Primes. Do theu really make you a better photog?

[Markw]

Set your zoom and take your hand off of it, it is now the same as a prime as far as learning goes. Would I learn more going out with a 50mm prime versus using a zoom lens set at 50mm? No, my learning will be based on how much work and thought I put into it. Just using a prime isn't going to teach you anything unless you go out specifically to improve. And as I just pointed out that can be done with your zoom lens.

True. But that's a matter of will power. Most people have none. Besides, [email protected]>[email protected]/5.6 any day.

Mark

 

[cgipson1]

Set your zoom and take your hand off of it, it is now the same as a prime as far as learning goes. Would I learn more going out with a 50mm prime versus using a zoom lens set at 50mm? No, my learning will be based on how much work and thought I put into it. Just using a prime isn't going to teach you anything unless you go out specifically to improve. And as I just pointed out that can be done with your zoom lens.

True. But that's a matter of will power. Most people have none. Besides, [email protected]>[email protected]/5.6 any day.

Mark

Very true... but:

Imagine we are walking through lightly wooded area! Suddenly a small subject pops up... about 30 yards out... your 50 wont cut it, your subject is a pin point! I zoom to 200 and get a great shot.

You decide to put your 180 prime on in case the small subject shows back up, but suddenly a deer rounds a tree and stand there for about 5 seconds about 6 feet away... I zoom to 70.. and get a great shot... you get a odd looking patch of unidentifiable hair.

everything is a trade off... whether it is the exposure triangle, lenses, or whatever... you have to go with what you like.. and want to use. Different conditions need different equipment, settings, etc....

 

[prodigy2k7]

I think the point is many people learning stand where they are at and simply zoom. They don't move around and primes tend to make you move around a bit. Maybe they would help a little in some areas of composition, but it's not worth missing a shot because to didn't have the correct focal length. Plus the versatility of zooms help rookies take photos of many different subjects without having to change lenses too often.

 

[gsgary]

Very true... but:

Imagine we are walking through lightly wooded area! Suddenly a small subject pops up... about 30 yards out... your 50 wont cut it, your subject is a pin point! I zoom to 200 and get a great shot.

You decide to put your 180 prime on in case the small subject shows back up, but suddenly a deer rounds a tree and stand there for about 5 seconds about 6 feet away... I zoom to 70.. and get a great shot... you get a odd looking patch of unidentifiable hair.

everything is a trade off... whether it is the exposure triangle, lenses, or whatever... you have to go with what you like.. and want to use. Different conditions need different equipment, settings, etc....

And blur because your aperture was not wide enough and shutter speed too slow

 

[cgipson1]

Very true... but:

Imagine we are walking through lightly wooded area! Suddenly a small subject pops up... about 30 yards out... your 50 wont cut it, your subject is a pin point! I zoom to 200 and get a great shot.

You decide to put your 180 prime on in case the small subject shows back up, but suddenly a deer rounds a tree and stand there for about 5 seconds about 6 feet away... I zoom to 70.. and get a great shot... you get a odd looking patch of unidentifiable hair.

everything is a trade off... whether it is the exposure triangle, lenses, or whatever... you have to go with what you like.. and want to use. Different conditions need different equipment, settings, etc....

And blur because your aperture was not wide enough and shutter speed too slow

Ahhh.. but I compensated!

 

[unpopular]

I am a big believer is self limitation.

 

[12sndsgood]

Set your zoom and take your hand off of it, it is now the same as a prime as far as learning goes. Would I learn more going out with a 50mm prime versus using a zoom lens set at 50mm? No, my learning will be based on how much work and thought I put into it. Just using a prime isn't going to teach you anything unless you go out specifically to improve. And as I just pointed out that can be done with your zoom lens.

True. But that's a matter of will power. Most people have none. Besides, [email protected]>[email protected]/5.6 any day.

Mark

If you have the willpower and desire to learn you should be able to keep a zoom in one setting for a day or two. i think in this disucssion what F/stop your lens has isn't really the issue, the issue is what it better for learning. I say you can learn the same with both if you choose to learn. I have zoom lenses, I have primes.

 

[SCraig]

Well, I shot this at 200mm:



Not exactly at 150 feet away, but it was shot with my 80-200 zoom. I could have shot it with a 135/2.0 just as easily.

But, I completely see what you're saying, and I agree there. Of course not everything can be shot with those two particular lenses. But, MOST people aren't shooting hawks at 150 feet away and could function on, oh..I'd say 75% of their work very well if given those two primes. By no means am I trying to advocate you to hinder yourself when shooting. I shoot with a 17-35/2.8, 85/1.4, and 300/4.0 The last two are simply because anything I could shoot with a 50, I could almost as easily shoot with the 85. Anything I would shoot with the 70-200 (save for events and the like. For those, I still use my trusty 80-200/2.8D), I could shoot with either the 85 or 300. I rarely use any zoom I have in the middle of the range anyhow for some reason. I just generally need the extremes more often. Would I kill for a 120-300/2.8 OS on most occasions when I'm using my 300/4 AF-s? Sure. But, it's also 6lbs.

