When it comes to the advantages of prime lenses, fast aperture sits high up on the list. This is because it allows photographers to use shallow depth of field that looks especially pleasing for portraits. However, Alex Kilbee of the The Photographic Eye mentions another less thought about benefit of using prime lenses based from his experience.
In the video above, Kilbee shares his own background with using prime lenses, like the time he shot mostly with a 28mm lens. Eventually, he became so accustomed to using the hyperfocal distance with this lens that he instinctively knew what his photos would end up looking. Being this in tune with the lens, he said, is the great benefit of using of a prime lens.
Also, he noticed that the restriction that comes with a prime lens actually makes him more creative. A lot of it is due to how a certain lens fits his personality and creative style. As such, he finds that he is more comfortable and confident using a certain focal length than the others.
Do you agree with the insights Kilbee shared in this video? What’s your favorite prime lens and why? Share your thoughts in the comments below, or in our group discussion if you’re already part of the Photofocus Community!
My favorite lens is 75mm, and I use it for portraits and headshots all the time. I agree that a prime lens makes you more involved than a zoom lens. It’s easy to get lazy with a zoom.
I often use both my fav is the 85mm, but often I have to use my 28-75mm as my studio is quite small
If you were ever a Leica M-lens user, you’ve worked within what others might see as limitations of prime lenses, especially manual focus ones. M-lenses from Leica, Voigtlander and Zeiss all have engraved depth of field scales. These show you your near and far depth of field distances at any clicked aperture of the lens. You actually know what your depth of field is at whatever distance you focus at, without using a camera’s depth of field preview button. Because it can difficult to see, a visual depth of field preview often leaves you guessing. Manual focus M-mount lenses can… Read more »