It wasn’t to be. Next morning the weather had only worsened, so our thoughts started to dwell on the potential for swollen rivers preventing our escape. Our best option, other than retracing our steps over uninviting tops, was to descend into Duchess Stream, follow deer trails mostly on the true right to begin with, then cross the stream and sidle upwards to avoid a steep narrow gorged section. It was wet, slippery, arduous going. This image - Descending in to Duchess Stream

Yep it might not be well suited to wildlife photography but it’s certainly a versatile length (especially if you’re using on both FF and APS-C). For lifestyle-type shotds especially it’s one of may favourite lengths to work with.

Thank you for that Simon, much appreciated. I’ll look into both , the 50mm and the macro lens Regards Vic Ps I’m using a canon 4000D camera

As this post is about getting started with 50mm and primes in general I’m going to focus on the entry point lens above – the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM. Like the majority of Canon users this was my first 50mm lens and it’s not known as the ‘nifty fifty’ (or ‘plastic fantastic’) for nothing. I’m adamant that it’s without doubt the best bang for your buck you can get. In photographic terms this lens is CHEAP (You can usually pick one up for around £100). I actually paid less than £40 for mine brand new from the States – the bargain of the century!

If we’d been able to begin walking that morning we would have had enough time to tackle the north ridge on the same day, but by the time we reached a saddle beneath the Apprentice, an easy-to-reach 1,678m highpoint a little to the northwest of Mount Technical, there wasn’t enough daylight left. A little below us, nestled in a broad cirque, lay another tarn that looked like the perfect spot to camp.

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‘Prime’ sounds expensive right? Well, it certainly can be, make no mistake BUT you can pick up a 50mm for surprisingly little money. Let’s take a minute to look at the current Canon 50mm prime line up and look at our price points and pros and cons of each.

Time for some tough love. Stop being so bloody lazy. “Oh, I’m a bit too far away” *ZOOM, “Ah my composition isn’t quite right” *ZOOM. Here’s the truth – photography is an art form. Nothing good ever comes without a bit of hard work. If you want to make great images you need to work for it.

Thanks for the article Simon, it’s got me thinking. Just bought my first DSLR, a basic second hand Canon 100D with the kit 18-55 lens. I loved my prime 50mm on my 40-odd year old Minolta 35mm, so if I’m looking to emulate the feel of that lens, am I right in supposing I’ll need a 50/1.6, i.e. around 30mm, lens to match the Canon’s APS-C? They seem harder to find than traditional 50s.

After flying to Christchurch from Wellington, we picked up a rental car and drove up SH7 to a car park at 863m. From near the car park the Lewis Tops Track climbs rapidly up to nearly 1,600m – quick access to the tops, always good in my view. This image - At about 1,200m on the Lewis Tops Track, looking north to Mt Freyberg (1,817m - far left) and range, Cannibal Gorge centre and the Spenser Mountains, right

I completely agree. 50mm is my favourite focal length. My EF 50mm f/1.4 my default lens. It’s not perfect for everything, of course, but it is a sharp, dependable lens.

Not only that, if you’ve been shooting with a kit lens you won’t believe the difference in sharpness you get by attaching a prime. The range of creative options it gives you will improve your understanding and make you a better photographer.

It’s also worth noting that the field of view of the human eye is roughly equivalent to a wide angle lens on a full-frame camera. A 50mm lens is much tighter than what our eyes naturally see. This makes wide angle field of view even more versatile and practical for capturing a variety of scenes and perspectives that match the human eye.

Ah that’s great Toby (broken lens aside). I’m curious – did that experience change your shooting habits at all? Are you a zoom or a prime guy nowadays?

Shaun Barnett had some unfinished business on an 1,870 metre crag known as Mount Technical on the Lewis Tops in the Lewis Pass National Reserve. He’d climbed it before via the west ridge, but wanted to have a crack at the more technical north ridge. My boots had never trodden anything in the Lewis Pass area, so anything was worthy of a look as far as I was concerned. Although the weather forecast indicated a change coming, we hoped the clear weather would last a bit longer.

