I love Primes.

[TrumpetPower!]

I use primes for following reasons:

- size and weight, cheaper filters (ND still necessary)
- big aperture = more lights for AF and viewfinder
- price
- easier to setup microadjustment

Erm...Canon's best primes are the biggest, heaviest, and most expensive lenses in the lineup. And the fastest of the supertelephotos is only f/2.8. The top of the heap is f/5.6.

The 35 f/1.4 and the 24-105 are easy to mistrake for each other at a quick glance if you squint.

And, except for the Plastic Fantastic, Canon's cheapest lenses are the consumer zooms.

What I'm getting at isn't that primes or zooms are inherently superior, but rather that all lenses are compromises. We all want a TS-E 12-1200 f/0.8 L IS AF, and we want it to be the size and weight of the Shorty McForty, and we want it to cost as much as the Plastic Fantastic. Even Canon wants to sell us that lens. Of course, none of us will ever see it on the shelf....

Cheers

b&

 

[marek.sykora]

Right, L-primes are very expensive and heavy, fortunately cheaper siblings are good enough. They are special pieces of glass for special purposes, e.g. 50/1.2L, is definitely better at lot apertures than 50/1.4, the 1.4 is not good at f/2.0, the L is. At f/4.0 all primes are superb and compared to common zooms.

 

[koolman]

When I shoot for pleasure at my own pace, have the time and quite, and want quality, its always primes. I'll choose a wide, or long, or normal as my "theme" for that shoot, go out, and use my imagination.

When I go to a birthday party and need to grab shots, I'll use a zoom for flexibility. If I'm going on a family trip and never know what I'll need, I'll take along a zoom as well.

For portraits - its always a prime, as the zooms, are not bright enough for natural light, and I do not own a studio.

 

[M.ST]

If you want get the best out of your camera use Canon and Zeiss prime lenses.

 

[dstppy]

Shouldn't the options be:
I love primes
I love (a) prime
I have no idea what a prime is ;D

Took the 5DmkII out this weekend with the 200mm 2.8 and my 85mm 1.8 to the aquarium with my family.

I hate to sound like the masses, but I really missed IS -- my hands are NOT steady, regardless of how I brace. I really look forward to (someday) having the stabilization be done on the mount and not the lens.

 

[sandymandy]

Primes only my way to go

 

[Bosman]

Shouldn't the options be:
I love primes
I love (a) prime
I have no idea what a prime is ;D

Took the 5DmkII out this weekend with the 200mm 2.8 and my 85mm 1.8 to the aquarium with my family.

I hate to sound like the masses, but I really missed IS -- my hands are NOT steady, regardless of how I brace. I really look forward to (someday) having the stabilization be done on the mount and not the lens.

Um, you can shoot it at 6400 iso and 1/200 sec prob so wheres the shake problem then?

 

[bdunbar79]

Yes, shoot at 1/2000 and believe me, hand shake isn't much an issue. I don't use IS on my 300 f/2.8L I IS lens when mounted on a monopod. No point.

 

[dstppy]

I loved the shots I got from the 200mm with a monopod this summer but my son doesn't stand still long enough to bring a lot of equip to places like this though.

The jellies in the dark was a bit of a challenge. I'm not a fan of cranking the iso too high.

Outside wasn't a big deal since it was really bright so I could move to a faster shutter speed.

 

[marek.sykora]

Monopod is a good idea, you can use your unpacked tripod by the same way (my way). I have no experience with IS, currently I'm waiting for 50/1.4 IS to feel the feature myself, I guess it will enjoy it very much.

With my 7D and 85/1.8 and cannot hold longer time than 1/200s, I shoot often indoor in low light when I come home from work and it's quite issue for me. Fortunately I can shot with 28/1.8 using 1/60s and faster.

Back to question. I love taking photos, regardless of used equipment and primes are my wins in point of value/price.

 

[IIIHobbs]

Had zooms, 10-22, 17-40, 16-35, 70-200 2.8 with a crop sensor body. Sold all and replaced them with primes shortly after I bought the 5DIII.

 

[Bosman]

Yes, shoot at 1/2000 and believe me, hand shake isn't much an issue. I don't use IS on my 300 f/2.8L I IS lens when mounted on a monopod. No point.

I always have IS on even on a monopod you shift up down and side to side. I have been using position 2 for panning as my is selection depending on what it is but sometimes position 1, especially if handholding. Depending on the wedding i'll even use a monopod for that too, for the ceremony portraits and toasts.

 

[Bosman]

Had zooms, 10-22, 17-40, 16-35, 70-200 2.8 with a crop sensor body. Sold all and replaced them with primes shortly after I bought the 5DIII.

Congrats! I also own the 24LII and 50L, you are going to fall in love with those lenses if you haven't already!

 

[nicku]

I love Primes. Do you?

The more I use them, The more I'm glad I used my budget on them. ;D

I use only primes for my work 95%. For landscapes ( i rarely shoot landscapes ) i use zooms. so the vote is for primes

 

[@!ex]

I love Primes. Do you?

The more I use them, The more I'm glad I used my budget on them. ;D

I use only primes for my work 95%. For landscapes ( i rarely shoot landscapes ) i use zooms. so the vote is for primes

I shoot landscapes with primes too....

 

[JohanCruyff]

I am almost a beginner, and love both kinds [100mm Macro IS L vs 24-105 IS L & 70-200 F/4 IS L].


I must admit that sometimes I only carry the 100mm Macro as a walk around lense (with my 5D classic) even when a macro-photography sesssion is not planned, just because I like its colours, sharpness and bokeh.