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      09-22-2019, 08:48 AM   #73
dcstep
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Evelyna42 View Post
I personally like zoom lenses because of their versatility. Maybe I'm lazy, but that's just my opinion! I can see the value in primes too (i have a 50mm in my bag), but it just feels so restrictive sometimes. What do you guys use?

Also, random question, but for night sky photography would a prime or a zoom be better? In that context, I can see why a prime might be the way to go because of better sharpness, and it's not like you'd be zooming in and out since it's a long exposure situation. This article .
I own primes, like my 600/f4 and 85/f1.4, but those are special purpose lens. For way less money, you can own the 200-600mm and be almost as effective, in most light.

My 24-105mm is my bread and butter lens. The quality is excellent. A single 50mm (which is what many of us used, back in the film slr days) is too restrictive. With a quality zoom, you can vary your working distance, but you can also change the perspective from every distance. I also carry the 12-24mm, for architectural or "big sky" shots. At the other end, I use the 100-400mm, but a 70-200mm can be a work horse lens.

About night astro, in general, you want a wide, fast lens, like a 14mm f/2.8; however, but f/4 will do, thanks to the high dynamic range of many of today's cameras:
Milky Way Over Delicate Arch (Explored) by David Stephens, on Flickr
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