# Zoom Lens vs Prime Lens



## EchoingWhisper (Oct 6, 2011)

Is it better to have zoom lens or prime lens for street photography?


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## EchoingWhisper (Oct 6, 2011)

Would you use the Nikon 55-200mm VR AF-S f/4-5.6G ED or the  Nikkor 85mm AF f/1.8D?


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## skieur (Oct 6, 2011)

A prime lens will give you very slightly better quality but a zoom is far more flexible for street shooting.  It depends on your style of street shooting as to which lens would be best.  If you like to be fairly close and shoot at night as well as during the day, then the Nikkor 85mm AF f. 1.8D would be best.  If on the other hand, you like to back off a bit and shoot from the other side of the street, a bridge, restaurant or other building, then the 55 to 200mm f. 4.5 to 5.6 would be more useful.  You would not however be able to use this lens very well at night unless the lighting was quite good.

Hope this helps.

skieur


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## EchoingWhisper (Oct 6, 2011)

Thank you very much.


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## EchoingWhisper (Oct 6, 2011)

I would actually like to shoot at at least 5 meter away.


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## Tomasko (Oct 6, 2011)

You know, street photography is mostly about getting close, not peeping from afar.  Well, unless you're a paparazzi. 
I'd consider even something like 35mm or 50mm, but from these two you mentioned (85 vs 55-200), I'd take 85. 85 gives you the possibility to shoot in low-light while capturing the action and you don't have to be that far to capture the person/situation.
If you need flexibility, there's always the option to pick 24-70 2.8 for instance.


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## EchoingWhisper (Oct 6, 2011)

I see. Thanks for the information.


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## EchoingWhisper (Oct 6, 2011)

How far away would you stand if you were using the 85mm if you are filling your subject (portrait) into 1/4 of the picture?


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## skieur (Oct 6, 2011)

EchoingWhisper said:


> I would actually like to shoot at at least 5 meter away.



Then I would go with the 55 to 200mm.  Close-in only works if you take the shot before they spot the camera.  Once they spot the camera the shot loses its "naturalness"  Moreover, a longer zoom makes it more difficult for the general public to know who you are taking a photo of.

skieur


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## Tomasko (Oct 6, 2011)

skieur said:


> EchoingWhisper said:
> 
> 
> > I would actually like to shoot at at least 5 meter away.
> ...


Longer lens makes you a more visible person because of the size of the lens. Try looking at some tips about street photography, for instance
21 street photography tips from the professionals | PhotoRadar

Especially this part


			
				article said:
			
		

> *20. What type of lens to use for street photography*
> Using a long lens isn&#8217;t a good option as it isolates a subject from its environment and produces a very different type of shot to traditional street photography. Many interesting situations in the street involve more than one or two subjects, so that should be a major consideration when deciding how much of a scene you include in your pictures. Long-lens shots don&#8217;t allow for a wider, more intimate viewpoint, and the vast majority of memorable street work has been shot with lenses between 28mm and 50mm.


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## kundalini (Oct 6, 2011)

In his book *Learning To See Creatively*, Bryan Peterson states in the chapter on street zooms.... "I've been asked on more than one occassion which one lens I could _not_ live without.  My answer is always the same.  It's my well-worn Nikkor 35-70mm f/2.8."  He is obviously refering to using a full frame camera, so take into account your camera sensors' crop factor.


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## EchoingWhisper (Oct 6, 2011)

So a 24mm and 50mm on a DX body is more than enough?


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## ann (Oct 7, 2011)

would be for me


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## KenC (Oct 7, 2011)

A street photographer I met once who liked to work fairly close used a wide-angle lens (24, I think).  He said he wanted to make sure he got everything he wanted in the frame without taking extra time to frame and maybe missing the shot.  He then cropped out what he didn't want.


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## gsgary (Oct 9, 2011)

One of the best street photographers used a 28mm, Garry Winnogrand


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## EchoingWhisper (Oct 9, 2011)

Would you buy a 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 or a 24mm f/2.8 if you are going to buy a 50mm f/1.8


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## ann (Oct 10, 2011)

I never buy an adjustable fstop lens. (meaning one that changes fstop as you move the focal length).


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## EchoingWhisper (Oct 10, 2011)

ann said:


> I never buy an adjustable fstop lens. (meaning one that changes fstop as you move the focal length).



Why not?


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## ann (Oct 10, 2011)

Usually better built and I want to be able to control the fstop regardless of focal length, then of course there is a matter of light loss even at the 3.5 end.


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## EchoingWhisper (Oct 10, 2011)

But money is an object and it is limited to me.


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## Tomasko (Oct 10, 2011)

EchoingWhisper said:


> ann said:
> 
> 
> > I never buy an adjustable fstop lens. (meaning one that changes fstop as you move the focal length).
> ...


Go out and try to shoot street photo with your current lens (kit?). You'll quickly find out, that ideal lightning conditions are quite rare and you can't tell your subjects to wait a little longer for better conditions or move, so they will stand in direct sunlight and you can finally get usable shutter speed. 

To sum it up - no, I wouldn't buy 18-105. It's a slow kit lens and a much better option would be to get 24-70 2.8 which I've mentioned earlier. Yes, it's quite expensive, but will you be happy with blurred images or missed focuses, just because your lens wasn't fast enough? Street photography is about your reactions, capturing the decisive moment. If you can't capture it RIGHT NOW, the moment will perish. Have that in mind when you decide what to buy... 

If you're just an enthusiast, who wants to travel and take some snapshots, you'll be fine even with a compact camera. If not, I wouldn't waste money on lenses you'll need to replace soon, just because you wasn't patient enough and didn't get more money.


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## ann (Oct 10, 2011)

Understood, it is always a balance between the wallet and the desire.


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## EchoingWhisper (Oct 10, 2011)

Tomasko said:


> EchoingWhisper said:
> 
> 
> > ann said:
> ...



One more thing I need to consider is 18mm vs 24mm. Is the difference really so big?


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