Do you carry prime lenses?

[telford_mike]

With space and weight at a premium, how many people carry prime lenses in their bags? A mate of mine bought a 50mm f1.8 prime recently, and he's been raving about its image quality and low-light performance ever since.

Have we forgotten the advantages of prime lenses (cheap, light, great image quality and low-light performance), or is the modern approach of wide-angle & telephoto zooms the way to go?

I'm obviously talking about getting outdoors here - not portraiture etc.

[Simpo Two]

I carried a 50mm f1.8 and later a 1.4 in my bag for a long time, but in practice almost never used it so the space is now better taken up as a repository for dead batteries and snaffled after-dinner mints!

I find f1.8 of limited use in wedding photography as the DOF is too shallow - f2.8 is quite shallow enough, so I use 2.8 zooms which also give me instant framing. But as ever, 'YMMV'.

[NewNameNeeded]

telford_mike said:

With space and weight at a premium, how many people carry prime lenses in their bags? A mate of mine bought a 50mm f1.8 prime recently, and he's been raving about its image quality and low-light performance ever since.

Have we forgotten the advantages of prime lenses (cheap, light, great image quality and low-light performance), or is the modern approach of wide-angle & telephoto zooms the way to go?

I'm obviously talking about getting outdoors here - not portraiture etc.

Think part of it depends on the alternative zooms you have. I used to adore my 50mm f1.8 when I first got it. The shallow DOF and low light abilities were superb having only had the standard kit zoom at the time. It was my most used lens for a long time and meant I also bought a 30mm f1.4 to go alongside it. But since I bought the 17-55mm f2.8 I've seen no need to use a prime. The 17-55 has everything I could wish for. I'd sacrifice the size/weight benefit of the prime every time because the 17-55mm just feels so good and works so well. That being said the 50mm f1.8 is a superb bargain of a lens.

That being said I do carry a 10.5mm fish eye with me at all times. It's small enough to go unnoticed in my bag and so always there if I should need it.

[Simpo Two]

NewNameNeeded said:

But since I bought the 17-55mm f2.8 I've seen no need to use a prime. The 17-55 has everything I could wish for. I'd sacrifice the size/weight benefit of the prime every time because the 17-55mm just feels so good and works so well.

Ditto - it was one of several reasons which led me to stay with the DX format and not go full frame - the 24-70 doesn't have the reach and is bigger and heavier.

[MonkeyHanger]

What i carry depends on what i'm shooting.

If i'm at a Track i'll have the 500, 120-300 and 25-105 with me which covers just about every eventuality.

My standard Forest Rally set-up was a 120-300/70-200 and 24-105 but i'm now collecting a few primes for a lightweight alternative. So far i've got an 85 f1.8 and 200 f2.8. All i need is something a bit wider and i'm all set

[andy-xr]

Odd one out here then, I just bought a 50mm 1.4 to replace a slightly soft 1.8 and the Tamron 90mm to replace a lost 85mm

Trying to shoot with just primes at the moment although I have an 18-50, 24-70 and 50-150, all 2.8's

Edited by andy-xr on Saturday 23 January 14:52

[4hero]

Got a few primes also, 50mm f1.8, 100mm f2.8, 65mm f2.8. Primes do have their uses, but I'd be stuck withouth the 100-400, 70-200f2.8, 10-22 and a few others.

[beano500]

I normally carry only five these days.....

Sorry, can't count: six.

Edited by beano500 on Saturday 23 January 18:15

[Jag-D]

Canon 50mm F1.8 prime
Sigma 50mm EX Macro F2.8

Both fantastic at different things, the sigma so much that it's become somewhat of my walkabout lens with 90% of static photos being taken with it

[ian in lancs]

Only carry one - a razor sharp Sigma 70mm f2.8 Macro; fantastic lens

[M-J-B]

I always carry my 50mm f2.8 - never really use it, but I love it, and a 100mm f2.8 sitting in my study which hasn't been on the camera for a very long time, but again a lovely lens.

