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The term “trinity lens” refers to a fast-aperture zoom lens with a constant maximum aperture of F2.8. These lenses are favored by many photographers. Many people may be interested in trinity lenses but hesitant about making a purchase. There are cases where a regular zoom lens feels enough, and there may be concerns due to ease of carrying due to the weight and size, price, or other factors. On the other hand, there is no denying the appeal and expressive capabilities unique to trinity lenses. That’s why in this article we will describe the characteristics of these trinity lenses and give you some information to help with choose the right lenses.
What are trinity lenses?
The “holy trinity of lenses” or simply “trinity lenses” is a general name given to three fast aperture zoom lenses with a constant maximum aperture of F2.8, namely a wide-angle zoom, standard zoom and telephoto zoom. As trinity lenses have a large aperture, they characteristically produce the large bokeh typical of interchangeable lens cameras. Moreover, since they take in a large amount of light, they allow you to bring in enough light even at higher shutter speeds.
Why do people say “you don’t need a trinity lens?”
While trinity lenses offer a range of benefits, there are cases where some people think trinity lenses are not needed. In this next section we will look at some of the reasons why.
Own prime lenses with high image quality
As prime lenses generally have fast apertures indicated by their low f-stop values such as F1.4 or F2 and allow you to take images with high image quality and beautiful bokeh, many photos use primes as their main lenses. That is why there are some people who own prime lenses, favor the image quality and expressions of bokeh they produce, and do not feel the need to go to the effort of purchasing trinity lenses.
However, since prime lenses review you to move yourself in relation to a subject in order to adjust the angle of view, for subjects where it is physically difficult to adjust the distance or scenarios that limit movements to different shooting locations, it can be difficult to deal with a prime lens. That is why there are many situations were a zoom lens comes in handy.
Good enough photos can be taken with lenses offering standard performance
Some people are happy with the quality of the photos they can take in terms of image quality and brightness with regular zoom lenses that are not considered trinity lenses. In those cases, a person might also not see a need to have trinity lenses.
Uncertain about weight and size
As trinity lenses have fast apertures combined with complex optical designs, the lenses tend to be larger and heavier than regular zoom lenses. That is why there are cases where people feel that ease of carrying and handling are drawbacks.
However, among trinity lenses there are models that maintaining their performance characteristics while striking an excellent balance with their light weight and compact size. TAMRON, for example, has a lineup of lenses that bear these characteristics, and we encourage you to check them out.
Prices tend to be high
There are cases where you want to purchase a trinity lens but the price is higher than your budget allows and you find it difficult to get your hands on one. As many trinity lens models use special materials for their glass elements and coatings, and generously incorporate optical technologies, the prices tend to be on the higher side.
Considering the budget, there is also the option of “F4 trinity lenses.” As the name suggests, these are zoom lenses with a constant maximum aperture of F4, and like the holy trinity of lenses, refers to three zoom lenses, namely a wide-angle, standard and telephoto zoom. Despite having a darker f-stop than trinity lenses, these lenses tend to be more compact, lightweight and inexpensive than their trinity counterparts.
What are the benefits of trinity lenses?
Up to this point we’ve been looking at reason why people think they don’t need a trinity lens. But trinity lenses also have many unique and hard to replicate advantages. Let’s have a look at some of those benefits.
You can take bright images with high image quality
Generally speaking, most trinity lenses are marketed for their pursuit of good optical performance, and the ability to take photos with high image quality is one of their biggest characteristics. Additionally, due to their fast apertures (small f-stop values), the camera can gather a greater amount of light, allowing subjects to be photographed without issue in indoor environments with insufficient brightness, and when there is not enough sunlight such as cloudy weather or dusk. Another advantage is the ability to increase the shutter speed even in dark locations, which allows you to take images with high image quality while minimizing camera shake.
You can render beautiful bokeh
Trinity lenses elaborately combine multiple special lens elements and also use cutting-edge lens coatings. As a result, they are able to produce high clarity images that boast stunning bokeh and suppress aberrations and flare. This allows you to achieve glamourous bokeh effects that are smooth and bear the hallmarks of interchangeable lenses cameras, something that could be described as “bokeh that just melts away.”
You can keep the same exposure settings when swapping lenses
Trinity lenses have the same wide-open aperture of F2.8 from the wide-angle zoom through to the telephoto zoom. This feature means that even when you swap lenses, you will be able to keep your exposure largely the same without having to make major exposure adjustments.
