In praise of primes

[RustySterling]

I have a few very nice zoom lenses. And I leaned on them for quite awhile. But I've recently found myself going back to my roots and using primes nearly all the time. My 85mm f/1.8 never comes off of one of my bodies. And I find myself going back and forth between my 50mm f/1.8 and 200mm f/2.8 on the other body.

It isn't the speed of the lenses. I find that my composition is improving. There was a recently article here on DPS about the love of primes and how the 50mm changed one shooters life. And I find myself in the same boat.

Years ago, when I shot for newspapers, there wasn't one zoom in my bag. In fact, the 50mm was my most used lens. And I think I did a pretty good job with it. I know I certainly got some shots that others did not. So, like I said, shooting primarily with primes is going back to my roots.

I love the act of physically moving instead of turning the zoom ring on the lens. That simple movement can make all the change in the world to a shot, simply because we don't always move in a straight line. That means our perspective really changes when we move our bodies and consequently the lens as we line up out shots.

I know there are others here who also love their primes. I'm not knocking zooms. It's just that lately I've become very primal.

[fceexp1]

Hi. About one year ago, I bought my first prime (nikkor 50mm 1.4) and have definitely grown in the quality of my work. To be candid, I didn't understand why in the world I would ever want a lens that I felt was so "limiting." Turns out, I was the one who was "limited" in my thinking. This lens has taught me so much about composition, DOF, high contrast lighting, and so on.

I was part of the typical public in thinking that "bigger is better" so give me my 28-200 and get the heck out of my way. Little did I realize that unless I was shooting very fast speeds, my 200mm not my friend!

For as much as camera manufacturers love to promote the "joy" of photography, I don't know why they do not put primes as the kit lens. Get people started with a successful understanding of their cameras and the function of the lens. Then they can sell us the zooms, the wide angles, etc. I'm sure some marketing person at Nikon or Canon has data that tells me I am wrong.

Prime Away!

[acedrew]

I switch between my 24mm and 50mm 85% of the time, and if I had the money, I would have gotten a 400mm 2.8L instead of my 100-400 4.5-5.6 that makes up the other 15%. I LOVE my PRIMES!

Andrew Rodgers
Perfected Perspectives -- Photography by Andrew Rodgers | Andrew Rodgers (acedrew) on Twitter

[Samanax]

A bunch of my Canon friends and I have been doing the same thing and going more with primes instead of zooms lately.

I currently only have 3 primes (50mm f/1.8, 60mm f/2.8 and 85mm f/1.8) but have been eyeing a few more.

My friends have really gone prime crazy within the last year and collectively they have gotten the EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye, EF 24mm f/1.4L, EF 35mm f/1.4L, EF 50mm f/1.2L, EF 50mm f/1.4, EF 85mm f/1.2L, EF 100mm f/2.0, EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro, EF 135mm f/2.0L, EF 200mm f/2.8L, EF 300mm f/2.8L, EF 400mm f/2.8L and the EF 600mm f/5.6L...which is really nice because I get to borrow .

One friend has no zooms at all now.

[RustySterling]

Originally Posted by Samanax

My friends have really gone prime crazy within the last year and collectively they have gotten the EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye, EF 24mm f/1.4L, EF 35mm f/1.4L, EF 50mm f/1.2L, EF 50mm f/1.4, EF 85mm f/1.2L, EF 100mm f/2.0, EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro, EF 135mm f/2.0L, EF 200mm f/2.8L, EF 300mm f/2.8L, EF 400mm f/2.8L and the EF 600mm f/5.6L...which is really nice because I get to borrow .

Yikes, that is crazy. Some of those lenses cost some serious money. Glad they share with you.

My next prime is a 28mm f/1.8, which arrives next Monday. After that I'm eyeing the 135mm f/2.0L. Don't know if I'll go for 300mm or 400mm but if I do I'll save up for the fast glass - but that could take awhile.

