Prime Time, Baby!

[MakersTeleMark]

What are your favorite prime lenses of any generation?

I've currently been shooting just primes. Can't ever seeing myself going zoom, or flash.

Current setup:

Holga 60mm f/8-11;
Nikkor 50mm f/1.4;
Nikkor 105mm f/2.5;
Nikkor 135mm f/2.8;
Zeiss Planar 80mm f/2.8.

Obviously I don't shoot skiing, but these above are amazing for street/portraiture/funky.

Don't really like wide or 35mm for some reason. Just doesn't speak to me.

These are on a full frame analog SLR, a plastic 6x6 piece of shit, and a hasselblad. All of which I love.

Whatcha' got and love?

[adrenalated]

This thread is worthless without pics.

I'm the opposite, mostly shooting skiing/biking/etc so only have one prime lens. However my Samyang 12mm F2.0 lens has proven to be a great purchase for my a6000

[LiveLarger]

My favorites are the ones I currently use:

Zeiss Batis 25 f 2.0
Zeiss Batis 85 f 1.8
Sony Zeiss Distagon T FE 35 1.4 ZA

I love all of these, particularly the 35 1.4, it just renders soo pretty.


The pictures from that Samyang in the post above looks great BTW. I kind of want to add a super wide like that to my kit.

Batis 25:


Distagon 35 1.4:

[smmokan]

Taken a few years ago, but some of my favorite portraits were taken with the Canon 50mm f/1.4. I'm tempted to grab it again, since you can find them pretty easily under $200 these days.

[ridinshockgun]

Sony E 35 f 1.8 is my go to on the a6000 for river gorges and forests. Makes for a nice lightweight kit and takes some killer shots if the focal length is right. Basically, if I can use this lens, I do.

[Supermoon]

This thread is giving me some serious Sony FOMO.

Personal favorite Nikon prime is the 35mm f/1.4G. Heavy AF but man the images look great and the speed is key for low light.


I have a 50mm 1.8 on a D3100 that I use if there is a high risk of destroying my gear which produces surprisingly good quality for under $200.


I also have a manual 24mm f/1.8 that’s I think like 30 years old. I rarely use it but play around with it occasionally for free lensing or other weird experiments.

[ridinshockgun]

I'm the opposite, mostly shooting skiing/biking/etc so only have one prime lens. However my Samyang 12mm F2.0 lens has proven to be a great purchase for my a6000

Whoah, how's the AF on that thing for action shots? I've been looking for a wider angle prime.

[adrenalated]

Whoah, how's the AF on that thing for action shots? I've been looking for a wider angle prime.

Manual focus only on the Samyang. If you want AF I think you have to stick with Sony lenses.
(FYI it's the exact same lens as the Rokinon version. Just different branding).

Since I've basically just shot landscapes with it, I can set the focus to infinity most of the time and have plenty of time to get the focus right.

(Killer shots BTW)

[smmokan]

This guy kills it with Canon primes... looks like he's doing most of the shooting for the Pinkbike bike reviews:

https://www.pinkbike.com/photo/16623642/

[jacob_dbu]

This guy kills it with Canon primes... looks like he's doing most of the shooting for the Pinkbike bike reviews:

https://www.pinkbike.com/photo/16623642/

Wow focusing with f1.2 for action...manually set a focus point and time it just right?

[smmokan]

I'm not sure... can you pull the focus "type" out of EXIF data? You'd be able to see if it was AI-Focus or AI-Servo, methinks.

Either way, there are some great shots in there. I've picked up a Canon 50mm f/1.4 to experiment at some point, too.

[dfinn]

I picked up a Sony 35mm 2.8 off ebay for a few hundred bucks and currently it's my favorite and most used lens.

[smmokan]

Handheld at 1/60s with the Canon 50mm f/1.4. Ridiculously sharp.