Are tele prime lenses still worth considering in 2025 compared to traditional zoom lenses? Let's take a look at both lens categories and compare them.
What is a Tele Prime Lens?
A prime lens has a fixed focal length but does not offer zooming capability. Tele prime lenses (or LP lenses) also have a fixed focal length, but their focal lengths are significantly longer than those of conventional prime lenses. These longer focal lengths typically start at 85 mm and go up to 180 mm, sometimes even beyond.
Many confuse them with zoom lenses due to their larger size and ability to photograph from a great distance. However, they differ in their construction and the lack of zoom capability.
Tele Prime Lenses in 2025:
These lenses have gained a special following thanks to their ability to capture distant subjects with a smaller field of view. The ability to photograph from a great distance without zoom offers a significant advantage over conventional prime lenses, which have weaknesses under such conditions.
LP lenses offer better performance due to their much simpler design compared to zoom lenses, often resulting in significantly better sharpness and image quality. For the same reason, they also perform much better in low light conditions, as their comparatively simpler optical design allows them to gather more light.
Long Prime Lenses vs. Conventional Prime Lenses:
Both are constructed on the same principle, i.e., both have a fixed focal length. However, the most common models have focal lengths from 40 mm to 60 mm. This range corresponds to the natural perspective of human vision and is therefore popular and versatile for everyday photography.
Long prime lenses, on the other hand, start at 85 mm and can go up to 100 mm, 135 mm, 180 mm, or even more. These lenses have specifications like f/1.4 and f/1.8, making them particularly relevant for long-range and low-light photography. They resemble telephoto lenses but differ by using a "tele group" of lens elements.
Long Focal Length Lenses vs. Modern Zoom Lenses:
To address the core issue: both lenses have their pros and cons, and which is better depends heavily on the intended use. Compared to an LP lens, the zoom lens offers flexible focal lengths but has weaknesses in narrow field of view and subject isolation. The optical results show significantly less distortion or chromatic aberration, and the subject is sharper with higher contrast values. However, zoom lenses are catching up in 2025 and come quite close to the performance of a typical prime lens. Despite improvements, zoom lenses are still not as consistent as prime/long focal length lenses and can be quite expensive.
Is Buying a Long Focal Length Lens Worth It in 2025?
The big question is whether buying an LP lens is worthwhile this year. This debate has been ongoing for a long time. First, a long prime lens offers more contrast and better image sharpness even at longer focal lengths, which can be useful for those who frequently photograph distant objects while traveling, at sports events, etc.
With a long prime lens, you can capture portraits from a distance with satisfying bokeh and subject isolation. However, if you often shoot in fast-paced, dynamic environments or tight spaces where repositioning is not possible, you might be better off with another option. Also, these lenses are still quite bulky and come with a hefty price tag even in 2025. Keep that in mind if you are looking for an affordable lens.
If you are not willing to sacrifice performance to save your budget, the SIRUI Saturn is your first choice in 2025. It offers the best possible performance while being budget-friendly. If you are looking for affordable options that are somewhat cheaper than a conventional LP lens, the 75 mm variant of the Saturn series is the best lens you can buy for money this year. It offers anamorphic T2.9 1.6x compression with depth of field control and even exposure, while producing the characteristic oval bokeh that significantly enhances the cinematic quality of your shots. And all this in a small and lightweight body, significantly smaller than a conventional LP lens.
