Primes at the parks

[jewood1234]

Excited to be able to add a short trip to WDW next month (gotta love those pin codes!).

I'm bringing my m4/3 gear:
EP3
Oly 12-50 kit
Oly 45/1.8
Oly 12/2

My question to the photo experts here:
What percent of the time do you default to using the walk-around lens and how do you best utilize your primes?

Obviously the primes work really well for dark rides vs the kit lens, but looking for tips in how to find the best balance of quality keepers as compared to "oh crap, missed the shot while I was changing lenses".

Thanks!

 

[boBQuincy]

First, although I have a lot of years in photography I would not call myself an "expert", maybe some day...

When using primes my focus (pun intended) is to look at scenes with a prime lens in mind and to look for scenes that will work with that lens. A lot of footwork is required to get in a position to use the lens to its best advantage, along with really looking to decide what aperture would work well. What I try not to do is change lenses often, otherwise I may as well bring a zoom (which I usually have with me for less intense photography).

To me this is about getting into the whole idea of a prime lens. It is less about "I missed the shot" than " I saw and photographed something I never saw in that way before". This is not tourist photography, although I do plenty of that too (with a zoom lens).

 

[jewood1234]

That's a cool way of thinking about it. Always a balance of getting/finding the pic and enjoying time with family.

Thanks for the response!

J

 

[DoDaLeCa]

I had several very high quality f/2.8 zooms with me when i was at Disney so i never felt i had any shot (other than using a f/1.4 prime inside dark rides or shooting ambient light twilight to evening parades) that needed a prime. For the outdoor work a quality f/2.8 zoom provided more than adequate picture quality while allowing me to quickly adjust the framing in crowded conditions - with a prime you might not be able to adjust your position to make the fixed focal length work for the framing you want.

 

[mom2rtk]

I had several very high quality f/2.8 zooms with me when i was at Disney so i never felt i had any shot (other than using a f/1.4 prime inside dark rides or shooting ambient light twilight to evening parades) that needed a prime. For the outdoor work a quality f/2.8 zoom provided more than adequate picture quality while allowing me to quickly adjust the framing in crowded conditions - with a prime you might not be able to adjust your position to make the fixed focal length work for the framing you want.

Agreed. Zooming with your feet is a lot harder in crowded places like Disney. So I save my prime for specific tasks, like dark rides. I use my 2.8 zoom for 90% of my shots.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

I totally agree with the others. Because of what I normally shoot, zooms are a requirement, so I'm not really a prime guy. However, a prime is another tool in my toolbox to use when the need arises. Several times a year, we have a charity event where I photograph the fans in Gatorade Victory Lane. Because it is a set shot utilizing a tripod, it is perfect for a prime lens. I have used the Sigma 30 for the dark rides, but with Sigma's release of the 18-35 f1.8 in my system's mount, it's going to be very tempting to have the flexibility of a zoom with the lowlight capability. Unless you are dedicated to the prime, I have always found it difficult to shoot with a prime at WDW. The crowds and moving targets (parades, rides, etc.) inhibit my composition. Over the last several years we are seeing zoom lenses that rival the primes as far as focus, clarity, etc. I very rarely change lenses at WDW. I know ahead of time which lens is required for a situation (dark ride, safari, etc.), so I will switch while waiting in line. I can honestly say I don't recall "missing" a shot because I was changing lenses. Because my walkaround (and my WDW long zoom) is a f2.8 lens, I do have lowlight capabilities because of the higher usable ISO of my camera bodies. Therefore, I find little need to switch lenses on a regular basis. This is just my opinion (and experience) based on how I shoot WDW. Others love primes because that is their style. I try to be flexible and utilize whatever tools I have in my toolbox tailored to the situation.

 

[jewood1234]

Thanks, very helpful everyone.


Thanks for taking the time, j

 

[wiigirl]

Agreed. Zooming with your feet is a lot harder in crowded places like Disney. So I save my prime for specific tasks, like dark rides. I use my 2.8 zoom for 90% of my shots.

 

[traylorc]

Agreed. Zooming with your feet is a lot harder in crowded places like Disney. So I save my prime for specific tasks, like dark rides. I use my 2.8 zoom for 90% of my shots.

Exactly...I love primes, but at Disney the crowds can make using a prime challenging. Not impossible...but at times challenging. There are certain shots I was able to get simply because I had my zoom lens.

 

[boBQuincy]

Back in the old days we had to use primes because zoom lenses were expensive, slow, and optically challenged. We also had to walk uphill in the snow to Space Mountain.

My first trips to WDW were with a 24, 50, and 200, later (1990's) with a 35-105 zoom but it was nowhere near as sharp as the primes. Do I miss the "good old days"? NO! To be honest I usually have the 12-35 f/2.8 on my micro 4/3 camera but when a lens like the 42.5 f/1.2 Opticron comes along it is just to good to leave in the room!