If there’s one passionate debate between today’s professional photographers (aside from DSLR vs. smartphone), then that must be the one about which type of camera lenses is superior – prime or zoom lenses. Some believe that zoom lenses are without any doubt the smarter choice, for with the help of the latest image sensors they can produce amazing photographs. This, however, doesn’t mean that you should write prime lenses off. Both prime and zoom lenses have advantages and disadvantages, which is why you shouldn’t make a hasty and uninformed decision. Read on to learn why some people love using prime lenses and why others prefer zoom ones.
The Strengths of Prime Lenses
There are professional photographers who swear by their prime lenses and are 100% certain that they will never use zoom ones. Before I explain why is that so, I would like to inform or remind you what a prime lens is. A prime lens is a camera lens that has a set or fixed angle of view. This means that if you want to make the image look larger or smaller within the frame, you will have to step forward or backward. In other words, you need to move closer or farther from your subject in order to enlarge or reduce it.
All right, now is the time to name several of the most important advantages of prime lenses. First of all, prime lenses are usually much cheaper than their zoom counterparts. For example, a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Zoom Lens costs around 3,000 dollars, whereas a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Prime Lens costs around 1,200 dollars. This means that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to experience world-class optics. All you need to do is look for high-quality camera lenses for sale both online and in physical stores.
Another advantage of prime lenses is their size and weight. They, unlike zoom lenses, are small and light, making using them very convenient, safe, and discreet. Some believe that these camera lenses also “force” you to learn how to “zoom” in and out by moving – the good old-fashioned way and this is how every new photographer can learn composition.
The Strengths of Zoom Lenses
A zoom lens is a camera lens that has a variable focal length, which means that if you want to enlarge your subject when using such a camera lens, all you have to do is turn the zoom ring in the right direction.
As you can assume, the main reason people choose these camera lenses is their versatility. They enable the photographer to take many different photos without having to move a single centimeter. Another great advantage of modern zoom camera lenses for sale is the fact that they often offer image stabilization systems, allowing you to get really sharp images. I should also mention that a single zoom camera lens can easily replace two or three prime ones, which makes using one quality zoom lens way more practical than constantly swapping several prime lenses.
So, my dear ones, as you have probably figured out by now – there is not one camera lens type to rule them all. The kingdom of photography is divided, as some photographers still enjoy using prime lenses, while others are seduced by zoom ones.
