Gear: {Prime Lenses}

I have wanted to start a "gear" section for a bit now so upcoming I will be having posts like this including reviews, whats in my bag for different kinds of shoots, and just general gear items.

So here it goes: Primes, no not Optimus and Sentinel (Little transformers humor!)

Nikkor 85mm F1.4 & Simga 35mm F1.4 taken with Nikon D800, Nikkor 50mm F1.8

Recently I have noticed I have switched my thoughts on what I carry in my bag, and what I want to carry in my bag.  What I mean by this, is now I carry all prime lenses with the exception of one lens. This is both in reason for what I shoot and where my evolution in photography has taken me.  Being primarily a wedding and engagement photographer, prime lenses with wide apertures are almost a must.  I prefer using minimal flash during ceremonies and receptions so the wide open lenses are a must.  This also goes for my love of shallow depth of field, if you have a F1.4 lens, why not shoot at 1.4 even if you are not in a dark room or church.  Don't get me wrong there are plenty of times to make sure your background is in focus. 

Nikon D800, Sigma 35mm F1.4

One of the other reasons for carrying mostly prime lenses is I can travel a lot lighter.  Zoom lenses like the 24-70mm and 70-200mm are heavy lenses.  I would rather keep a 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm in my bag and move my feet.  Now I do carry the 70-200mm sometimes depending on the venue, but even then I am looking at a 135mm prime instead and once again just moving my feet.  Even then when I look at the data at what I generally shoot at even when carrying zooms, I am at that 35, 50 and 85 range for most of my photographs.  With the exception of my environmental shots, aka cityscape portraits in which I still prefer to carry my 17-35mm.  

Nikon D800, Nikkor 85mm F1.4

The final reason is sharpness.  Since the lens is a single focal length, the sharpness and quality is usually better.  Now I know a lot of the zoom lenses are exceptionally sharp, and without zooming way in you would never tell, but I just feel the quality and sharpness is better with a prime lens.   

Nikon D800, Nikkor 50mm F1.8

One thing that has really pushed me this way as well is particularly Sigma coming out with beautiful prime lenses (my new 35mm is my fav right now) that at least for that lens is better quality than the Nikon for a fraction of the price.  If there new 50mm f1.4 is as good as the Zeiss Otus or almost as good knowing it will be a quarter of the price, how can you beat that.  

Nikon D800, Sigma 35mm F1.4

As my style has evolved this is one of the big gear items that have changed to work with my style and with the way I shoot.  What are your thoughts, primes or zooms, or a combo?