Used 50mm f/1.8 lenses are quite plentiful so if a brand new 50mm f/1.8 lens isn’t in your budget, you can typically find them used for as little as $50. It’s definitely our go-to for a lens on a budget!

Tripods as a concept are simple: they provide a stable foundation to rest your camera on as you work. Despite that simplicity, though, shopping for one can be complicated as there are many options out there. Finding a quality option whenever trying to purchase on a tight budget can also be tricky. Thankfully, you don’t…

The 50mm fixed focal length is a very versatile range.  This is especially true when used on full-frame camera bodies like the full-frame D800 or the full-frame Mark III.  In a full-frame camera, the 50mm yields a “normal” perspective and field of view similar to what we see from our very own eyes, which makes it a great lens for photojournalists.

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For example, I live in a coastal town where I photograph boats anchored out at sea with islands in the background. If I use a wide angle landscape lens, the islands in the background seem much smaller and insignificant than when I use my telephoto zoom lens. For these types of shots I prefer to see layers. Hence, I’ll use my telephoto zoom lens.

Wish you could nail white balance consistently? Now you can. I’m going to be honest with you. When it comes to White Balance, I have always been one to shoot in Auto White Balance (AWB) mode and “fix it later.” “It’s such a quick, easy fix in post-processing,” I told myself. Until it wasn’t. I’ve…

You will have to work harder to at composition, certainly.  But the sharpness, color, and detail of a 50mm lens is always a good choice.  Just keep in mind that on a crop sensor camera, the working fixed focal length can be closer to 75 mm or more, so plan accordingly.

Now, I’d love to hear from you.  Do you already have a 50mm lens?  If so, please let me know in the comments below what your favorite thing about your 50mm lens!

When shooting a telephoto, such as a 70-200mm f/2.8 zoomed all the way to 200 mm, the compression is beautiful, yes.  But you’ve rendered the background so out of focus that it loses meaning and context, both are important to an environmental shot.

A normal focal length is known to be 50mm. When you shoot with a lens set at 50mm focal length, the subject will be photographed in size as you saw it in real life. If you zoom your lens out to 100mm focal length, the image will now be magnified X 2 so the subject appears much closer. Therefore the definition of a telephoto zoom lens is one that can be magnified higher than 50mm focal length.

Let’s say you are trying to take some photos indoors at a church without flash, and you are using the 18-55 kit lens that came with your camera. At the long end of that range, the widest maximum aperture of f/5.6 is usual. Therefore, if you have a 50 1.8 kit lens you will be letting in more than 3 full stops of light with this aperture, giving you the ability to use 8x as fast shutter speed.

The first time I used my Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM lens on a tripod, was to photograph beautiful night shots of the Opera House in Sydney. Looking at the images on my computer I saw they were all out of focus and appeared to have symptoms of camera shake. I later found that by keeping this switch turned on, VR / IS will look for camera vibration and when it doesn’t find it, it keeps looking. Hence in itself causing camera shake. So I went out the next night with IS turned off and captured the image seen below.

A 50mm lens not as obtrusive and noticeable which is great when trying to pack light and just “blend in,” without drawing much attention to yourself. You can toss this lens in a backpack or small bag and be on your way, without the extra bulk! The 50mm lens is definitely a great option for travel photographers for this very reason!

It doesn’t matter if you shoot Canon, Nikon, Sony or any other camera brand, the fact is, every photographer should own a 50mm lens! The amazing thing about a 50mm prime lens is that it’s incredibly versatile! It is the most popular among portrait photographers, wedding professionals, and street/documentary artists.

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The 35mm is great for getting close to the action or pulling in lots of the environment and details in your image. 50mm lenses, on the other hand, are a more flattering focal length for portraits but can be unwieldy in tight spaces like indoors or in crowds outdoors.

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Why is this important to know? There has been many instances where I’ll be trying to photograph a subject that is only a few meters from me and the lens keeps swimming in and out, not able to focus. I’ve fixed this problem every time by setting the correct metering. ie I set 1.8m -∞ for subjects closer than 6.5 meters away, and set 6.5m-∞ for everything 6.5 meters or further in distance.