Although the weather hadn’t been conducive to any serious climbing, clearings in the clag during the afternoon encouraged us out to explore the terrain around the Biv. More tarns cropped up as we wandered over the folds in the landscape.

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*It’s important to note here I’m talking about full frame sensors. If you’re shooting on a cropped APS-C sensor then the sensor is effectively cropping your image by a factor of approximately 1.6. That means your 50mm is giving you something much closer to 80mm in real terms which is in short telephoto territory. On a crop sensor you may wish to go for a 35mm which would give you similar results to a 50mm, but I digress…

I’ve never understood the hype behind the nifty-fifty. My first film camera came with a nifty-fifty f/1.4. It’s the only one I’ve ever owned and it started collecting dust as soon as I was able to afford better lenses. I did dust it off and start using it, again, after I bought a 2x converter and liked the pictures it took at 100mm f/2.8. Even though my hair is grey, you can call me Goldilocks, 50mm is either too narrow or too wide, and never really just right.

At times the deer trails were quite apparent, but frequent, sodden, in-your-face tree branches made it difficult to see our feet. Eventually, after four or so hours of up and down we dropped a couple of hundred metres to the end of Duchess Stream and joined the Nina Valley Track. An old section of the track led us astray on the true left, chewing up another 45 minutes, so it was a pleasure to finally dump our dripping packs at Nina Hut.

The next generation 50mm lens built for the brand new RF mount on Canon’s new full frame mirrorless cameras. All I’m going to say about this lens is it’s massive, heavy, optically incredible and has an outrageously expensive price tag to match.

Mt Apprentice track

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Prime lenses are a fixed focal length. This means there’s no complex zoom mechanics to take up valuable space which means more room for glass and a wide aperture. Compared to zoom lenses they’re small, light, fast and sharp. That’s not to say there aren’t amazing quality zooms available (My Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS II USM lens is hands down the sharpest lens I own) BUT as a general rule of thumb, for the absolute best optical quality, prime is the way to go.

Post script: Just when it seemed that the ‘leader of the free world’ Donald Trump had completely eroded all forms of moral fibre, my faith in humanity got a boost on my return to Wellington. Upon unpacking my gear I discovered that I was a goose, having left my fabulously NZAC logo emblazoned fleecy hanging from a rafter at Nina Hut. But then an email from Ashlee at NZAC Central Office informed me that a good sort from the Nelson Tramping Club had let her know that he’d carried a blue fleecy out with him from Nina Hut. He’d checked the Hut book and had a hunch it belonged to Shaun or me. I gave him a call. He refused payment for postage and a few days later it arrived, nicely folded. Thank you David Renwick – your moral fibre is up to free world leadership standards, unlike someone else’s.

Sometime after dark the rattling of rain on our tent fly didn’t sound encouraging. The weather system had arrived even faster than forecast and, next morning we agreed that there was little point trying to climb treacherous, slippery rocks into viewless soaking clag. At least Brass Monkey Biv offered small scale shelter a few hours walking, over 1,643m Lucretia.

Thanks for your comment Albert. Interesting to hear your thoughts – is that the Nikon 24-85 you’re talking about? I don’t have hands on experience with Nikon but even with the VR I’d be surprised if a f/3.5-4.5 could compete with an f1.8 in low light. Fully appreciate that real world use differs. It’s also ~4x the price of the 50mm and would lack any of the shallow focus characteristics the 50 brings you. I’m not suggesting the 1.8 is optically the best lens in the world BUT I do stand by my statement above that I think it’s the best bang for your buck you can get. The performance v price is incredible.

Thanks Larry. I really do think a 50mm takes some beating for an all round everyday carry. 28, 50, 85 is a solid trio! Surprised you don’t find yourself craving something between the 20 and 28 as a landscape shooter? Would love to see your work if there’s a URL you can share?

