Buying guide
Your first prime lens for Sony E or Canon RF
Why a prime is the best upgrade from a kit zoom, which focal length to pick, and seven affordable primes worth buying used.
Shutterswoop · Updated 26 October 2026
The short answer
A fast prime is the biggest upgrade from the zoom that came with your camera: far more light, softer backgrounds and sharper pictures, for not much money, especially used. Pick 35mm for everyday photos, 50mm for a bit of everything, or 85mm for portraits.
Why a prime?
A prime has one focal length: you zoom with your feet. In return it's usually brighter than a zoom (f/1.8 instead of f/3.5-5.6), which means faster shutter speeds indoors, less noise at night and blurrier backgrounds behind people. Most are small and light too.
Which focal length?
| Focal length | Feels like | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 35mm | A little wider than your eyes | Everyday, travel, street, family |
| 50mm | About what your eyes see | A bit of everything, half-body portraits |
| 85mm | Stepping a few paces closer | Head-and-shoulders portraits, events |
Seven primes worth buying
All of these are common on the used market, so there's plenty of choice and good prices.
Cheapest way in, Sony
Sony FE 50mm F1.8
Sony E · 50mm · f/1.8 · Prime
Good for: Trying a fast prime on a small budget
The classic "nifty fifty". It won't win prizes for autofocus speed, but for portraits, food and low light it's a huge step up from a kit zoom for very little money.
What's good
- Very affordable, especially used
- Small and light
- Soft backgrounds at f/1.8
Worth knowing
- Autofocus is slower and noisier than Sony's dearer lenses
- Not the best for video
Best everyday prime, Sony
Sony FE 35mm F1.8
Sony E · 35mm · f/1.8 · Prime
Good for: Leaving on the camera all day
35mm is wide enough for rooms and streets, but close enough for people. Fine on full-frame and APS-C bodies alike.
What's good
- Quick, quiet autofocus
- Focuses close for details
- Compact
Worth knowing
- Costs more than the 50mm
Best portrait value, Sony
Sony FE 85mm F1.8
Sony E · 85mm · f/1.8 · Prime
Good for: Portraits and events
One of the best-value Sony lenses. Flattering for faces, and quick enough to follow children and pets.
What's good
- Fast, reliable autofocus
- Lovely background blur
- Light for an 85mm
Worth knowing
- Too tight for indoor groups
- Very long on APS-C
For Sony APS-C vloggers
Sony E 11mm F1.8
Sony E · 11mm · f/1.8 · Prime
Good for: Vlogging, rooms and landscapes on an APS-C body
A great match for the a6000-series and ZV-E10 cameras. Not one for full-frame bodies.
What's good
- Wide enough to film yourself at arm's length
- Bright f/1.8
- Tiny
Worth knowing
- Made for APS-C: on a full-frame body it crops the picture
Cheapest way in, Canon
Canon RF 50mm F1.8 STM
Canon RF · 50mm · f/1.8 · Prime
Good for: Trying a fast prime on a small budget
Canon's nifty fifty. Barely bigger than a lens cap, and a big step up from the kit zoom.
What's good
- Very affordable
- Tiny and light
- Soft backgrounds at f/1.8
Worth knowing
- Basic build
- Autofocus is fine, not the fastest
Best everyday prime, Canon
Canon RF 35mm F1.8 Macro IS STM
Canon RF · 35mm · f/1.8 · Prime
Good for: Everyday photos, travel and close-up details
A versatile everyday lens with a bonus: it focuses close enough for flowers, food and small details.
What's good
- Image stabilisation built in
- Focuses close (half life-size)
- Compact
Worth knowing
- Autofocus can be a little noisy
Best portrait value, Canon
Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM
Canon RF · 85mm · f/2 · Prime
Good for: Portraits, with close-ups as a bonus
A flattering portrait lens that doubles as a close-up lens, at a fraction of the price of the 85mm L.
What's good
- Image stabilisation
- Focuses close (half life-size)
- Much cheaper than Canon's L-series 85mm
Worth knowing
- f/2 rather than f/1.8
- Autofocus is steady rather than fast