Information and translations of prime lens in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. As the focal length is fixed, there is no zoom ring on the lens. to account for barrel distortion, CA, or light falloff) as these factors vary throughout the range of a zoom lens thus you must calibrate for … Follow along as we set up a home portrait “studio” (with a budget cap of $20 for a reflector), capture our shot using whatever gear we already have (including a phone camera), and edit the image in Lightroom and Photoshop. 24-70mm). Fun fact about prime lenses: While many prime lens' focal lengths are indeed not prime numbers, (24mm, 50mm) ...there are a few lens manufacturers which seem to frequently use actual prime numbers when designing their focal lengths. Enter your username or email address to receive a link to set your password. Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Definition of prime lens in the Definitions.net dictionary. Likewise, primes costing in the thousands of dollars are revered by professionals for their sharpness compared to high-end zooms — the $4,895 Hasselblad XCD 80mm f/1.9 is a good example of this. Prime lenses have very wide or large Login to access your dashboard, watch tutorials, submit photos for critiques and and get recognized for awards. What is a Prime Lens? We’ve seen a push toward higher-end prime lenses in recent years as camera companies compete to attract professional customers, but you can still find affordable primes for many systems. The aperture also controls the depth of field, or the amount of the photo that is in focus. With a little creative effort and insight, however, you’ll find that you can actually capture great portraits in any location. Copyright ©2020 Designtechnica Corporation. A prime lens is one that does not zoom Prime lens have a fixed focal length. With this in mind, different photographers choose different prime lenses for different reasons. The aperture controls how much light enters the camera, and more light means better low light performance, faster shutter speeds, and more. SLR Lounge helps over 1.5 million photographers master their craft. For example, 31mm and 43mm, which are Pentax "Limited" lenses. Nikon Inc. announced two innovative additions to the growing lineup of NIKKOR Z lenses, the ultra-wide angle NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S and powerful NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.2 S lenses. ‘However there are a couple of reasons that pros would use a prime lens over a zoom.’ ‘I now use zooms much more than in the past; A - because they are now so good; B - because they are so versatile; and finally C - because one zoom takes up a lot less space and weight than several prime lenses.’ Samyang´s 85mm is the first from a third-party company that brings a lens of this focal length for the new RF mount from Canon. Our new Head to Head Series is here to offer HONEST, objective gear reviews and share what it’s like to actually live with the products and use them in real-world situations. For DSLR shooters, Canon’s basic EF 50mm f/1.8 is only $125, while Nikon’s AF-S 50mm f/1.8 is about $216. While you can keep going beyond 85mm, this is a well-balanced focal length that isn’t too large (nor too expensive). Here are some of the best prime lenses at a few favorite focal lengths for different camera systems. These are categorized by their full-frame equivalent focal lengths; that is, a 17mm on a Micro Four Thirds camera, which has a 2X crop factor, is equivalent to a full-frame 35mm (well, 34mm, technically) and is thus listed under “35mm.”. Keep in mind that newer mirrorless systems are usually not quite so affordable. All Rights Reserved, By clicking "Continue" I agree to SLR Lounge's, iPhone Photography Tutorials (And Other Smartphones). But if you’re looking for a compact one-lens solution, a prime is often the best way to go. All rights reserved. It’s also worth noting that buying one 24-70mm zoom is going to be more compact, overall, than buying several different prime lenses to fill in that same focal length range. While sometimes cheap, these “prime” lenses can go on to cost thousands of dollars. A very cheap prime lens won’t necessarily outclass an expensive zoom, but a $200 prime will almost assuredly be sharper than the $200 kit lens that comes on many DSLRs or mirrorless cameras. Despite the improvements seen in modern zoom lenses, prime lenses can still offer a myriad of attractive features. A prime lens is one that has just one focal length only (in contrast to a zoom lens that covers a wider range of lengths). While prime lenses are still capable of the fastest apertures such as f/0.95, or f/1.4, many (sharp) zooms exist with an f/2.8 aperture, and some even with an f/1.8 or f/2 aperture. Prime Lens. Shooting at a wide aperture of f/1.4 provides more out-of-focus blurring effect (‘bokeh’) than there would be if you were to shoot at f/2.8. While zoom lenses may be lighter and cheaper, you’d have to invest in more lenses to cover the same range. It also has a fixed angle of view. A lens that has a fixed focal length is known as a prime lens. Zoom lenses tend to have a big advantage for sports and events, while prime lenses tend to have more to love in genres that allow for enough time to “zoom with your feet” or swap to a different lens, such as portraits and landscapes. How do we get tack-sharp images, especially when it comes to groups, when we’re shooting with a wide-open aperture? Essentially, what…, Additional zoom and prime lenses for couples portraits While zoom lenses are certainly versatile and convenient for capturing a wide range…. Common focal lengths for prime lens designs include 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and many others. Primes are often smaller and lighter than zooms as well, making them more portable and inconspicuous. The primary photographic lens in a combination set of lenses. Prime lenses have a wider maximum aperture than zooms, enabling you to take advantage of a shallower depth of field. Check it out! Prime lenses come in a wide range of focal lengths from wide angles through to the very longest of tele-photo lenses used by many sports photographers and paparazzi. Called a “niffty fifty,” a 50mm f/1.8 is popular in many genres, including portraits. A prime lens covers only one focal length (e.g. Depth of Field refers to the range of focus in your image. It gives you one angle of view, and that’s it. Prime lenses are easier to calibrate (e.g. A prime lens is a fixed focal length lens that doesn’t let you zoom in or out. It gives you one angle of view, and that’s it. The answer, perhaps surprisingly,…, Prime vs. Zoon Lens | Transcription In this video, I want to talk about prime versus zoom lenses. A prime lens is a lens that has a single focal length, as opposed to a lens which can vary its focal length, known as a zoom lens. You can use these simple techniques and the gear you already have (a camera, a lens, and maybe a tripod) to level up your creativity. Pancake lenses are the most extreme example of this, where a lens is shorter than it is wide. Like everything in this world there will always be schools of thought … A 50mm lens is just a 50mm lens. This focal length is the distance between the point of convergence in the lens to the sensor in your camera. First, zoom lenses are often a must to capturing action and events without missing the moment because you are too busy swapping lenses. You can still upgrade to premium anytime. A prime lens has a characteristic fixed focal length (as opposed to a zoom lens which has a variable focal length). As zoom lenses became more common, they were often a serious compromise of image quality compared to a prime lens: prime lenses were both sharper, and faster-aperture. With the advent of computer-aided design, however, zoom lenses began offering both features: professional-grade sharpness, and relatively fast apertures. Description: A prime lens is a lens that has a single focal length, as opposed to a lens which can vary its focal length, known as a zoom lens. Professional zoom lenses often have relatively fast f/2.8 apertures — and prices well within the four-figure range — but even the cheapest 50mm primes lenses can get you to f/1.8, which is over twice the light-gathering capability, sometimes for less than $200. The longer the focal length, the more blurred that background will appear — that makes 85mm lenses favored for portraits and other genres where you want maximum background blur.