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| High-ratio zoom lenses certainly are convenient, but may give up speed for convenience. Prime, fixed focal length lenses generally are faster, but obviously do not offer the convenience of zooms. Do you currently own a fast, fixed focal length lens? |
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| Submitted by Editor, Oct 8 2009 |
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Please comment briefly on what you see as the advantage of a fast prime lens. |
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| Yes, I count on it for low light and shallow depth of field.: 36% |
| No, I enjoy the convenience of zooms and don't need another lens in my kit.: 31% |
| I carry both all the time.: 31% |
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I use my single focal length lenses (I have a 50mm f/2.8 prime and a 180mm f/3.5 telephoto) when I need the utmost sharpness. |
| —Milton McNatt |
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In addition to low light capability, fast lenses are important to me as I age since they provide a brighter image in the viewfinder. Also, they may tend to be sharper at actual shooting apertures since it would not be needed to shoot wide open at certain times. One would tend to shoot slower lenses wide open more often. |
| —Bob Horner |
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I'd love a fast, fixed lens, but they are beyond my budget. I use my zoom and learn to live within its limitations. |
| —Bill Lubben |
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High quality primes offer unsurpassed quality and good value. They encourage one to take care with composition. |
| —Steve Ferris |
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I prefer high-ratio zoom lenses. If I need shallow depth of field I use the maximum zoom focal length. One good advantage of a prime, fixed focal length lens with the wider aperture is that it allows more light to go into the camera for the auto-focus mechanism to better do its job. After years of shooting weddings with a fixed focal length lens, high-ratio zooms are a Godsend. |
| —Dale Hazard |
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Most zooms are way too slow for low light action photography. Sure it can be done by setting the iso to6400, 12800, 25600, ... . But who wants the grain. Then there's AF. A slow lens can't AF as well as a fast lens and sometime not at all. |
| —Ed |
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I always carry three lens. A 10-20 wide angle zoom, 18-250 all- purpose zoom, and a 50mm f1.4. The prime is too perfect for low light & Shallow DOF. |
| —Gary Zak |
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The Canon EF 50mm 1.4 is my all time favorite lens, both for 35mm film and full frame digital. Lightweight, small package, superior optics, fast focusing, bright viewfinder, zoom with your feet, exposure becomes second nature. I own big heavy zooms but always return to my 35mm, 50mm and 85mm primes. |
| —Don Gerrish |
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Amazing what you can get out of the primes. There are zooms that are very fast but is just not the same. |
| —Pete |
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Actually carry both most of the time. When I need to go compact for whatever reason, I use the zooms and higher ISO's. |
| —Eugene Marrero, Jr. |
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I do not currently own a prime long lens, and wish I did. I have always liked the quality, and the fact that I have to think a bit more when framing an image. When I can afford a good, faster prime lens in the 400 mm range, it will be mine. |
| —Michael McGuire |
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Almost all of my shooting is of the walk around type - travel, portraits, etc - and I rely 100% on 3 zooms which cover 17mm to 300mm. This so far has met my needs completely and I don't have to keep thinking about trying a different lens; not to mention the time to switch out and lug a lot of different glass around. I also make 11x19 prints and sell them using this set up. |
| —Gregory Harestad |
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Can't beat the light weight and contrast provided by the 35 f/1.8 and 50 f/1.4 AFS Nikkors. |
| —Mark Hayes |
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Although I carry both, I absolutely love the speed of the 50mm/f2.0 macro. |
| —Will Siler |
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I usually have a 28mm 1.4 lens on the camera. But I also carry either a fast 60 macro, or a 28-85 zoom. with the 1.6 factor of my 40D that covers most of my needs. |
| —Sam Feder |
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I use Primes in 100mm focal length and below for ultra sharp "money" shots. Sometimes I frame the shot with a zoom to determine which focal length prime to use instead of trying several primes. I use zooms when I'm moving fast and for most telephoto shots, except with my 600mm prime. Not all primes are sufficiently sharp, so you need to run comparative tests of your camera maker's and independent lens maker's various offerings in similar focal length before buying. You'd be amazed at the difference once you display the image on screen at high magnification. Buy primes wisely! |
| —Jon O. Clarke |
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Another reason to carry a prime lens is that most primes are lighter than high-quality zoom lenses, an important factor for me and my arthritic neck. |
| —Joe Sutherland |