Shooting scenarios where trinity lenses shine
Trinity lenses allow you to take photos with high image quality in all manner of scenarios, whether portraits or shooting indoors. In this next section we will introduce some scenarios where the use of trinity lenses are especially recommended.
Portraits
To utilize the beautiful bokeh that is characteristic to a trinity lens, we recommend portrait photography. By setting an f-stop value that is close to the wide-open aperture, you can take impressive portraits that will bring out the charm of your subject. Additionally, since trinity lenses have a bright constant maximum aperture of F2.8, you can take high image quality shots even when shooting against backgrounds with low light such as shade or night scenes.
Shooting indoors, events, weddings
With a trinity lens it is easier to take bright images even in locations with minimal light, such as indoor recitals, weddings, and concerts. Moreover, at events such as weddings where you need photos taken from various angles of view, a benefit of trinity lenses is that you can shoot with a fixed exposure even when swapping lenses. This allows you to capture definitive scenes without missing shooting opportunities.
Sports
When shooting sports, you need to click the shutter in time with the fast movements of subjects. In general, images tend to be darker when faster shutter speeds are used. However, with a trinity lens it is easier to ensure a sufficient amount of light when shooting things like indoor sports under low-light conditions, even at low ISO sensitivity and faster shutter speeds. This allows you to take clear and beautiful images with minimal subject blurring or camera shake.
Wild animals and pets
As with sports, to photograph moving animals you need a fast shutter speed, and with a trinity lens you will be able to ensure high image quality with sufficient brightness. The ability to ensure proper exposure event when there is minimal sunlight such as during cloudy weather or at dusk is particularly appealing. In addition, many trinity lenses feature excellent moisture-resistant constructions, making them ideal for shooting outdoors.
Landscape photography
Trinity lenses are also great for taking sharp and clear landscape shots. As it is possible to take in a sufficient amount of light even with the aperture stopped down, you can take landscape photos with clear and crisp rendering down to the fine details. And similar to when photographing wildlife, as you can take bright photos even under adverse conditions such as cloudy weather, you will be able to produce high quality images even in severe environments with unpredictable weather.
Important points when choosing trinity lenses
Many of those thinking about a trinity lens are focused on image quality. But when choosing a trinity lens, there are key points other than image quality you should also take into account, such as portability and ease of operation. In this next section we will share some of the points to consider when purchasing a trinity lens.
Check the portability
First, check the weight and size of the lens. Due to their construction, trinity lenses in general tend to be larger and heavier. But there are models designed to be lighter and more compact. As trinity lenses are often carried around for extended periods during travel, events, climbing mountains and so on, a lens that is as portable as possible is a good choice. A lens with good handling will make it less likely for you to miss definitive moments.
Rendering performance including contrast and gradation expression
Contrast and gradation expression are key points that reveal the individual qualities of a lens. When a lens can properly render contrast between light and dark in your photos, it will significantly deepen the expressive range available to you.
Additionally, a lens with outstanding gradation expression will be able to portray subtle gradations and light color tones in your subject in delicate and smooth fashion. We encourage you to check shooting impressions for different lenses while confirming MTF curves and other data to pick a lens that mostly closely represents what you envision.
MOD (Minimum Object Distance)
MOD is the shortest distance from a subject to the camera at which the subject can be brought into focus. As a shorter minimum object distance enables close-up photography similar to a macro lens, it broadens the range of your visual expression. This is an important point to check when you want to try to take distinctive images, such as photos that strongly emphasize details.
Autofocus (AF) performance
Trinity lenses are often used under harsh conditions, such as dim environments, fast shutter speeds, and situations that require frequent adjustments to the angle of view. Therefore, an AF mechanism that lets you bring subjects into focus without stress will make it easier to consistently capture images with high image quality without missing shooting opportunities. If a lens also offers strong AF tracking performance, you will be able to reliably track moving subjects, making it easier to deal with subjects that move in unpredictable ways such as children and animals. When shooting in quiet environments such as recitals, or photographing skittish animals, an AF mechanism with excellent quietness is another thing to look out for.
Enjoy taking attractive images with trinity lenses
Using a trinity lens, you can take photos utilizing stunning bokeh that are bright and boast high image quality. Another appeal of a trinity lens is their versatility in various shooting scenarios, from portraits to sports photography. While your impression of a trinity lens might be that they are heavy, large and difficult to handle, there are also lightweight and compact models. When purchasing a trinity lens, check the key points introduced in this article and choose the lens that is the best fit for you.
