Prime Lens

Definition of a Prime Lens

Prime Lens are lenses with a fixed focal length. This is opposed to zoom lenses with adjustable focal length. Since lenses have a fixed focal length, they need less optical elements.

Pros

1. Quality – Prime lenses is higher quality because there is less glass elements for the light to go through as well as less moving parts. This keeps the image sharp and clear.
2. Weight – Prime lenses are lighter because they have less optical elements. This makes them great for walking around. A lens such as a 50mm lens can be really light.
3. Cost – The price you will pay for a zoom lens compared to a prime lens of the same quality is big. Prime lenses are relatively cheap. This means you can get clearer images and a larger aperture for less. A larger aperture will allow you to shoot with slower shutter speed or lower an ISO.

Cons

1. Fixed Focal Length – The down fall of a prime lens is the fact that you have a single fixed focal length. This means that if you want to “zoom” in or out on a subject you need to move or change your lens. For subjects that are moving around then you may miss of your shot.

Conclusion

Prime lenses provide quality images, faster aperture and lighter lenses at a lower cost then zoom lenses. It is a great type of lens to start with because of its affordability, as well as it teaches you to move around to frame you subjects and get different angles. The one down fall is that you may miss a shot of you can’t move or can’t move fast enough.