prime vs zoom

A guide to prime lenses and why you should use them

Jun 22, 2017 by John Aldred 14 Comments

After getting one’s first camera and kit lens, the first question that inevitably follows is “What lens should I buy next?”. For any given manufacturer, there’s such a huge variety. And that’s before you even consider the 3rd parties who produce lenses for that system. And, barring speciality glass like fisheye, macro and tilt shift, they generally fall into two categories. Zoom or prime.

Understanding the advantages that each has over the other can help you to make a more informed decision. This video from Craig Roberts at e6 Vlogs goes over those differences. What advantages they offer over zooms, as well as their pitfalls. With this information, it should help you narrow down your choices to at least a type of lens.

Zoom vs. prime lenses – breaking the two most common misconceptions

Jan 12, 2017 by Dunja Djudjic 31 Comments

In addition to “analog vs. digital”, there’s another everlasting argument between photographers: zoom vs. prime lenses. Many people choose one side and categorize themselves either as “zoom shooters” or as “prime shooters”. Yet, there are those who don’t pick sides, but use both types equally.

There are some common claims about prime lenses, and “prime shooters” usually use them to justify their choice. In this video, Matt Granger deals with the two most common ones. One: prime lenses are sharper than zooms, and two: primes are more creative because they encourage you to zoom with your feet. Are these claims true, or just misconceptions?

The best lens for street photography

Jul 19, 2016 by Nicholas Goodden 3 Comments

For street photography the choice of cameras and lenses is, simply put, huge.

So where do we start? What IS the best lens for street photography?

Whilst a lot of talented street photographers use camera phones or compact cameras for street photography and do a great job at it, this article will focus on prime lenses and the various focal lengths available to the street photographer using interchangeable lens systems. We’ll discuss how the choice affects everything from how the shot is created to how it affects how the final images look.

Nikon 24-70 vs Sigma ART 35 & 50 (Also, Why a 24-70 is a Crap Lens Choice – Part 2)

Apr 30, 2015 by JP Danko 33 Comments

Everyone loves their 24-70 f2.8.

For most photographers, its often their first major upgrade from the kit lens that came with their camera (it was for me anyway). For pure speed and versatility – nothing else comes close. But when it comes to pure image quality and artistic vision…there is such a bigger world out there than what is possible with a 24-70.

So in real world use, how does a Nikon 24-70 f/2.8 compare to a Sigma ART 35mm f/1.4 and a Sigma ART 50mm f/1.4?

Well, in this article I am going to compare these three lenses shot for shot.