What is a fixed lens, and why do they exist in the world of super-advanced zoom lenses? This article explains all of that in detail and lays down a foundation for newbies.
If you landed on this page by searching what is fixed lens, we presume that you are a newbie in this niche and are looking for answers to set things straight. Well, before get in to that, it should always be remembered that cameras dot takes pictures nor their lenses, people do and no matter which lets you are using, it is entirely your knowledge and skill-set which will make your hardware perform best in a certain situation. Now, let’s get back to theory, shall we?
What is a Fixed Lens
As the name suggests, they have a fixed focal length designed from OEM and are designed to work best at that one number of focal numbers that it is embossed with. This might give you the impression that they come with the limitation of being used in certain situations, and that is true in a way, but there is a catch.
These lenses were much smaller as compared to today’s zoom lenses (lenses with variable focal lengths) and were pretty accurate and consistent at taking pictures, which is linked to their mechanical and optical constructions. Zoom lenses became popular back in the 1970s, and since then, they have seen incredible improvement in terms of functionality and optical quality. However, there is still a comparison being made between the two.
What makes Fixed lens great?
Fixed lenses are fun to carry as they have a smaller profile and work best most of the time in their given range. Zoom lenses, on the other hand, are much chunkier and not convenient to carry around, especially if you have multiple lenses. There are exceptions like the SIRUI Jupiter 28-85mm full-frame lens, which keeps it a low profile in terms of weight but still, multiple fixed lenses, on the other hand, can easily be carried and swapped with ease.
Most of the time, they work best with photographers who have one or two fixed camera lenses as compared to zoom lenses. Why? Well, first, you need to take into account composition, which is the best possible arrangement of elements (according to your photographic intellect), and to take time to make this possible within the frame for as long as possible. The end result is a frame that is desirable to yours and others’ eyes, not just taking a picture in whatever position just because you felt like taking it.
Now, when you keep composition in mind for every photo you take, your fixed lens or set of two fixed lenses will always push you to imagine these compositions aligned with your lens's field of view even before you have decided to take pictures.
This becomes such a fun and intuitive process of imagining these compositions within your frames when you spend more and more time with your set of one or two fixed lenses. When with zoom lenses, the opposite of fixed, you can actually take thoughtless pictures, not thinking of any compisition and just trying different focal lengths until something interesting comes along in your frame.
Fixed frames do come with a downside of “creative restriction” where one can end up in a situation of not being able to shoot a certain moment due to focal length restrictions. Imagine a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and your fixed lens is giving you the portrait you wanted. That is why a smallish zoom lens can also be carried in a situation like these, but prepare for your bag to be heavier than usual.
Who needs a Fixes lens?
Zoom lenses used to be great back when they were smaller and portable to carry. But now, they are over-complicated and not mobile. Sure, they can be very useful in certain uses, like sports photography, but for day-to-day enjoyment, a photographer needs something to capture with their imagination, and skill and better composition is just with a fixed lens.
Not to mention, they are faster to operate, give better low light performances as compared to zoom and can be handled much more easy. All you need is a set of three fixed lenses to cover most of the situations you can encounter, i.e., 28mm, 50mm, and 100mm are enough for a long vacation. As you will spend more time with a fixed lens, you will find out that even one is plenty as these you will be standing.
As you learned through the explanation to the question of “what is a fixed lens” and how they stack with zoom lenses, it should be mentioned that better pictures come when photographers are more involved in frames rather than worrying about their camera bags. In most situations, one wide, one fast normal, and one fixed tele lens is more than enough. The latest generation of zoom lenses is nearing the sharpness of fixed lenses, but still, the overall portability, convenience, and image quality weigh to fixed lenses.
