Can a 50MK F1.8 lens be used for more than just protraits

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DinoS

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As title, i am considering getting myself one, should I

and what can it be used fir as i do not do that many protraits

thanks

Mark
 
The nifty fifty is a great lens and whether you do portraits or not you should definately have one in your kitbag! It's got excellent close focusing ability and coupled with the narrow depth of field you can get with the 1.8 max aperture it's great for creative close up shots. I'll almost certainly have mine on the camera for a good part of our trip out on saturday too - I used it for candids last year and found it was great for that as it forced me to get closer in and challenge myself a bit.

Buy one - honestly, it's probably the best value bit of kit you'll ever buy!

ps - I've never, ever used mine for portraits! :D
 
I think you will find that the quality of the images is also very good, better than most zooms. I am definately going to buy one for my digicam, I would suggest going out with it as your only lens and see what you can't make with it, I think you will be quite surprised.

James
 
When I started out with my DSLR last year the 50mm 1.4 was all I had.
Here are a few of my snaps taken with the lens.

Do I think its versatile ... hell yeah! :D

Picture-269091-web.jpg



Picture-269363-web.jpg




pics1355.jpg
 
thanks guys i think i may have been persuaded
 
I cant stress just how amazing this lens is!

I bought one mainly for portraits but even on a walkabout it excells everytime!

i love it so much! and at the price, everyone should have one!!

If you want some straight from cam samples, pm me your email address!
 
Nifty fifty's are tacksharp. And incredibly versatile for many applications and situations. But NOT ideal for portraits. Or even for full lengths. Because 50mm is effectively wide-angle. Wide-angle distorts. As InaGlo's no.2 pic illustrates well! Wide-angle is far from flattering for faces and bodies! Use 85mm and up for portraits and full lengths.
 
W.Smith said:
Nifty fifty's are tacksharp. And incredibly versatile for many applications and situations. But NOT ideal for portraits. Or even for full lengths. Because 50mm is effectively wide-angle. Wide-angle distorts. As InaGlo's no.2 pic illustrates well! Wide-angle is far from flattering for faces and bodies! Use 85mm and up for portraits and full lengths.
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50mm is not wide angle! It's not on film and with the crop digital sensor makes it even less a wide angle. It IS a good lens for portraits.

And I can't see any distorition in inaglo's shots either.

Sorry, think you might have got a little confused there W.Smith.
 
I don't own a 50mm, and very very rarely does it make it as a focal length on the zooms I use. In my 35mm days when I had one as it came with the camera, I didn't use it much then either

I have no idea why you're all so keen to have one

And yes jhob's totally correct, 50mm is only a wide-angle on medium format gear (or larger), on 35mm it was the 'standard' lens of old as its angle of view/magnification was considered more or less the same as the human eye sees; on most digitals it's either the same as in 35mm days or effectively more powerful due to the crop factor
 
I use my nifty fifty for gig pictures and wouldn't be without it. It's a damned good affordable lens.
 
jhob said:
50mm is not wide angle!
Click to expand...

It's not?
Ask a trained optician.

It's not on film and with the crop digital sensor makes it even less a wide angle. It IS a good lens for portraits.
Click to expand...

50mm on a 1.6 crop dSLR is indeed. But barely.

And I can't see any distorition in inaglo's shots either.
Click to expand...

You can't?
Shoot a similar image to Inaglo's of your girlfriend at 50mm, and then at 100mm. Face filling the image. Put the 2 images up on your screen, side-by-side, same magnification, and SEE the distortion!

Good luck!
 
W.Smith said:
It's not?
Ask a trained optician.

50mm on a 1.6 crop dSLR is indeed. But barely.
Click to expand...

If you're talking about photography then 50mm is not wide angle.

W.Smith said:
You can't?
Shoot a similar image to Inaglo's of your girlfriend at 50mm, and then at 100mm. Face filling the image. Put the 2 images up on your screen, side-by-side, same magnification, and SEE the distortion!
Click to expand...

Yes, a photograph shot at 100mm will show a greater degree of perspective compression than the 50mm, but that is not to say that 50mm is distorted. I know the wide angle distortion that you are talking of and a 50mm does not exhibit this sort of distortion.
 
How is a 50mm wide angle?

10-20mm is wide, if the 50mm was a wide angle i wouldnt have had to keep walking back away from my subjects to get them in frame! Edit (im using a D80)

I have to disagree with it not being ideal for portraits, ive taken some beautiful portrait shots with it and am very very happy with the results as were alot of my other photographer friends!
 
W.Smith said:
Nifty fifty's are tacksharp. And incredibly versatile for many applications and situations. But NOT ideal for portraits. Or even for full lengths. Because 50mm is effectively wide-angle. Wide-angle distorts. As InaGlo's no.2 pic illustrates well! Wide-angle is far from flattering for faces and bodies! Use 85mm and up for portraits and full lengths.
Click to expand...

Where is the distortion you are saying? As a beginner I cant see it but a trained eye may be able so I would be gratefull if you could point it out for me:help:
Bob
 
dizzledazzle said:
How is a 50mm wide angle?
Click to expand...

50mm mimicks the human eye's angle of view. Which is – surprise, surprise – wide-angle!

10-20mm is wide, if the 50mm was a wide angle i wouldnt have had to keep walking back away from my subjects to get them in frame! Edit (im using a D80)
Click to expand...

Correct.
Why do you think pro portrait togs (the real pros! The ones shooting celebs and fashion models. Not the tog around the corner) have such spacious studios? They need distance to subject because they use short-to-medium tele, that's why!

I have to disagree with it not being ideal for portraits, ive taken some beautiful portrait shots with it and am very very happy with the results as were alot of my other photographer friends!
Click to expand...

It's excellent that you and your tog friends were very happy with 'm. Good for you. But that doesn't make 'm any less wide-angle.
 
W.Smith said:
50mm mimicks the human eye's angle of view. Which is – surprise, surprise – wide-angle!

Cool, i didnt actually know that! you learn somthing new everyday!

Correct.
Why do you think pro portrait togs (the real pros! The ones shooting celebs and fashion models. Not the tog around the corner) have such spacious studios? They need distance to subject because they use short-to-medium tele, that's why!

Time to build that extention then! why would they not use a decent 28mm prime as opposed to a tele, surely the prime would give a much better quality?

It's excellent that you and your tog friends were very happy with 'm. Good for you. But that doesn't make 'm any less wide-angle.
Click to expand...

I was pointing out that we were more than happy with the results from the portraits we took with it, RE the comment about it not being a portrait lens) i dont see any distortion with it, at F4 it gets silly sharp!

:thumbs:
 
I do a bit of indoor sports with it.
 
DiddyDave said:
I have no idea why you're all so keen to have one
Click to expand...

I think I come into this category....so will try to answer from my perspective: I've only heard good things about the 50mm until this thread, and with it being a very affordable lens which is far better than your basic kit lens or the cheaper short to medium tele lens it would appear to make it a good buy.
 
I have a 50 f1.8 and I have to say I dont really use it that much because im not a big fan of the focal length. I prefer longer or shorter lengths personally, although the f1.8 makes it usefull occasionally when I want to do dof tricks.

golf_dof%205_800.jpg
 
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