Prime Lens USA - Photography Terms & Glossary

Glossary Of Photography Terms [1]

Prime Lens A prime lens, also known as a fixed focal length lens, is a type of camera lens with a single, fixed focal length and a fixed optical design, as opposed to zoom lenses, which offer variable focal lengths. Prime lenses are characterized by their optical simplicity, lightweight construction, and wide maximum aperture, which allows for larger apertures and shallower depth of field compared to zoom lenses. Prime lenses are available in a variety of focal lengths, including wide-angle, standard, and telephoto, each offering unique perspective and compositional capabilities.

Prime lenses are prized by photographers for their optical quality, sharpness, and ability to capture images with minimal distortion and aberrations. They are favored for portrait photography, street photography, landscape photography, and low-light photography, where the combination of wide aperture and superior optical performance can produce stunning, high-quality images with beautiful bokeh and fine detail. While prime lenses offer fixed focal lengths and require photographers to physically move closer or farther from the subject to change the composition, they often deliver superior image quality and creative flexibility compared to zoom lenses.