Comments on: Why your next lens should be a prime… http://lawrenceripsher.com/blog/2007/03/why_your_next_l.html Photos, Reviews, Instruction Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:11:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 By: Abe http://lawrenceripsher.com/blog/2007/03/why_your_next_l.html/comment-page-1#comment-347 Abe Fri, 01 Jun 2007 12:38:20 +0000 http://lawrenceripsher.com/2007/03/why_your_next_l.html#comment-347 <p>I agree completely with your view of the merits of prime lenses. For years I used a variety of Minox 35 mm cameras, all with a 35 mm f 2.8 lens as sharp as anything Nikon ever made. I had to move around a lot, and missed some shots that a zoom could have taken, but I learned much about seeing. I would go a step further and say to pick - and stay with - a particular focal length. My choice of focal length was dictated by the desire for a pocket camera with a sharp lens. Had the Minox had a 28mm lens or a 50 mm lens, I would have taken different images, but I would still have learned a lot about seeing. I do wish that there was an equivalent digital camera - the Ricoh GR is close in general concept , but has a poor sensor and a bulky optical viewfinder. </p> I agree completely with your view of the merits of prime lenses. For years I used a variety of Minox 35 mm cameras, all with a 35 mm f 2.8 lens as sharp as anything Nikon ever made. I had to move around a lot, and missed some shots that a zoom could have taken, but I learned much about seeing. I would go a step further and say to pick – and stay with – a particular focal length. My choice of focal length was dictated by the desire for a pocket camera with a sharp lens. Had the Minox had a 28mm lens or a 50 mm lens, I would have taken different images, but I would still have learned a lot about seeing. I do wish that there was an equivalent digital camera – the Ricoh GR is close in general concept , but has a poor sensor and a bulky optical viewfinder.

]]> By: Niall O'Shea http://lawrenceripsher.com/blog/2007/03/why_your_next_l.html/comment-page-1#comment-346 Niall O'Shea Sat, 05 May 2007 00:48:11 +0000 http://lawrenceripsher.com/2007/03/why_your_next_l.html#comment-346 <p>I was in a shop yesterday and noticed 3 second-hand primes for Nikon: a Nikkor 20mm F2.8, a Sigma 24mm f1.8 and a Nikkor 60mm Micro f2.8. I took some very fast shots in and out of the shop with my D2X so I could analyse them at home. </p> <p>The 20mm was the first I tried and the field of view was the most satisfying. It was very liberating to run around outside knowing you had to use your body to frame things how you wanted, but using a small lens that just snaps away. </p> <p>FWIW, the image quality didn't impress all that much and I suspect my 17-55 Nikon is better (and it's not like the 20mm has a faster max. aperture). Y</p> <p>ou wouldn't think it, but the relative unobtrusiveness of a compact prime gives you a confidence to take candids that even a modestly bulky mid-zoom does not. I was snapping away fearlessly in a busy street, yet irrationally, I would be much more cautious with the 17-55, yet no one can miss a D2X, no matter what lens is attached!</p> <p>Incidentally, in spite of less than stellar reviews I think I'm going to get the Sigma - a bargain for £129 and has great colour and contrast.</p> I was in a shop yesterday and noticed 3 second-hand primes for Nikon: a Nikkor 20mm F2.8, a Sigma 24mm f1.8 and a Nikkor 60mm Micro f2.8. I took some very fast shots in and out of the shop with my D2X so I could analyse them at home.

The 20mm was the first I tried and the field of view was the most satisfying. It was very liberating to run around outside knowing you had to use your body to frame things how you wanted, but using a small lens that just snaps away.

FWIW, the image quality didn't impress all that much and I suspect my 17-55 Nikon is better (and it's not like the 20mm has a faster max. aperture). Y

ou wouldn't think it, but the relative unobtrusiveness of a compact prime gives you a confidence to take candids that even a modestly bulky mid-zoom does not. I was snapping away fearlessly in a busy street, yet irrationally, I would be much more cautious with the 17-55, yet no one can miss a D2X, no matter what lens is attached!

Incidentally, in spite of less than stellar reviews I think I'm going to get the Sigma – a bargain for £129 and has great colour and contrast.

]]> By: Geoff http://lawrenceripsher.com/blog/2007/03/why_your_next_l.html/comment-page-1#comment-345 Geoff Sun, 29 Apr 2007 16:50:44 +0000 http://lawrenceripsher.com/2007/03/why_your_next_l.html#comment-345 <p>Good article. I was talking to a friend who is in the market for a new lens and I was trying to talk him into a prime. The most persuasive argument you make for me is that a prime forces you to move around the subject and interact a lot more with it. I think you are right in that with a zoom the first (and sometimes only) thing you do is zoom in and out looking for the right focal length and forgetting you can also change perspective.</p> Good article. I was talking to a friend who is in the market for a new lens and I was trying to talk him into a prime. The most persuasive argument you make for me is that a prime forces you to move around the subject and interact a lot more with it. I think you are right in that with a zoom the first (and sometimes only) thing you do is zoom in and out looking for the right focal length and forgetting you can also change perspective.

]]> By: Richard http://lawrenceripsher.com/blog/2007/03/why_your_next_l.html/comment-page-1#comment-344 Richard Wed, 25 Apr 2007 22:34:30 +0000 http://lawrenceripsher.com/2007/03/why_your_next_l.html#comment-344 <p>Agree with everything you say Lawrence, especially the discipline it brings. Forces you to compose in camera. Don't take a million shots at all focal lengths and "composing" back on the computer. Another consideration is that these days you can get nice adapters for which allow you to use Leica, Zeiss, Zuiko etc on your DSLR. (cameraquest.com) I bought one to use for my Zuiko lenses and the results from some, eg 100mmf2 are stunnningly. I've currently ordered a Leica R adapter for my 5D as I've spotted a lot of bargain second-hand Leica R lenses around</p> Agree with everything you say Lawrence, especially the discipline it brings. Forces you to compose in camera. Don't take a million shots at all focal lengths and "composing" back on the computer. Another consideration is that these days you can get nice adapters for which allow you to use Leica, Zeiss, Zuiko etc on your DSLR. (cameraquest.com) I bought one to use for my Zuiko lenses and the results from some, eg 100mmf2 are stunnningly. I've currently ordered a Leica R adapter for my 5D as I've spotted a lot of bargain second-hand Leica R lenses around

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