First up what is a Prime lens, a lens with a fixed focal length having a wonderful sensitivity to low light is the one.
Taking into consideration the built quality or even avoiding them, these lenses seems to always surprise one with their optical quality and contrasts. Cost of making should be cheaper for them making them easily buy able over the other retractable zoom lenses. There is not much lens formula with them, so one need not worry about any lens defects minus minor chromatic aberrations. Photographers right from the beginning has always had a love for prime lenses, many of the master photographers use to just carry variety of prime lenses.
Considering a photographer has opted one, the fixed focal length makes him/her move on the toe, adjust the composition and framing and think before pressing the shutter. Low Light will never be a problem, but make sure one go down in ISO when shooting in broad daylight. It might even be impossible to shoot in daylight unless one compromises on the exposure. But then broad daylight may not be desired for any kind of photography.
Why would a Photographer need a Prime lens
- It makes you visualize a scene before you shoot
- Its faster and allows more light into the sensor providing better shutter speed
- Easily affordable compared to zoom lenses
- Having said that, wonderful in low light for its larger aperture
- Great optical quality with wonderful crispy and contrast pictures
- It gives a lovely bokeh, a soft background for a ultrasharp subject
- And finally, believe me they make you a good photographer
Many lens manufacturers produce or have produced prime lenses at or near the following focal lengths: 20mm, 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 105mm, 135mm, 200mm, 300mm, 400mm, 600mm.
Here in this article, we have handpicked 3 best selling workhorse prime lenses which are definitely affordable & usable for any Photographer.
35mm Lens
The most widely used lens ranging from film/video to the full sensor Photographic equipment. It is highly sorted for because of its focal length which is a comfort zone for any kind of photography. Portraits, group shots or any kind of documentation, the professionals have always looked out for one 35mm lens. It is available in f/1.4 making it a fantastic optics for low light.
50mm Lens
It could easily & arguable be the most owned lens in the photographers community. A more closeup view of the scenario, and the field of vision on a full sensor matching the vision of a human eye. It is very versatile and useful at any conditions, especially in street photography it becomes very handy. The Cost of this lens is a must mention since it is one of the cheapest prime lenses available today.
85mm Lens
A gradual increase in focal length, making it to capture some wonderful head shots portraits or suitable for family/pet photography. A better optics apart from the previous 35/50mm lenses is certain to give better optical results with much more pleasing bokeh or background blur.
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5 comments
I LOVE my 50mm, and the 35 & 85 are great too, but I’d make the case for either a 35mm & 85mm combo; or suggest a 24mm, 50mm & 105/135mm combo. The 24-50-105 combo gives you great range and versatility – the 105 is a macro lens as well, and the 135 is a phenomenal lens with good telephoto range. The 35-50-85 combo seems too close in range IMHO as a wedding photographer. I usually carry two cameras and have my 50 f/1.4 on one camera body and my 24-70 or 70-200 on the other depending on what I’m shooting.
By heading this post “Top 3 prime lenses every photographer should have”, did you infer that we should have all the three lenses or any of the one. I can see the sense with having a 50 mm and 85 mm lens since but why 35 mm and 50 mm.
50 mm is amazing for street…discreet and great even in evening when light start fading…
Surprised not to see fisheye lens here… Wide angle is definitely the best playground for fixed glasses. E.g. Sigma 10mm is not too bad….
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I don’t think 85mm is good for head shot…more of a half body at closest. 50mm good for full body. 135mm and 200mm are the head shot imo. I don’t really like wide primes. Would rather have that covered with zoom. I prefer 50mm 85mm and 135mm. Since I shoot with a nikon crop I shoot with a 30mm, 50mm, and 85mm for all portraits and street. Equivalent this is 45mm 75mm 127mm. Close enough for me. I don’t think 35mm is a good focal length for ppl personally…only for group shots when you can’t back up enough with 50mm.