What Is a Nifty Fifty Lens and Why You Completely Want One • PhotoTraces

Should you’ve been concerned in a images neighborhood, you might have heard the time period ‘nifty fifty lens’ thrown round. Nifty fifties are among the hottest lenses on the market, and for purpose: They’re unimaginable lenses and are an ideal choice for photographers trying to transfer previous a package lens.

However what precisely
is a nifty fifty lens? Why is it referred to as a ‘nifty fifty’? And what,
particularly, makes a nifty fifty such a good selection?

That’s what this text is all
about.

So if you wish to be taught extra about nifty fifty lenses, learn on.

What’s a Nifty Fifty Lens?

A Nifty Fifty is a 50mm quick lens with a large aperture of f/1.8. It gives a subject of view much like the human eye, which leads to minimal optical distortion. They’re usually the primary “prime” lens photographers spend money on, as they’re inexpensive with glorious picture high quality. These lenses are versatile and can be utilized for every little thing from portraits to road images and landscapes.

There are all types of nifty fifty lenses on the market: the Canon 50mm f/1.8, the Canon 50mm f/1.2, and the Nikon 50mm f/1.8, to call a number of.

Be aware that nifty fifties are prime lenses, which suggests they solely supply a single focal size (50mm); there isn’t a capability to zoom in or out for a bigger or smaller subject of view.

Why Is it Known as a Nifty Fifty?

The time period nifty fifty began as a time period on the inventory trade to explain the 50 scorching shares. Somebody, although, in across the 60s or 70s, began utilizing it to explain a 50mm lens, and it caught.

As you might have guessed, the ‘fifty’ comes from the focal size of 50mm.

However the ‘nifty’ comes from the lens’s usefulness; 50mm lenses are useful to have round in just about any scenario. They’re nice for capturing in low gentle, for portraits, for road images, for panorama images, and extra.

Associated: Deciding on the Greatest EF-S Lens for Canon

Actually, it’s
powerful to go flawed with a nifty fifty lens. That’s why I like to recommend you get a
nifty fifty as quickly as you’re able to increase past your package lens. You need to use
a nifty fifty continuously and also you’ll hardly ever be disenchanted.

Causes to Use a Nifty Fifty Lens

What’s so great a few nifty fifty lens?

Fairly a number of
issues, in actual fact! Beginning with:

1. Nifty Fifty Lens Has a Good Focal Size

Nifty fifties are 50mm in
size.

And that is excellent for many images – as a result of the 50mm perspective is rather like human sight.

In different phrases, whenever you look by way of a nifty fifty lens, the scene will look utterly regular, similar as when you appeared with the bare eye. There’ll no telephoto magnification and no wide-angle impact. You’ll see what you often see.

This is usually a reduction for newbie photographers who discover telephoto and wide-angle lenses a bit disorienting.

Plus, means
that you are able to do plenty of images with the nifty fifty with out actually having
to fret about focal size.

Which brings me to a different nice
factor about nifty fifties:

2. Nifty Fifties are Extraordinarily Versatile

With a nifty fifty, you possibly can
shoot just about something.

You are able to do road
images, portrait images, panorama images, even a little bit of
close-up images. Nifty fifty lenses can deal with all of it.

The 50mm focal size is nice for capturing trustworthy photographs of scenes. It portrays scenes as you, the photographer, see them. And that lets you seize what you initially envisioned.

Associated: Find out how to Clear Digicam Lens

I like utilizing
50mm lenses for portrait images. I typically use my nifty fifty for
close-up capturing. And I additionally use a 50mm lens for road images all of the
time.

Why?

It’s all within the subsequent part:

3. Nifty Fifties Are Gentle and Compact

Nifty fifties
are typically amazingly light-weight and small. They add little or no bulk to your
digital camera setup.

That’s why
nifty fifties are nice walkaround lenses. You connect one to your digital camera, put
the digital camera round your neck, and carry all of it day–with out even noticing it’s
there.

It’s also possible to retailer them fairly simply in a digital camera bag or backpack.

Associated: Find out how to Choose a Digicam Lens

Be aware that the
unobtrusiveness of nifty fifty lenses make them perfect for road images.
Should you’re photographing in public, you don’t wish to draw consideration to
your self, and a nifty fifty will make it possible for individuals pay much less consideration to
you.

4. Nifty Fifties Have a Quick Aperture

Right here’s one other wonderful thing about
nifty fifty lenses:

They’ve a large
most aperture, starting from f/1.8 all the way down to f/1.2 and past. This comes with
a few benefits:

First, the broader the aperture, the extra gentle the lens will let in, thus permitting you to extend your shutter velocity and get higher publicity. That is key in darkish situations when each bit of sunshine counts.

Associated article: Prime Rated Canon Nifty Fifty Lenses

Second, wider
apertures produce a shallow depth of subject, which refers back to the quantity of the
picture that’s in focus. A shallow depth of subject offers a really creative look–one
that’s wanted by many photographers (particularly portrait photographers).
So you need to use the large aperture on a nifty fifty to get lovely, creative
images!

5. Nifty Fifties are Cheap

One final wonderful thing about 50mm
lenses:

They’re low cost.

See additionally: Greatest “Nifty Fifty” Lens for Fujifilm Cameras

Actually, 50mm
lenses are typically among the most cost-effective package obtainable. You may seize nifty
fifties for round $100 USD. Much less, when you’re keen to purchase used.

So not solely are they unimaginable performers, however they’ll additionally cease you from breaking the financial institution.

Which Nifty Fifty Ought to You Select?

There are a selection of implausible nifty fifties on the market, and it’s laborious to go flawed.

Nevertheless, I do suggest that learners keep on with f/1.8 nifty fifties, assuming you’re trying to keep on a price range. Lenses that function 50mm f/1.8 are inexpensive than their f/1.4 or f/1.2 counterparts, however they’ll nonetheless ship some nice high quality.

Associated article: Find out how to Choose the Proper Journey Lenses for Any Model

Actually, the Canon 50mm f/1.8 is the most well-liked lens ever created. It truly is phenomenal: about $100 USD, tremendous light-weight, tremendous compact, and produces lovely pictures.

I completely suggest it for any
Canon shooters in search of a nifty fifty choice.

Nifty Fifty and APS-C (Crop Sensor) Cameras

It’s essential to notice:

Nifty fifties give viewers a 50mm view on a full-frame digital camera.

However when you’re utilizing an APS-C digital camera – that’s, a digital camera with a smaller sensor – the picture might be cropped, successfully magnifying the lens. You’ll find yourself with a focal size of round 75-80mm.

Whereas that is nonetheless an excellent focal size for portraits, you possibly can replicate the 50mm focal size of a nifty fifty with a 35mm lens. The 35mm lens might be magnified to 50mm, and also you’ll have your normal focal size.

Nifty Fifty Lens | Conclusion

You need to now
know all about nifty fifty lenses: Why they’re referred to as nifty fifties, why you
should purchase them, and extra.

The subsequent step?

Get a nifty fifty of your individual.

And begin taking some unimaginable
photographs!

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