Fixed focal length or zoom?

[ruby.monkey]

Definitely prefer primes, since I don't have the brainpower to visualise a scene with more than one field of view. Then again, all my zooms are effectively dual-focal lenses anyway.

 

[Ronald M]

First camera was a Waltz Envoy 50 2.0 Nippon Koagu. Really really wanted more lenses. After college graduation, bought a Spotmatic and 8 or more lenses all the same time. Double parked on Wabash to go in and meet Selwyn and pick up order.
For the old timers who get it.

Tried a few zooms which were not noteworthy.

Got a digital Nikon D200 and zoom was much better.

Now doing Leica M digital and film and 35/50/90. Happy camper who uses one lens mostly and does not carry 50# of gear.

 

[willie_901]

For about 8 years I made money with zoom lenses. I used ~15-35 (equivalent) focal lengths because there were limited options for where I could place the camera.

Now, I don't own a zoom lens. I prefer to use smaller, light-weight primes.

 

[DwF]

Bill, Your thread here felt timely in piquing (no pun intended with this spelling!) my interest.

Before recently stumbling into a deal on an X Vario, I was considering borrowing back the Fuji kit lens I "gave" my son with the X E2. I even tried out a 16-55 f 2.8 at a store a couple weeks back. That larger lens runs a bit counter to the X Pro2 because the OVF is a big reason for my using that camera and compactness is what attracted me to Leica in the first place; some preferences don't change.

There is more and more sense in using a good zoom at least for travel and I find with the X Vario that the zoom is not fiddly or distracting....and it's really good (if a bit slow). The 28 at 3.5 is more than adequate a lot of the time. In fact, looking at many images that I made on my last trip, few were even f2.8 or faster.

So it is vindicating to read you were considering these as well.

David

 

[Dogman]

Over the course of years I've used both prime focal lengths and zoom lenses. I've owned some outstanding lenses in both categories. Today I'm almost exclusively using Fuji fixed focal length lenses. Although I bought the Fuji 18-55mm and 55-200mm zooms about two years ago, they've been used so little they could pass for fresh out of the box new.

I think a lot of my preference in types of lenses has to do with the cameras on which I'm using them. My favorite Fuji cameras are the X-Pro1 and X-Pro2, preferably used with the optical viewfinder. These cameras just feel right with fixed focal length lenses. I've only used the Fuji zooms on X-T1 bodies.

Shooting with the X-Pro cameras and fixed focal length lenses, I tend to shoot more loosely and not try to be obsessive about composition. The pictures seem more spontaneous even when the subject is not in motion. Shooting with the X-T1 (or any other SLR/DSLR) and looking through the lens that records the image, it's easy for me to get obsessive over composition and tight framing. The pictures can sometimes look constipated, if any of this makes any sense to anyone but me.

 

[Bill Pierce]

My favorite Fuji cameras are the X-Pro1 and X-Pro2, preferably used with the optical viewfinder. Shooting with the X-Pro cameras and fixed focal length lenses, I tend to shoot more loosely and not try to be obsessive about composition. The pictures seem more spontaneous even when the subject is not in motion. Shooting with the X-T1 (or any other SLR/DSLR) and looking through the lens that records the image, it's easy for me to get obsessive over composition and tight framing. The pictures can sometimes look constipated, if any of this makes any sense to anyone but me.

The advantage of any SLR, that it can give a very exacting preview of the final image, is also its greatest disadvantage. It's sort of the form vs the moment and a reminder that cameras are tools, not an end in themselves.

 

[Papercut]

Don't use or even own a zoom lens. Wouldn't even consider it actually. All prime, all the time.

 

[Sumarongi]

Everyone knows -- or ought to know -- that the Professional Leica M Autofocus Zoom lenses are THE:BESTEST.

See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTQ9WQCCFyQ

 

[Eric T]

I use zooms almost exclusively. I love the Pana-Leica zooms made for the micro four thirds system. I use the 8-16, 12-60, 50-200, and 100-400mm. The set isn't that heavy and gives me tremendous focal range. The IQ of MFT at 20 Mpx is fine with me.
Sometimes when I travel on short trips, I'll take a one camera - one lens set up.
That can be the Panasonic G9 with the Panasonic 14-140mm or the Sony A7rIII with the Sony 24-240mm.
I know my approach is heresy to many but I photograph for fun, not to make a living.
I appreciate those who want fast primes for a certain bokeh effect but that just isn't for me.

 

[shimokita]

In part it's that 'bad taste in the mouth' experience many had when using zooms on manual focus cameras - maybe without TTL metering... just too much going on at one time. Given the improvement in the lenses and camera systems, the zoom deserves another look... only to zoom and shoot might make sense.

