Cheap prime v. expensive zoom - IQ difference?

Choderboy
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · Cheap prime v. expensive zoom - IQ difference?

My next door neighbour's Cat can make a decent 50mm prime.

I'm possibly overstating things, but you get the drift.

Feb 27, 2024 at 04:42 PM

NonDecaf
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · Cheap prime v. expensive zoom - IQ difference?

John Power wrote:
I suppose I could but I am satisfied with the answers I am getting.

OK, looks like you're happy with the IQ of the zoom so that's all that matters in the end.

Feb 27, 2024 at 10:38 PM

Robin Smith
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · Cheap prime v. expensive zoom - IQ difference?

Am I just paying for the convenience and versatility of the zoom?

Yes. But what an advantage that is.

Feb 28, 2024 at 02:12 PM

John Power
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · Cheap prime v. expensive zoom - IQ difference?

Other than a weight advantage. That 50 1.8 looks tiny on my 5d4

Feb 28, 2024 at 02:30 PM

Imagemaster
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · Cheap prime v. expensive zoom - IQ difference?

Robin Smith wrote:
Yes. But what an advantage that is.

Yes, a prime is one lens, a zoom is several lenses. How many primes would you have to own to cover the number of focal-lengths that the zoom covers, and how many times would you have to change your primes when you can’t zoom with your feet?

Feb 28, 2024 at 03:53 PM

gdanmitchell
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · Cheap prime v. expensive zoom - IQ difference?

John Power wrote:
So I have a 50mm 1.8 metal mount and a new to me 24-70mm Ver 2.

I have taken several test shots with each lens. Same lighting, same focal length; same image settings (2.8 and 5.6 in this case). Av mode. Same everything. These shots were taken in a period of about 5 minutes.

So I pull them up in DPP expecting to see a clear difference between the 2 lenses and.....nope. Maybe a tiny bit in favor of the 24-70 but even that is arguable. Both lenses look good.

Am I just paying for the convenience and versatility of the zoom?

Is...Show more →

The answer is a bit complicated and full of nuances.

There was a time, long ago, when zooms were more clearly optically inferior to primes. But today the best zooms are really excellent, and there’s often no “image quality” (e.g. sharpness, etc.) advantage to using primes instead of them.

The pluses of primes can be excellent image quality, smaller size, lower weight, lower cost. (If you pay more you can get larger maximum apertures or extreme focal lengths.) But you give up useful flexibility to get those advantages. If you are particular about focal lengths, carrying a single zoom may give you what would otherwise require three of four primes.

Regarding IQ, there’s something else to consider. If you love the angle of view of the prime(s) you use and don’t crop, you’ll get the full image quality of those lenses. On the other hand, if flexible angle of view (and the greater creative control over things like subject/foreground/background relationship) are important to you, a zoom lets you precisely “crop in camera” and maintain the full quality of the original fine. With primes you might instead end up using a compromise focal length and have to crop in post, at which point you lose some of that IQ.

To be clear, in either case, most photographers using modern equipment will get more than enough quality for their needs… and might not even see any difference.

As others have pointed out, some of the less expensive primes are actually quite good lenses. I’ve used several of them over the years and they give up nothing to excellent primes.

Feb 29, 2024 at 10:50 AM

John Power
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · Cheap prime v. expensive zoom - IQ difference?

"As others have pointed out, some of the less expensive primes are actually quite good lenses"

My little 50 1.8 steel mount (when did Canon stop using that and switch to plastic) is proof of that....

By the way, can that lens be sent to Canon for a "tune up" so to speak to make sure it is functions as it is supposed to. It is one of my first lens so I have a sentimental attachment to it

Mar 01, 2024 at 08:02 AM

Robin Smith
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · Cheap prime v. expensive zoom - IQ difference?

I can’t see there is anything to tune up that would be worth the cost. The aperture may stop working in due course, not stopping down, but it would probably be better to just buy another one s/h. You’ll know if it stops functioning…

Mar 15, 2024 at 05:52 PM

Gochugogi
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · Cheap prime v. expensive zoom - IQ difference?

John Power wrote:
"As others have pointed out, some of the less expensive primes are actually quite good lenses"

My little 50 1.8 steel mount (when did Canon stop using that and switch to plastic) is proof of that....

By the way, can that lens be sent to Canon for a "tune up" so to speak to make sure it is functions as it is supposed to. It is one of my first lens so I have a sentimental attachment to it

There have been several generations of nifty-fifty since the 1980s vintage EF 50 1.8. The last EF mount, EF 50 1.8 STM has a metal mount as does the current RF 50 1.8 STM. It's still reasonably priced at $159.99 but often goes on sale. I bought one for $79.99 last year and it's slightly sharper along the periphery than my prior 50 1.8. Seems a little more sturdy as well.

Mar 15, 2024 at 08:45 PM

mawz
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · Cheap prime v. expensive zoom - IQ difference?

Canon assuredly no longer has parts for the original EF 50mm f1.8, it's been out of production for at least 20 years (probably more than 25 years). No point in sending it in, there's pretty much nothing they can do to it.

I don't know when the EF 50mm f1.8 II 'plastic fantastic' came out, but I bought my first one 20-ish years ago. I now have the STM, which is the best of the three EF 50/1.8's optically by a small amount, and decent in build quality. The RF one is IIRC a variant of the same basic design as well.

Mar 18, 2024 at 12:39 PM

1 2 end
FM Forums \| Canon Forum \| Join Upload & Sell 1 2 end

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.