Sure, there are, of course, situations where you will need other lenses, and lots where zooms are better options, but I was just trying to make the point that primes can be versatile, and very useful.

Mark

Primes can be versatile. I wholeheartedly agree, and they most assuredly have their place. I used them for years before consumer-grade zoom lenses became available. I still have several for my 35mm gear but none for my digital gear.

Zoom lenses have come a very, very long way. The first one I bought (and still have!) was a 75-150 Tamron (or possibly Tokina, something that started with a "T"). At the time (middle 70's) 2:1 focal length ratio was the norm and 3:1 was just coming on the scene. Anything with a higher ratio that could maintain image quality was primarily broadcast video and cost an arm and a leg. The difference in image quality between consumer prime lenses and zoom lenses was significant and easily noticeable.

These days 10:1 zoom ratios are not necessarily common but certainly available, and becoming more common all the time. At the same time the difference in image quality between a zoom and a prime is becoming so slight that the difference is almost negligible most of the time. That's the reason I have no primes today. Zoom lenses are so much more convenient, and other than the monetary cost and speed differences I really see no need to limit myself to a prime. The monetary cost I can afford, the speed cost I can live with.

Beautiful shot of the Hawk, by the way!

 

[c.cloudwalker]

I may be just repeating what has already been said but I have no intention of reading 3 pages of comments on this when the answer to your problem is very simple.

If you had more experience in/with photography, you would not be asking the question.

Another way to say that is that the type of photography you are doing should be telling you which way to go.

In probably 75% of cases it makes no difference which you pick because, yes, technically, today's zooms are just about as good as primes. However, we managed to shoot amazing pictures before, when zooms were ****ty and no one but amateurs were using them. Since I believe you mentioned weddings, I used to shoot those with 2 primes...

Seems to me that, like a lot of people these days, you are putting the cart before the horses. Learn photography first. Once you know photography, you'll just know what gear YOU need.

Best of to you.

 

[Markw]

Beautiful shot of the Hawk, by the way!

Thank you!

I shot the Bicentennial celebration of the War of 1812 in Baltimore a few weeks ago. There were going to be 40+ tall sail ships leaving out of the Baltimore harbor and heading out to sea. They would be traveling under the Key(?) bridge in the process. I got alot of images that I really liked. The lenses I brought to use? 17-35/2.8, 85/1.4, 300/4, 1.4x TC In this situation, where F8+ was used for most of the shots, I would have KILLED to trade all three lenses for a 120-300/2.8 OS and 24-70/2.8. That would have made my life absolutely lovely. I used the teleconverter on both lenses 90% of the time. In this situations, I would have killed for two zooms over my primes. Come to think of it, I would trade my 300/4 for the 120-300/2.8 OS any day. But, unfortunately, it's 6lbs. :/

Mark

 

[unpopular]

The question in this thread isn't if zooms are more convenient, that's a non-issue, but rather if using primes make you a better photographer.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

The question in this thread isn't if zooms are more convenient, that's a non-issue, but rather if using primes make you a better photographer.

True and we can give the short answer: NO, which means absolutely nothing. Which means it won't help the OP in any way...

 

[cayto]

Very true... but:

Imagine we are walking through lightly wooded area! Suddenly a small subject pops up... about 30 yards out... your 50 wont cut it, your subject is a pin point! I zoom to 200 and get a great shot.

You decide to put your 180 prime on in case the small subject shows back up, but suddenly a deer rounds a tree and stand there for about 5 seconds about 6 feet away... I zoom to 70.. and get a great shot... you get a odd looking patch of unidentifiable hair.

everything is a trade off... whether it is the exposure triangle, lenses, or whatever... you have to go with what you like.. and want to use. Different conditions need different equipment, settings, etc....

That's it. Each condition requires different equipment, settings. Imo

Primes are better than zoom lens in portraits, if you like to shot birds, plains, you will need zoom, and primes aren't apropriate, and so on...

 

[o hey tyler]

That's it. Each condition requires different equipment, settings. Imo

Primes are better than zoom lens in portraits, if you like to shot birds, plains, you will need zoom, and primes aren't apropriate, and so on...

Uh, no. You don't NEED zoom to shoot either of those things. Why do they make 500mm and 800mm prime lenses if they don't have a purpose? Not a whole lot of people shoot portraits at 500mm+.

 

[jamesbjenkins]

Every time I purchase a new prime lens, my photographic skill level gets raised by at least +2. Sometimes my defense gets raised, as well as my attack skill. But mainly my photography skill tree and all the perks involved are the beneficiaries. Soon I will be able to summon Ansel Adams, and cast TTL flash pulses from my fingertips. Just need a 200mm f/1.8L...

That may well be the funniest post I've read in my entire time on this forum. I was half way through reading it the first time before I realized you were being smart.

Well played! :salute: