I need suggestion: Zoom or Prime lenses for a total range

[versanteest]

Hi !

I need a suggestion from your experience and point of view.
Now I have two prime lens: planar 50mm 1.4 and distagon 25mm 2.8 both CY.

So, from some day, I'm thinking at some manual focus zoom, like yashica ML 28 - 85 or tamron SP or Kiron in CY mount.
I'ld like to buy zoom because with only 25 and 50 mm , I can't shot distant subjects.

Now, I have a chanche only for today, to buy a sonnar 135 2.8 at € 90 from a friend.

So, if You would be in my condition, what would be your choice ?

Zoom or prime lens considering that later I will have 25mm - 50mm and 135mm ?

Please reply with your experience, not assumptions.

Regards

Pasquale

[philslizzy]

Grab the Sonnar first!

Why a zoom? I prefer not to use one at all. The traditional kit is 35mm or 28mm, 50mm and 135mm. Or preferably all four.

The 28-80 isn't really long enough for distant subjects, but really useful for indoor I use this type of lens for parties and a longer zoom when I'm travelling light. I could suggest a 28-200, that will cover all bases but the quality aint going to be up to much. If you really want a zoom, why not something in the range of 80-300.

But the Sonnar will give much better quality.

[kyonthinh]

Get the Sonnar please, you will find out it is superb.

[Aanything]

There are some superb zoom lenses, actually just as good as excellent primes, first example that comes to my mind is the zeiss vario sonnar 100-300 4.5-5.6 for contax.
It's expensive, but probably less than buying an excellent 135 + an excellent 200 + an excellent 300, if you can live with its relative slowness (I could).
That said, I usually like using primes better, for many reasons, so it's really up to what you like better.
OTOH, having already excellent lenses from wide to normal, a good 135 seems the natural expansion of your set.

[visualopsins]

Less image quality from zooms made me choose primes. I do use zooms when changing lenses takes too long.

Traditional kit (for FF cameras) is 28 or 35 (wide), 50 (normal), 85 (portrait) or 135 (telephoto). For crops sensor, traditional kit focal lengths become 20 or 24 (wide), 28 or 35 (normal), 50 (portrait), 85 (telephoto). 135 is pretty long on crop sensor.

Imho, 135 on FF or 85 on crop is plenty long -- image crops from quality 135 compete favorably with images made with longer lenses. Longer lenses that have better IQ are large & cost significant $$$$$.

+1 get the Sonnar -- excellent lens excellent price

[Olivier]

I would grab the sonnar.
and also buy a Tamron SP 28-135 for its good quality and versatility.


I'm not joking.
I have both and liked very much to use the Tammy on my 5D MkII as a walkaround lens.

[DR.JUAN]

I use now a wide (2,8/24nikkor ais), a normal (1,2/58 mc Rokkor) and a tele (3,4/180 apo telyt).

It's ok to me. I should add a macro 3,5/50 rokkor and 2,8/135 md 4 elements rokkor. But prefer to use only three lens.