BUYERS’ GUIDE
TOP OF THE GLASS
Your camera deserves quality optics. Check out our guide to some of the best fixed-focal-length lenses WORDS ADAM DUCKWORTH
M irrorless cameras are capable of and quality, nothing comes close to a prime. You may have to swap them around more than zooms, but for best results, fixed focal length is the way to go. Packed with AF technology, mirrorless cameras have come on leaps and bounds over recent years, so you may wish to go for an AF lens. Many are pin-sharp, with built-in optical image stabilisation. But since they’re largely designed for stills and video, some compromises are inevitable. They have fly-by-wire focusing systems, often noisy AF motors and either no aperture ring or one with click stops. Most suffer from some focus breathing. If you must have AF, they’re the only way to go, and certain brands are building models to combat these issues. For real control shooting video, a cine prime has advantages like optical quality, the tactile stunning results, but can only ever be as good as the lenses you fix to them. When it comes to the ultimate in speed
feel of manual focusing and a lack of focus breathing. Some have changeable lens mounts, and particular manufacturers offer lenses in sets with a signature ‘look’ – maybe a vintage style. And there are anamorphic options, too. Cine primes are often superfast with lots of aperture blades, to give shallow depth-of-field when used wide open – and creamy bokeh. High-end makers often sell a set of matched cine primes for 100% colour consistency across all lenses. And buying a set of glass often means there’s a consistency in size and control ring placement, making it easier to change them on-set, even if you are using a matte box and full rig. While AF lenses have f/stop apertures based on a mathematical equation, cine primes often have clickless T stops. This is an actual measure of light transmission, meaning you are guaranteed the same exposure when changing lenses. Let’s take a look at some of the best AF and MF primes for mirrorless cameras.
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