As you say, you can get beautiful shallow focus with an 85mm (or longer) but you’re into short telephoto range at this point and one of the main reasons I love 50 as a focal range is that it produces images so close to the human eye so you’re capturing really natural feeling images.

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You’re right about the 50mm f/1.8’s capabilities, but don’t overlook zoom lenses with optical stabilization, especially in low light. Optical stabilization lets you use longer shutter speeds to compensate for its narrower aperture, capturing clear images even in dim settings. Also, an 85mm lens at f/5.6 can still blur the background beautifully, thanks to its longer focal length aiding in excellent subject separation. So, a stabilized zoom can sometimes be just as good as a f/1.8 prime!

Now I realise I’m making a generalisation here. I know that the perfect lens is the one that’s right for what you’re shooting (a landscape photographer isn’t likely to have the same needs as a portrait photographer or a wildlife photographer for example). I understand that if you’re shooting on a crop sensor then you might have different needs than if you were shooting full frame but humour me. For me, the 50mm prime lens is perfect. It’s the lens that lives on my camera. It’s my safe zone, my happy place.

Yes it did for a long time, but I have to use zooms now for some of my professional work where I can’t move around freely. Personal work tends to be on large format cameras so primes are the only option . I use a 125mm and a 210mm, so just either side of a standard lens in that format.

Brass Monkey Biv

Thanks Dillon – The 1.4 is great image-wise. I was always really happy with the images mine delivered, I just always felt the build quality was a bit flaky. I don’t see a significant difference with my 1.2. Build quality is miles ahead but for the most part sharpness is similar. When it really hits focus perfectly it’s amazing but I’d say I maybe have to work a fraction harder with it than I did with the 1.4.

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But before we headed down there to set up, we dropped our packs and scrambled up the Apprentice. The top commanded superb 360 degree views. Shaun rattled off many facts about the peaks, ridges and valleys surrounding us. The landscape stretched further out in every direction than I’d imagined. Regrettably though, clouds were gathering in the south west and the wind was building. This image - A view south and west from the summit of the Apprentice. Lucretia is directly ahead and the Grand Duchess (1,703m) slightly to the right. Our camp tarn is far left

And a steep scramble leading up to a 1,674m highpoint to the west couldn’t be ignored. Once on top, again we were rewarded with beautiful views. The cloud base smothered the last 50 or so metres of distant Mount Technical, but everything lower than about 1,800 metres was in view. This image - A view east from the 1,674m high point, back to Brass Monkey Biv (lower right) and the route we took that day back to Mt Technical - top right, shrouded in cloud

Very good article Simon. I’m a landscape photographer. I shoot for several magazines. When I’m on the road i have a three lens set up for the most part. A Nikkor 50 F1.4 AIS, a Nikkor 28 F2 AIS and a Nikkor 85 F1.8 . Occasionally I’ll bring along a Nikkor 20 F2.8 AIS lens. That lens can be addictive! I shoot with FF manual cameras only. Never really got in to digital. The 50mm is a happy medium between the 28 and the 85 for me. I put the film pictures on a CD and off they go to the editors. They seem to like the combination of lenses I use. As mentioned, the 50MM is a “happy medium”.

If you want to read more about the relative merits of the various 50mm options there are loads of articles, reviews and comparison videos available online. Most tell a similar tale showing the nifty fifty punching well above its weight. The SLR Lounge 50mm Prime Shootout and the DigitalRev article on the nifty fifty are good places to start.

Good question! Like a lot of people, my first DSLR came with a kit lens. A general ‘all purpose’ zoom that aims to give you decent results and flexibility across most everyday shooting situations. They’re light, convenient and affordable (indeed most consumer cameras come bundled with them). They let you jump straight into capturing a good range of subject – it’s all good. That is until you start to get frustrated by the limitations of them. When you realise that a maximum aperture of f/4-5.6 is actually pretty limiting if you want to work in low light or if you’re looking to isolate a subject with shallow depth of field. Enter the prime lens.

