing as a normal lens, and they will probably attach to your camera with much more ease. Most handycams and smaller cameras won't have the support for powered lenses anyway - but do check. Using a proper lens means you get a much better quality glass.