I purchased a 50mm 1:1.4 lens in December last year and to say I hate using it is an understatement. The quality of my photos are not good and I don't use the lens. Many people have the opposite reaction to me and really love using this lens. Only today I found this article - http://www.photographytalk.com/photography-articles/3063-6-reasons-why-every-photographer-should-own-a-50mm-lens - highlighting the 6 reasons why every photographer should be using it. Having read the article with interest I felt I was being a bit harsh on my lens and that perhaps I was to blame for the bad photos.
@cazann has had a similar experience to me and we thought that we would challenge ourselves to only use the 50mm lens this week.
If you would like to participate in the 50mm challenge with us please tag your photos 50mm.
Of course it goes without saying that any tips and tricks on how to use this lens would be most welcome.
How funny! I got a 50mm 8 years ago and was a crazy obsessive 100mm macro shooter. It took some adjustment, and well, I'm on my third 50mm. I wore out one and broke a second. It is by far my most used lens! I hope this challenge makes you fall in love the same way I did so many years ago. Enjoy!
I've been thinking about this as well, having a nifty-fifty with very little use apart from a few indoor portraits which if I remember it did rather well. I also used it a few times with an extender for some macro shots before I got my macro lens. That was fun. I like to take bird pics and have a telephoto lens for that. I'm not much into street photography. So it will be interesting to see what others are shooting with their 50mm and I'll be trying mine. Great idea. it also makes a difference of course whether you are using a croppped or full-sized sensor camera.
@nicolecampbell I HATED mine with a passion when I first got it... but then I fell in love! It's still a challenge for me if I've been using my macro a lot (which I have been lately lol)... but once you get the hang of it.. once it clicks.. it's a fab lens!
I will give it a try - just discovered I have an old 50mm that fits my new camera - have started to try using it - being used to auto focus and this is manual I am struggling at times but want to persevere :) this is one of my recent attempts
Hmmm, I like my 50mm 1.4 in my studio. I was having a hard time finding an use for it until I made some adjustments in my thinking about my little studio. It is a great lens for this studio.
I must admit I bought a 50mm 1.8 mark 1 off ebay and was so happy with the results when I got it. But I got a 35mm 2.0 a few months later as I found the focal distance was better and as I am using a cropped sensor I prefered closer working area I had. Find I use my 35mm a lot more. However when I slap on the 50mm I am always happy with the outcome.
I have a Nikkor AF 50mm f/1.8D for my Nikon D300 and it's by far my favourite lens, it's on the camera virtually all the time. The f/1.4 version is hardly worth the extra money. I'm going to be hunting down an 85mm f/1.8D and a 24mm f/2.8D later this year. A big virtue of these lenses is the fact that they were designed for 35mm film and hence will work properly on a full-frame dSLR too. The only zoom lens I commonly use is my Tokina ATX Pro 11-16mm f/2.8 and that's strictly APS-C, so I'd have to sell it if/when I upgrade to full-frame.
The 50mm 1.8 was the only lens I had when I started this project in Jan so I took a wide variety of shots with it and I used it right up till I bought a 70-200mm in mid April, so it was a great lens to learn on making me more aware of where I had to position myself in relation to the subject. Funnily enought I started using it again over the last two days and apart from it feeling like a toy compared to my zoom it is a great little lens, so hang in there.
Hehehe, Re: that article -- this made me laugh:
> Most lenses of this focal length are fairly small
> ...
> Here are our top 50mm lens picks:
> ...
> Sigma 50mm f1.4 EX DG HSM
The Sigma 50 is HUGE (Nice lens, though a bit too soft at 1.4. But still, it's waaay bigger than anything I have that isn't the 70-200 ;)
@brav I also got a 35 f2.4 - back when I got my k5 - and I really don't get on with it. Even though it's actually tiny... the 50's much better for, well, almost everything.
