Prime Lens Vs Zoom Lens – Which Is Best?
So, you’re wanting to get a new lens, but you’re not quite sure whether to buy a prime lens or a zoom lens. Both types of lenses have their advantages and disadvantages, and you want to make sure you make the right decision and get the lens which best fits your photographic needs.
In case you didn’t already know, the main difference between a zoom lens and prime lens is that a zoom lens enables you to adjust your focal length within a certain range (for example 18-50mm), whereas a prime lens has a fixed focal length.
So you might be wondering what the point is of using a prime lens. Surely if you have the choice between a lens with flexibility and one with no flexibility, then surely the flexible one is the best one, isn’t it? Well, it’s not really as straightforward as that, because prime lenses do have some advantages. To begin with, they are lighter than zoom lenses because they have less moving parts. Mechanically speaking, they are simpler.
In addition to this, prime lenses usually have wider apertures. The aperture of a lens determines how much light the lens lets in at any one time. Aperture ratings are in ratios, for example 1:3.5 or 1:2.8, but usually when buying a lens you will see it shown without the 1 in front of it, for example 3.5. Lenses with lower aperture numbers are more expensive, as a lower number means a wider aperture. Having a wide aperture produces a shallow depth of field, meaning that only a small distance range is in focus. A narrow depth of field (a wide aperture) would be great for close-ups of flowers where you want the background blurred, whereas a large depth-of-field (a small aperture) would be ideal for landscape photos.
Okay, so how about the zoom lens?
Well, a zoom lens will give you a bigger range of distances to compose your image. This means that you don’t need to move closer or further away from your subject to get the picture you’re after. It can also be great for taking shots of wildlife, because you can zoom in without having to change your position, so you will be less likely to scare the animal away.
The best way to decide which type of lens is right for you is to ask yourself what type of photography you are going to be doing. If you are going to be photographing a scene which remains still, such as a landscape scene, then a prime lens could be a good choice. If on the other hand you want to photograph things that are moving, such as animals, people, or sports photography, then a zoom lens is a must.
So, you’re wanting to get a new lens, but you’re not quite sure whether to buy a prime lens or a zoom lens. Both types of lenses have their advantages and disadvantages, and you want to make sure you make the right decision and get the lens which best fits your photographic needs.
In case you didn’t already know, the main difference between a zoom lens and prime lens is that a zoom lens enables you to adjust your focal length within a certain range (for example 18-50mm), whereas a prime lens has a fixed focal length.
So you might be wondering what the point is of using a prime lens. Surely if you have the choice between a lens with flexibility and one with no flexibility, then surely the flexible one is the best one, isn’t it? Well, it’s not really as straightforward as that, because prime lenses do have some advantages. To begin with, they are lighter than zoom lenses because they have less moving parts. Mechanically speaking, they are simpler.
In addition to this, prime lenses usually have wider apertures. The aperture of a lens determines how much light the lens lets in at any one time. Aperture ratings are in ratios, for example 1:3.5 or 1:2.8, but usually when buying a lens you will see it shown without the 1 in front of it, for example 3.5. Lenses with lower aperture numbers are more expensive, as a lower number means a wider aperture. Having a wide aperture produces a shallow depth of field, meaning that only a small distance range is in focus. A narrow depth of field (a wide aperture) would be great for close-ups of flowers where you want the background blurred, whereas a large depth-of-field (a small aperture) would be ideal for landscape photos.
Okay, so how about the zoom lens?
Well, a zoom lens will give you a bigger range of distances to compose your image. This means that you don’t need to move closer or further away from your subject to get the picture you’re after. It can also be great for taking shots of wildlife, because you can zoom in without having to change your position, so you will be less likely to scare the animal away.
The best way to decide which type of lens is right for you is to ask yourself what type of photography you are going to be doing. If you are going to be photographing a scene which remains still, such as a landscape scene, then a prime lens could be a good choice. If on the other hand you want to photograph things that are moving, such as animals, people, or sports photography, then a zoom lens is a must.
It’s not always easy trying to make this kind of decision, but whatever you decide, a Canon EF 85mm or a Nikon 17-55mm 2.8 Lens are good examples of the type of lenses that will always be useful to have as part of your photography kit.
About the Author
Canon EF 75-300mm f4-5.6 Zoom Lens Review on my Canon EOS 350d / Digital Rebel XT
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