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PRIME vs ZOOM lens???

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Newspaper Man

Newspaper Man

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i met a photographer who claims, he can detect if the photo was shot with a PRIME or a ZOOM lens...

me personally, i just can't detect this... :( and we are NOT talking about sharpness here or clarity of details... just plain feel AND look of the image...

IS IT REALLY ture that a REAL EXPERT can detect if a photo (weather the photo is processed or not)... is shot with a PRIME lens or a ZOOM lens?

any input will be greatly appreciated...

thanks guys...

:)
 
Yes and no. Depends a whole ton on the photograph.

If you show a photographer an image he or she thinks is shot at something like f/1.4 due to depth of field. That could be a give away.

Also, a lot of zooms have more distinguished barrel distortion and depending on the subject you may have a few tells within the photo.

That said, if you show many photographers a picture shot between f/8 and f/16 with any zoom or prime it's likely going to be a best guess situation.

If the photographer is a lens-a-holic and has 15+ lenses, he/she might be able to see some familiar characteristics that are unique to certain lenses. Like the boken from say the 100mm f/2 being slightly different than 100mm f/2.8 on say the 70-200mm zoom.

Also, if the photographer knows the details like the camera body and aperture you can start making some conclusions.

So the answer really is:
A: Depends on the photo.
B: Depends on the photographer.

edit:

Also I must add that if he/she is given a high resolution file of an image there optical tells with a lot of zoom lenses once you get to 8 megapixels plus and many apertures. Again, depends.

--
Phil Holland - http://www.phfx.com
 
Not a chance int he woprld.

Is he looking at prints, webimages, video projection????

His shots? Other photographers' shots?

Anyway, does not matter. Ain't true.

BAK
 
I've seen it done -more than that even -going through a stack of prints he could tell you the focal length, aperture and often lens (prime or zoom and sometimes which lens even) about as fast as you might flip pages in a book. And how you lit them (but that took more time to say than his speed of flipping throght the pics.

It was like watching a psychic work. Showed me right quick that I was a rank amateur and that there are experts out there - find them, seek them out - sit at their knee and learn little grasshopper, until you too can see like them.

(this person was Ralph Romaguera)
--
If I knew how to take a good picture I'd do it every time.
 
great input PhilH!
PhilH said:
Yes and no. Depends a whole ton on the photograph.

If you show a photographer an image he or she thinks is shot at something like f/1.4 due to depth of field. That could be a give away.

Also, a lot of zooms have more distinguished barrel distortion and depending on the subject you may have a few tells within the photo.

That said, if you show many photographers a picture shot between f/8 and f/16 with any zoom or prime it's likely going to be a best guess situation.

If the photographer is a lens-a-holic and has 15+ lenses, he/she might be able to see some familiar characteristics that are unique to certain lenses. Like the boken from say the 100mm f/2 being slightly different than 100mm f/2.8 on say the 70-200mm zoom.

Also, if the photographer knows the details like the camera body and aperture you can start making some conclusions.

So the answer really is:
A: Depends on the photo.
B: Depends on the photographer.

edit:

Also I must add that if he/she is given a high resolution file of an image there optical tells with a lot of zoom lenses once you get to 8 megapixels plus and many apertures. Again, depends.

--
Phil Holland - http://www.phfx.com
Click to expand...
 
what's so funny was... he's looking at someone else's gallery on the web!!

and the bottom line to me is... it does not mater too... as long as the photo has an impact and other good stuff i'm fine already!!! i don't need to jude "This is a PRIME lens... or this is a ZOOM lens..."
BAK said:
Not a chance int he woprld.

Is he looking at prints, webimages, video projection????

His shots? Other photographers' shots?

Anyway, does not matter. Ain't true.

BAK
Click to expand...
 
WOW!!!
PenguinPhotoCo said:
I've seen it done -more than that even -going through a stack of prints he could tell you the focal length, aperture and often lens (prime or zoom and sometimes which lens even) about as fast as you might flip pages in a book. And how you lit them (but that took more time to say than his speed of flipping throght the pics.

It was like watching a psychic work. Showed me right quick that I was a rank amateur and that there are experts out there - find them, seek them out - sit at their knee and learn little grasshopper, until you too can see like them.

(this person was Ralph Romaguera)
--
If I knew how to take a good picture I'd do it every time.
Click to expand...
 
Newspaper Man said:
WOW!!!
Click to expand...
That was my reaction. Now of course this is someone wtih 30+ years a pro, teaches, owns multiple studios and has to teach/correct employees -so he's not your average photog by any means.
 
CAN someone really detect "This photo was taken with a PRIME lens!" or otherwise?

i forgot to add... the photog is saying "I don't like 'zoom lens' output, I can tell the difference."

we are NOT talking about SHARPNESS, CLARITY, DOF (bokeh) and not even FOCAL LENGTH EFFECTS here... and we are looking at PROCESSED web images!

i really believe this is just impossible... but i could be wrong...
 
based onsomeone else's response, I'll grant that a shot with really shallow depth of field, or a repro ratio of 1:1 or near, would most likely be from a prine, since there are no f1.4 zooms, and a lack of life size macro zooms.

