Why you need a fast prime lens

When I started photography back in 2006 everyone recommended I buy a 50mm prime lens. Unfortunately I didn’t listen to them. In December 2008 Nikon launched the excellent D300 and the temptation was too much to resist. So I sold my Canon equipment and bought the D300 as well as a 50mm and 85mm prime lens to see what all the hype was about.



After reading the manual and charging the battery I mounted the 85mm. The first thing you notice with a fast prime lens is how much brighter the viewfinder is. The second and most important in my opinion is how shallow the depth of field is. It has a beautiful look and gives your images much more impact. The other advantage is that because of the wide aperture opening you can shoot in darker conditions than you would be able to with a normal zoom lens.

I was very pleased with both the 50mm and 85mm but soon I went back to the 18-200mm which I absolutely love. Prime lenses have a place and a time but in my opinion can’t be used all the time. The perfect place for a prime lens is to put it on your camera and go out for the day with it. You will force yourself to shoot with what you have and that can lead to some excellent and very creative photos.

Happy Shooting!