Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

Whenever there is a request for a suggestion for a lens it seems that the majority of the suggestions are zoom lenses.

Zoom lenses do offer the "convenience" of multiple focal lengths, but, generally, prime lenses are smaller, lighter, faster and less expensive than zooms. All of my lenses today are prime lenses. I used to use zooms (most recently the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm f/4G ED VR) but I felt that zooms lenses were making me lazy in my photography, allowing me to change the focal length to fit the image to the frame rather than moving myself forward, backward, left, right. I found (re-found?) that moving gave me a different perspective and different point of view of the subject than just changing the focal length does. For me this is part of the joy of photography. I hope the pleasures of shooting primes doesn't get lost in the pursuit of having as many focal lengths as can be collected.

Here is a list of my lenses:
Nikon AF Nikkor 24mm f/2.8D
Nikon AF Nikkor 35mm f/2.0D
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G
Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G
Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D
Nikon AF DC Nikkor 105mm f/2D
Nikon AF DC Nikkor 135mm f/2D
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4E PF ED VR

JPL

I agree with you. I like primes better than zoom lenses. However I must admit that more and more fast zoom lenses are available every year now. Even some wide to normal zoom lenses with f/1.8 are available today so the tradeoffs are a bit less in the way now than a few years ago.

sirlensalot Loc: Arizona

While I would agree that there is a growing interest in newer zoom lenses, there will always be a market for the old and new primes. It's the continuing quest for the perfect image. Besides, it's fun.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

In essence, you are "forced" to "work" a paticular scene - by you! Nothing wrong with that! But there can be sometimes you will be forced to compensate for the fact you cannot move forward and back, left and right. With the new zoom lenses, the image quality is extremely close to the image quality of primes. That is an important aspect of my shooting. Obviously, the apertures tend to be smaller on zooms which gives a prime an advantage in low light and narrow depth of field. Since I am the photographer for my travel agent / owner wife, the trips we take are repersenting the kind of trips her customers take. This, unfortunately, doesn't allow for a lot of time for working a scene. Most of my new lenses will be zooms, but the new Olympus 45mm f1.2 Pro lense is on the bottom of my buy list.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

This needs to be better understood to act in a logical way. "just changing the focal length" can never give a different perspective! Perspective selection is totally unrelated to use of a zoom or a fixed focal length lens! In fact no camera, much less a lens, is even needed to choose the perspective a photographer wants. Just moving around and looking with the eye shows the perspective. That is because perspective is uniquely a function of relative distances.

The sole function of choosing a focal length is to frame the perspective that has been chosen. Of course that can rapidly be done with a zoom. If, but only if, speed is important then a zoom is essential. For shooting events a zoom is more useful, for landscapes or studio portraits there is perhaps less or no advantage at all in using a zoom.

Choose the lens according to a realistic analysis and understanding of the benefits!

BebuLamar

I think the trend started for almost 20 years already not recently. As far as zoom with your feet that doesn't give you the same result as changing focal length. Which way is better? It depends on the subject. Framing by changing distance from camera to subject changes the perspective and zooming doesn't change perspective. So sometimes you have to both walk and zoom.
With that said I much rather changing primes than using zoom.

OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

Don't blame the lenses. With zoom lenses, I'm still allowed to move forward, backward, left or right to get the shooting angle I want. Then zooming will give you a tighter crop or more inclusive view.

BTW, I have 15 lenses.
Nikon 50mm f/1.8G
Soligor by Tokina 135mm f/3.5
Nikon 400mm f/2.8
12 zooms from Nikon, Tamron, Tokina, Sigma from 11-16mm to 150-600mm.

OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

That says it all.

bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada

Primes may be less expensive than a zoom BUT one zoom can easily cover your 24-300mm bag full of nine primes and is definitely lighter and far less expensive! And zooming is definitely faster with less chance of a dirty sensor than changing lenses in the heat of the moment.

Also, you can walk and shoot with a zoom; gives you that little extra flexibility.

There are some very good zoom lenses in the marketplace and some very good fixed lens camera / zoom combos that work for me, i.e.: the Sony RX10 III/IV with its excellent 24-600mm zoom.

bwa

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

When I am going into an unknown situation to photograph, say an event of some kind, I don't know if I will be able to move much or not. And I have had situations where I am shooting one thing, and then see another photo opportunity across the room, which may be gone by the time I can go over there. That's why I like zooms. When I started out in the late '60s, prime lenses were clearly better than most zoom lenses. They have come a long way since then, and are good enough I don't feel I need a prime lens to get good quality. I do use a prime portrait lens in the studio, where I can move all I want.

