Weekly Poll: Primes or Zooms?

[Nicole]

Last week we tried to get some opinions about whether you'd pick Jpg or Raw if you had to choose only one file format to shoot in. Raw won out by a pretty significant margin, but feel free to keep adding your votes and thoughts to that thread. I hope to see even more votes and responses this week!

This week, let's hear whether you'd choose prime lenses or zooms if you could only pick one.

Once again, there's no wishy-washy answers, and it doesn't matter what your actual setup is. So, if you had to choose between using only prime lenses or only zoom lenses, which would it be? Vote, tell us why, let's get some discussion going.

But first, let's look at what some of the differences are between primes and zooms. Prime lenses are lenses which have a fixed focal length. Zoom lenses, well, they go through a range of focal lengths (for example, an 18-55mm lens). Each type of lens has its advantages and disadvantages. Primes are often cited as being sharper and having better low-light capabilities, but they aren't as versatile as zooms which give you a range of focal distances. Once again, there's no easy answer because it's obviously personal preference, but let's hear from you about why you prefer one or the other.

[Nicole]

I'll start out first again. I would pick prime lenses. I know that zooms are more convenient since you can have a lot of different focal lengths in one piece of glass, but I like the idea of primes, and I like the low light abilities of primes. I don't mind having to zoom with my feet (as it were), and they have the ability to take really sharp pictures. So, my ideal collection would probably include a nice collection of prime lenses.

Now, who's next?

[velvet4269]

All these polls are making me wish I had considerably more experience with my camera, and money to play around with different lenses!

I like the versatility in my zoom lenses (okay, and I've only played with one of them), but I'm itching for a Macro lens. Sadly, it's probably going to be another year before I have the funds saved up for it (this is the one I'm eyeing which is $424 on B&H).

I'll have to wait and answer the question fully once I've had time to get a Prime lense & play with it

[jdepould]

I've often heard that the 50mm prime would be the last lens to give up; I wasn't really sure about this until I got one myself. If you want my 50, you're going to have to pry it from my cold, dead hand.

[Nicole]

Originally Posted by jdepould

I've often heard that the 50mm prime would be the last lens to give up; I wasn't really sure about this until I got one myself. If you want my 50, you're going to have to pry it from my cold, dead hand.

Isn't that the truth That was the lens that made me pick my answer

[thingy]

If you had asked before I picked up my nifty fifty, I'd have sided with the versatile zooms. But I am totally into my fifty now. Sharp, Fast, Great DOF! Having said that, the zooms always come with me too

G

[wulf]

If I had to choose, I would reluctantly go with a zoom for flexibility (assuming it could be a super sharp, wide range, high end piece of glass ); I love my "nifty fifty" and often limit myself to using it for a session but would prefer to have a wide range of framing choices than I could get with footwork alone.

Wulf

[prrs4me]

I would have to say zoom for the versatility. I have an "L" lens and the pictures are very clear. I have the 50mm but haven't used it as much as I have the zoom. It just seems that everytime I have the prime lens on I miss a shot further away. Some situations don't allow for your feet to be the zoom.
This may change at a later date but for now it's the zoom for me.

[Saralonde]

As much as I love the Canon 100mm macro, if I had to choose 1 lens to take with me as I go out the door, it would be my Tamron 28-75. So I guess that puts me into the zoom camp. And yes. like everyone else, it's the versatility that makes me chose it. The primes have that wonderful low light feature and sharpness, but the right zoom can come close.

Put me down for zoom.

[Tiberius]

i couldn't decide, I like both.

But if I had to choose ONE, I'd go with a top quality fast zoom.