Any guidelines for building a prime kit?

[Guy Parsons]

Now with mirrorless I haave an 85 because it is a great lens at a great price, and it is easier to crop in on a computer than it is to make a print in an enlarger.

Way back in my 35mm film days I used my two daughters' weddings as experiments as to what lens is best. The hired photog did his thing and I casually worked around him and did not interfere with his work.

Wedding 1 tried using only a 105mm lens but found it frustrating due to the distance required made me "lose contact" with the subjects too often in a busy wedding environment. I was after head and shoulders mainly.

Wedding 2 a year later and I deliberately bought an 85mm lens to try, perfection, it worked fine for the head and shoulders and also for occasional full height but only when I could separate the subject from distractions.

For me the exercise cemented the idea in my head that 85mm was perfect for the portraits, 105mm was just a bit too long.

Now with M4/3 of course that task is done with a 45mm as being close enough, though a 42.5mm is also available. The 45/1.8 on a small M4/3 body is way less intimidating to a nervous subject than any FF equivalent setup.

Now waiting for grandchildrens' weddings to happen so I can test further.

 

[john isaacs]

Abstract guidelines are useless. Your experience is what matters, and if you don't have the experience from prime lenses then I suggest you use a zoom at set focal lengths to see what you like from that.

I had a set of cinema lenses in 14, 24, 35, 50, 85, 100, 135 that was very comprehensive.

I had Nikon Z primes of 24, 35, 50, 85 before I stopped using Nikon

I have the following primes for micro four thirds:

7.5FE, 7.5, 9, 12, 15, 17, 20, 25, 35 Macro, 45, 56, 60 Macro, 75, 135, 200, 300

In museums, I usually have the 9, 15, 25.

For concerts, I usually have the 12, 17, 25, 45 and 75

For portraits, I like the 45 and 56

For macro, I usually use the 60

For documents, I use the 35

For large wildlife, I use the 200

For birds, I use the 300 (with TCs)

Although for wildlife, I tend to just use the 150-400 these days.

For astro, I use the 7.5, 9, or 12.

For landscape out west, I use the 7.5FE (and zooms).

You will notice that I don't use the 20. I don't reallly care for the lens; it is too slow to focus. I got it free with a GH5, and just never took the time to get rid of it.

And I don't use the 135. It's a holdover from my video work, and I don't do video any more. I don't do portraits so much, but if I get back to it I'll work that lens in.