Prime lens vs a Zoom lens
A Prime lens is a lens with a fixed focal length, typically with a maximum aperture of f / 1.2 - f 2.8. They’re fantastic for videographers and photographers who want the best optical quality and prefer a shallower depth of field in their images. Popular prime lens focal lengths are 35 / 50 and 85 mm.
A Zoom lens is a lens with a variable focal length, allowing the user to adjust their focal length in its specified zoom range. This allows for grater versatility and flexibility when shooting. Popular zoom lenses include 16 - 35mm, 24-70mm and 70-200mm, with a flat aperture of f 2.8 preferred by professionals, due to the better low light performance.
Focal length - The focal length of prime lenses can be anywhere between 12mm and 5200mm, and it will always remain the same. Zoom lenses, on the other hand, have zoom rings that allow you to use a range of lengths. This gives the latter a definite advantages as it eliminates the need to change lenses or zoom in and out with your feet, as you would with a prime lens. Another advantage of having the choice to use different focal lengths is that it allow you to easily and quickly add variety to your shots and adjust your framing so you don’t have to waste precious seconds and risk losing those split-second, picture-perfect moments
Aperture -While prime lenses rate low in versatility and flexibility compared to zoon lenses, they make it up by being able to offer much wider apertures (or smaller f=-numbers).
With fast primes that have maximum apertures like f 1/4 or even f 2.8, you are able to let more light into the camera sensor. This helps brighten low-light scenes and allows for the use of faster shutter speeds. Prime lenses also offer more control the depth of field and can produce very attractive bokeh (the visual quality of the out-of-focus areas of a photographic image) through the use of very shallow depths of field.
Size - Both prime lenses and zoom lenses come in different sizes. It’s not true that prime lenses are always smaller and shorter than zoom lenses, since there are much longer prime telephoto zoom lenses. However, the most useful primelenses are more compact, given that most photography styles don’t require focal lengthes past 200 mm and the focal lengths don’t change. Zoom lenses, on the other hand, can be small and the widest focalllength but it extends when you zoom towards the long end of your lens.
Weight- Another stark difference between prime and zoom lenses is their weight. Although there are “lightweight” zoom lenses, a zoom lens generally contains more glass elements than a prime lens. And when you have several zoom lenses, the combined extra weight could make it difficult to shoot and travel with.
Price - Unsurprisingly, prime lenses generally cost much less as they contain much less glass compared to zoom lenses do the manufacturing cost tends to be lower - but that might not always be the case. You’ll find that some of today’s zoom lenses are pretty affordable. It greatly depends on the other factors that could increase their value (like wider apertures for zoom lenses and improved image quality for prime lenses) so when it comes to the price, it’s a tie.
Sharpness and Quality -Today’s zoom lenses are capable of capturing some of the best quality images. However, prime lenses have been around as long as photography itself, and this has allowed camera brands to improve on it earlier and maintain its slight edge when it comes to image quality.
