Reasons to use 50mm lens
Written by: Nate Torres
Last updated: July 30, 2024
There are many uses for the 50mm lens in photography, despite its small appearance...
Reasons to use a 50mm lens
1. Great to play with lights
Do you like fluorescent images? How about moody ‘bokeh’ pictures that invoke nostalgia?
If yes, a 50mm lens is the right partner for your photography journey. 50mm lenses are great in low-light photography because of their strong focal point and wide aperture, which allows them to capture light.
This results in 50mm lens photography that has a strong reproduction of bright colors and object presence.
2. Dynamic photography
50mm lenses are also suited to quickly capturing moving scenes. This is because the aperture of a 50mm lens can capture a lot of light before it closes and captures the image.
You can play more with your models to create dynamic photography that tells meaningful stories or is a strong attention grabber.
Speed photography can also be used at church services or other ceremonies, such as weddings and festivals, where quick movements are necessary to capture momentum. This also helps you should you want to be a citizen journalist, as the image will have a strong focus to support your story.
3. Sharper image
Okay, we are not talking about Sharper Image, the store, but the lens’s ability to produce high-fidelity images. 50mm lenses have the edge over zoom lenses because 50mm lenses produce sharp images due to the strong focal point within the 50mm Lens.
This can help you create photos with a strong focus on the main object or give a good sense of proportion and depth within the perspective of your image. Either way, 50mm lenses are strong and great for experimenting with emotions and capturing tiny details.
4. Toy photography
Now, if you happen to be interested in model kits or action figures like Marvel Select or DC Direct, fixed lenses are great for recreating your favorite scenes within the photos. A 50mm lens makes the figures appear more like they are life-size rather than 5-inch tall toys.
Lighting is one of the most important elements of this type of photography. Taking outdoor photos is quite straightforward. You can simply use the available sunlight. In addition, you need to pay attention to the weather when you take a photo.
In particular, whether it supports the photo theme you want. You can use the aid of a flash or reflector to fill in dark areas.
Indoor photography is a little more difficult because you need to prepare the lighting. You can use a simple lightbox.
Do not use direct flash. Shooting plastic objects at close range will not produce satisfactory results because the light is too harsh. Or, if you want, you can make a simple studio to take pictures of your toys. You can use the kitchen area, living room, or even the garage of your house.
Make it as creative as possible.
5. Good with low light
One of the advantages of a large aperture is low light!
Generally, taking pictures, especially with a small aperture lens, will be challenging in low light conditions. In low light, a 50mm lens is best for you! However, with a 50mm lens, you do not need to hesitate to shoot indoors with less lighting.
One of the advantages is that we do not have to force a high ISO value later. This helps you take photos when lights are scarce or at nighttime.
6. Good with the models
Lens focal length and crop factor are closely related, especially given the variety of sensor sizes used in various digital cameras today.
The various sensor sizes will create different viewing angles when used on cameras with sensors of different sizes (assuming the lenses used have the same focal length and can be used in all cameras).
When the camera sensor is smaller than the lens diameter, the angle of view we get will be narrower. The size of the narrower part of the photo frame is what is then termed the crop factor (smaller, the image angle is more limited or cropped).
Well, this multiplier or crop factor varies according to the size of the sensor. For a full-frame camera, of course, the crop factor is 1. This is because with the 18 mm lens we use on a full-frame camera, the image coverage area is 18mm.
Often, it is also known as the selective focus method because the part that is focused on a photo is only a specific part (selective). This can be achieved by applying a small or narrow sharp field (shallow depth of field). The blurrier or smoother the bokeh (often termed creamy bokeh), the more attractive the photo will usually be.
This blurry effect can be one of the tricks you use when shooting a model to make the photo look artistic. Whether your model is a professional or an amateur, the results will look great!
This makes it great for studio shoots. You can freely adjust the coverage and capture a more focused image that strongly emphasizes the model rather than its surroundings.
7. Capturing flowers
Flower photos are very similar to human portraits. So, how do you bring out the best in flowers? How do you make each shot unique? Luckily, a 50mm lens and 50mm photography skills will give you what you need to succeed in this field. When shooting in uncertain light and proximity, some areas may be overexposed, causing details to be lost (“blown highlights”).
The Highlight Alert feature (also known as “blinkies” or “zebras”), alerts you to these areas by making them flicker in the black when in playback mode. This is a useful tool that helps you to perform exposure compensation accurately. On some cameras, you may need to activate them first.
This is where 50mm lens strength is good. The ability to focus and capture sharp images can make your flora or flower photography exceed expectations.
For unique performance, in addition to adjusting the parameters of an existing Picture Style, you can also create a custom Style, either in-camera or with Digital Photo Professional software, and save/upload your creation to the camera as a User-Defined Picture Style.
This lets you preview the effect as you shoot.
