Why is a Prime Lens Better Than a Kit Lens?

I haven’t had a kit lens for YEARS! But I really needed one for this blog post. I had three option: buy one for 150.00, or renting one for $50, or borrowing one from a friend. I did the third option!

Even though I NEVER shoot with a kit lens ANY MORE, but I still wanted my online audience to know why it’s important to sell your kit lens forever and get a prime lens.

First, watch my video about me explaining this:

I wanted to mimic using the kit lens against my prime lens. So I had two cameras going at once. I had my kids playing at the park and I had them running. I shot little nature shots, and I did little candid portraits. I really tried to get the full use of the lens in under 10 mins. to show them a good comparison in the same lighting situation with the same editing.

As a more technical note, I had to shoot “M” or manual. Shooting “auto” wouldn’t even allow for any of these shots without the stupid pop-up flash coming out.

I had to shoot with the “kit lens” with higher ISO and lower shutter speed to get the same lighting situation as the prime lens.

With the prime lens, on the other hand, I got to go down on ISO (better image quality) and higher shutter speeds (less blurry photos).

The Following things are what I learned from shooting with a Kit Lens vs shooting with my prime lens:

Because the kit lens doesn't allow for so much light, I had to lower my shutter speed! (to see what I mean by this: go to my blog:

The kit lens is okay at getting a buttery background, but a prime lens will knock the background out of the park! (see above and below)

I love using primes for detail work and for portraits!

A Prime lens won't zoom, but you need to be the "zoom" function and move your feet closer! It's good exercise anyway.

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I would love to see how this has helped in your photographic journey!

Christal

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