An alternate and apparently somewhat older meaning of the term prime lens is the main lens in a combination lens system.[4] When the camera lens is used with some other optical device, such as a close-up lens, teleconverter, or teleside converter, the camera lens itself is properly called the prime lens. Prime is here used in the sense of primary, chief, original, first in order, etc.
Lens manufacturers such as ARRI Media,[5] ISCO Precision Optics,[6] Schneider,[7] Carl Zeiss AG,[8] Canon[9] and others still make variable focal length cine and video lenses regularly catalogued as variable prime lenses. A variable prime is sometimes distinguished from a "true zoom" in that the latter maintains focus as the focal length is varied.
This use of the term "prime lens" is an example of a retronym.
Old School :)
Traditional meaning of Prime (Primary) lens:
An alternate and apparently somewhat older meaning of the term prime lens is the main lens in a combination lens system.[4] When the camera lens is used with some other optical device, such as a close-up lens, teleconverter, or teleside converter, the camera lens itself is properly called the prime lens. Prime is here used in the sense of primary, chief, original, first in order, etc.
Lens manufacturers such as ARRI Media,[5] ISCO Precision Optics,[6] Schneider,[7] Carl Zeiss AG,[8] Canon[9] and others still make variable focal length cine and video lenses regularly catalogued as variable prime lenses. A variable prime is sometimes distinguished from a "true zoom" in that the latter maintains focus as the focal length is varied.
This use of the term "prime lens" is an example of a retronym.