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I have and use prime lenses, but only for purposes zooms don't exist, like fisheyes and macro lenses. For me the biggest advandage of zooms over primes is that they allow you to compose perfectly. Composition is allmost everything for me. |
| —Vaggelis Ritsos |
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For me, However, the fixed aperture zoom lens does give better all-around sharpeness at any five focal length than the variable aperture zoom lens. So for me, when I want a zoom portrail lens I use my 28-75 f2.8 Tamron or my 80-200 f2.8 Nikon. |
| —Joe Mirenzi |
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I use old Canon FD and Olympus OM lenses on my Lumix DMC-G1 for the excellent depth of field and fast shutter speed in normal light. The virtual doubling of the focal length in my Micro 4/3rds make them great sports lenses! |
| —Carl Berger |
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My 50/1.4 is my "carry-around" lens on my Sony Alpha DSLR. I use it for "street photography" and informal portraits. If I'm off to the country for some general shooting, then I carry my gadget bag with two zoom lenses, a macro lens, and a pinhole adapter for my Sony. However, the 50 is what stays on the camera the most. |
| —Dan Mouer |
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I always keep a "fast 50" in my bag. |
| —Derek |
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Using my ancient, great manual focus legacy primes via adapters, but primarily for studio work. When I'm out and about, I leave them at home; they are heavy, and accurate manual focus is difficult with modern DSLR bodies. |
| —Robert MacLeay |
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Different situations call for different lenses. To restrict oneself to only one type of lens is just that - a restriction. My walk-around lens is a zoom but I always carry a couple of primes as well. |
| —Robert Woodward |
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High ratio zooms are a waste because they don't let in enough light. But zooms with a large fixed aperture are very useful. My two primary zooms are 24-70 f2.8 and 70-210 f3.5. |
| —Allen |
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I have a high-ratio zoom, faster small-ratio zooms and fast primes. When shooting in low-light situations, sometimes the fast primes are the best choice to keep ISO values within the camera's best performance range while allowing reasonable shutter speeds. |
| —Richard Baker |
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My choice of lenses is dependent upon my subject. For portraits and macros, primes are an indespensible tool. For day to day and everything in between, fast zooms fit the bill. |
| —Michael Rosenberg |
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It all depends on the assignment. Most of my work is landscape & plants, so I usually have time to arrange whatever look I want. |
| —Mel Reimer |
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As someone who started out in 1969 with manual everything Konica 35 mm SLR with a 50mm f 1.4 lens I have found this to be an indispensible tool for capturing light in the search for expression. Before there was AMEX we said of such a set-up, "Don't leave home without it!" |
| —High Desert Pete |
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I tend to use my 18-50mm zoom all the time, since it is a fast macro lens. But I also keep my faster 77mm lens at hand for portraits in low light. |
| —David |
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Low light sharpness and good depth-of-field control are the reasons I have these prime lenses. Zooms do not measure up. |
| —W. Goodrich |
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The optical quality of a prime lens seems better to me. Zooms cannot compete in extreme low light... |
| —Raymond Brown |
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I use the fixed focal lenght lens for special shooting needs. |
| —R. Sellers |
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With my budget, the fast zooms are way out of price range. I shoot a lot of low light and need the speed. |
| —Ann McClendon |
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I love the natural light images possible using my 50mm f1.4 lens. |
| —Joel Gilgoff |
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I don't own any high ratio (18-200, etc.) zooms because the slow speed and optical quality compromises are too great for my work. I still regularly use 85 f/1.8 and 35 f/2 among others on my Pentax digital SLRs for a lot of professional work. |
| —Andrew Gillis |
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Nikon's new 35mm 1.8 is an excellent tool for low light situations; lightweight and small, easy to carry and very useful. |
| —M. Alvarez |
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I love my Nikon 105mm, f2.8 macro for portraits, close-ups, and general photography under tightly controlled conditions. |
| —Russ Meyers |
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I use my canon 50mm 1.4 for great facial shots and very low light. The only set back I have with it a lot of times I don't have the room to use it in low light areas. I seen an add for a 17 to 50 2.8 have you any news on it? |
| —Tom Rogalski |
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Plus they are generally smaller and lighter to carry... |
| —Mike Homa |
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The optical quality of the prime lens is far superior to that of any zoom. Color and contrast are better. The slight inconvenience of needing to move my feet to best utilize these features is well worth the price and the extra weight. |
