Prime vs zoom
- Thread starter RGF
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Primes and zooms...they're not opponents.
They're tools for jobs. You choose the right tool for the job. Your choices will be different to mine.
It's not a competition.
I have and use both on a daily basis. In my work, zooms tend to be a first choice because of their flexibility, the primes come out for special needs and 300+mm work. The next photographer may choose primes first. Both are valid positions.
-PW
They're tools for jobs. You choose the right tool for the job. Your choices will be different to mine.
It's not a competition.
I have and use both on a daily basis. In my work, zooms tend to be a first choice because of their flexibility, the primes come out for special needs and 300+mm work. The next photographer may choose primes first. Both are valid positions.
-PW
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Zooms and primes have a "peaceful coexistence" in my bag.
Usually I prefer primes because they have something I do not see from zooms:
- I think the images are more radiant, a little bit more contrasty especially in contralight situations (there is a difference between 15 or 6 lens groups!)
- with primes I take a lot more care in composition.
That's the reason why I prefer to have two identical bodies: one with the 2.8 40 and the other with the 5.6 400 or (if with zooms) 3.5-4.5 10-22 and 4.0 70-200.
But: Zooms are flexible. I tend to see 135mm (in terms of 35mm equiv) a "normal lens" so the 70-200 is a great walkaround lens with great quality (except contralight).
So I am not shure if it was the right decision to choose the 5.6 400 instead of the 100-400 zoom ...
Usually I prefer primes because they have something I do not see from zooms:
- I think the images are more radiant, a little bit more contrasty especially in contralight situations (there is a difference between 15 or 6 lens groups!)
- with primes I take a lot more care in composition.
That's the reason why I prefer to have two identical bodies: one with the 2.8 40 and the other with the 5.6 400 or (if with zooms) 3.5-4.5 10-22 and 4.0 70-200.
But: Zooms are flexible. I tend to see 135mm (in terms of 35mm equiv) a "normal lens" so the 70-200 is a great walkaround lens with great quality (except contralight).
So I am not shure if it was the right decision to choose the 5.6 400 instead of the 100-400 zoom ...
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I use both, but will most likely be done with zooms soon enough. I tend to grab a zoom for convenience, but then I usually end up unhappy with the results. I think that I also want to use shallow DOF in quite a lot of shots and zooms don't offer the possibility. I guess my ideal setup would be a 35mm + a 85mm, but without another 5D3 it'd be quite annoying to work with that setup.
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Quasimodo said:
Zoom trinity is 16-35 II, 24-70 II and 70-200II
Prime trinity is 35, 85, 135 L lenses.
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I started with zoom but prefer prime. It depends of the project I am shooting. (event, sports, arts, wildlife, landscape, portrait, packshot)
But at end of day, when it require quality, I use prime...
Best prime I love to use, 85 1,2L, 100 Macro 2,8 IS L, 300 mm 2,8 IS L II.
Zoom I am using quiet a lot, 17-40 4 L, 24-70 2,8L, and 70-200 2,8 IS L II but do ot have lot of fun with it
This is difference, I love to use prime, and it s ok with zoom.
Mounted on 5D3 and 1dx.
But at end of day, when it require quality, I use prime...
Best prime I love to use, 85 1,2L, 100 Macro 2,8 IS L, 300 mm 2,8 IS L II.
Zoom I am using quiet a lot, 17-40 4 L, 24-70 2,8L, and 70-200 2,8 IS L II but do ot have lot of fun with it
This is difference, I love to use prime, and it s ok with zoom.
Mounted on 5D3 and 1dx.
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Zv said:
Actually, it's a matter of preference.
The classical trinity is 35 / 50 / 85.
The classical alternate trinity is 24 / 50 / 100.
But any mix-and-match of wide, normal, and telephoto that works for you is your own personal holy trinity.
Cheers,
b&
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L
Loswr
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TrumpetPower! said:
First time I've heard that. The 50/1.2L isn't old enough to be part of something called 'classic' and I hope you aren't suggesting the 50/1.0L was ever part of such a trilogy. No...the 'classic' trinity of primes is as stated above: 35L, 85L, and 135L.
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neuroanatomist said:
I'm not referring to a trinity of Canon L primes, but a trinity of focal lengths for a set of primes -- especially from the days before zooms.
In classical portraiture, you'd have the camera on a fixed tripod 10' - 15' from the set. You'd use your 35 for the group shots, the 50 for full-body shots, and the 85 for head (plus torso) shots.
The same trio works very well for all sorts of other types of photography, especially where you have some control over where you are and where your subjects are.
A somewhat more flexible alternative that a journalist might prefer is 24 / 50 / 100. You can easily crop the 24 to the field of view of the 35 and still have plenty of quality for the newspaper, and the 100 can similarly crop to the field of view of a 200.
Cheers,
b&
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like many here, using a mix of prime and zooms. Right now its the trinity of zooms and a 50mm 1.4 and an 85mm 1.8. I have found that the 24-70 is becoming my least used lens. Trying to figure out now whether to take the plunge on the 24-70 v2, or go with at 24 or 35mm prime
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It's little wonder the 24-70 is one of your least used lenses. Most copies of the Series-1 lenses were shockers, almost certain to disappoint. I had five of them over a number of years. No keepers among them. Although I'm willing to believe that good copies do exist.Chuck Alaimo said:
The new 24-70 f/2.8II is in another galaxy altogether. Myself and others are disposing of primes that fall in the 20-70 zoom range because the new lens renders them obsolete. It's just that good. It makes that high price tag completely valid.
Like you say...take the plunge! It will be the best equipment decision you'll make this year.
-PW
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TrumpetPower! said:
I also vote for 35 85 and 135 for prime trinity
although sigmas take the first 2 spots in mine
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wickidwombat said:TrumpetPower! said:
I also vote for 35 85 and 135 for prime trinity
Ok, nice to know. I am basically there already in focal lenght, except the 24-70 II, but untill that, the 24-105 will do
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A prime trinity is down to your own preferance really. The idea is to have a wide, standard and tele. I don't really see how in this digital age a 35, 50, 85 combo would be that useful. You might as well spend the money on a good standard zoom. 24, 50, 100 is a nice spread and would be awesome with a 100 macro at the long end. Portrait photogs generally pref the 35, 85, 135 which is what most people regard as the Canon holy trinity so I guess it's the most agreed upon.
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