I tend now to have the 24-70 L on the body most of the time and carry the 70-200 f2.8 L for my zoom work (with a 1.4 converter ready if need be)

[AndWhyNot]

I've just sold a 24-60 f/2.8 zoom as part of my move to primes.

Replacing with 35mm f/2, 50mm f/1.4 and 85 f/1.8. No plans to get rid of the 10-20 or 70-200 f/2.8

In addition to the speed, I also had a problem with zoom creep on the 24-60 which matters as 50% of my shots are long exposures

[DiscoColin]

...It depends. If I am travelling really light I have a bag which takes the body, flash, 24-105 and nothing else. Otherwise I will always have the 50/1.4 and 85/1.8 on me and the 75-300 only if I think I might need it.

While it isn't the most versatile length, my current favourite is the 85 though. When I need it, it is unbeatable (okay - never tried the L at that length, but don't feel any enthusiasm for the extra weight given how good I find the 1.8). As for the 50 primes - even the 1.4 is so light it seems daft not to carry it just in case. Particularly as it is barely bigger than pocket sized.

One suspects that advocates of 24-70/2.8s are the ones least likely to carry primes though (unless a special purpose super-tele).

[Ed_P]

The Canon 400mm F5.6 L. It's got the reach, without the weight of the "faster" versions, and excellent IQ. Regarded as one of the best "birds in flight" lenses (if you're into that sort of thing). Great for aviation work too.

Took this with one ...

Edited by Ed_P on Saturday 23 January 21:55

[g3org3y]

Always have the 50mm (f/1.8) prime, it's small and light so hardly adds extra bother. Next lens purchase is probably going to be an 85 f/1.8. Becoming a real addict for fast glass and shalllow DOF.

[Chicken Pox]

g3org3y said:

Always have the 50mm (f/1.8) prime, it's small and light so hardly adds extra bother. Next lens purchase is probably going to be an 85 f/1.8. Becoming a real addict for fast glass and shalllow DOF.

Ditto (well the for the 50 at least) I just leave the 50 on at the moment (got a free Kata bag which takes the 10-20, 17-85, 70-300 all fit in inc flash) I've learnt to just take them all as sods law you end up compromising...not sure how going to carry the 90mm Macro when it arrives though, might have to dig out the nuclear bunker that pretends to be a rucksack! Would happily move to couple L glass primes as rarely use the 70-300 but guess it depends what you are into, so long as you have the right lens/length at the time you need it is more important than if you carry all primes all tele or a mixture, oh and try to have fun snapping

[jimmy306]

Ed_P said:

The Canon 400mm F5.6 L. It's got the reach, without the weight of the "faster" versions, and excellent IQ. Regarded as one of the best "birds in flight" lenses (if you're into that sort of thing). Great for aviation work too.

Took this with one ...

Edited by Ed_P on Saturday 23 January 21:55

Nice shot mate! i too am into bird photography and have been recommended this lens by a number of people. Shame that i'm about £1000 short of being able to afford it Would be nice if it was image stabilized as well.

[Ed_P]

Here's another from the same trip; fulmar petrel flying over the gannet colony near Flamborough Head.



Yes, the lens does seem very expensive and for static subjects, IS would be a bonus. Still love mine though ...

Edited by Ed_P on Sunday 24th January 16:47

[Pete Baraka]

Chicken Pox said:

g3org3y said:

Always have the 50mm (f/1.8) prime, it's small and light so hardly adds extra bother. Next lens purchase is probably going to be an 85 f/1.8. Becoming a real addict for fast glass and shalllow DOF.

Ditto (well the for the 50 at least)

Ditto again for the 50mm f1.8 always in the bag, and it's not a bad portrait lens on a x1.6 body. Depending on the mission I might also take a Sigma 8mm for panoramics and freaky wide angle stuff (180 degrees field of view on the full frame body), and/or a 100mm f2.8 macro lens which is also OK for portraits on the ff body.

Pete

[...Mole...]

I carry a 28mm f/2.8 and 50mm f/1.8 that i use pretty much exclusivly on my F75 instead of the D200.