Zoom or prime: For years I enjoyed using zoom lenses. But ever I switched to Canon's 24MB Cmos (Especially in my new camera, Canon 77D) I use prime lenses more often. I enjoy their...

jwoj69

For years I enjoyed using zoom lenses. But ever I switched to Canon's 24MB Cmos (Especially in my new camera, Canon 77D) I use prime lenses more often. I enjoy their sharpness as well bright apertures. I went little prime crazy, being few of them in the last couple months. I currently own 24mm f 2.8 Canon, 35mm f2.8 IS `Canon, 45mm USDD VC Tamron, 50mm f1.4 Canon, 85mm f1.8 Canon, 90mm f2.8 Tamron, 105mm f2.8 Sigma. I use them more often than my zooms.

pbcbob Loc: Delray Beach, FL

As long as they fit in your budget, go for it. Lots of people spend all their money on high end restaurants, entertainment and clothing and have nothing to show at the end of the month.
Now I will tempt you with the idea of a 300mm F2.8 lens.
Take care and enjoy your hobby.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

jwoj69 wrote:

For years I enjoyed using zoom lenses. But ever I switched to Canon's 24MB Cmos (Especially in my new camera, Canon 77D) I use prime lenses more often. I enjoy their sharpness as well bright apertures. I went little prime crazy, being few of them in the last couple months. I currently own 24mm f 2.8 Canon, 35mm f2.8 IS `Canon, 45mm USDD VC Tamron, 50mm f1.4 Canon, 85mm f1.8 Canon, 90mm f2.8 Tamron, 105mm f2.8 Sigma. I use them more often than my zooms.

Can't beat the quality of a Prime vs a Zoom

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

jwoj69 wrote:

For years I enjoyed using zoom lenses. But ever I switched to Canon's 24MB Cmos (Especially in my new camera, Canon 77D) I use prime lenses more often. I enjoy their sharpness as well bright apertures. I went little prime crazy, being few of them in the last couple months. I currently own 24mm f 2.8 Canon, 35mm f2.8 IS `Canon, 45mm USDD VC Tamron, 50mm f1.4 Canon, 85mm f1.8 Canon, 90mm f2.8 Tamron, 105mm f2.8 Sigma. I use them more often than my zooms.

I too have both and I use them about equally (in terms of how much). I do have a few zooms (some of them are sure my favorite lenses) and about fifteen or so primes! Good zooms are just as high quality as primes!

Leitz Loc: Solms

jwoj69 wrote:

For years I enjoyed using zoom lenses. But ever I switched to Canon's 24MB Cmos (Especially in my new camera, Canon 77D) I use prime lenses more often. I enjoy their sharpness as well bright apertures. I went little prime crazy, being few of them in the last couple months. I currently own 24mm f 2.8 Canon, 35mm f2.8 IS `Canon, 45mm USDD VC Tamron, 50mm f1.4 Canon, 85mm f1.8 Canon, 90mm f2.8 Tamron, 105mm f2.8 Sigma. I use them more often than my zooms.

O.K.

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

jwoj69 wrote:

For years I enjoyed using zoom lenses. But ever I switched to Canon's 24MB Cmos (Especially in my new camera, Canon 77D) I use prime lenses more often. I enjoy their sharpness as well bright apertures. I went little prime crazy, being few of them in the last couple months. I currently own 24mm f 2.8 Canon, 35mm f2.8 IS `Canon, 45mm USDD VC Tamron, 50mm f1.4 Canon, 85mm f1.8 Canon, 90mm f2.8 Tamron, 105mm f2.8 Sigma. I use them more often than my zooms.

I shoot Nikon, and I use zooms. But my first choice is usually a prime.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Yeah, I used to be quite wealthy at one time. However, I spent some of my money on booze. I spent some of it on women. I guess I just wasted the rest.
--Bob

pbcbob wrote:

As long as they fit in your budget, go for it. Lots of people spend all their money on high end restaurants, entertainment and clothing and have nothing to show at the end of the month.
Now I will tempt you with the idea of a 300mm F2.8 lens.
Take care and enjoy your hobby.

