Prime lens ?

[labradoodler]

Camera =Sony A57.(wishing i,d gone for the 700D though):bonk:
I only have the 18-55 kit lens at the moment,I find it bloody annoying that the front of the lens rotates when focusing,which makes using a polarizer a pain in the butt.I will be going for the Tamron 17-50 f2.8 next week as a replacement
.
My question is,would it be a waste of time going for something like a 35mm f1.8 (50mm equivalent) as a prime or not.THis would be in addition to the 17-50.
If the 17-50 is adequate then the alternative would be a tele lens-which I go for in the long (?) run if I needed a prime.

Incidentally I am very impressed with some of the pictures that get posted on here,obviously some serious photographers.

eddie

 

[Alastair]

Shooting with primes is more than shooting the same focal length you have on a zoom. Primes are usually faster, but they also impose a discipline in that you are only shooting in that very precise focal length. Some people find that restriction increases their creativity. Others find it an uncomfortable straightjacket.

I like shooting with the constraints of prime lenses and have been known to take only one prime on holiday even when it's a special holiday when other people might be packing two zooms "to make sure everything was covered". And I've never regretted doing that. For me it's the Sigma 30mm as a 50mm equivalent (on a 40D).

 

[droj]

Stick with the zoom that you want to get (& I hope it's not too expensive, since you might not always have a Sony camera). Forget primes for the moment. You will get experience with the zoom & be able to note what focal lengths within its range you use most often, & whether in truth you actually NEED a bigger aperture, greater sharpness, or less distortion, flare etc.

Concentrate on the photography - learning the light, getting exposure right, seeing where you want to go - the shopping comes second.

 

[labradoodler]

Thhanks for the advice-it makes sense thinking about it.

A prime would more than likely cause me some frustration-Ilike to photograph my dogs,general scenery etc. I am also a sucker for sunrise and sunset shots,nature can be a bit of a drug!

I see the Tamron 17-50 f 2.8 is available for less than £300 now,so thats the way to go methinks-look out for a tele next year maybe.

Thanks to ND filter mob I fancy a bash at that now.Where does it end?

thank-you

eddie