Tag: lens
What prime lens should I get?
by eNoBlog on Aug.10, 2009, under Equipment
After a few months of owning a DSLR with a kit zoom lens, we think we’re ready for a prime lens. Some recommend a 50mm, others a 35mm and still others and 85mm. How do we decide?
Will the focal length work indoors? Will it be too restrictive? What kind of photographs will we be able to capture with a fixed focal length? On an APS-C DSLR, will the lens prove too long? How can we find out before we plunk down some serious cash?
All this hand-wringing, and we have the tool to answer the question mounted on the camera hanging from our neck!
Here’s what you do. Use the kit lens currently on your camera and set it to 35, 50, or 85mm (if it has that focal length) and — pay attention — leave it at that focal length. Go out on the town or around the house, and for the whole shooting session, do not change the focal length. Aside from not being able to set wider (faster) apertures, you will enjoy the full prime experience. Then, you can repeat the whole process at the other focal length(s) you were considering. At the end of the day, you might end up with sample images like these:
| 35mm | 50mm | 85mm |
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Which focal length worked best for you? More importantly, what did you learn about framing and composition once you couldn’t happily stand in one place and zoom to make the shot work? Did you have to move more, change the angle and explore your subject(s) from perspectives you don’t normally use? With answers to these questions in hand you should be able to decide whether a prime is for you, and if so, what focal length you would prefer to add to your kit. Give this a try and see what you find.
