Best Beginner Prime Lenses and Why You Need Them
To take the best photos, you need a good lens. There are many lenses out there, and it can be confusing to know which one is right for you. So I will be giving you an overview of some of the best beginner prime lenses available on the market today.
Prime lenses have fixed focal lengths, unlike zoom lenses which can be adjusted from wide-angle to telephoto. This means that they are cheaper than zoom lenses and also produce better image quality due to fewer moving parts inside the lens. They are generally sharper, faster (aperture), and smaller than zoom lenses too.
Choosing the best prime lenses for your camera can be a daunting task. There are so many options available, so it can be hard to know where to begin.
In this guide, we'll take a look at why prime lenses are worth considering and what makes them different from zoom lenses. We'll then discuss some of the best beginner prime lenses for your DSLR or mirrorless camera.
What are Prime Lenses?
Prime lenses don't zoom since they have a set focal length. They provide many advantages over zoom lenses, such as:
Wider aperture - The wider aperture means better low-light performance and allows for more control over depth of field (the amount of the image that appears in focus).
Faster auto-focus - Prime lenses typically have faster autofocus than zoom lenses because their minimum focus distance is shorter and, therefore, easier to achieve.
More compact size - Prime lenses tend to be smaller and lighter than zooms because they don't have any moving parts or multiple elements inside them like zoom lenses do.
Best Prime Lens to Choose
The first thing you need to understand is what makes a lens "prime." A prime lens does not zoom — it has a fixed focal length and can't be changed by twisting or sliding the barrel of the lens itself (although some of them allow you to adjust focus).
If you want to start shooting with prime lenses, then here are some great ones that are perfect for beginners.
1. The Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art offers amazing image quality in one of the smallest packages around. It is perfect for portrait photography as well as street photography because it allows you to get close to your subject while still maintaining a wide field of view that allows you to capture more background information at once (something that most photographers love).
2. The Nikon 50mm f/1.4G is considered one of the best beginner prime lenses out there because it is relatively cheap yet offers great image quality. This lens is perfect for shooting portraits, landscape photography, and other general photography needs.
3. Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM - This is one of the most popular lenses among Canon users because it’s affordable yet delivers great results when used properly. It’s also very lightweight so it won’t add much weight to your camera bag either!
4. The Sigma 60mm f/2.8 DN Art Lens is also an excellent choice for portraits, but it is a bit longer than the Canon lens and has slightly less impressive build quality. However, it's also a bit cheaper than the Canon and comes with a built-in hood that helps protect your lens from damage if you need to put it down on the ground or other surfaces where you might accidentally bump it.
5. The Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Pancake Lens is a great starting point for prime lenses. It's small, lightweight, and inexpensive, and it can be used on any Canon DSLR camera.
Conclusion
Prime lenses are key for a solid camera kit. They're cheaper than zooms, lighter, and can be twice as good on a technical level. From a purely value proposition perspective, we highly recommend that you get some primes in your kit. They can be surprisingly handy, which may surprise you. We hope this guide has helped you understand the benefits of prime lenses, which ones to consider for your shooting style, and where to buy them.