Long telephoto zoom lenses are perfect for photographing macro subjects. They allow you to stand further away from the subject so not to scare it away. This has its obvious advantages when shooting timid subjects like dragonflies and insects.

On a wedding day, it is also great for getting ready shots, especially when we have to shoot at 1.4 to help blur out messy getting ready rooms! The compression that you get really starts to be apparent with this lens, which is really great considering the price. At wide apertures, you can get that creamy blur that makes photos look high-end!

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Using a telephoto zoom lens will totally change the overall feel of the image. Especially when photographing subjects that are further in distance from you. Not only does it bring the main subject closer, but it also brings all the background elements closer as well.

It’s for this reason that on my most recent trip to Paris and Italy it was one of the 2 lenses I took with me, for a whole 10 days!  It’s a great “walk-around” lens, but also can be great for portraits too.

In addition to being forced to zoom with your feet, you are also able to shoot at wider apertures like 1.8, 1.4, and 1.2 (Canon) that allow for more creativity with the use of depth of field. This use of depth of field simply isn’t an option with equivalent range zoom lenses.

The 50mm shines at environmental portraits, especially.  You get the flattering focal length for portraits but still have enough room to include some environment and scene which lends the image contest.

The focus limit switch tells the camera where to focus within certain ranges in distance. For example, if you set the switch to 6.5m-∞ then the camera knows not to worry about focussing on anything closer than 6.5 meters. Knowing this information, your camera will shoot faster.

However you do need to make sure your shutter speed is longer than the focal length of the lens. For example, when you zoom your lens out to 200mm, make sure the shutter speed is at minimum 1/200th of a second or faster. If you zoom it to 300mm focal length, then the shutter speed needs to be at least 1/300th of a second and so forth. This will give you the best chance of getting a sharp image while hand holding your camera.

For photographers and amateur enthusiasts looking for a great camera, one of the most common debates is between DSLR cameras vs a mirrorless camera. Mirrorless vs. DSLR is a complicated question, so in this article, we’ll help you to understand which camera will be better for your needs. What Are DSLRs And How Are They…

But a 50mm lens can easily be used for landscape photography, for many of the reasons we’ve already discussed, namely that it’s so light and inexpensive.  If you are a general shooter with no real specialty that occasionally takes landscape photos, a 50mm lens is a great choice.

Look on the side of your lens and check if it has a focus limit switch. You will recognize it because it will have a distance metering associated with it. For example my Canon lens has a switch on the side that says 1.8m -∞, as well as 6.5m-∞. If your lens doesn’t have this switch then ignore this section.

What do you use 50mm lenses for, or want to use 50mm lenses for? What do you love about 50mm lenses, or wish was different? Do you have any questions about it? Please share your experiences!

Some types of photography where you can easily use a 50mm lens: Portraits, Weddings, Documentary/Lifestyle, Street Photography, Travel, Newborn, Studio Photography, and Landscapes!

A telephoto zoom lens is my favorite piece of glass. Over the years I’ve photographed with Canon, Nikon and Sigma telephoto zoom lens. Before we let you in on the secrets of using these long lenses, we’ll first discuss a couple of basics.

Nifty fifty started as a term used to describe 50 popular stocks on the stock exchange in the 1960s and 1970s.  Some clever soul along the way also started using nifty fifty to describe a 50 mm lens, and the nickname stuck.  But given all its positive traits, we think it’s a nickname well deserved.

The wider the aperture on the lens, the faster the shutter speed one can achieve compared to a zoom lens. Even on a crop sensor camera, this wide aperture lens is really great.

There you go, those are my 5 top reasons why you need a 50mm f/1.8 lens, plus a few other questions answered! It’s cheap, fast, versatile, lightweight, and gives you a professional look to your images that will keep you getting business.  There are very few drawbacks to this lens, making it our top pick for both new and seasoned photographers!

Just because it’s a long lens doesn’t mean you need to use a tripod. In fact I rarely use a tripod when using my telephoto lens. I find them too restrictive when photographing birds and wildlife.

I am not going to lie, I hate having to lug around bulky heavy lenses like my 70-200 f/2.8 zoom and I love when I can put the big zoom away and shoot with my small 50mm prime lens.  The best part is that prime lenses give your wrists and arms a rest!