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Appreciate your thoughts, thanks. Yep I’m not dismissing zooms at all, in fact I shoot a huge amount during family shoots on my 70-200mm (albeit that has a fixed f/2.8). There’s certainly a place for them for sure. There’s more to it than ability to draw in light though, I believe spending time shooting with prime lenses will always make you a better photographer, but that’s not to say I think anyone needs to exclusively shoot primes though. My 35mm prime has IS as well – best of both worlds!

Because the north ridge of Mount Technical is graded a 3, we carried a rope, harnesses and some rock anchors. We also had a tent and other related paraphernalia, so the weight of our packs had the sweat streaming out of us in the bright sunshine as we made our way along the tops, passing numerous inviting looking tarns. The north ridge of Mount Technical was soon in view, looking suitably craggy. This image - Mt Technical, right, with the Opera and Libretto Ranges to the east

Mt Norma to MtTechnical

Ah thanks so much. Appreciate that. Majority were taken on the Canon 50mm f/1.4 but a few of them were taken on the f.1.2L which I’ve only had for a few weeks. As I said above, optically they’re not a world apart. Let me know if you can tell which was shot on which 😉

I’ve just started my photography journey, mostly taking photos of my young children. I currently am using my 85mm at typically 1.8, but thinking of purchasing a 50mm for indoors and limited spaces. Is the 1.4 worth saving for? Or would I not notice enough of a difference to make it worth it, for the foreseeable future? (I shoot a canon rebel)

Down below 700 metres at the hut though, a new and evil challenge very quickly emerged – sandflies – hordes of voracious little monsters that made trying to follow deer trails while drenched seem like a luxury. Once behind a closed door in dry clothes, including long trousers, long sleeve shirt, glacier hat and lashings of insect repellent, things perked up noticeably. The first other people we’d spent any time with on the entire trip turned up at the hut soon after us – two English brothers. Alistair was a rural vet based at Rotherham in Canterbury, Chris a bridge designer from Chicago, so interesting conversations were had.

In very limited visibility it took us longer than expected to find our way across rugged, sometimes narrow and exposed ridge tops to the Biv. This image - Heading south west along the craggy ridge towards Brass Monkey Biv

It seemed like the weather had been sunny and scorching for weeks. Drought conditions were being endured at various points around the country and the fire hazard was set at high.

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For image usage enquiries or to discuss a photography brief please give me a call or drop me an email and I’d be happy to talk through some ideas.

50mm is about as close as we can get to our eyes field of view*. When you shoot at 50mm, the image feels natural and you can make the viewer feel like they’re inside the image looking on at the subject of your photograph. We feel at home in the image.

Next morning we just had an easy walk, still in overcast conditions, on a well trodden trail beside the Nina River which, after a couple of hours, reached a swing bridge crossing the Lewis River. Having met Alistair and Chris was very handy as they had a vehicle parked at Palmer Lodge beside SH7. We arrived at the highway ahead of them, but hitching the 10kms back up to our own vehicle had proved a no go. If only I’d figured out how to call the Tardis, just like Doctor Who does when he needs a lift somewhere, then we could have arrived via yellowish orange two metre cube. As it was, Alistair’s Toyota Surf sufficed.

At one point a packless wrecky was needed to navigate seemingly bottomless bluffs, but after three or so hours we descended below the cloud base and saw beneath us a tiny yellowish orange box sitting beside a tarn. Brass Monkey Biv – its location was as evocative as its name.

Hi Andy. Yep the crop factor on your 100D is approx 1.6 so if you’re looking for the ’50mm’ feel the closest approximation on your body would be a 35mm. I have an EF 35mm f/2 IS USM and I can highly recommend it if you’re looking for one. It’s the only non L lens in my kit and I’m constantly impressed with the sharpness and build quality of it. It’s far, far better than any of the other non L lenses I’ve owned and is reasonably affordable. You could of course get the same focal length with your kit lens if you’re not quite ready to upgrade to a prime but 35mm is a great shout for a crop sensor body. Plus side is of course if you ever upgrade to full frame then you can continue to use it as a true 35mm prime so it’s win win!

