Why Every Photographer Should Have a 50mm Lens
In the last six months, probably 95% of my photos have been taken with one single lens. A lens, that is cheap, small and light, and doesn’t zoom.
A 50mm f1.4
This lens has none of the finishings of an uber pro level lens. It doesn’t had any of the gimmicks, such as vibration reduction or special non glare coatings. It’s made of humble plastic and some very capable glass. I can’t do close ups, it can’t do wide sweeping landscapes.
But this lens can do things no other lens can, regardless of price. And it has done something particularly special to me.
This humble little lens has made me fall in love with photography over and over again. Just when I don’t think it can surprise me anymore, it continues to shine, and helps me take wonderful images, day in day out.
A sub £150 50mm lens will be sharper, colourful and contrasty compared to any standard zoom lens. And I should know. (My nikon 24-70mm f2.8 is £1200 of top spec glass, and it’s completly inferior to my 50mm f1.4 at a 1/6th of the price!)
A lens with a 1.4 or 1.8 aperture will allow in 6 times more light than the standard kit lens that comes with your DSLR. At a basic level, that means softer, more blurred backgrounds, and less reliance on flash in low light.
Just because the 50mm is often small and straightforward to look at, does not mean it is straight forward to use.
Using a prime lens (a lens that has a fixed focal length) can be a strange experince for new photographers. Not being able to zoom your camera is a difficult habit to break, but once you do, you soon realise how much more aware you are of composition and framing, you begin to work harder for each shot. And this is how you develop and learn as a photographer.
No matter your level of experience or commitment, every photographer should have a fast 50mm lens.
If you are a Nikon shooter, like me, pick up either the AF-S 50mm f1.8 or AF-S 50mm f1.4 instead of another dreadfully slow zoom lens.
And for you Canon users, the fantastically cheap 50mm 1.8 II and 50mm f1.4 USM are your go to choices. (Although, if you really have the funds, the EF-S 50mm f1.2 L is enough to make even me jealous!)
I’d love to here what everyone else’s favourite lenses are. Please leave a comment below!
Hi Chris, I’ve seen your post about the 50 mm lens but can you tell something about the 35′s like pros and cons? Why did you choos 50mm, 35mm will give you a wide angle isn’t it?
Thanks
Hi,
Yes fast 35mm primes are also a great choice. A 50mm is very versatile as it fits in the middle between a wide angle and a portrait lens when used of a film or full frame digital camera. If using it on a cropped sensor camera it becomes an equivalent 75-85mm lens, which makes it fantastic for portraits.
The main reason I mention the 50mm rather than the 35mm is that generally the 50mm is cheaper, and offers more for the price. Essentially any cheap, fast prime is going to be sharper, lighter and brighter than any consumer grade zoom lens.
If you are looking for an equivalent for your cropped sensor camera, the Nikon AF-S 35mm f1.8 is great choice. I assume Canon have something just as good.
I’ve become a big fan of the prime lens as well! Although I have the “trinity” of Nikon zooms, I have expanded my collection of primes with the 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, f1.4s. Although I do like the 24-70mm for certain requirements, the D3s is a LOT lighter with a prime on it instead of a zoom.
Yes, i think i am a “prime lens guy” too. I can’t remember the last time I used the 24-70mm. Just too heavy for me. Next lens purchase will be the AF-S 85mm f1.4, followed by either the 35mm or 24mm. May even sell the 24-70mm to fund both!
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