How did *you* choose your primes?

some people use software to get statistics based on their historical shots. so if youve taken a few hundred thousands pics and 97% of those are in the 45 to 55 range then youd prolly fancy a 50mm prime....then you go take the other items in consideration....do you want better build? do you like the bokeh? MFD acceptable, price is a-ok? etc etc...

only thing is, if you look at historical shots only youd prolly never try a 500mm if youve never owned one coz none of your shots will show anywhere near 500mm.....this is where knowing what you lack and like will come into play....as a photographer i dont think we ever say "damn, what a wonderful scene ... but my lens isnt long enough so i wont take a pic..." we will always try to find a way.

Focal length, build/IQ, price.

by trial and error, try and see which one you like. And the one that you don't use in your bag is the one that you don't need, sell it.

I usually buy a lens based on a perceived need, a certain type of picture or project I think might be easier with that lens, or that the lens enables a new type of photography I'd like to try. Or at least that's what I try to tell myself - I'm sure there's often an element of pure "want" as well.

just go for 35L,85 f1.8,135L it will bring u a long way into photography....

I bought the nifty fifty based on the fact it was around fifty quid and it's considered a bit of a no brainer purchase for VFM and IQ for a beginner. After time I found myself using the 50mm most of the time and then swapping to my short zoom and using it around the 20-28mm area looking at EXIFs on my photos, so decided to plump for the Sigma 24mm f1.8. The 85mm f1.8 was purchases when I got my 5D as it offers me pretty much the same FOV as the 50mm on my 40D but does give a slightly nicer bokeh and the USM is almost instant focusing.

I try to go by price/performance in my preferred focal lengths. That way I ended up with 30/1.4 50/1.8 and 100/2.0

135/2.0 is definitely next on the list and the nifty-fifty will be replaced by the Sigmalux (after my good experiences with the 30mm)

I'm just a sucker for fast lenses, I shoot wide open about 80% of the time even though that will probably change as my photographic preferences evolve. The only zooms I see myself buying (in my dreams) is the 70-200 2.8 IS II and the 11-16 2.8.

focal lenght first, i found 50mm too long on a crop, 28 to 35 seems to work better, then i guess you work the rest out on how deep your pockets are

Covered focal lengths from 16mm to 400mm with zooms first priority, then picked particular primes one by one in the range where I liked them most. Now I use both zooms and primes, picking the tool for the job or take out a lens cause I want to play with its strengths, never mind the FL.

Focal length, perceived need, and value have been my three major criteria in choosing primes. Research on this forum has provided much of the information I have used in finding teh lenses that fit those criteria.

focal length, IQ

I've had different phases. The first one was about having a fair focal length coverage and fast glass. Then it was about the maximum image quality which at that time meant L primes. Then I switched to zooms i.e. 16-35 & 70-200/II for a while.

After getting fed up with the poor performance of the 16-35 I got the Zeiss 21 and it changed everything.

Now it's all about the rendering style of the lens. Currently I'm almost exclusively using manual focus Zeiss primes but I have that covered fairly well. I suspect that I will start exploring certain older adapted lenses which have some interesting features. I think the Rokkor 58/1.2 may be the next on my list.

I still have a couple of Canon primes that are currently just collecting dust. I should probably sell them so that somebody else can enjoy them but I'm too lazy to do that right now...

I started playing with primes because they were cheap and fast. My first ones were M42 (CZJ 35 f/2.4, CZJ 50 f/1.8, Jupiter 85 f/2).

Then, after falling in love with them and feeling confident enough to dump my slow zooms, i went with the Canon 50 f/1.4 and 85 f/1.8.

And finally, after going FF i chose based on speed, FL and wide open IQ. Thus, the 35L became my standard lens, and the 85L became my portrait lens. It was a 3 step evolution for me.

I started with a focal length that I shoot a lot and it needed to be faster than my zoom and needed improved image quality. I think my favorite focal length for all around / most shots taken at justifies having a great lens for maximum creativity.

Bought my primes based on what I needed for my job. Focal length and price then helped determine which ones.