prime lens

With fewer compromises to make, a prime is typically sharper and faster than a zoom at the same focal length, and lighter for its aperture. The trade is that framing has to be done by moving or by cropping, which at a fixed spotting position is a real constraint — which is why most spotters carry a telephoto zoom and reach for a prime when they know the distance.

Nearby in Photography

• pixel peeping — Judging an image by inspecting it at 100% magnification or beyond.
• polariser — A filter that blocks light of one polarisation, cutting reflections and deepening a blue sky.
• RAW — A file holding the sensor's minimally processed data, rather than a rendered image.
• rule of thirds — A composition guide that places key elements along lines dividing the frame into thirds.