Hi Colleen, thanks for your message. So you’re shooting on a crop sensor then? In my experience I found 50mm a shade too long on my crop sensor when shooting my kids a lot of the time, especially when shooting in an enclosed space. You might also want to think about 35mm possibly – that gives a similar natural view as the 50 when used on a crop sensor. In terms of 1.4 vs 1.8 the 1.4 is still a relatively affordable lens and it is a much better all rounder than the cheaper 1.8 both in terms of image quality and focus ability. It’s worth jumping straight to the 1.4 if you can afford it but the 1.8 is so cheap you could grab one (second hand market is excellent as a lot of people upgrade) to play with to see how the focal length fits in with your needs) and you could always upgrade later if it becomes a key part of your camera bag. Hope that helps! S

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I have 50mm 1.8g wish I’d saved my money. My 24 to 85 is better at 50 mm for low light due to vr at 50mm also it’s just as sharp. If i want out of focus background i shoot at 85mm. A

Hi Vic, it depends on the kind of shot you’re after I’d say. None of the 50mm lenses are macro and I believe the minimum focus distances range between around 14-18 inches depending on which version of the 50mm you have so you could get fairly close. If you’re looking for close up details you’d probably be better with a 100mm Macro or similar I’d have thought. Certainly if you’re looking to take shots of bees for instance. Hope that helps!

Hi Simon , I’ve taken some with my 18-55 lens, that came out good but my son said to look into a 50mm . Only problem with a macro lens is I’m not able to get on the floor due to a disability. I can lean over a decent amount. I’m only an amateur photographer doing it as a hobby so don’t want to spend a fortune. Regards Vic

Moreover, while a large aperture is helpful, it’s not the be-all and end-all. Effective composition and framing often have a more profound impact on the quality of your photos than aperture size alone, and you can capture much more compositions with a zoom lens. In the real world a slower zoom allows you to quickly adapt and capture multiple compositions for subjects that are only present for a fleeting moment, something a prime lens can’t match.

The back wall has two bunks, with the top bunk designed for contortionists. Though tiny, once we got settled inside, the interior did seem a bit larger than you’d expect it to be from the outside – a bit like Doctor Who’s Tardis in fact.

Hi Vic, you might find a 50mm opens up some nice possibilities for you if you’re shooting the kind of shots you’ve been able to get with an 18-55 kit. Neither will get you particularly close but if it’s an area you’d like to explore more you can pick up macro lenses for reasonable money. If mobility is an option maybe consider using a tripod? Some tripods allow the legs to spread extra wide and have a movable central column so you can get the camera really low. If you do get into macro the focus range can get very low so probably better with a tripod and focus stacking anyway.

If you’re learning photography and trying to improve your technique then a 50mm will open up a whole world of creative options that you just can’t achieve with your kit lens. Trying to understand the exposure triangle (ISO, Aperture, Shutter), how to balance them to achieve a correct exposure and creative use of aperture with a maximum aperture of f/5.6 is like trying to bake a cake when you’re missing half the ingredients. A nice wide range of apertures will allow you to properly experiment with how these three components work together.

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I always prefer to have a prime on my camera in an ideal world but must admit for family shoots especially my 70-200 is my best friend. Place for everything but there’s something I like about the purity of a prime lens.

Just bought the 50 1.2L for my 5DsR. I usually shoot at 35 1.4, but I’m wanting a little more intimacy and a little less environment in my portraits and candid documentary photography without having to workaround the distortion of getting too close with a 35. Should have it in my hands in the next few days and I can’t wait! Your image samples are lovely.

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Lewis Tops track

More expensive, but still fairly affordable. Big step up in build quality and autofocus. The 1.4 gives you approx 2/3 stop more light than the 1.8. Arguably as sharp as the L beyond around f/1.8.

