Choosing the Best Lens for Landscape Photography: Zoom vs. Prime Lenses
Photographers often grapple with which type of lens to bring on their landscape photography excursions: a zoom lens or a series of prime lenses. This article explores the advantages and disadvantages of both, providing insights to help you decide which is better suited for your needs.
Focal Lengths and Creativity in Landscape Photography
There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to choosing the perfect lens for landscape photography. An ultra-wide-angle lens with an AoV of 170° or a telephoto lens yielding a 10° AoV can both produce legitimate landscape images, each offering a unique perspective and vision.
Consider the Moonlit Dreams image by photographer Peter Lik. Created with a super-telephoto lens and captured in 'portrait' orientation, it still falls within the realm of landscape photography. This example underscores how the choice of lens can dramatically alter the final outcome of a landscape image.
Range vs. Versatility: Primes and Zooms
Given the vast range of possible focal lengths, the question now shifts to what range of lenses a landscape photographer should carry. Should this range be covered by a collection of prime lenses or a zoom lens with a wider range?
Primes: Prime lenses, by nature, have fewer moving parts, making them lighter, more compact, and often providing superior optical image quality (IQ) for the same weight and size. With today's advancements, zoom lenses can rival prime lenses in IQ.
However, to cover the same AoV range as a 24-70mm zoom lens, one might need three or more prime lenses, adding significant weight and bulk. For example, a 24mm, 50mm, and 75mm prime lens, or possibly a 35mm, might be required, which can make lens changes in the field inconvenient.
Zooms: A trio of zoom lenses typically covers the essential range from 10-200mm with a constant maximum aperture of f/2.8. This combination offers a versatile range while maintaining lighter weight and compactness.
Cost and Image Quality: Balancing Act
Some argue that prime lenses offer significant IQ improvements, especially at the same cost compared to zoom lenses. However, limited to a single AoV, a prime lens may not match the IQ of a zoom lens at other focal lengths within its range.
To maintain similar IQ levels, one can crop and enlarge a prime lens image to resemble the AoV of a zoom lens. However, this process degrades IQ. A quality 24mm prime lens, cropped and enlarged, cannot match the IQ of a 24-70mm zoom lens at 70mm.
While a set of primes may offer better IQ at their stated focal lengths, a quality zoom provides better IQ at most other focal lengths within its range. Considering the higher costs and additional bulk of multiple primes, the value proposition of zoom lenses becomes clear in terms of price, weight, and usability.
Final Considerations and Conclusion
Ultimately, whether to use a zoom lens or a series of primes for landscape photography depends on the intended outcome of the images and the TCO/ROI for the photographer.
A photographer prioritizing sharpness and detail for large wall images might opt for multiple primes, carrying more weight and spending more money. Conversely, a photographer valuing portability and versatility might choose a set of zoom lenses with minor sacrifices in IQ.
The choice is personal and should reflect the goals and priorities of the photographer. Whether you lean towards the flexibility of zoom lenses or the potential for higher IQ with prime lenses, both options have merit in creating stunning landscape images.