I have 3 good zooms - one wide angle, one street zoom, and one telephoto zoom. I also have two primes - a 50mm and an 85 mm. When I used these prime lenses, they take really clear shots. My camera is a full frame camera.
I find a rarely use my prime lenses. Actually, when I go out to shoot, I rarely bring them. I know I read somewhere that it is better to learn to shoot with a prime lens so you learn who to move around a shot. I have shot with my zooms almost all the time. I take mostly landscape pictures. I have done limited portrait shots.
What I'm curious from all of you is, when do you use a prime vs. a zoom lens? Are there times you would only use a prime or only use a zoom? While I realize some of this is just personal preference, I'm curious if I can apply any of your thoughts to my photography and see if I am missing photo ops by not using my prime lenses.
Well the obvious problem is that if you shoot mostly landscapes, you do not have a prime lens wide enough to do so. Thus, if you shoot mostly landscapes, obviously the primes would never come it of the bag.
Primes will give you better image quality, provide wider apertures, and allow you to more easily shoot in low light situations. The down side to primes is the lack of convenience, as you often have to switch them up. If you know what you are going to be shooting beforehand and it falls in the focal length of one of your primes, then you should use it as your images will most likely look better. otherwise, keep the zoom on, if you are satisfied with your pictures, sell off your primes and do something with that money, like buy a nicer zoom!
Used to be a more important debate as zooms were fairly poor quality in comparison to primes. Modern design and production techniques have narrowed this gap.
It is part preference, part shooting style, part situation.* I do not think there is one answer for all photographers.
Though I do think situation is oft neglected in the debate. There are times when you cannot change position or lenses. If I we're allowed only one lens, it would be a zoom. Likely my 24-70 2.8.
Because of the type of photography I do - motorsports - I prefer zoom lenses of the f/2.8 variety. Every day use I love the crap out of my 18-200mm because it is really several lenses in one. My macro lens is a prime, however.
I really don't like switching lenses a lot. I'd rather carry one or two lenses than five, and sacrificing the f/1.8 aperture is fine for me.
my only Prime is my Macro lens, and during my 2011 365 Project it was almost exclusively on my camera at all times... But then, I was taking lots of macro shots. Normally my 70-300mm telephoto is my lens of choice.
I shoot Zoom lenses when taking various shots, walking around, hiking, etc,, so I don't have to lug a lot of stuff with me. Otherwise, I would use the Primes any day.
I keep my 50mm 1.8 on most of the time. I also have a fixed 50mm 2 which is gorgeous but old and doesn't af on anything.
If you are using a fixed lens, like you said- stunningly clear optics. But you may have to crop sometimes. When I crop from my 50mm I try to remember to lock the aspect ratio. This way the framing is the same as if I'd used a zoom lens.
I like them for most of what I shoot because of the crisper image. I used to feel opposed to cropping, but realizing zoom is just the same thing really has changed my mind.
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Primes will give you better image quality, provide wider apertures, and allow you to more easily shoot in low light situations. The down side to primes is the lack of convenience, as you often have to switch them up. If you know what you are going to be shooting beforehand and it falls in the focal length of one of your primes, then you should use it as your images will most likely look better. otherwise, keep the zoom on, if you are satisfied with your pictures, sell off your primes and do something with that money, like buy a nicer zoom!
It is part preference, part shooting style, part situation.* I do not think there is one answer for all photographers.
Though I do think situation is oft neglected in the debate. There are times when you cannot change position or lenses. If I we're allowed only one lens, it would be a zoom. Likely my 24-70 2.8.
*Oh yeah, and part laziness sometimes. ;)
I really don't like switching lenses a lot. I'd rather carry one or two lenses than five, and sacrificing the f/1.8 aperture is fine for me.
If you are using a fixed lens, like you said- stunningly clear optics. But you may have to crop sometimes. When I crop from my 50mm I try to remember to lock the aspect ratio. This way the framing is the same as if I'd used a zoom lens.
I like them for most of what I shoot because of the crisper image. I used to feel opposed to cropping, but realizing zoom is just the same thing really has changed my mind.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/birdtown/
In fact if you go back to my first week in the 2011 365 project, those macros were taken with the 70-300mm.
an example: