There are many recurring debates in the world of photography. There’s the discussion over brand preference, image formats (RAW vs. JPEG), and even camera sensors (full frame vs. crop sensor). And when it comes to lens selection, one of the biggest debates is whether prime lenses are better than zoom lenses.
In this article, we’ll define both types of lenses, their differences, as well as their advantages and disadvantages. After explaining what each of them is designed for, we’ll also recommend a few of the best and most popular prime and zoom lenses on the market today.
It’s pretty easy to tell prime lenses and zoom lenses apart, even just by looking at them. But here’s the general breakdown of prime vs zoom lens:
What is a prime 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 filmmakers and photographers who want the best optical quality and prefer a shallower depth of field in their images and footage. Popular prime lens focal lengths are 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm. Professionals tend to prefer a flat aperture of f/1.2-1.8, which provides incredible low light performance and maximum shallow depth of field.
Because prime lenses have a fixed focal length, they don’t have a zoom ring and can’t provide optically magnified views of a scene like a zoom lens does. Although they are often compared by people who’re just starting out in photography, professional photographers usually have both types of lenses as part of their main gear or in their camera bags, depending on the demands of a specific photoshoot session.
What is a zoom lens?
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 greater 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.
There’s a wide range of prime and zoom lenses available for each brand of lens, so even if you already know which one is right for you and your photography style, it can be pretty overwhelming to choose just one. But to help take most of the guesswork out of lens selection, we’ll help differentiate the two by explaining their advantages and disadvantages below.
Prime and Zoom Lenses: Pros and Cons
Focal Length
As previously mentioned, the main difference between prime and zoom lenses is in their 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 advantage 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 allows 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 zoom 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 over the depth of field and can produce very attractive bokeh through the use of very shallow depths of field.
Some brands manufacture zoom lenses with wide apertures, but they tend to cost a whole lot more. Most entry-level zoom lenses (like the kit lens that came with your camera) have a maximum aperture of f/3.5, which is not bad except it gets smaller and will typically end up at f/5.6 as you move towards the end of the lens.
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 prime lenses are more compact, given that most photography styles don’t require focal lengths past 200mm and the focal lengths don’t change. Zoom lenses, on the other hand, can be small at the widest focal length but it extends when you zoom towards the long end of your lens.
The use of bigger zoom lenses may look more “professional,” but it can greatly affect your supposedly professional-looking output if the weight is going to affect the handling. With smaller lenses, it can be much easier to pack your gear, travel, and shoot discreetly in public areas.
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.
You can argue that prime lenses only offer one focal length, but you’ll find that having two prime lenses with different focal lengths can be much lighter than a single zoom lens that offers both focal lengths. But if you’re shooting in a single location (like a home studio) and with a stable tripod, weight becomes less of an issue.
Price
Unsurprisingly, prime lenses generally cost much less as they contain much less glass compared to zoom lenses so 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 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 between the two.
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.
The reason why prime lenses are the more popular choice when it comes to capturing accurate and tack sharp images is because zoom lenses will always tend to be more prone to distortion and chromatic aberration, especially towards the wider and tighter ends of the lens. There’s evidence proving this disadvantage, but it may not always be obvious to the untrained eye or crucial for low-resolution prints.
Prime vs Zoom Lens: The Bottom Line
When it comes to the age-old prime lens vs zoom lens argument, we’d say none of them is really better than the other.
For many getting started in filmmaking or photography, the question of “prime vs zoom lens” is important. When should you use one vs the other and which type of lens should you choose? Let’s break down both, based on their construction and purposes.
Here’s a quick rundown of their pros and cons:
Prime Lenses Pros & Cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| Lightweight and compact | Lack of versatility and flexibility |
| Better image quality | |
| Great low-light performance |
When you should use prime lenses
Prime lenses, because of their fixed focal length and wider maximum aperture, let more light in. This creates sharp images and footage with stunning shallow depth of field. Prime lenses also have fewer optical elements and moving parts, which means prime lenses provide faster focusing. They are smaller in size, weigh less, and sometimes are lighter on price too, unless you’re investing in professional prime lenses.
If you prefer the best image quality, faster focusing, smaller and lighter lenses, or a lower price point, prime lenses might be your best choice. If you are a photographer or filmmaker needing lenses that provide the best optical imagery, shallow depth of field, and fantastic low light performance, definitely look into prime lenses.
Here are some types of photography that make the most sense for prime lenses:
- Portrait photography
- Product photography
- Landscape photography, if you want edge-to-edge sharpness
- Wildlife or sports photography, if you need the best quality and focusing speed
Zoom Lenses Pros & Cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| Wider focal range | Tend to be bigger and heavier |
| Flexible framing and zooming | Risk of distortions and aberrations |
As you can see, the type of lens that is right for you will ultimately depend on your needs and preferences. If you are very particular about image quality and don’t need to adjust your focal lengths, then prime lenses are the way to go. But if being able to quickly take photos at different focal lengths is more important than having a small camera bag, then zoom lenses are the best option for you.
When you should use zoom lenses
Zoom lenses, because of their variable focal length, are incredibly versatile, sometimes housing several prime lens focal lengths into one lens. Prime lenses might be slightly sharper and faster and have wider maximum apertures, but professional zoom lenses have developed so much over the years that the gap between prime and zoom lenses is closing fast.
Today’s zoom lenses, especially professional-grade zoom lenses, are incredibly sharp and fast and are pushing the limits on maximum aperture, with some offering as low as f/2.
If you prefer reliable, versatile lenses that can handle a multitude of shooting types and styles, go for a zoom lens. If you travel or work on the road a lot and want to simplify your lens kit, zoom lenses might be a great option as well, since they can replace several prime lenses with one zoom range.
Here are some types of photography that make the most sense for zoom lenses:
- All types of photography. That’s how versatile zoom lenses are. While you may sacrifice a little bit when it comes to sharpness, image quality, focusing speed, and better low light performance, the gap has shortened significantly between the two lens types. This makes the versatility and convenience of a zoom lens worth it. This is especially important if you want to try out different photography styles and types and see which you prefer.
Recommended Lenses
To help you find the right type of lens that suits the types of photography that you do, here are some of the most popular prime and zoom lenses that both aspiring and professional photographers use, and the reasons why you’ll need them.
Prime Lenses
24mm
Why You Need It:
- Wide-angle field of view
- Remarkably sharp
- Excels in low-light shooting conditions
- Great for landscapes, astrophotography, group portraits, and event photography
Recommended 24mm Lenses
35mm
Why You Need It:
- Classic photojournalistic focal length
- Captures enough of the environment to provide image context
- Excels in personal, across-the-dinner-table snapshots
- Great for portrait, street, event, and food photography
Recommended 35mm Lenses:
50mm
Why You Need It:
- Offers a “normal” field of view
- Eliminates perspective distortion
- Bright, wide constant maximum apertures
- Compact and affordable
- Considered a photographer’s must-have
- Great for portrait, street, and everyday photography
Recommended 50mm Lenses:
Zoom Lenses
24-70mm
Why You Need It:
- Highly versatile zoom range
- Great walk-around lens
- Suits a wide range of photography styles
- Available in models with wide maximum apertures
Recommended 24-70mm Lenses:
70-200mm
Why You Need It:
- Versatile zoom range
- Excellent edge-to-edge sharpness
- Sharp, high-contrast images
- Dreamy bokeh quality
- Considered a photography staple
- Great for portrait, sports, and event photography
Recommended 70-200mm Lenses:
70-300mm
Why You Need It:
- Longer telephoto reach
- Highly versatile zoom range
- Equivalent to 450mm on APS-C sensors
- Increases background compression
- Ideal for getting in on sports action
Recommended 70-300mm Lenses:
Feature image by lucas Favre on Unsplash