| —Kendall Adams |
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Without a doubt they both have their place. If I could only afford one lense it would be the convienience of a zoom lense. |
| —Paul |
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Advantages: 1) ability to shoot in low light at events or weddings 2) Often better glass 3) Often smaller or lighter lens 4) Often better bokeh. |
| —David Ziff |
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The fast focus and low-light sometimes more than make up for the convenience of zoom-composition. But, just like any toolbox, you really need both for various reasons. |
| —Dan |
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Zooms are great for convenience but you can't beat a good fast, sharp prime. It is also much lighter and smaller and the ability to have shallow depth of field is the clincher. It can also be a good discipline to be restricted to one fixed focal length and to have to compose within its limitations. |
| —John Strain |
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I have filled out my collection of zooms (3) and am thinking about the Canon 50 L or 85 L. I do carry on occasion the far less expensive Canon 50 and 85 lenses. |
| —Jack |
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Zooming with your feet lets you think about the subject not the equipment. |
| —Dennis Simmons |
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I do own and use zooms along with primes but I would never buy one with more than a 5:1 ratio and preferably a 3:1. |
| —Photoburner |
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The shallow depth of field and sharpness are great for a prime. |
| —Carlos E. Delgado |
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I carry with me a lens for every situation. This includes 2 Primes and 2 Zooms. I know my limitations of each lens. |
| —Patti |
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For indoor shots where you are not allowed to use a flash, I use my Nikon 85mm 1.4, which is perfect. But for outdoor sports, I use my 80-400mm zoom, which I could not live without. |
| —Steve Larson |
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I own a Canon 50mm f1.4. It renders sharper and more pleasing images than my zoom lenses. |
| —Brigite |
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While all of my lens are zooms, that is not to say that I would never own/use a fast prime lens. In fact I will probably get some fixed lens. But for now, the zooms give me what I need. Most of my zooms are pro-level lens. |
| —Prentiss Berry |
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I won't give up speed and image quality for 'convenience'! |
| —G. Pereira |
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I use a 85mm 1.4. Good for basketball games with no flash. |
| —Al S. |
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I use 24mm f-2.8 wide, 50mm f-1.4 normal, and a 100mm f-2, moderate telephoto. Those were my fast prime lenses during the era of film. I had a camera body for each lens, and back then, the muscle to run around all day with this gear swinging from my neck, including my trusty potato masher type flash and its battery pack. I was young, and yes, the images those lens produced when used wide open were soft and dreamy, but that was the flavor of the day anyway, especially for weddings, which was 90% of my workload. My first zoom lens was a Vivitar Series 1, 70-210, f-4. It was a fine lens. It was also very large and heavy compared to what I was used to hauling, so it didn't see much action as a wedding lens. It did become my favorite general purpose optic for the ease of framing it provided, and it did make a favorable impression that just screamed professional photographer. Yeah baby, people took notice when you whipped that big boy out of your camera bag. Slap a deep rubber lens shade on the front for maximum effect and folks would start walking and sometimes running toward you wearing that photogenic twinkle in their eyes that says, take my picture please. Today my gear is based around one camera body and a 10-22 wide angle zoom that I use for 80% of my photography. The other 20% is handled by a 50mm f-1.4, and a 100mm f-2.8 macro, and my trusty, but least used, 70-200mm f-2.8L. Lens wise, things haven't changed that much for me, except that they are generally smaller, lighter, and sharper optics than was available when I first got hooked on photography. |
| —Donnie G. |
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The good ones are expensive and used rarely. So, no. |
| —Bob Hall |
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I do alot of astro=photography and really need the speed of my two prime lenses. |
| —Douglas K. Gilchrist |
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I always have my Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 with me. I like it a lot more than any super zoom lens I've used. During a recent trip to Michigan's UP I used my 50mm almost exculsivley. I love the wide apeture even though your stuck at one focal length. |
| —Ryan Watkins |
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When I need the sharpest image, best bohkeh, low light, or some combination of the above I turn to my fast primes. I have a 30mm f1.4, and 85mm f1.8. I also own four zooms which I admittedly use 95% of the time. |
| —Joey Lee |
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I carry 14-24 2.8, 24-105mm macro and 50mm 1.8. 105 macro, most the time. Plus a 70-300mm 5.6, next purchase 24-70 2.8. |
| —Ray |
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