Zooms or Primes

Do you prefer zooms or primes?

I have bought a few primes but apart from macro and my 300mm with 1.7x TC I much prefer to use a good quality zoom lens.

With the IQ of the 50/135...you dont really need primes!...that said I do use both in equal quantity!

I prefer primes, but over all I'd say between me and Gerri it averages out to about equal...

I shoot mainly with the DA* 16-50 followed by the DA* 50-135 and finally the DA*300.

I do have access to an A28 f2.8, A50 f1.7 but use them much less. If they had AF I might use them a lot more.

I really like the zoom lenses as sometimes you just cannot move. The two DA* lenses are excellent. The constant aperture makes a big difference. I really don't like going back to the two kit lenses and change in aperture is one of the reasons (have no need to either).

I've not really used a non-macro prime AF so can't really say how I'd get on with it. Would love to get a few prime lenses but have fallen in love with SDM and weather sealing. Been spoilt and there is no turning back. The only real temptation is the DA*55. I'd love to see a DA*28 f1.4 and a DA*13 f2.8 and a DA*11-16 f2.8.

Well the 50-135 only does between 50 and 135 and down to 2.8 - great lens though. The IQ of my Sigma 30/1.4 is better though. So is my A50/1.2 stopped down a bit

I used to be zoom only, but after buying 1 prime, I now own several.

So I answered "both in equal quantity"

This one could run for a while

I mainly use zooms for 2 reasons

1. For my main interest, landscapes, I mostly shoot at small apertures and the IQ difference between a zoom and prime becomes much less significant

2. I just find I prefer the flexibility of a zoom, primes are too limiting most of the time, some say this makes you consider composition more but I don't agree I just find it limits me more.

I've had and sold the 50mm FA1.4 and 40mm F2.8 as I didn't really use them - I've now bought the DA35mm F2.4 which will mainly be used for indoor/lowlight, maybe the odd pano.

Simon

Mainly primes for me - I have both zooms and primes but for some reason I would say ~90% of all the shots I take are with primes. I like their IQ, and the fact that they are generally pretty compact. The main exception for me is the 50-135 zoom which is a pretty exceptional lens I think.

Regards

I prefer primes for walkabout use as they're smaller and usually lighter, but if I need anything wider than 28mm I have to use a zoom. With telephoto lenses it's less clear cut as I'll use either depending on what I think is the best focal length for the job. The only long primes I have are a 120mm, 135mm and 200mm, so if I need anything in between those or longer than 200mm (or with AF) I have to use the zooms.

If I could afford your two primes I'd be more than happy with zooms for everything else!
Dave

If you'd asked this question even 20 years ago, it would have been primes every time.

Now it's zooms every time. The combination of better technology and a smaller format (APS-C) have combined to produce lenses of a quality that was once totally out of reach.

Primes now have just smaller size and wider apertures as their main advantages, but better quality is much more doubtful than it was.

It really depends.

I love the light weight and quality of primes but the convenience of zooms is also great.
It all depends on how i feel and the situation.
If i'm taking a walk in the forest with my family, i always use zooms, you don't need to switch so much and it takes less time to make a photo so they don't have to wait for you but if i'm alone than it's mostly primes if the situations allows it (i only have 2 primes... i need some more i think).

For general photography you wouldn't be shooting at 1.4 or 1.2!.....they are for more specialised photography!

I own two zooms, a 19-35mm and an 80-320mm. They're so slow they never even get out of the drawer !!

Zooms for convenience, primes for quality.

But there are only about half a dozen primes which are materially better than the best zooms.

Three original Ltds, any 50mm and the 55mm, the 100mm macro, and the two long D-FA lenses. That's actually eight (counting 50s as one lens).

G

I honestly dont think I could use a prime lens anymore, I would find it so restricting. Having said that I do have the 100mm DFA macro which is a pain trying to get the right subject to space ratio in the frame.