Same. I’ve been shooting a lot with my 24mm (35mm equivalent). When I switch to my 16-50 zoom, I sometimes recognize shots that I want a 24mm perspective for. So I set the zoom, then move to make my composition. Those are still exceptional cases, but over time I’m getting better!
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There is no question that zooms are more versatile when it comes to focal length. After all, that is their point 
The claim is that by adding an extra constraint, primes force the user to consider working around them. For an experienced photographer who can previsualize and compose a scene in their head this is not necessary.
Whether one needs this as a learning experience is of course a personal preference. I find that primes improved my composition a lot, but it was not great to start with. I can imagine that the same would happen for person who would consistently explore various focal lengths, my problem is that I do not have that kind of discipline so for me a prime lens is great.
I have seen experienced photographers dial in their zoom focal length without looking through the viewfinder — once you have that kind of skill, zooms are the logical choice, unless you need very wide apertures, are on a budget, or prefer to travel light.
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I’d like to echo that statement in it’s entirety. It’ a REALLY good point, @Tamas_Papp — and you’ve made a REALLY good point about a REALLY good point, @TonyBarrett. 
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I mainly use primes, but I tend to reach for my zoom in situations where I’m unsure how much physical space I’ll have, for example, an indoor event where I can’t move backwards far enough because someone very inconsiderately put a wall in the way, or during a carnival where I can’t get close enough to a subject because of the street layout.
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I have always wanted to own a set of good prime lenses in 24mm, 50mm, 100mm, and 200mm. But I never wanted to spend that much money, so I usually use zoom lenses.
In my film shooting days, I owned a good pair of Nikkors Ais in 28 and 50, but then a cheap 70-210mm E-series zoom.
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I fully understand, and if I was a pro event photographer clients pay for results (actual images that show a scene) I would do the same.
But since I photograph for my own pleasure, for me it was a revelation how 50mm and 90mm equivalents in tight spaces deliver meaningful close-ups which convey a lot of emotion and atmosphere.
I am not saying that zoom lenses are bad. They are great. My point is that I am inexperienced and if I had a zoom lens, I would always follow the past of least resistance to make clichéd photos. A good photographer would of course make great photos with the very same zoom lens, but I am not that person. Constraints that make me explore new things.
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Creativity from constraint is pretty important, I guess, for all forms of art (not just art), no matter the level of professionalism. Maybe our ever more capable cameras are a double-edged sword.
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I’ve mentioned it before but with primes you decide what look/feel you’re after and shoot the subject using it. You can photograph most things with any focal length you just change your approach to taking them.
A series of 21mm shots will be very different from a series of 100mm shots covering the same situation. I like using two though like 21+50 or 35+100 this allows you to alternate or occasionally change perspective to punctuate a series.
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What was the question?
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@elGordo, haha, this thread is in danger of going all “inception” on us. My comment was inspired by this:
“The number 42 is the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything calculated by an enormous supercomputer named Deep Thought over a period of 7.5 million years. Unfortunately, no one knows what the question is.”
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On my APS-C (1.6 crop) and taking into account my genre (street photography), I’ve found 28mm to be the sweet spot for me (around 45mm full-frame equivalent). I would, however, like to give 24mm a go…
Edit: Actually, after 11 years of owning the thing, I’ve just now realised the crop factor is 1.5 
(or 1.53, to be exact); so that would make a 28mm lens around a 43mm full-frame equivalent… I think.
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The part about being controlled by your zoom is interesting. I’m quite satisfied with Tamron 20-40 2.8 and I guess part of that is that the extremes are at two quite nice focal lengths. I complete it with a 85 mm 1.8 which has a quite different feel too where I have to stand as a photographer.
I love the mentioned link between camera field of view and display medium field of view. Have to make some experiments with that!
My favorite, albeit a photographic anathema (angle of view … avoided at all costs in lens discussions), is about 64-degrees, or about one radian or about normal human angle of vision not including peripheral.
As in, by rote, actual 20 mm on my 1.7 crop camera, 34 mm equivalent.
I can’t imagine …
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I’m finding it harder as I get older!
My “best” is 135. Best for me and the pics I take most days.
I think it’s a very personal thing. But I don’t mind being asked. 
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The best focal length? a 15-300 f/2.8 zoom on a 24x36 sensor, weighing 600 g ( and 300 for the 2028 model), perfectly exploiting a 40 MP (or more) sensor.
But if a 15 mm fixed lens had a definition such that software cropping would give a minimum of 30 MP, I wouldn’t be against it…
No more time wasted changing lenses, no more dirt on the sensor!
For the ayatollahs of “a fixed focal length forces me to think about the composition of my image, sigh, sigh”: If you need to be forced to think, it’s because deep down it’s not your favorite activity!
Provocation? I know! (and I love it…)
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I would find it tedious to crop every other image in post. I value the decisions made on site and only crop when I made a mistake.
Occasionally people talk about the benefits of picking stills out of a video. For similar reasons it’s a terrible idea for almost all use cases. Takes way to much time.
Photographers have the skill to make decisions about what split second and what view to capture as things unfold. It’s hard to come up with a more creative and efficient way to do it.
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Hmm … “exploitation”, “definition” …
300 mm full frame covers about 0.137 rad.
15 mm full frame covers about 2.733 rad.
crop ratio c=20
Type 1 equivalence = 20 x 40 = 800 MP, LOL.
Type 2 equivalence = 20 x 40 = 16,000 MP, LOL.
Tedious to crop in post-processing?
A little “in situ” cursor movement and off I go!
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