#focal length

Types Camera lenses are classified in many different categories (focal length, AF performance, etc.), but the most common of the lot is focal length which divides the lens in to two major groups –the Prime and Zoom lenses. Prime lenses or commonly known as Primes are characterized by a fixed focal length (measured in mm or millimeter in photography). Most prime lenses, especially those with double-digit focal length (28, 35 or 50mm), have a compact design which lessens some of the burden that’s brought by their big ass dSLR cameras. Zoom lenses, on the other hand, are the complete opposite of Primes as it has variable focal lengths. There are zoom lenses with fixed opening, meaning the aperture remains constant even on the telephoto end (longest focal distance of the zoom) and there are prime lenses that have a relatively narrow opening especially those with 200mm and above focal length. Here’s a quick recap of the things we’ve discussed earlier: • Primes have a fixed focal length while zoom lenses have variable focal length. Read more in our articles including "Beginner’s Guide to Camera Lenses" and "Smartphones Under P10,000 | Q2 2026".