Nikon D3200 Digital Field Guide

Prime versus Zoom Lenses

Prime lenses have a single focal length and are sometimes also referred to as fixed focal length lenses. Zoom lenses can be adjusted to shoot at a wide range of focal lengths that are easily changed by the photographer, usually by twisting the zoom ring on the lens. Zoom lenses are definitely more versatile than primes because they allow the composition and perspective to be changed without moving. The following sections cover the advantages and disadvantages of each lens type.

Understanding prime lenses

Prime lenses only have a single focal length. Because they are generally smaller and do not require as many parts, they tend to be much lighter than zooms. Beyond that, prime lenses offer the following three advantages:

▶ Wide maximum apertures. Prime lenses have wider maximum apertures than zooms at a reasonable cost. For example, the lens that comes with the camera has a maximum aperture of f/5.6 at 55mm and retails for around $200. For the same price, you can get a 35mm prime lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.8. For just a little more, you can get a 50mm prime lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.8.

▶ Sharpness. A prime lens has fewer moving elements than zooms, making them not only cheaper but, theoretically, sharper than zooms. The optimal f-stop of a lens is usually a few stops from wide open. This means that on zoom lenses, because the widest aperture is f/2.8, the sweet spot is f/8.0; however, on a prime lens, the maximum aperture is f/1.8, so ...