I have recently rediscovered my 50mm lens and have it locked to my camera. I had basically forgotten how versatile this little lens is, fast, and great for those perfect bokeh shots my biggest surprise what just how good the lens is for everything else.
I never once considered that I would use a 50mm lens for landscape photography but passing a local church with a 50mm on the 5DMK 2 I captured this shockingly cold photo.
You can click on the photo to view it on flickr or look at the additional photos in the set here. Maybe I was lucky that the 50mm lens was just wide enough to capture both lanes with the church in the centre but being prime meant the photograph was particularly sharp.
The speed of the 50mm lens means indoor photography is achievable without a flash. It will challenge your photography with your lens being the zoom and a close depth of field can result in some stunning images with the risk of a few out of focus on the way.
There is very little distortion with a 50mm lens and it is pretty close to how the eye sees. Every time I am asked advice on what camera to buy I always add a 50mm lens into the mix. At less than £100 it is one of the best photographic investments you can buy.
Do you own a 50mm lens?
We haven’t had a poll in a while so this is a great opportunity to discover how many of you own a 50mm lens.
I think an 80mm f/2.8 planar T* should count for all the above reasons. Got one of those, instead 🙂
have a 50mm 1.8 and 50mm 2.5
do not take 50 1.8 out of flat
use the 50 2.5 muchly. Is very sharp macro lens and always in bag when I do fieldwork.
have the efs 60 2.8 which is fine lens and does all kinds of amazing things an this gets carried in lieu of the fragile 50 1.8
replacing the 50 1.8 is on bottom of wishlist of back-up 100 2.8, acquiring 100 2.0 and new camera, so it stays put on table. It’s virtually impossible to focus for any ongoing performance s focus ring is too thin and lens too tiny for good manipulation, but I did shoot some ballet performance with it, but actually I would never do it again.
there are too many more important things that I need and a second 50mm is not very highly ranked. I’d far rather have a 100 2.0 to be honest or 85 1.8.
I have a Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 which on my D40 is really a 52mm lens. I love this lens. Since putting it on my camera body 2 years ago, I have removed it only a few times (to use other primes lenses).
This is a classic example of good glass at f/5.6 being crisp and clean. Nikkor 50 f1.4
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kengai-nz/5521986274/
I do a lot of music photography that necessitates f3.5 sometimes, so the 50 is more than helpful for live music too.
Nick
I love my 50mm it’s my primary lens, it works everywhere.
Although I own an EF50mm f1.4 and a Sig 30mm f.14 both are excellent lenses. I prefer the 30mm most of the time, but that 50mm with proper technique and stepped down the right fstop can be magical as any “L” series glass.
Great lens and a great buy, it’s one of those instances where more money isn’t always better photos.. long live the nifty 50!
I own the Canon 50 f1.4, but rarely shoot with it. I really prefer my 85 f1.2L lens, and it’s probably not fair to compare the two, but the contrast, colour and sharpness of the 85 is so far superior to the 50. I wish the 50 did a better job (in my eyes) as it’s much (MUCH) lighter then the 85. 🙂
I just got a 50mm 1.8. I love it.
I’ve got the Nikon 50mm f1.8 on my D700 and I love it. I find I’m either shooting with that or the 16-35mm VR f4.
This reminds me that I’ve neglected my 50mm recently and havent given it much love. So excuse me as I go and put it back on the camera and go shoot some pics.
For every camera I’ve ever owned (and it’s too many!) I’ve always had a 50mm for it.
With the 50mm 1.4 on my D3 I’m sorted!