Once you've mastered the basics of using your new camera (hopefully a digital SLR), you can now move on to the next level with a great lens. Camera lenses will enable you to to add filters, wide angle shots, farther zooms, and enjoy greater overall results. The opportunities that will open to you and your new lens won't stop at taking great family and recreational pictures - but even the possibility to become a freelance photographer, once you've improved your skills and eye for detail.

Beware of scams: the internet has a seemingly endless number of digital camera and camera part stores - many of which sell their products at extremely attractive discounts. At the point of sale and after they've gotten your credit card number, they will notify you that their product is an "international version" (the product itself will display Chinese language writing, for instance) or is a warranty and guarantee-void product or part. This is an aggressive sales tactic, as you'll most likely want to drop out of the deal, but will be getting a salesman lecture if you do. Therefore, it is better to purchase from a reputable distributor, like Amazon. Remember, if it looks fishy - it probably is.

Before you make a purchasing decision: It is always best to get educated about what the specifications of a camera lens mean, and decide which one is right for you, based on the style of photography you'll be doing. Of course, you'll also want to get a camera lens that is compatible with your camera.

Choosing a digital camera lens is an important purchasing decision. Therefore, be sure you are selecting the lens that is in line with what you are looking to do. Choosing a budget lens will result in buyer's remorse, as you will be seeking out a new lens in a few short years. Selecting a very top-of-the-line lens might result in a lens that has features far above and beyond what you were looking for. Be sure to educate yourself, and then read all descriptions and customer testimonals before making your decision, and good luck!

Quick jump links: Digital Camera Lens 101 | Other Considerations | Interchanging Digital Camera Lenses

Aperture: The size of the lens hole or opening, regulating how much light goes through. It is measured in "f-stops" (for instance, f4-5.6 is larger than f10). Higher aperture = less light going through, and vice-versa.

DPI: Dots per inch, or the image's resolution. Higher DPI means better image quality.

Fisheye lens: A lens that gives takes pictures with a "bloated" effect, where the image appears ball shaped.

Focal Length: The measure of distance between the camera lens and the focal plane of the camera. When focal length increases, field of view decreases.

IS: Image Stabilization - a technology using gyroscopes to reduce the blurriness typically caused from your shaking hand.

ISO: A measure of light sensitivity. Higher ISO = greater sensitivity.

Macro mode: A digital camera mode that allows you to get an extreme closeup on a subject's detail (skin pores, flower pollen, etc).

Megapixel: One million pixels. This dictates the quality of an image. A 1 megapixel camera takes much lower quality pictures than an 8 megapixel camera.

MM: Millimeters. All lenses are classified by their focal length in millimeters.

SLR: "Single Lens Reflex," a term that means that the camera's viewfinder looks through the same lens that exposes the image sensor. Digital SLRs are superior to non-SLR cameras because they show the effects of the lens settings, and more accurately show what the final image looks like in general.

Wide Angle Lens: Sometimes called a "Panoramic" lens, these lenses have extremely wide fields of view only otherwise possible by taking multiple pictures with a non-panoramic lens, and stitching them side by side with panorama software.

Zoom: Optical zoom is always better than digital zoom. Optical zoom manually extends the view, while digital zoom stretches pixels in an attempt to achieve the same result.

Want to take pictures in low light situations? Go for a fast lens (f/2.8 or below), since faster lenses will yield better results. Slow lenses are known to struggle when focusing in low light.

Want to photograph objects in motion (sports players, animals, etc.)? Once again, faster is better in this situation.

Are you a Photoshop pro, or do you have Adobe Elements? If so, you probably won't need to buy that Fisheye Lens after all, the effect can be replicated with these computer programs. Don't have these programs? Try Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 to fine-tune your pictures with a variety of professional optimizations and effects. If you're looking for something more advanced, Adobe Photoshop CS3 is the only way to fly!

Do I need an extravagant zoom lens? It depends on what you want to do. Zoom lenses can reduce sharpness, while medium-range zooms are helpful for most (if not all) photographic situations, retain sharpness, and give you a more desired output. Use a zoom lens if you primarily take pictures of distance-related subjects...otherwise, don't bother with zoom lenses.

Manual vs. Auto focus: As you get more into photography, you'll need a Manual focus lens for custom-tailored results. It's generally a bad idea to buy a lens that does not have Manual focus as an option (most have both Manual and Automatic).

"Can I use a Nikon lens on a Canon digital camera?" "Can I use a Canon lens on a Nikon digital camera?" (etc., etc., etc.). The answer is technically "yes", with the usage of various adapters that are available on the aftermarket, which retail for about $200. As your digital camera manual most likely suggests - using another brand lens on your digital camera is not recommended, and it is generally advised to use lenses of the same brand, or those that are listed as compatible. The camera company is not saying this to boost sales for their own lenses, but for your product's proper maintenance. A general rule of thumb is to stick with the same brand lens of your camera's brand. I doubt you'll want to take a chance with something as valuable as your digital camera and new lens!

Go to: Canon Lenses | Nikon Lenses | Sony Lenses | Olympus Lenses

Unofficially known as the last lens you'll ever need - this professional caliber lens tackles anything from weddings, to high-speed sports shots with the grace and quality of a magazine cover page image. Heralded as the premier lens of Canon's famed L-series lenses, this lens has superior focus & image stabilization capabilities, and is the ultimate complement to your digital SLR. With a lens like this, you can undoubtedly consider your side career as a freelance photographer!

Nikon Digital Cameras:
Check for daily Nikon deals at the Nikon Store @ RitzCamera.com - RitzCamera has become one of the most competitive digital camera and camera lens pricers in the country!

Canon Digital Cameras:
Check the Canon Double Rebates Program. Buy 2 different eligible Canon item and get DOUBLE the rebate amount!

Other/General Savings & Deals:
Check for any new rebate offers at WolfCamera.com - which is frequently updated (especially near holidays).