SHLeM52 Loc: Jacksonville, FL

rmalarz wrote:

Yeah, I used to be quite wealthy at one time. However, I spent some of my money on booze. I spent some of it on women. I guess I just wasted the rest.
--Bob

Bipod

Speaking of the Nikon 300mm f/2.8, check out the MTF graph
at the bottom of the linked page--it's danged near perfect:
https://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/lens/f-mount/singlefocal/Telephoto/af-s_300mmf_28g_ed_vr2/index.htm

And sooooo fast....and contrasty.

But I rarely (if ever) need a lens longer than my old Nikon 200 mm, for the stuff I do.
Oh well.

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

rmalarz wrote:

Yeah, I used to be quite wealthy at one time. However, I spent some of my money on booze. I spent some of it on women. I guess I just wasted the rest.
--Bob

George Raft.

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

jwoj69 wrote:

For years I enjoyed using zoom lenses. But ever I switched to Canon's 24MB Cmos (Especially in my new camera, Canon 77D) I use prime lenses more often. I enjoy their sharpness as well bright apertures. I went little prime crazy, being few of them in the last couple months. I currently own 24mm f 2.8 Canon, 35mm f2.8 IS `Canon, 45mm USDD VC Tamron, 50mm f1.4 Canon, 85mm f1.8 Canon, 90mm f2.8 Tamron, 105mm f2.8 Sigma. I use them more often than my zooms.

I have some zooms, but I prefer primes, especially on my full frame Nikon Df.

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

rmalarz wrote:

Yeah, I used to be quite wealthy at one time. However, I spent some of my money on booze. I spent some of it on women. I guess I just wasted the rest.
--Bob

Obviously you were subjected to proper tutelage during your formative years

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

jwoj69 wrote:

For years I enjoyed using zoom lenses. But ever I switched to Canon's 24MB Cmos (Especially in my new camera, Canon 77D) I use prime lenses more often. I enjoy their sharpness as well bright apertures. I went little prime crazy, being few of them in the last couple months. I currently own 24mm f 2.8 Canon, 35mm f2.8 IS `Canon, 45mm USDD VC Tamron, 50mm f1.4 Canon, 85mm f1.8 Canon, 90mm f2.8 Tamron, 105mm f2.8 Sigma. I use them more often than my zooms.

Put the 135 f2L on your list - an outrageously good prime.

Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx

jwoj69 wrote:

For years I enjoyed using zoom lenses. But ever I switched to Canon's 24MB Cmos (Especially in my new camera, Canon 77D) I use prime lenses more often. I enjoy their sharpness as well bright apertures. I went little prime crazy, being few of them in the last couple months. I currently own 24mm f 2.8 Canon, 35mm f2.8 IS `Canon, 45mm USDD VC Tamron, 50mm f1.4 Canon, 85mm f1.8 Canon, 90mm f2.8 Tamron, 105mm f2.8 Sigma. I use them more often than my zooms.

I have seen some very, very good shots using kit lenses lately, so have been asking the same questions. So, I set up a still scene with a lot of texture, color, an X-rite Passport and took some shots with a D850 at ISO 100, f8, 1/20s, 50mm, tripod using a Nikon FX 50mm f1.4, Tamron FX 24-70mm f2.8, Nikon DX 18-140mm f3.5-5.6, Tamron DX 18-400mm f3.5-6.3. Viewing 1:1, I could not see a difference in sharpness between the 50mm, 24-70mm, and 18-140mm. The Nikon 18-140mm kit lens was a hair less sharp, but you really had to go looking for it. Yep, the nifty-fifty opens up to f1.4, is smaller, is lighter, which are very useful things, but the 24-70mm is more flexible in setting up the shot and has VR. Also, very useful things. I am going to sell the kit lens.

AndyH Loc: Massachusetts and New Hampshire

rmalarz wrote:

Yeah, I used to be quite wealthy at one time. However, I spent some of my money on booze. I spent some of it on women. I guess I just wasted the rest.
--Bob

Pity. I wasted mine on exes. But now that I have a photographer wife, it's a lot easier to justify the expenses.

Andy