Camera Lenses: The Joy of Primes

By Geoff Harris

Picture making possibilities become more apparent when you tune into the angle of view of a particular prime (28mm lens).

The easiest option when buying a new lens for a system camera is to pick a zoom (and in fact virtually all kit lenses supplied with new cameras are zooms). Practically speaking zoom lenses make a lot sense.

A zoom lens lets you adjust the focal length to one degree or another. This versatility makes it easier to create a variety of different compositions, often without moving position at all. It’s even possible now to buy good quality ‘superzooms’ that cover a huge focal length range, from wide-angle at one end to telephoto at the other. A ‘superzoom’ may be the only lens you ever need. Zooms have other advantages too. There’s less need to carry numerous lenses around with you. And, you won’t have to change lenses as often (saving time and reducing the risk of dust getting inside the camera).

Spring ferns unfurling in woodland near Hexham, Northumberland, England, Camera lens, Camera lenses, Prime lens, Prime lenses,

Some specialist lenses such as macros are generally only available as primes (100mm lens). So we’re agreed then, zooms are the best things since sliced bread? Actually…not so fast. There’s another type of lens you should seriously consider: the prime lens. A prime lens is one that has a fixed focal length, such as 35mm, 50mm, or 100mm. This means that if you want to cover the focal range of a typical zoom you’ll need two, three even four different prime lenses (potentially filling a camera bag with lenses and leaving less room for sandwiches. I don’t know about you but that’s definitely a disadvantage in my book). This makes buying primes a potentially more expensive option. It also means you’ll be changing lenses more frequently. And, there’s a greater chance that you’ll have the wrong lens fitted just when the photographic opportunity of a lifetime presents itself. Oh, did I mention that you’ll need to be prepared to work harder when using a prime? Rather than turning a zoom ring, you may actually need to move closer or further from your subject to achieve the correct composition.

The face of a Marble statue of an angel used to dispense holy water in the St. Patrick's Roman Catholic cathedral in Armagh, County Down, Northern Ireland, Camera lens, Camera lenses, Prime lens, Prime lenses,

The wide apertures of prime lenses are very useful shooting in low light (50mm lens). Oddly enough though that’s the beauty of a prime lens. They make you work harder, and perhaps more importantly, make you think about your photography more. With practise it quickly becomes easy to ‘see’ compositions that suit a particular prime lens. Your creative eye becomes so attuned to the angle of view of a prime lens that you often have the picture perfectly composed before you even raise the camera to your eye. Prime lenses have one other big advantage over zooms. Designing an affordable zoom lens involves certain compromises. The biggest compromise usually involves restricting the lens to a relatively small maximum aperture (it is possible to buy zooms with large maximum aperture, but these lenses tend to be both heavy and expensive). Prime lenses on the other hand invariably have large maximum apertures. This is makes them particularly useful if you often shoot in low-light conditions, or if you like to minimise depth of field for aesthetic reasons. Personally I like primes lenses and always have one or two in my camera bag. It’s worth it, even if it does mean going hungry later in the day.

Recommended course

Photography Foundation taught by Michael Freeman

Award-winning photographer, author and teacher Michael Freeman teaches you the foundations of photography from framing to lighting and beyond.

View courseAll Photography courses

Geoff Harris

I am a journalist and photographer and currently work as the Deputy Editor of Amateur Photographer (AP) - http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk the oldest weekly photographic magazine in the world. Before that I served as the editor of Digital Camera, Britain's best-selling photography magazine, for five years. During my time as editor it became the UK's top selling photo monthly and won Print Publication of the Year at the 2013 British Media Awards. As well as being lucky enough to get paid to write about photography, I've been fortunate to interview some of the greatest photographers in the world, including Elliott Erwitt, Don McCullin, Martin Parr, Terry O'Neill and Steve McCurry. This has been a wonderful learning experience and very influential on my photography. Beyond writing, I am a professional portrait, travel and documentary photographer, and reached the finals of the 2016 Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year competition. I am a Licentiate of the Royal Photographic Society and hope to take my Associateship whenever I can find the time. In addition I write about well being/personal development and antiques collecting for a range of other titles, including BlueWings, the in-flight magazine of Finn Air.

Stay updated

Receive free updates by email including special offers and new courses.

You can unsubscribe at any time

Photography

Related posts

Our best selling courses

Awards & Accreditations

  • CPD Accredited (provider 50276)
  • Good Web Guide
  • Red Herring Winner
  • Education Investor Awards 2021 - Finalist
  • Royal Horticultural Society
  • Digital Education Awards 2023 Winner for Digital Health and Wellbeing Learning Product of the Year
  • Digital Education Awards 2023 Winner for Adult Home Learning Product of the Year