But send someone out to take pictures of a day at the fair, and no one is going to be able to sort out the primes from the zooms except for thef1.4 / f2 wide open shots and the ultra closeups.

BAK
 
hi BAK... i actaully agree with you!! +1

if someone hates the quality of a ZOOM lens becasue of lack of clarity, sharpness and limited DOF, i understand that...

but for someone to claim... "I really don't like the output of ZOOM lenses." ...purely because of the LOOK and FEEL of the photo, puzzles me!

:(
BAK said:
based onsomeone else's response, I'll grant that a shot with really shallow depth of field, or a repro ratio of 1:1 or near, would most likely be from a prine, since there are no f1.4 zooms, and a lack of life size macro zooms.

But send someone out to take pictures of a day at the fair, and no one is going to be able to sort out the primes from the zooms except for thef1.4 / f2 wide open shots and the ultra closeups.

BAK
Click to expand...
 
I don't think so, why don't you just test him rather than keeping the question to yourselves. My preference is prime, but sometimes I use zoom, unless it is extremely wide opened, once you close down the lens it is very hard to tell, at least it is to me, and I never met one who can.
Newspaper Man said:
i met a photographer who claims, he can detect if the photo was shot with a PRIME or a ZOOM lens...

me personally, i just can't detect this... :( and we are NOT talking about sharpness here or clarity of details... just plain feel AND look of the image...

IS IT REALLY ture that a REAL EXPERT can detect if a photo (weather the photo is processed or not)... is shot with a PRIME lens or a ZOOM lens?

any input will be greatly appreciated...

thanks guys...

:)
Click to expand...
--
Regards, K
http://www.studiosota.com
http://khun-k.blogspot.com/
http://nepal-travelandphotography.blogspot.com/
http://cruising-xinjiang.blogspot.com/
http://shadowlightandbetween.blogspot.com/
 
lol... haha...

during our short talk... i did not get a chance to test him with my own images...

actually i can't wait for our next meet!! lol...

i pretty sure, this will be a guessing game!!

Khun, thanks for sharing!! i myself, during fast pace wedding or events, use zoom lenses (two cams: with wide zoom and telephoto zoom)...

i use primes when i have all the time to shoot and no rushing...

:)

great, great input!!

thanks!
Khun_K said:
I don't think so, why don't you just test him rather than keeping the question to yourselves. My preference is prime, but sometimes I use zoom, unless it is extremely wide opened, once you close down the lens it is very hard to tell, at least it is to me, and I never met one who can.
Newspaper Man said:
i met a photographer who claims, he can detect if the photo was shot with a PRIME or a ZOOM lens...

me personally, i just can't detect this... :( and we are NOT talking about sharpness here or clarity of details... just plain feel AND look of the image...

IS IT REALLY ture that a REAL EXPERT can detect if a photo (weather the photo is processed or not)... is shot with a PRIME lens or a ZOOM lens?

any input will be greatly appreciated...

thanks guys...

:)
Click to expand...
--
Regards, K
http://www.studiosota.com
http://khun-k.blogspot.com/
http://nepal-travelandphotography.blogspot.com/
http://cruising-xinjiang.blogspot.com/
http://shadowlightandbetween.blogspot.com/
Click to expand...
 
Newspaper Man said:
Khun, thanks for sharing!! i myself, during fast pace wedding or events, use zoom lenses (two cams: with wide zoom and telephoto zoom)...

i use primes when i have all the time to shoot and no rushing...
Click to expand...
ditto. except i only have one cam.

my (subjective and probably flawed) impression is that my primes render images a little different than my zooms -- but since i've gotten pro 2.8 zooms, the gap has closed. i remember when i first got my 17-55, i began to wonder why i was even using my primes at all. the only differences i seem to see are slightly different bokeh characteristics. hard to describe precisely.

but, i think we should test it.

take a picture with a prime and a zoom, at the same aperture and focal length, same composition, everything, and see if people can tell which is which.
 






O.K. here you are, I did this the other day for a student who asked the same question.

She went away happy and took 1,600 frames that afternoon with her zoom...never mind 'primes and zooms'... what about 'machine-gunners and snipers'.

I'll give 'em all 256mb cards and tape over their screens one day.
 
I don't think you can tell in many cases, but in some cases, I think an experienced photographer can tell...and rather easily. So, tell me prime or zoom?

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alanscape said:






O.K. here you are, I did this the other day for a student who asked the same question.

She went away happy and took 1,600 frames that afternoon with her zoom...never mind 'primes and zooms'... what about 'machine-gunners and snipers'.

I'll give 'em all 256mb cards and tape over their screens one day.
Click to expand...
--
http://www.jeffseltzerphotography.com
 
thanks for sharing!

me personally, i really don't care which lens shot the image... my MAJOR concern is the IMPACT OF THE PHOTO!

there are photogs who are alergic to zooms! if the reason is sharpness and clarity are the reasons, i understand that... but if the reasoing is "I don't like the feel and look from zoom lens."... is beyond me, cuz i really can't tell... especially if the images has be processed, edited and resized to fit the website...

and your samples, without scrutinizing the sharpness, corner to corner clarity... man, i don't care...

thanks!
 
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