[inkista]

Tell me how the 28/1.8 is!! I've been eyeing that one myself, ever since I played with the Contax Zeiss 28/2.8. I had no idea how much that focal length would feel like "coming home", but it's a near perfect match to a 50 on my old Oly OM-10. My only problem with the 28/1.8 is the pricetag, especially with this year's price increases.

BTW, I think you'll love the 135L if you ever get your hands on one. Once I got mine, it virtually replaced the 85/1.8 in my bag. The 85 USM rocks, but the color/contrast of the 135L just whomp it into the ground, and the AF of the 135L is just as speedy.

And yeah, I'm nearly an all-prime shooter. The only zoom I use regularly is my 24-105L.

[RustySterling]

Originally Posted by inkista

Tell me how the 28/1.8 is!! I've been eyeing that one myself, ever since I played with the Contax Zeiss 28/2.8. I had no idea how much that focal length would feel like "coming home", but it's a near perfect match to a 50 on my old Oly OM-10. My only problem with the 28/1.8 is the pricetag, especially with this year's price increases.

BTW, I think you'll love the 135L if you ever get your hands on one. Once I got mine, it virtually replaced the 85/1.8 in my bag. The 85 USM rocks, but the color/contrast of the 135L just whomp it into the ground, and the AF of the 135L is just as speedy.

And yeah, I'm nearly an all-prime shooter. The only zoom I use regularly is my 24-105L.

I will let you know how the 28 is. Like you said, it's the closest thing to a 50mm FOV on a 1.6 crop body. I really am looking forward to it.

I still have my zooms and don't plan on losing them. The 24-105L is still my favorite zoom, but I like the range with the 17-40 and the 70-200 is sharp, sharp, sharp (but not as sharp at 200 as my 200 f/2.8L).

And I hear nothing but good things about the 135L. It's been on my radar for a long time. Just have a save a little do-ra-me -- but I'm close. Can't imagine it replacing my 85 because I just love that focal length. But I'll keep an open mind. Right now the 85 is the lens I use most if I'm only carrying one camera.

[Nicole]

Just thought I'd chime in with my love of prime lenses too. I felt like I'd lost a limb when I was without my 50mm for a little while. Primes and zooms take up an equal amount of room in my camera bag, but the primes are by far the most used (aside from my recent love of my ultrawide).

[Samanax]

Originally Posted by RustySterling

Yikes, that is crazy. Some of those lenses cost some serious money.

The lenses are spread out between 10 of my Canon friends. One guy owns some serious glass (the EF 300mm f/2.8L, EF 400mm f/2.8L and EF 600mm f/5.6L)...he shoots surf meets. Really nice guy.

Originally Posted by RustySterling

Glad they share with you.

I've been really fortunate to hookup with these guys. Really nice bunch and always willing to answer questions or let you borrow their equipment. Almost all of them have been shooting longer than I have.

Originally Posted by RustySterling

My next prime is a 28mm f/1.8, which arrives next Monday. After that I'm eyeing the 135mm f/2.0L.

I've been eyeing those two too. I hear the EF 135mm f/2.0L has really nice bokeh (a professional free-lance photographer friend of mine recommended that lens to me awhile back saying the bokeh is awesome).

Originally Posted by RustySterling

Don't know if I'll go for 300mm or 400mm but if I do I'll save up for the fast glass - but that could take awhile.

I hear ya. Blew my lens budget earlier this year on 3 new lenses so no new lenses for me until next year.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by RustySterling

...I hear nothing but good things about the 135L. It's been on my radar for a long time. Just have a save a little do-ra-me -- but I'm close. Can't imagine it replacing my 85 because I just love that focal length. But I'll keep an open mind. Right now the 85 is the lens I use most if I'm only carrying one camera.

Yeah, the 135 can be long for crop. I use it mainly to shoot events like booksignings and sf conventions, so I need the extra reach. Maybe hold off on getting the 135L until you've gone full-frame? Then you'll have the same FoV as an 85 on a crop. The other thing to consider is, if you don't use your 200L often, that a 1.4x on the 135 makes it a very close equivalent to a 200/2.8 as well.