8. Light weight
It is certainly not easy to hunt photos while carrying a camera plus a lens weighing more than one kg. Fortunately, the average 50mm lens is lightweight. You do not need to burden your shoulders when shooting and avoid feeling sore when shooting.
9. Blurry photos
At an affordable price, you have a lens that can take beautiful, blurry photos. Due to the super large aperture at f / 1.8, it is straightforward to take beautiful, blurry images.
In principle, bokeh photos are produced from the lens. Thanks to a large aperture, the lens should support bokeh creation. When you use a 50mm lens at its largest aperture, you will see for yourself the bokeh effects it is capable of producing!
10. Good for travel photography
In today’s digital era, many travelers upload their best photos on social media such as Instagram, Facebook, and others. However, unexpectedly, there are skilled and creative hands behind the beautiful landscape photos.
One of them is a travel photographer. Most travel photographers take pictures of tourist destinations. Then, they upload these photos to social media with the theme of travel photography. So, to get beautiful photos, there are a few tips that need attention.
Apart from landscape photos, there are also travel photographers who target objects with the theme of human interest, which is a local community activity. For example, traders in the market or fishermen who are fishing. To get their photos, you should first interact with them and ask permission to take them. This is a photography ethic that travel photographers need to perform.
When you travel, it is more efficient to carry compact photographic equipment. So as not to seem heavy and difficult when you take the photo. Make sure the bag you use is comfortable on your back.
The focal point is a goal the first time the eye looks at a photo object. At least the photo you shoot has a POI (Point of Interest). If your photo has a POI, it will look attractive, which will make people want to see more of your work.
If you look at it again, you’ll realize that 50mm lenses are great for traveling. They are small, well-focused, and easy to use, with great sensitivity towards movement and depth.
11. Easy for beginners to learn
Yes, with its simplicity and strong utility, learning to use a 50mm and 50mm lens photography is easy and can be quickly mastered.
12. It’s cheap!
Yes, as we have mentioned earlier, it is pretty cheap compared to a telephoto or wide lens. You can learn from it when starting your 50mm photography journey.
Is a 50mm lens good for portraits?
To answer the question briefly—Yes! 50mm lenses are good for taking beautiful portrait images. All lenses are different and have their strengths, but the 50mm lens is especially good at capturing focused images within its focal point.
This makes it a champion in at least two areas: low-light photography and photography, which requires sharp focus (like portraits!). Since this lens will focus on one specific point, images taken with 50mm lenses tend to have blurry backgrounds. Think Michael Bay movies—low depth with strong object presence. If you like that kind of style, 50mm photography is for you!
Usually, a 50mm lens has an f/1.8 aperture. With a large aperture, you can use a fast shutter speed so it is included in the fast lens category.
Can you zoom with a 50mm lens?
Unfortunately, you cannot. 50mm lenses are amongst the fixed lens group, which means they are not flexible enough to perform functions like zoom. The lens is more suitable for capturing a strong focal point, so while it cannot zoom, it certainly gives distance photography a different mood than a typical zoom lens.
However, if you want to give the lens its best shot, stick with portraits or close-up objects. 50mm lenses are incredible for those purposes.
Why are 50mm lenses so cheap?
Let us begin by saying that ‘cheap’ is relative. What is considered cheap for one person may be expensive for another. However, 50mm lenses are more affordable than other types of lenses. This is especially true when discussing f/1.8 Lens and not other premium brands like Canon.
The 50mm has larger parts, so it is simpler to assemble. This is typical of manufacturers with years of experience with the product. Also, because it is more straightforward, 50mm lenses are often already bundled with some photography starter packs, usually for free or as part of a discounted bundle.
Best 50MM lenses for each camera brand
As mentioned initially, the “nifty-fifty” is my favorite prime lens of choice. Here are the best 50mm lenses for each camera brand that I highly recommend you check out:
- Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens (My go-to and I use this with my Canon 6D Mark II)
- Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
- Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G Lens
- Sony – E 50mm F1.8 OSS Portrait Lens
- Fujinon XF50mmF2 R WR Lens
In conclusion, even though zoom lenses are currently at their peak, prime lenses continue to enjoy deep-rooted popularity. Despite having a fixed focal length, prime lenses boast qualities that outweigh these disadvantages, some of which include the “bokeh effect,” “shake-free image,” and “sharp depiction.”
Though its specialty is making fluorescent and blurry photos, the 50mm fixed lens is also dependable for shooting landscapes or landscapes. The sharpness that is the basis of a landscape can be achieved flawlessly with this lens.
50mm lens and 50mm photography have served many photographers well. It certainly will not disappoint you. The beauty of flowers, streets, and people can be recorded well even though we are using a lens that has a reputation for blurred images (bokeh). To get a relatively large area to “accommodate” the desired objects, we often use one of the oldest photography techniques, which is still effective today: moving back and forth.
Well, for the sake of beautiful images, isn’t it worth it?