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Nifty Fifty


13 years 2 weeks ago #42539 by KenMan
So I picked up one of these lenses and I don't think I use it as much as other lenses. Matter of fact most people I know don't use it to much and yet it's suggested to be better than some kit lenses? Is that because of the low aperture 1.8 or 1.4?
Photo Comments
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13 years 2 weeks ago #42566 by qualityresults
The nifty fifty is regarded as one of the better lenses because of the 1.8 or 1.4 aperture which allows for very short depth of field, but also because it allows for low light photography. If you can shoot and get amazing pictures with it, you will be well on your way to improving your over all photography.

Todays' kit lenses are not made with the same quality Glass as a nifty fifty. And the price makes it an affordable add-on to your kit. I love mine and use for many differnet venues.

Composition with the nifty fifty is what takes the learning becasue you don't have the ability to stand in one place and change your composition like you would with a zoom.

The nifty fifty is also what is known as a prime lens because it is a fixed aperture, on a canon APS-C it would be equivalent to an 85mm lens and on a nikon it would be equivalent to a 70 or 75 mm lens in the old 35mm world because of the crop factor. This also makes it a great portrait lens as well.
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13 years 2 weeks ago #42582 by Joves
Well the Nify is the 1.8 flavor of the lens. Fifty mm lenses are considered great because on film/fx cameras they are actual sight lenses or as the eye sees the scene, without the periphial vision of course. The 50mm was the original kit lens in the good old days. Now it is zooms and I really think it is a shame, the best part of photography was getting the scene you wanted by using your feet, now it has become point and zoom. Composing with your feet makes it a more intimate experience, which is why I use mine on ocassion when I get in slumps. Now they make one for the DX sensors so you can get the same experience with it as the good old film lenses.
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13 years 2 weeks ago #42600 by Screamin Scott
The 50mm lens has always been the staple of film SLR's due to it's being the closest to the human eye's FOV on full frame cameras.That said, the more obvious reason to have one is due to it's inherent optical superiority. It's much easier to design & build an optically superior prime lens than a zoom (current kit lenses). That's because a zoom lenses can't be optically proficient at all focal lengths, they have to select one focal length/aperture to deliver the optimal performance. Since a prime or fixed focal length has only one focal length, that part of the equation won't vary. Thus "Pro" performance is easier to accomplish in the design of a fixed focal length lens...Add to that the attributes mentioned above of better low light capabilities & easier to isolate your subject & the 50mm wins hands down for me over the 18-55mm kit lenses...
Scott Ditzel Photography

www.flickr.com/photos/screaminscott/
Photo Comments
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13 years 2 weeks ago #42664 by KenMan
So this spawns another question, when was the first zoom lens?

Thank you for your answers, I think I have a very good understanding of the 50mm now!
Photo Comments
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13 years 2 weeks ago #42861 by Joves

KenMan wrote: So this spawns another question, when was the first zoom lens?

Thank you for your answers, I think I have a very good understanding of the 50mm now!

The first zoom was made or Patented in 1902 the first available to the public was for video and that was in the 30s, for 35mm it wasnt till the 50s that they were commercially available. And trust me they were crap as were many of the ones during the 60s and 70s, I know I had some that were real lulus. But they did a good job considering that now they have things like Ray Tracing programs that help you design lenses by show what the effect a certain element will have with another. Also the mechanical part was the Archilles heel to most, it was hard to keep the elements straight colimated while shifting them.
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13 years 2 weeks ago #42870 by FMVPhotography
My second purchase after my 18-105mm kit lens was the Nikkor 50mm 1.4G and boy has it got me out of some squeezes! For baby pictures and weddings I couldn't recommened one highly enough - once you get used to the foot powered zoom it's invaluable as far as I'm concerned!
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13 years 2 weeks ago #42901 by arkady001
The 'Nifty' appellation is usually reserved for the f/1.8 version as it's cheaper - often significantly cheaper - than the faster 50mms made by the same manufacturer.

I agree with all that's said about primes though: my workhorses are the 24-70 and 70-200, but when I have the time for considered image-making, I go back to my fast primes.
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13 years 2 weeks ago #42916 by photobod
After all that info I need to go out and buy one now, that foot operated zoom sounds interesting, may lose a bit of weight too ? :banana:
www.dcimages.org.uk
"A good photograph is one that communicate a fact, touches the heart, leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective." - Irving Penn
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13 years 2 weeks ago #42921 by FMVPhotography

After all that info I need to go out and buy one now, that foot operated zoom sounds interesting, may lose a bit of weight too ?


You never know!! :)
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13 years 2 weeks ago #42924 by DavidNM
One of the main purposes today of the 'modern day' zoom lens is to replace the feet.

One of the best exercises out there in shooting is to leave the house / studio with a nifty fifty on your camera and just shoot with that for the day. You've got a great lens with a great speed - you just have to use your feet and/or zoom crop powers.
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13 years 2 weeks ago #42934 by crystal

photobod wrote: After all that info I need to go out and buy one now, that foot operated zoom sounds interesting, may lose a bit of weight too ? :banana:


I have the 50mm, I barely use it. Maybe you'll have more luck then me. :)
www.crystalwightman.com
My Facebook.. www.facebook.com/cwightmanphotography
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13 years 5 days ago #47722 by JLBrown
It's so affordable how could you not buy one. It was the second lens I bought when I switched over to Nikon. My first lens was the 35mm f/1.8. I perfer primes!
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13 years 2 days ago #49407 by Stealthy Ninja
There's no such thing as "foot zooming" because the distance from the subject dictates the perspective distortion. Zooming will give you the same perspective distortion because you're not moving. Moving forward/backwards will give you differing perspective distortion.
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www.aevansphoto.com
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13 years 2 days ago #49410 by Stealthy Ninja
And talking about nifty fifties (the Sigma 1.4 is my fav BTW).

Nikon have just announced a new 50 1.8G (that's G not D)

www.photographytalk.com/forum/nikon-came...ces-the-50-18g#49409
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www.aevansphoto.com
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