Nifty fifty - benefits?

pbucks

pbucks

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Paul Buckley
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I would like to expand the creative abilities of my camera (400D), but am really struggling to get my head round all the different lens types available.

I hear a lot of mention of the "nifty fifty", and have been looking at the Canon 50mm f1.8.

What benefits would this give me over the standard kit lens and what genre of photographer is it best suited to?

I haven't settled on any particular field of interest yet. I'm happy to keep trying different things.

Any info would be appreciated.
 
Most people will recommend getting one. I'd agree with them. It's very fast (f/1.8) which is ideal for low-light situations. Stopped down to f2.8 it's also incredibly sharp for such a cheap lens. Get one second hand and try it out. If after a few months, you're not using it, you'll be able to sell it on for basically the same price you bought it for.
 
The 50mm lens is one of those that everyone goes on about, but mainly because, in f/1.8 form at any rate, it tends to be cheap. You'll notice I didn't say "a bargain", because that depends very much on whether you have a use for it.

It is mainly recommended as a portrait lens or for use in low light where the f/1.8 max aperture will offer an advantage over your kit lens, however many people buy them because of the hype and then find that the field of view is too narrow to be of practical use to them.

The saving grace is, as I mentioned previously, that they are cheap and there is a ready market for secondhand examples, so should you buy one and then decide it doesn't fit your photographic style then you should be able to resell it without any hassle.
 
Befire you buy, take your camera out with the kit lens attached (I'm presuming it is the 18-55?), set it to 50mm, and see how you go. First and foremost it's the easiest way to see whether you'll be happy working without a wider field of view.

If you are ok using it set at 50mm, find a s/h nifty and snap it up. It'll be much sharper than the kit lens, ofer greater flexibility in terms of low light shooting with the wider aperture, and will (most likely) not come off the camera for some time.

It also helps a lot of people imrpove their photography as, without the ability to just zoom in and out as they please, you have to think a littlemore about composition and positioning to get the desired results.

As others have said, you will most likely be able to sell it for what you paid for it, so it's a relatively low risk 'experiment'.
 
I use it alot for close up and portraits of the kids and it is a great lens for both. So you get a really sharp lens for the money, and even if you use it a few times so what.

It would buy it and try it, you will always make most of your money back selling it on again.
 
They are far too cheap not to have in your bag.

As close to a no-brainer as you can get.
 
Just think of all the shallow DOF opportunities the 50mm will bring. Once you get started, it gets kind of addictive.
 
Thanks for all the advice.

I think the only question now is do I wait for a SH one to crop up or buy a new one.

:)
 
I really like my 50mm (f/1.4). It's the first lens I bought after buying my 450D kit back in October and apart from 2-3 occasions it has not been taken off the body. As with the 1.8 that others have mentioned, this lens is also very sharp when stopped down to 2.8. It's great for close up portraits.

I recently took it to Paris with me and got some great people shots but on my cropped sensor 450, the FOV was just far too narrow for much else. I wish I had bought a Sigma 10-20mm as well :bonk:

What the 50mm does do though - it forces you to be creative, to move around and think about composing those shots. It's a great learning lens. I certainly don't regret buying it and won't be getting rid of it anytime soon.
 
Warehouse express are doing for £66 at the moment.

I got the 50mm f1.4 and can concur that it hardly ever leaves my camera. As I have a 40D the crop factor is somewhat restrictive and quite surprising how much it 'zooms' you into scene you are photographing.

Having said that the image quality if brilliant, the bokeh is like butter and it will bring colour and rendition to your images that will quickly set you on the slippery slope of expensive Canon glass.
 
In theory, the 50 shares my bag with three L lenses, and I'm still surprised how much time they sit in the bag, and it sits on my camera. Just a brilliant lens.
 
I got the 50mm f1.8 after recommendation from the guys on this forum - Thanks! It is an awesome lens, no zoom but perfection at 50mm, took some awesome shots on holiday! Will be getting the Tamron 17-70 soon too :-)
 
The 50mm will provide about 85mm on your camera which is a typical portrait length. The wide aperture keeps the shutter speed up in lower light, meaning you don't need to use such noisy high ISOs.

Stopped down it's also capable of some decent longer-range stuff...
http://sittingbourneSPAMerver.com/downloads/Photos/TP_Shared/CNV00024_edited-2.jpg

Cheers!
 
The fifties are fun and a cheap way to get < f/2. A fun change from zoom lenses if that's all you've used. I bought my f/1.4 mainly on the results of others. I didn't 'get it' right away and I found it to be a bit restrictive initially, but with a bit of perseverance to get me out of my comfort zone I'm finding it a worthy addition to my camera bag.
 
Mine is arriving with Santa on Christmas day........... can't wait to get it on my D200 and start snapping my daughters first Christmas :thumbs:
 
Don't forget the 'On tour Nifty Fifties' It's a great way to check out the lens (Canon or Nikon) for the price of postage only :thumbs:
 
i recently got a 1.4 version and im very impressed with it.

uploadisl.jpg
 
Well, I've gone and done it. :woot::woot:

Got the f1.8 today. A used one presented itself at a good price, so I had to have it.

I've set myself a challenge. To use nothing but the nifty for the next 2 weeks.

I will post pictures as they become available.
 
God on you pbucks, you'll love it.

When the two weeks is up, take a moment to think about how you then view a scene before lifting the camera. I'd wager it'll be different to the way you do now.
 
pbucks said:
Well, I've gone and done it. :woot::woot:

Got the f1.8 today. A used one presented itself at a good price, so I had to have it.

I've set myself a challenge. To use nothing but the nifty for the next 2 weeks.

I will post pictures as they become available.
Click to expand...

Some one robbed me of my 400D and my 50, funilly enough around the same time as you 'aquired' yours! but they did leave lots of crisp £20's in its place :p

Enjoy and hope to see many results from them!
 
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