@nicolecampbell - Nicole, I'm wondering why you and @cazann don't like the lens? Because I think Richard @brav has hit the nail on the head - if you're using a crop sensor, then 50mm is maybe just that bit too narrow for general use. That article you linked to says "The 50mm lens has been the standard in 35mm photography ever since it was invented.". Basically, it mimics the field of view of the human eye which is ~55 degrees; this same angle is created by a 43mm lens. Whereas on a crop sensor, this 50mm becomes ~80mm. I've got a 28mm 1.8 lens and I love it - and because I use a crop sensor, it's equivalent to 45mm on a full frame. I even refer to it as my 'nifty fifty' which pisses my husband off no end because he's a film camera purist, none of this crop frame digital nonsense.
Anyway, I'm rambling. I'll probably join in even though it's not a 50mm lens and look forward to seeing your results.
I'm in. I need something to get me started with that lens. I used it once and thought it was a waste of money. I know Aaron @grizzlysghost is doing 50 days of 50mm and his work is awesome.
I have already posted a pathetic shot for today so will start tomorrow.
@nicolecampbell Ironically, I received am50 mm for Christmas and have only used it once. I don't 'hate' it but just don't know how to use it. I had been thinking that I needed to do a whole month of shots or something like I've seen others do. So thanks for starting this. I'll go put my lens on and learn how to use it!
@annied - this is an amazing photo, well done. I hope you don't mind me saying but I think it would look better without the frame, it is a little distracting.
I just started to use my 50mm this past weekend for pics at the Miami Conservancy's Englewood Reserve north of Dayton, Ohio. I'm still kind of ambivalent about it, but that might change once I get more practice with it.
@nicolecampbell Thankyou for your comments - I don't mind at all - I will definitely give the no frame a look - I had other bee photos that sort of needed a frame but this one because it is closer and clearer probably doesn't
I'm in. I got a Pentax 35 macro a couple of years ago, was so disappointed with it until I used it for 35 days and now it's my favorite lens. But I've stopped using my old 50...
I'm glad you started this thread Nic, should be fun seeing what others come up with....I love all the photos in this thread.....it's just what I need to get my macro off my camera and get some use out of my 50mm :)
Nicole. I would believe the problem comes from the fact that you are using an APS-C camera, where a 50mm really acts as a 75 (closer to 80 I believe on the slightly smaller Canon sensors). 75 is an awkward length I find, mostly either too short or to long. Try a 35mm (53-55 mm) which would be a "nifty fifty" for your camera, and I think you would be far better pleased. Chris above @ipost4u pointed this out too.
The fast lens is extremely useful in low light conditions. That's the main use of my 35mm f/1.8 Nikkor. Here is one of mine shot in atrociocious light with my F/1.8 35mm Nikkor.
I treated myself to the 1.2 50mm after we sold our condo. I figured since I've been through 2 and most of my shots are in low light with active kids it would get a ton of use. Here is my first photos from it during a test in my kitchen.
When I click that link I get "please update to a modern browser" - haha I'm at work so my browser choice is not my own. I will check this out at home. I own a 50mm lens, I got it pretty much to do bokeh and haven't used it all that much. Perhaps I should give it a whirl.
The 50mm is more flexible than you'd image, although I definitely prefer it on a full frame camera. If you're shooting on a crop sensor, like the Canon 1000D, the 35mm f/1.4 will be more 'natural'.
Ignore the focal length, though, and try out the ultra shallow depth of field that the f/1.4-f/4 range provides. Another amazing feature of that aperture range is the low light capabilities, saving you from having to use a flash and avoiding the harsh shadows that that often introduces.
There also very little going on in my 50mm, so light fall off through the lens is negligible, pushing it's low light capabilities even further.
Because of those features, it's my favourite portrait lens. But, the lens can be used for any general walking around purposes... I grabbed the details of this ship's bow and stern with my 50mm (but it's going to take my 16-35mm to get the whole thing in):
I've not had mine for long - don't feel I've really pushed myself with it yet though. By chance my first two shots this week have used it, so I'll join you guys and try a whole week of just using the 50mm :)
@cameronknowlton Nailed it; I think the 50mm is more about dof than anything else. I also like the challenge being confined to a prime (50mm or 35mm) provides. 50mm is arguably my favorite lens, coupled with my full-frame. :)
@nicolecampbell I just used my 50mm for the past week or more if you want to check out some shot's i got with it, be my guest! My 50mm is one of my favorite lens!! :)
@cameronknowlton@grizzlysghost - thank you both so much for your advice, I am certainly learning a lot this week which was the aim when I posted the thread.