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A 50 1.4 kit lens will give 4 full stops difference from f/5.6! Being able to superbly outperform all zoom lenses makes a 50 1.8 prime lens or a 1.4 prime lens must-have tools.

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Covering the most important basic camera topics like Exposure, ISO, Aperture, Shutter Speed and packed with visual diagrams.

If you are photographing long exposures or landscapes with a telephoto lens then it is best to use a tripod. If using a tripod, look on the side of your lens for letters VR (vibration reduction for Nikon) or IS (image stabilization for Canon) and turn them off.

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As always…don’t be a stranger! Join us in our supportive Facebook group, Cole’s Classmates-Photo School to ask questions, get help with your photos, and learn from a diverse group of awesome people who love photography!

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If you haven’t guessed it by now, the 50m lens is great for portraits!  The 50 mm allows you a good working range from your subject.  You can be close enough to give instructions and maintain intimacy, but far enough away that you aren’t violating a subject’s personal space.

The 50mm lens can definitely be used for landscapes.  Most landscape photographers prefer a wider angle of view, such as a 35mm or 24 mm.  Others prefer something more telephoto lens to dial in on unique features.

I am a firm believer that using prime lenses rather than zoom lenses force photographers to be more creative with compositions, more agile, and overall “keep you on your toes” since you don’t have the luxury of zooming in or out for your shot.

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Zoom lens are used for instances where you want to fill the frame with a subject that is far in distance and you wish it to appear much closer. Good examples would be sports or animal photography where you cannot be physically close to the subject. Or maybe it is possible but you’d rather not disturb the subject, choosing instead to photograph it naturally. This is particularly useful for street photography where you don’t want the person to know they are being photographed until after the shot is taken.

It packs a real punch as compared to many other lenses! Here are our top five reasons for adding this lens to your camera bag!

When photographers hear the term telephoto they usually imagine a long lens between 70 and 500mm focal length or longer. Personally I’ve used 3 different brands and the technique for using them is basically the same.

You will find rivalries in every industry. In the world of smartphones, it is Android vs iOS. For computers, it is Apple vs Microsoft.  And when it comes to cameras, it is Nikon against Canon. Many photographers, from professionals to beginners, wonder which brand is right for them. The question seems simple on the surface,…

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Blurring backgrounds is easier with a telephoto lens than it is with a wide angle lens. Set your camera aperture on f/8 or lower, zoom the lens out to its longest focal length, and get as close to the subject as possible while still being able to focus. You also need to ensure as much distance as possible between the subject and any background elements. You won’t see any blur if the subject is against a brick wall.

What the heck is a neutral density filter? Read below for our simple explanation! With so many tools and accessories available to photographers, it can be difficult to determine which ones to add to your photography bag. Neutral density filters are a great addition for photographers that shoot in harsh light or want more creative…

Perhaps the greatest attribute of the little “nifty-fifty” is it is “faster” than the fastest of zoom lenses. Faster than a zoom lens? In photo talk, the term “fast glass” refers to wide aperture lenses.

This 50mm prime lens has so many perks that it’s easy to see why most professionals reach for this lens first.  It’s not too wide, or too long, meaning you can use it in cramped spaces (like a studio, or narrow street), or back up to get those killer wide shots of buildings and landscapes.

Let’s face it, camera gear, in general, is really expensive! What’s amazing is that you can get a brand new 50mm lens between $100-$200! Don’t let the small price fool you, it’s a great lens.

All lenses require different techniques for photographers to grasp. Just because you know how to use one lens doesn’t mean you can use the same technique on the next. As strange as it sounds, telephoto and macro lenses have a lot in common. Personally I treat them much the same way.

As you begin to upgrade your photography gear from kit lenses to prime or pro-grade shooting options, one consideration you might have is between the 35mm and 50 mm lens.  Both are great lenses and are widely used and loved.  In general, the 35mm gives you a wider field of view but also comes with more distortion.

Another HUGE perk is that this lens is known for being great in low-light scenarios! This comes in handy during low-light indoor settings or after the sun has gone down on a portrait shoot!