If you’re a photographer, you’ve probably heard the advice: “If you want to get better at taking pictures, use a prime lens.” But is that really true? I was curious, so I posted a thread asking:
To my surprise, I received 46 replies, showing that many people are interested in this topic.
Before diving deeper, my short answer is “Yes.” I could leave it at that, but let me explain further.
More precisely, if you’re a beginner, using a prime lens can indeed help you improve your photography. To understand why, you need to grasp the connection between photography and the decision-making process.
Decision Fatigue in Photography
You’ve likely heard of “decision fatigue,” which refers to the deteriorating quality of decisions made by an individual after a long session of decision-making.
Decision fatigue is a term coined by social psychologist Roy F. Baumeister, based on a Freudian hypothesis. Freud speculated that the self, or ego, depended on mental activities involving the transfer of energy. — Do You Suffer From Decision Fatigue? by John Tierney, The New York Times, 17 August 2011.
According to some studies, humans make around 35,000 decisions in a day. Now, you might be thinking, “Okay, I get what decision fatigue is, but what does it have to do with prime lenses?”
Taking pictures is all about making decisions.
Modern zoom lenses are brilliant. The Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM II, for example, is one of the best lenses you can get. It captures moments exceptionally well; it could hardly be better.
Other lenses like the Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM II and Canon RF28-70mm F2 L USM are also top-tier (forget about the price). In my opinion, zoom lenses are the “jack of all trades” when it comes to practical use. You don’t need to carry two or three prime lenses, and you can zoom in and out, which is why they’re called “zoom lenses.”
A zoom lens allows you to capture almost everything, from dynamic landscapes to portraits, and even close-up shots. There are no gaps in terms of coverage, and they’re so convenient that it’s almost too convenient.
When you go out with a zoom lens, say 28-70mm, you’re faced with thousands of potential subjects. This means you’re making thousands of decisions in just one shot, which can be overwhelming. Too many options can lead to decision fatigue.
So, while zoom lenses are great and convenient, they can be too convenient for beginners. If you’re a professional, you might be able to make all those decisions in a split second or even without thinking.
The Benefit of Prime Lenses
A prime lens has only one focal length, like 28mm, 35mm, or 50mm. The downside is that it’s limited to specific situations and subjects, depending on the lens. However, this limitation is actually a benefit for beginner photographers. With a prime lens, you don’t need to think about all the other settings and options. You can just focus on the subject.
This simplicity is the biggest advantage of a prime lens. By narrowing your focus to just the subject, without worrying about zooming or adjusting your camera settings, your creativity increases.
Focusing more on the subject and less on the technical aspects will improve your photography. This is what I mean when I say that as a beginner, you’ll get better at photography by using a prime lens.