 

[Yokosuka Mike]

I’m a prime lens kind of guy for 95% of my photography but I do have 4 zoom lenses for use on my Sigma SD1 Merrill and Sd Quattro cameras.

Sigma 10-20mm f3.5 EX DC lens
Sigma 17-70mm f2.8-4 DC "Contemporary" lens (25mm-105mm on Sd Quattro)
Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 DC "Art" lens (27mm-52mm on Sd Quattro)
Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 EX DG lens (32mm-93mm on Sd Quattro H)

The Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 EX DG lens weighs a lot but man does it produce some excellent images. The other zooms are also outstanding. Regrettable for them they rarely see the light of day.

Mike

 

[Bill Pierce]

I use zooms almost exclusively. I love the Pana-Leica zooms made for the micro four thirds system.

The micro four thirds photographers that I know are the photographers that routinely use zooms as their primary lenses. Maybe it's a simple as the fact that these lenses are smaller and pleasanter to use than their often large and heavy APS-c and full frame brothers.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

For personal use I usually prefer fixed focal length lenses. If I'm traveling lightweight (is there such a thing with a Nikon F2?) then I'll pack a long focal length zoom, like an 80-200. These days I'll pack a 28mm and 50mm and be happy.

Back when I was shooting for money, it was 2 bodies, each with a zoom. I preferred the 20-35 f/2.8 and the 80-200 f/2.8. I'd also carry a fast 50.

Yes, I have back problems but I will always insist that photography never caused them. 😉

Phil Forrest

 

[Bill Clark]

The lens I used the most, a Canon zoom, 24-70 f 2.8

That’s when I was in business.

Now it’s mostly whatever is on the camera. Usually a 50. Canon has a real nice 50/f1.4 I paid less than $400 from B&H.

 

[olifaunt]

For what I do, I found a 40 mm prime to be the only lens I need. When I see something interesting, I stop right there and shoot it, no walking back or forward. 40mm covers precisely whatever catches my field of attention (I don't have good peripheral attention, I know). Wider lenses don't work for me (I've abandoned my 28 mm for the most part) because by the time I've zoomed with my feet, the composition is gone because of change of perspective, or movement of subjects (also, you cannot generally zoom with your feet into the sky if you see some interesting architecture looking up).

 

[lamefrog]

Takuma Nakahira was Provoke's most talented and versatile photographer. He started with stunning grainy, blurry, b/w images taken with wide-angle prime lenses . At the end of his career, after suffering a debilitating stroke , he was shooting in color with a Nikon SLR and a zoom lens, shooting mostly at the telephoto end, the same gear used by the hatted weekend photographers who take images of cherry blosson trees and Mt Fuji. This work was no less inspired (see his book "Documentary") . Zoom or prime it really doesn't matter - its all about creative talent and vision.

 

[Contarama]

Zooms? That is what movie folks use! 😀

 

[Oscuro]

I have often wished for this. A Fuji X100 with such a zoom would be perfect. The discrete focal lengths would help the designer to optimize the lens for the specific focal lengths. Leica actually did this with at least one P&S model.

Caro,

The Fuji X100F gives a very functional 35 - 50 - 75 with the flick of a switch. My husband stolen my X100 and giving me back X100F. Superb! I use it with the 28 converter. The switch gives me 28 - 40ish - 60ish. Yes, it is digital zoom but the image is up resolving to 24mp and I notice only small issues not really visible in printing.

It has nearly replacing the FF Nikon. (still D3 with 28-300 zoom)

Ciao,
Mme. Oscuro

 

[peterm1]

I use both but I prefer prime lenses. However, when I go away on holidays and space and weight are considerations I trend to use a zoom for everyday use backed by maybe a fast prime for low light and night use plus a long lens for those longer shots. When used with a mirrorless camera this works well enough and is not unmanageable. I did this on a trip to Bali two years ago and thought it pretty good. The only slight gripe I had was not with the lenses but with the camera - M4/3 cameras are still not quite good enough for some very low light shots compared with full frame, but that is another story and in any event overall it was still a very workable outfit.

My favorite lens on the Bali trip incidentally was the Olympus 75mm f1.8 which got used pretty often. See below for samples.

Faces of Bali 3 by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

Faces of Bali 4 by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

Bali old and Bali new by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

 

[farlymac]

I go back and forth on this. No really carved in stone requirement for using one or the other, just mainly what I plan to photograph that day.

Since I started using rangefinders more often, I tend to shoot the same way with my SLR's. Stick a nice prime on there, and I'm good for the whole day.

But when it comes to events, a zoom is my lens of choice.

PF