Having read a few articles about taking photographs using only a Prime Lens recently I have set myself a challenge on doing just that for the next month.
A couple of Christmasses back my wife bought me a Prime Lens for my camera which I have rarely used, leaving it sitting there in my camera bag.
With the 35mm lens fitted it certainly does make me try harder at working out how to take my photos where I have to move a lot more to get the best shots. What it also allows me to do is concentrate on learning more about my camera as I don't have to worry about adjusting the zoom on my lens.
Are there Prime Lens people out there who may have some great tips and advise to share, it will be good to read your comments.
I love my three prime lens. I have a 50mm 1.8 (Mk1), 35mm 2.0 and 100mm macro 2.8. 50mm and 35mm are great for low light conditions and have got some great shots with them. Especially liked some shots I did a long while back of a collections of odments in a national trust manor house. Lighting was great in there and worked perfect with the 50mm. Street photography is also another cool idea with a prime lens.
Keep it simple, make sure the autofocus is off, conscider turning off metering as well, a picture framed, focussed, and explosed by yourself, rather than your cameras electronics is always a joy - and a good prime is the ideal tool for this.
Have a look at this post I wrote on another forum about the Industar 50/2 - probably the sweetest lens I own (and they go for £10/$15 on ebay!!)
I have a friend who is a professional photographer. He recently told me that if he had his time again, he'd have gotten all primes. Better quality shots he reckons. I have a 50mm f/1.4 (took me some time to get used to it and love it) and a macro 100mm f/2.8. I had been using the 100mm a LOT before I got the 50 and even then it took a while. I hated it at first, but now love what I can do with it. I love shooting wide open. My 50 is really great in low light too.
I pretty much only use my prime 50mm f/1.4 lens! I could easily use just that for a month... but then I'm a sucker for a shallow depth of field! You will get used to it pretty quickly I should think, and learn lots along the way :)
I have 50mm prime and it rarely leaves my camera love it and its limitations really makes you have to think about composition at viewfinder stage. Also great for macro work
@thisisthefox I think everyone should have a prime lens - they make you into a much better photographer. I just finished a series here on 365 titled "35 days with my 35mm lens" and the best tip I can give you is take full advantage of the amazingly shallow dof primes have when wide open. Here is an example from my series:
One of the great things about shooting with a prime lens is that, once you've got your body in motion back and forth like a human zoom, you'll also find yourself moving up and down, left and right and all around your subjects. Suddenly, you'll start seeing everyday objects and scenes in a whole new way. It's great exercise for your photographic "eye".
After buying my first prime lens, I soon discovered that my zoom lens was always lying around unused. I have actually sold it by now. Now I have three prime lenses, 45mm, 75mm and 19mm. I mostly shoot everyday life and my camera is always in my bag. That is why I like that my lenses are light, small and fast. I don't really have any tips or advise, just go and play with it!
You just have to be prepared to walk a lot to get your shot. Watch when you walk backwards and don't trip! And not in traffic without looking behind you. With a zoom you just zoomed out, but now you have to back out physically.
I'm 344 days into my project now and only a handful of my shots have been taken with a zoom lens, a telezoom that is. The primes are light, fast and sharp, can´t get better than that. One of the good things using a prime lens is that when your used to it, you know how that lens will frame a scene before even lifting the camera.
Many Thanks for everyone's comments and having only been using my 35 mm lens for a few days now, I am noticing the difference already. Yes , I have to move around a lot more but the photos I am taking are looking good.
Well, a month has passed since I went Zoomless electing to use my Prime 35mm Lens Only. It has been a great month where I have been able to concentrate on just taking Photos and learning more about my camera with-out having to make decisions on when and when not to Zoom. Just getting into a position to take a photo has been a real learning curve for me. I have been looking at buying a better zoom lens but maybe I will look at another Prime lens instead. Thanks for all your contributions here.
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Have a look at this post I wrote on another forum about the Industar 50/2 - probably the sweetest lens I own (and they go for £10/$15 on ebay!!)
Industar 50/2 - because sometimes it's good to get back to basics
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>>Feeling Blue - my 365