It’s an ongoing debate between photographers: Are zoom lenses or prime lenses better? Undoubtedly both have their pros and cons, but in the following short video, Kai from DigitalRev TV weighs in with some reasons why zoom might win the day over fixed focal length lenses:
1. Convenience
Zooms are the “Swiss army knife” of lenses — your all-in-one, go-to tool suitable for a wide variety of tasks.
“You don’t have to faff about thinking what focal length to pick; just look through the viewfinder and fiddle with that zoom ring.”
2. Good for sensitive people
Zoom lenses allow you to give a little space to camera-shy people. This is especially useful for street photography and discreetly capturing candid moments.
3. Less prone to getting dust in your camera
With a zoom lens, you don’t have to change lenses to get the right focal length, as you do with primes. Not constantly switching lenses protects the inner workings of your lens from exposure to dust.
4. Quick to get shot under pressure
For situations where you only have one chance to get your shot, using a zoom lenses gives you the flexibility to quickly adapt your focus to changing conditions.
5. Video
Zoom lenses are great for shooting DSLR video.
For the sake of a balanced conversation, Kai has also considered the opposite perspective, see the other side of the argument here: five reasons why prime lenses are better than zoom lenses.
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Well, both party have their own reasons, so stick with what they’re happy with