Main Difference between Prime lens and normal zoom lens?
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Galdor
Senior Member
For prime lens, it can have a bigger aperture (f1.2, f1.4, f1.7, f1.8) while for zoom lenses, the maximum it can go is f2.8.
Due to this, the DOF is affected hence people tend to prefer the prime lens, besides the 50mm lens is one of the cheapest fast lens one can lay their hands on.
Due to this, the DOF is affected hence people tend to prefer the prime lens, besides the 50mm lens is one of the cheapest fast lens one can lay their hands on.
DrSpock
New Member
A simple search should give you most of the answer like this http://www.digital-slr-guide.com/prime-and-zoom-lenses.html
The juice of it is Most use this 50mm cos it's a 'Normal' lens and depending on the max aperture the bokeh can be excellent.
The juice of it is Most use this 50mm cos it's a 'Normal' lens and depending on the max aperture the bokeh can be excellent.
madmartian
Senior Member
Welcome to CS, sotong9 
Welcome to CS!
Main difference between a prime lens and a zoom:
One has a fixed focal length and the other, variable.
Main difference between a prime lens and a zoom:
One has a fixed focal length and the other, variable.
Numnumball
Senior Member
Welcome to CS
Primary diff address by Dream Merchant above;
Secondary diff is lee distortion issues in prime where most zoom bound to have some sort of barrel distortion and such;
Thirdly, weight less and cheaper (if compare apple to apple... like 14-24 compared with 14 prime and 300mm tele compare with 200-400 tele zoom)
Primary diff address by Dream Merchant above;
Secondary diff is lee distortion issues in prime where most zoom bound to have some sort of barrel distortion and such;
Thirdly, weight less and cheaper (if compare apple to apple... like 14-24 compared with 14 prime and 300mm tele compare with 200-400 tele zoom)
Prime is cheaper, lighter and usually sharper though I can say zoom is matching it very closely when N14-24 came out.
It is difficult to control the quality of a zoom, thus for a zoom. Example, you might get a sharper/ distorted picture at 17mm but not 25mm but it changes again at 50mm 55mm.
It is difficult to control the quality of a zoom, thus for a zoom. Example, you might get a sharper/ distorted picture at 17mm but not 25mm but it changes again at 50mm 55mm.
giantcanopy
Senior Member
Actually with the barrage of revised and really sharp zoom offerings by various manufacturers, the old debate of better IQ of primes vs zooms have really narrowed to a close. I for one cannot tell the difference if one is taken by a zoom or prime. For me the idea of choosing one over the other doesn reside much on IQ arguements ( but thats for me ).
DonnyDan has cited the classic example of Nikon 14-24mm zoom that puts the 14mm prime lenses to shame.
My main consideration is actually prime lenses often offer ya a larger aperture compared with zoom lenses.
ryan
DonnyDan has cited the classic example of Nikon 14-24mm zoom that puts the 14mm prime lenses to shame.
My main consideration is actually prime lenses often offer ya a larger aperture compared with zoom lenses.
ryan
Main difference: Variable focal lengths on zooms
Not so obvious differences: You'll notice that prime lenses often have a much bigger aperture like f/1.8, f/1.4 not found on zooms. This is very useful for subject isolation (bokeh / blurring of background) which is often what many portrait photographers desire.
Not so obvious differences: You'll notice that prime lenses often have a much bigger aperture like f/1.8, f/1.4 not found on zooms. This is very useful for subject isolation (bokeh / blurring of background) which is often what many portrait photographers desire.
Yes, one of the cheapest portrait lens to start with. At 1.8, it will produce nice bokeh that normal kit lens cannot produce.
hmmmmm....... this is tough question that few people talk about ...... let me google that for you....
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junliang78
Member
Haha . Good 1
DrSpock
New Member
Hey, how did you do that?:bigeyes: I like it man:thumbsup:
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Numnumball
Senior Member
I can't stop playing it :bsmilie: Thanks for the FUN:thumbsup:- Status
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