Lenses can range from under $100 to well over $1,000 even for the same focal length.

Here’s why you should consider purchasing cheaper lenses over expensive ones.

These lenses are also all primes, so they’re lightweight and sharper than their zoom counterparts.

sigma 18-35mm in center with 24-105mm and 24-70mm art lenses beside it

If you don’t intend on buying multiple cheap lenses, having just one has its benefits, too.

Learn vs. prime lensesto see which is best for you.

Plus, vintage lenses are fairly cheap.

nikon lenses of various focal lengths on desk

Others may make the bokeh balls look more hexagonal or affect them in a way you didn’t intend.

The unpredictable nature of vintage lenses can make photography fun.

They’re also fantastic to use for videos for the same reasons.

girl with red hair shooting on a vintage canon film camera with 38mm lens

It’s a much less risky investment to buy cheaper lenses for this very reason.

Take the Rokinon AF 35mm f/1.8 for Sony E-Mount for example.

The same lens in like-new condition retails for around $270 on reputable sites like MPB.

sony a9 mirrorless camera on orange background with 35mm f/1.4 fe g master lens

Their needs and wallets are not the same as yours.

Still unsure what to get for your first prime lens?

There are severalreasons to pick up a 50mm prime.

canon 60d dslr with nifty fifty 50mm f/1.8 lens

Buying cheaper lenses means being able to have multiple in your camera bag at once.

In fact, there are a whole lot ofbenefits to shooting portraits with an 85mm focal length.