Legend has it that when it comes to glass, there is a collection of three lenses that will enable any photographer to tackle any shoot with accuracy and competency. Enter the Holy Trinity lenses.
Are you thinking of adding one or more of the Holy Trinity lenses to your kit bag? We’re currently offering a promotion on all of Tamron’s Holy Trinity lenses, linked in this blog post. What’s more, if you purchase one of the aforementioned lenses during the month of February 2022, you will stand a chance to win a Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Di III VC VXD Lens for Sony E (valued at R20,595).
Typically consisting of a wide-angle zoom, a standard zoom, and a telephoto lens, the Holy Trinity is specifically designed to combine forces and provide you with the versatile range of focal lengths you need to capture most kinds of shoots. Think everything from landscapes and astrophotography to portraiture and sports. They are an ideal option for beginners who don’t want to invest in a plethora of primes, or for established professionals who want to travel relatively light while still being able to achieve the high quality results demanded by their occupation.
Depending on the manufacturer, these lenses usually cover the range of focal lengths spanning 14mm to 200mm. Aperture is important too, and in most cases, camera manufacturers will offer these lenses a fast fixed maximum aperture of f/2.8, although there are often f/4 options available for those who find the faster variable focal length lenses to be out of their budget.
Benefits of shooting on these lenses include:
- The Ability to Zoom: With these lenses covering everything from an ultra-wide 16mm to the intimate 200mm range, you can fit more into your frame or get close to your subject with ease.
- The Aperture Range: While there are certainly faster lenses on the market (most notably primes with a maximum aperture of f/1.8, f/1.4 or f/1.2), considering their variable focal length capabilities, it is very impressive that the Holy Trinity lenses can deliver a constant f-stop as fast as f/2.8.
- The Convenience: The Holy Trinity is designed to cover all your bases. This means carrying fewer lenses with you, switching your optics less on shoots, and not having to walk your focal lengths as much so you can concentrate on getting the shot, no matter the conditions, without repositioning yourself.
Let’s briefly take a look at each of the versatile Holy Trinity lenses, and their common uses.
THE WIDE ZOOM
The first member of the Holy Trinity is the 16-35mm. The widest of the group, the 16-35mm’s focal range makes it a perfect fit for documentary photography, street photography, and shooting subject matter where you need to fit a lot into the frame, such as architecture, landscapes, and interiors. It also tends to be a popular choice for those creating in the astrophotography space, or for video shooters who want to capture time-lapses. In more recent years, the 16-35mm has also been widely used amongst vloggers and content creators, who have found that the inherent stabilisation and broad field of view provided by its focal length made it an obvious choice for documenting their lives on the move.
Shop the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD Lens for Sony E.
THE STANDARD ZOOM
While some third-party manufacturers like Tamron offer this in a 28-70mm or 28-75mm format, the second lens in the Holy Trinity usually comes in the form of the wildly popular 24-70mm. This is one of the most flexible lenses on the market. The fact that it can cover such a wide range of focal lengths — including the classic 50mm — means it is perfectly suited to capturing landscapes, portraits, and macro images, as well as weddings, travel, and lifestyle shots. It is also a go-to option for videographers, who can use it to shoot just about anything.
Shop the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 Lens for Sony E.
THE VARIABLE FOCAL LENGTH TELEPHOTO
Lastly, we have the 70-200mm lens. Having the narrowest field of view of all the Holy Trinity lenses, the 70-200mm gets you close to your subject even from a distance, and delivers beautiful background compression. These features have made it a popular choice wildlife and sports photographers who cannot always be in close proximity to their subjects, as well as wedding and portrait photographers who want to make their subjects stand out from the background.
Shop the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD Lens for Sony E.
There certainly are benefits to primes, including wider maximum apertures, and possibly slightly greater image quality due to fewer optical elements through which the light has to pass on its way to the sensor. However, for those who require a fast, flexible, and reliable shooting experience, the Holy Trinity lenses deliver unmatched convenience, unparalleled ease of use, and unrivalled performance that make them an appealing option for kitting out the camera bag of most image-makers.