The 50mm 1.8g was the first lens I bought after the kit lens and now I also have the 35mm 1.8g. Today, I love them equally! If I could only keep one lens in my kit, I would choose the 50mm without looking back.
The 35mm is better for group shots and indoors in smaller rooms. For a photo of 1-2 people, I'll go to that 50mm every time because the bokeh is beautiful and I never get tired of how tack sharp the faces are. What I loved most about these lenses is that they both taught me how to see a scene differently... one step forward or one step back changes everything, in a way that turning the zoom lens can't.
While it may not be that creative a shot, here's one I took today using the 50mm on my Nikon d5200 (which I love!)
@cameronknowlton@grizzlysghost totally agree. I think i prefer the 35mm as I am on a cropped but Aaron is right about the confined working space. Forces you to think a bit more about the shot. I actuall went for a walk this morning and put my 50mm on (cropped sensor) to force myself to use it. My idea was to take nothing else. Aim was to take anything I could but ended up shooting mono with a raised bracketed exposure. Results worked great.
Most of the photos in my project were made using 50 1.8, I can't imagine my life without it! 1.8 version may not be perfect, but its DOF, sharpness, and low weight (I take it everywhere with me!) make it the real deal!
It is hard to get used to the fifty! I got mine mid May, for my birthday. I can see the potential, but it is hard to learn when to use it, and what to focus on..haha! I used it for this....I should have hit Ella's EYE with the sharp focused part,but instead got her ear tip.
and a rare thing for me..a portrait...
So since I have gotten it about a month ago, I have had some photos I thought turned out well, but some turned out HORRIBLE.
I just upgraded my Nikon 50mm f/1.8 from the D version to the G, love it! I started a 50/50 challenge on June 1st. I am new to this site and just uploaded my daily shots for the month of June. All taken with my 50mm lens. Would love to share tips,critiques and ideas. A tough lens to adjust to. So spoiled by our zooms.
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I'll definitely take part in the challenge!
> Most lenses of this focal length are fairly small
> ...
> Here are our top 50mm lens picks:
> ...
> Sigma 50mm f1.4 EX DG HSM
The Sigma 50 is HUGE (Nice lens, though a bit too soft at 1.4. But still, it's waaay bigger than anything I have that isn't the 70-200 ;)
@brav I also got a 35 f2.4 - back when I got my k5 - and I really don't get on with it. Even though it's actually tiny... the 50's much better for, well, almost everything.
Anyway, I'm rambling. I'll probably join in even though it's not a 50mm lens and look forward to seeing your results.
I have already posted a pathetic shot for today so will start tomorrow.
@annied beautifully crisp shot
The fast lens is extremely useful in low light conditions. That's the main use of my 35mm f/1.8 Nikkor. Here is one of mine shot in atrociocious light with my F/1.8 35mm Nikkor.
Ignore the focal length, though, and try out the ultra shallow depth of field that the f/1.4-f/4 range provides. Another amazing feature of that aperture range is the low light capabilities, saving you from having to use a flash and avoiding the harsh shadows that that often introduces.
There also very little going on in my 50mm, so light fall off through the lens is negligible, pushing it's low light capabilities even further.
Because of those features, it's my favourite portrait lens. But, the lens can be used for any general walking around purposes... I grabbed the details of this ship's bow and stern with my 50mm (but it's going to take my 16-35mm to get the whole thing in):
Here is just one that i would not have been able to get without the 50mm! :)
The 35mm is better for group shots and indoors in smaller rooms. For a photo of 1-2 people, I'll go to that 50mm every time because the bokeh is beautiful and I never get tired of how tack sharp the faces are. What I loved most about these lenses is that they both taught me how to see a scene differently... one step forward or one step back changes everything, in a way that turning the zoom lens can't.
While it may not be that creative a shot, here's one I took today using the 50mm on my Nikon d5200 (which I love!)
Just bought a 50mm f1.7 lens recently. I'm loving it! Only take it off to use a telephoto. It's SO clear!
So since I have gotten it about a month ago, I have had some photos I thought turned out well, but some turned out HORRIBLE.