Another newbie ?

[ColleenG]

So other than shooting dark rides at the world, what else do you use a prime lens for?

 

[ColleenG]

I don't have a DSLR yet, but hope to have one in the next month or 2. I've decided on the Canon Rebel XSi. If I got a prime lens, do they make primes with image stabalization? Do I need it with a prime?

 

[VVFF]

I don't have a DSLR yet, but hope to have one in the next month or 2. I've decided on the Canon Rebel XSi. If I got a prime lens, do they make primes with image stabalization? Do I need it with a prime?

They do, but they are typically very long focal length lenses. I imagine this is mainly because those who by primes will normally be using a tripod for their applications when necessary(generalization...I know) AND many primes have a large aperture which would make implementing IS difficult.

Do you need IS? No, absolutely not. You just have to be aware of the limits of the lens.

Besides dark rides what else would you use a prime lens for? Any low light shooting. Extremely blurred backgrounds. Macro pictures. Great quality "regular" shots with little distortion and very sharp.

 

[ColleenG]

If I use a prime lens do I need a tripod to prevent blurring when I don't want it? I'm guessing the dark ride pics that are posted on here are hand held.

 

[handicap18]

Thanks Groucho! When a lens is listed as f/2.8, for example, is that the largest aperature it has? I guess that is what has me confused, what exactly does the f/xx indicate?

Correct. Keep in mind that f/stops are fractions. So the smaller the number the bigger the hole.

Now. Not to confuse you more, but with some zooms there is also a variable aperture. This is when you see for example a 70-300mm lens with an f/4.5-5.6. This means that at 70mm the widest f/stop is is f/4.5 and at 300mm the widest f/stop f/5.6. Between 70 and 300 the f/stops slowly gets smaller. So at 100mm the widest aperture may be f/5.

This is also one of the reasons some zoom lenses are much more expensive than others. A 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom lens will have f/2.8 as the widest aperture throughout the entire zoom range.

 

[VVFF]

If I use a prime lens do I need a tripod to prevent blurring when I don't want it? I'm guessing the dark ride pics that are posted on here are hand held.

Lens blur has nothing to do with prime vs. zoom and everything to do with the shutter speed you select.

 

[handicap18]

So other than shooting dark rides at the world, what else do you use a prime lens for?

At one time zoom lenses were considered bad. They were not made very well. They were very soft and looked down up by the "pro" and high end amerture photographers. Prime lenses were IT! They've been around A LOT longer than zooms for one and they are VERY sharp.

Some people still only use prime lenses and forgo zooms altogether. If you look at Gdad's post about his upcoming trip to New Orleans, he lists what lenses he is planning on bringing and they are all prime lenses.

I'll many times put my 30mm or 50mm lens on my camera and use only that for a few days. I'll shoot the kids outside or around the house. With natural light and with a flash.

When I want to take portraits of the kids I'll use the 50mm f/1.8.

Now just because the lens can open up all the way to f/1.8 doesn't mean you HAVE to only use it wide open. Lenses are sharper when stopped down a bit. So my 50mm f/1.8 while pretty sharp wide open at f/1.8, is even sharper from about f/2.8 to f/11. It is (so long as my focus is spot on) razor sharp at f/5.6:

Here is one I always like to use as an example. I took this for x-mas 2006. Nikon D50 with the 50mm f/1.8 lens and SB-600 flash with diffuser. ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/60th shutter:

Also the full MACRO lenses are prime lenses. Typically f/2.8 with a full 1:1 ratio.

You can use a Prime lens for the same things you would use a zoom lens, except your feet now become your zoom.

 

[handicap18]

Oh, I almost forgot. At EPCOT in Dec '07 my 18-135mm zoom lens fell apart. I had dropped the camera a few days earlier, but thought everything was ok. We'll I went to switch from the 30mm lens (as we were leaving the Living Seas with Nemo and Friends) and when I pulled out the 18-135mm zoom, the front end fell off (I did end up getting it fixed after returning home).

Well, I spend the rest of the day using ONLY the 30mm f/1.4 (oh, and also a few shots with the 50mm f/1.8) lens all around EPCOT.

You can see that day's gallery here:
http://handicap18.smugmug.com/gallery/5023305_6X6NN#366225168_wp2Em

 

[Chikabowa]

So other than shooting dark rides at the world, what else do you use a prime lens for?

Lots of reasons. They are really sharp and crystal clear. Most have apertures you can't get to on a zoom (like f1.8, f1.4 and some even go to f1.2 and f1.0) and shooting wide open can be a beautiful artistic expression in your photos.

You have to move with your feet and body to create a composition - and I like that personally because it forces me to look at things in a totally different perspective. It's easy to get lazy with a zoom and then all of a sudden you realize you could have gotten something so much better if you had just moved your feet!

Others can probably add to why they love primes, these are just some of the reasons I love them!