ken_stern Loc: Yorba Linda, Ca

I also use & enjoy prime lenses --- But not for the same reasons you have stated --- I've seen way too many outstanding photos in this & other forums taken with modern zooms to ever think that a top of the line prime is noticeability any superior --- I'm also convinced I would employ the services of a number of good zoom lenses "IF" I was attempting to make a living from this most enjoyable hobby of mine.
No I use primes simply because I find them easier to use -- That is easier for me - & probably only me - to understand & use --- My newest prime the Canon 24mm 1.4 L II is now going on 8/9 years old with the rest of my primes being as much as 17 yrs old --- With what's in my camera bag there are only 5 fixed focal lengths for me to try to understand -- Which after all these years I'm beginning to and with luck sometimes master --- when to use one prime vs another how to max/minimize the effects of light, shutter speed & DOF ----- All issues I would find a lot more difficult to understand & control with one/ two lens containing hundreds & hundreds of focal lengths

BB4A

Some good comments on this thread, but I’m wondering why some appear to be defending primes and others, zooms?

Surely, most photographs start with the Concept; what would I like to capture & represent, as my perspective of a successful/valuable/artistic Image?

Once that is decided upon, appropriate thought & time (could be a year, could be a second) I suggest should be spent on Initiating the Image process. If this is a commission for a Client, there probably should be a lot more confirming “what does success look like for them?”, than if I’m my own Client, and I want to wander around shooting candid street scenes. I like to think of the “Where, When, How, and How will I measure success?” during this phase. “When?” Is often quite important, as different light conditions are (for me) one of the main reasons to consider any potential equipment limitations, risks, and remediation factors (e.g. renting a special lens, etc.). To reiterate, it can take a second or a year, but ideally, I want to know why I’m initiating that particular image, before I start the...

Plan phase. At this point, I’m generally starting to dial in on specifics. The “Where?” Question is becoming a priority list of locations, or how quickly I can get to the burning building (if it’s a Fire Chief photographic evidence request!). Sometimes the “When?” can only be right now, with the equipment I have with me... often I spend a little while planning the “How?” and the “With What?” together. It’s at the Plan phase when I start working through what bodies, lenses, etc. I might need to best achieve my Concept. Sometimes the Plan is very simple... the Concept came to me 2 seconds ago, I decided how I would Initiate the capture 1 second ago, and my Plan is to raise whatever I have with me to my eye... and Execute. 😉

Execute phase for me is the culmination of my Concept, and effective Initiation & Planning, allowing me to take the 1 or 1,000 RAW images that may allow me to meet my \ Clients measures of success. Then, it’s back to the Office, to Close the Image, and Close the Deal (if it’s a commission), with a scorecard and request for references, as appropriate. 😎

BB4A

Sorry, that was a long post. For a graphic example of CIPEC, here’s a link: http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-507480-1.html

I achieved my Concept with this image, with a small amount of time spent in Initiation and Planning phases. In the Planning phase, I decided my best chance of succeeding with my Concept was to carry an effective low-light capable FF body and a 100-400mm excellent quality lens, and nothing else. I walked over a mile through rough and icy conditions, with actual temps around -10 and windchill to -20, with my camera and lens inside my jacket to keep them warm. I captured about 30 images at the end of this walk, of which I’m happy that 4 met my Concept.

At no time during that shoot was I worrying about why I had bought a long telephoto zoom with me, to take what turned out to be a relatively close range shot. I had already planned NOT to bring a range of lenses... and attempt to change them at the last minute, in those conditions, once I’d found my target. Had I been indoors, in a planned Natural Light Boudoir shoot, I would have used the same CIPEC process... and would have been just as happy with probably a 50mm or an 85mm prime.

Three English sayings spring to mind:
1. If you only learn how to use a hammer; every task looks like a nail, and;
2. It’s a bad Workman who blames his tools, and;
3. For every task, measure twice, cut once...

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Come on Mac, you disappoint me! Now you're starting to sound like an elitist!!!
Next, you'll be carrying on about film, like Quinn!! LoL
No offense, but you can always spot a Landscaper....., they boast about using primes and not needing more than one focus point!!
Have you ever shot, say a Motocross race??? You know, where the track goes ALL over the place and from one spot the track comes by you about 5 times and there are riders spread out all over the place??? A guy is 5 feet from you, then he's 50 feet from you, then he's 100 feet from you, and that's all in 30 seconds!!!
My point is that Usain Bolt using a prime lens and trying to fill the frame with your favorite prime lens couldn't do it and he has hit 27.8 mph zooming with his feet!!!
You get my drift???
The best zooms are every bit as good as a prime lens, and though slower, a 500mm prime is darned slow too!!! LoL
And you'll need to carry every lens you list in your backpack just to cover just two of the lenses I carry. There goes lightweight, let alone, FUN!!!
Happy prime shooting!!!
SS

BebuLamar

Mac do you shoot or you photograph?