Enough with expensive primes, gimme a cheap zoom!

I've spent the last 6 or so years shooting with primes - 20/1.8, 24LII, (2x)28/1.8, 35L, 50/1.8, (3x)50/1.4, 85/1.8, 100/2.8 USM, 100L & 135L - and I've gotten used to the perspective each offers. Some FLs I can frame in my head before looking through the VF (35mm & 85mm come to mind). And in those 6 or so years I've not owned a normal zoom because I found they didn't fit my shooting style.

But lately I decided to get a 28-105II for street shooting and some newspaper work. Very quickly I have come to like this little lens and very quickly it has become a staple in my kit.

And here's what I'm finding now that I have a normal, ~4x zoom at my disposal: Instead of sitting in one spot and zooming to compensate for subject movement, fixed FL lenses have trained me to assess a situation and pick my desired perspective and my FL last. So, with the 28-105II I find that I still work the same way (perspective then FL), but now I don't have to change lenses.

Yeah, a zoom is convenient. No doubt about it. It's not going to replace a fast prime but it is very useful when you cannot change lenses or dont want to carry a lot.

I was going to suggest a 24-105L but I don't know if it qualifies as "cheap".

I packed a bunch of primes on a trip once and regretted it. Never had the right one on the camera for the opportunity that presented itself it seemed. I lost so many chances changing lenses for things that were hard to predict.

Zooms certainly have their place.

When you have a bad back, and bad knee.. like i do, zooms are a Godsend. I may never get that "eye" from using all primes, but it beats not taking pics at all. I still have to envision the shot, and work it with my lens and my body (when i can).. but i don't have to walk so much.

I use my zooms more than my primes, unless there's a very specific reason to... or i'm just in the mood to take a prime with me. I've yet to try a prime wider than my 50, so my thinking could change with a 35 or 24..but, i doubt it. Maybe one day i'll grab one.

6 years and no zoom...wth? Get 18-55

I tend to go back and forth with primes... When I started I had zooms (like most)... Slowly start getting more and more primes to the point 3 out of 4 lenses were primes. Loved it, but I did miss some versatility (loved the IQ though). Went to mix a for a a few years and recently back to a zoom setup with one cheap prime. The zooms have prime IQ, so it is a win win. I just don't have the nice f/1.4 aperture anymore.

I LOVED the primes I used, such as the 35L, 85L, 135L (<3), 300L and 400L... But in the end, versatility won. If I had a few extra thousand laying around I would get some back, no doubt.

f/2.8 is generally good enough for me... I like not having to switch lenses so much, so that is always a plus.

Twoshadows, I get it. Did the exact same thing after not owning a zoom for a while. It's nice to have control over perspective. I eventually went back to primes though since I'm a sucker for shallow DOF.

Cesium wrote in post #15077313
Twoshadows, I get it. Did the exact same thing after not owning a zoom for a while. It's nice to have control over perspective. I eventually went back to primes though since I'm a sucker for shallow DOF.

Thank you for getting it! I don't think I was terribly clear in making my point, so I'm glad someone understands.

Also, to be clear again, I have owned over that time UWA & tele zooms, but I haven't owned anything in the "normal" zoom range.

Regarding perspective control, I'm embroiled in a self-portrait project of more than a year and it has taught me a lot about perspective.

Never had any real primses just the nifty fifty and many old MF primes. The MF primes hardly ever get used unless I have one of my film cameras with me (almost never as I am too poor to buy film) and the nifty fifty. After buying one and having it break and buying a second much later on I ended up selling it and just use my zooms.

don't usually have the issue of wanting less DOF and usually don't shoot in low light.

I recently sold my 28-105II. I missed it before I got back in the car. It will be hard to replace that $100 little gem.

TSchrief wrote in post #15077879
I recently sold my 28-105II. I missed it before I got back in the car. It will be hard to replace that $100 little gem.

No it won't:

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …+Nav-Search=&usedSearch=1

:p

twoshadows wrote in post #15077953
No it won't:

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …+Nav-Search=&usedSearch=1

:p

Thanks! I meant getting a moderate range zoom with better IQ, a wider aperture, and all for the $99 I spent on that lens. I guess 'replace' was a poor choice of words. For right now I am going with some primes, 28 2.8, 50 1.8 and 85 1.8. I had the 135L and 200 2.8L and sold them because they were too long and not versatile enough for APS-c. Got a 70-200 2.8 instead. I am finally getting the lenses I want, instead of wasting money on lenses that I thought I needed.

Thats pretty much how i've become twoshadows...

Its sad but my 15-85 hardly gets used, It sits in the cabinet unloved and collecting dust

I still have my old 28-105 USM. Can't tell you the number of times it has been the right lens at the right time. One of the hidden gems in the Canon world.

I much prefer primes when I can but I shoot too many moving targets. I wound up selling some off to finance lenses I needed more.