We explained here the comparison of prime lens vs zoom lens. Read along, especially if you are a newcomer to the photography niche and looking to build the basics.
If you are new or even call yourself a veteran of the photography niche, you might know this fact that selecting a camera lens is much more important (and technically difficult) as compared to the camera body itself. In the different pools of specific type of lens, zoom lens have been very famous among the pros and noobs as latest generation of image sensors in these lenses have been producing amazing quality which can retain even at extremely high ISOs, come with reliable image stabilization systems and produce sharp images for both professional and day to day photography.
But there is always a comparison of prime lens vs zoom lens, which one does when buying a lens for their initial kit. Before we get into the side-by-side comparison, here is a more direct summary: most prime lenses that you will select for your camera body will come with a smaller, much lighter, and faster focusing system than a chunkier and heavier zoom lens within that focal range. But there is a catch. For that, let’s first put them side by side in terms of futures, use cases, and performance.
1. Convenience: Size & Weight
Most zoom lenses have longer lens barrels and other mechanical parts, making them heavier as compared to prime lenses. In some cases, you might also need a tripod for longer focal lengths. The size and weight of both prime and zoom lenses can be affected by other factors as well, including max aperture and professional grade build, which feature extra hardware to protect them from extreme weather conditions.
2. Cost factor
The cost can be less for a prime lens, but again, there is a huge spectrum where these prime lenses differ from each other and can be even expensive than zoom lenses in some cases. But generally, the prime lens will cost much less compared to the zoom lens. Lower focal lengths like 50mm f/1.8 lenses of prime lens are usually softer on the wallet, but prime lenses with f/1.2 or f/1.4 can easily make zoom lens shy when it comes to their price tags.
If you are just starting, we recommend a 50mm f/1.8 like the SURUI 50mm F1.8 1.33x lens which has an impressive 33% wider field of view than a conventional 50 mm lens and weighs just 560 grams.
3. Focal lengths!
That is the main difference between the two when it comes to prime lens vs zoom lens. Zoom lenses can “zoom” between wider and variable focal lengths, making them much more functional, but it comes at the cost of lower low-light performance. Prime lenses offer much better results in low lighting but are limited on focal lengths. But this “limitation” is loved by many photographers when it comes to professional photography.
The reason is that with these prime lenses, taking pictures becomes a very physical affair as you will have to move away for wide-angle shots and move close to get better clear angles. This entire experience of moving back and forth is found to be intuitive to certain photographers rather than turning a zoom ring on their fancy zoom lens. This does come with the risk of missing the once-in-a-lifetime shot, but a lot of people somehow prefer to carry different prime lenses with them.
4. Optical Performance
Although zoom lenses have significantly improved over the years and their optical performance is now as impressive as it was a few years ago, still, it can be stated that zoom lenses are behind prime lenses when it comes to overall optical clarity and sharpness. This is because it is extremely hard to create a zoom lens that delivers consistently good optical quality throughout the entire focal range it is designed for.
Zoom lenses can work great if designed with fixed focal lengths (telephoto, wide-angle, and standard), but comparing entire focal lengths places prime lenses on top. It is also worth mentioning that unless you are making large prints, the difference in sharpness from both lenses is negligible, but the difference in low-light performance is significant.
So, what should be your pick?
To establish a result from comparing prime lens vs zoom lens, it can be established that it entirely depends on your use case! There’s no right or wrong lens or “perfect” lens arsenal to give you the best results. Every lens out there has pros and cons.
You just need to weigh both of them for your use and then match lens types according to your needs. Zoom lenses are versatile but heavier and not as consistent. Prime lenses are small, are much more reliable, and perform better when in focal range.