A very long time ago I was lucky enough to go to Cuba for a month. An eager young photographer at the time but not blessed with a surplus of cash I took a standard zoom and a canon nifty fifty with me. A few days into the trip disaster struck and my zoom broke. Thanks to the embargo there was nowhere to fix my lens, so I was stuck with a 50mm on my EOS 5 film camera and 20 rolls of Provia 100 slide film (bulk rolled no less). Even after 25 years later, I feel took some of my favourite photos on that trip and I think the simplicity of using that one lens had a lot to do with it.

So much has changed in the world of photography over the years but whether you shoot film, DSLR or mirrorless, for me one thing still holds true. Everyone should own a 50mm lens.

The Biv is literally a two metre cube, with the top relenting into a small roof pitch (at two metres I might even be being generous). One side has a door, another a window.

For a portrait shoot where you can control the subject and environment, the 50mm prime is great. However, in dynamic situations, the versatility of a zoom lens with stabilization can be invaluable. You can start with an establishing shot using a wide focal length and then zoom in for detailed shots with a tighter field of view, it’s not just about being lazy with feet. That’s why I always come home with more memories captured with a zoom than a prime.

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Ah exciting – I hope you love it. I went from the 1.4 to the 1.2 and I do love it. I found I had to fine tune the AF on mine quite a bit for best results. There seems to be a bit more variation with this lens than others reading others comments. Enjoy it! It’s a beautiful piece of glass for sure.

I’m an enthusiast nature, wildlife and lifestyle photographer. Always have a 50mm 1.8 in my arsenal. Use it for casual indoor portraits, products and flower photography. Sometimes night shots as well. Pair it both with FF and APS-C bodies. Needless to say, it’s a gem. I use premier primes for my wildlife shots.

If you already have a 24-85 and an 85mm prime in your bag and you’re happy with the results you’re getting from the 24-85 then I can fully appreciate you might not see a need for a fixed 50. I guess we all shoot differently. I personally love a prime lens so I don’t think a 25-85 would ever come out of my bag if I had a 50 and an 85.

Incredibly affordable lens. Very capable performer. Fast aperture. Really not that far behind its big brothers in terms of sharpness, certainly when you’re not shooting wide open.

Hi Rush. I wouldn’t say it’s a waste of money at all. In fact I did pretty much the exact same thing. I had the 50mm 1.8 on a 7D body and while I loved the flexibility that the 1.8 gave me 50 always felt just a touch too long on the crop sensor – more a short telephoto than a natural eye focal length. I bought the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM and I LOVED it on my 7D. On the crop sensor it gave a much more natural field of view than the 50. Then when I upgraded my body to a full frame 5 it was reborn as a wide angle prime. It depends on what you’re shooting of course but for me 35mm on the crop sensor was pretty much the perfect ‘everyday’ lens. EDIT – Just realised you said you also had a 6D. I think you’d love the 35 in that case as it’ll serve different purposes for each camera. 35mm is a fantastic focal length to have

Down at the tarn we set up camp behind some sheltering boulders, enjoying smoked chicken, pasta and veges a la Barnett. There was to be no sunset though as the clouds really piled in.

We’re getting into ‘eye-wateringly expensive’ territory now. As with all L lenses, the build quality here is exceptional and includes weather sealing. Our 1.2 aperture is huge giving us a good 1/3 stop more light than the 1.4 and we’re letting in more than twice as much light as our 1.8. Optically we’re not seeing massive improvement over the 1.4 but due to the above we’re paying big ‘L money’.

Back down in the snug shelter of the Tardis we enjoyed many brews, several forms of chocolate and then another good sized dinner as we waited to see what the weather would bring. If it improved we hoped to sidle around ledge systems to have a crack at the 1,700m Grand Duchess. In the craggy but open terrain there are many options open in every direction, at least if conditions permit. This image - A view from the 1,674m high point to the west of Brass Monkey Biv. Here looking south west down the valley leading to the Christabel Track