50mm lens

hello everyone,
do many of you use a standard 50 mm lens? I was thinking about buying one for my canon rebel xs because it's lightweight and I like using natural light (rather than always using the flash). I was wondering what peoples opinions are on using a 50 mm lens, advantages/disadvantages/tips?
thanks.

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Originally Posted by PhotoGirl

hello everyone,
do many of you use a standard 50 mm lens? I was thinking about buying one for my canon rebel xs because it's lightweight and I like using natural light (rather than always using the flash). I was wondering what peoples opinions are on using a 50 mm lens, advantages/disadvantages/tips?
thanks.

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I have a 50mm/f1.8 that works extremely well. The key question here is whether 50mm is a focal length you are willing to get locked into. I am guessing you have an APS camera, a 35mm prime might have a more pleasing angle of view for you.

I have owned the Canon 50mm f/1.8 and 50mm f/1.4. Both great lenses, the 1.8 is terrific based on price alone. I love the low light speed they provide and it's the perfect focal length on my full frame sensor.

As mentioned, the 35mm might be a more pleasing focal length on a cropped sensor, but you're not going to get the speed of the 50mm.

Summary: Yes, I recommend buying the 50mm 1.8 or 1.4 if it's within your budget.

I love the 50mm. I also love the field of view on an APS camera (yes you have the XS, an APS). It is a much better portrait angle than the 35mm also.

Using the lens wide open frequently can be sort of difficult, it requires very precise focus control.

It depends on the size of your camera sensor, a 50mm lens on a APS sized sensor becomes a short telephoto lens equivalent to a 75mm lens which was used for portraits. On APS sized sensors a fast 35mm lens would be the normal lens for light weight prime lens.

thank you for all your replies so far:)
this may be stupid questions but, what does APS mean? how do you know that my camera is a APS camera?
so because I have a APS camera, a 35mm lens would work better on my camera, giving me a better result/of one that matches that of the human eye?
thanks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PhotoGirl

thank you for all your replies so far:)
this may be stupid questions but, what does APS mean? how do you know that my camera is a APS camera?
so because I have a APS camera, a 35mm lens would work better on my camera, giving me a better result/of one that matches that of the human eye?
thanks.

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APS is a smaller sensor than the "standard" 35mm sensor size. It multiplies the field of view by a factor of about 1.6.

The idea that any lens matches the human eye has never been correct. First, the field of view of the human eye overwhelms anything a lens can come up with. In terms of perspective, your eye can vary that at will. Depth of field is extremely enhanced by your brain (actually constant refocusing many times a second with synthesis).

Choose a lens based on images you like to see. My own preference is mild telephoto, so 50 mm works for me with the small sensor. YMMV.

If you already have a zoom lens, set it to various focal lengths and keep it there for a while. See which view you like best then look for a prime with the same focal length.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PhotoGirl

hello everyone,
do many of you use a standard 50 mm lens? I was thinking about buying one for my canon rebel xs because it's lightweight and I like using natural light (rather than always using the flash). I was wondering what peoples opinions are on using a 50 mm lens, advantages/disadvantages/tips?
thanks.

---

Hi PhotoGirl,

The 50mm lens is a favorite with photographers - and especially around PR! Regardless of your equipment, it is always good to have the 50mm lens! I love this lens. It was my favorite Canon lens (I loved both the 50mm/f1.4 and the f1.8). And now the 50mm/f2 is my favorite Olympus lens!

Check out these threads and you will see some beautiful images - and how eager people are to share their 50mm images!

http://forums.photographyreview.com/...mm+lens+thread

http://forums.photographyreview.com/...ad.php?t=48858

Liz

thank you for your replies :)

And thank you Liz for those links, the photographs are beautiful!

I was wondering if any one can share any of their photos that they took with a APS camera using a 50 mm lens? or a 35 mm lens?

Canon 50D (1.6x crop) and a Canon 50mm f1.8

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5045/...aba72e5b_b.jpg

thank you kurt; excellent photograph :)

In the first link that Liz shared all my images were with the 50mm f1.8 and the Nikon D200 with the APS sensor.

For me the 50mm perspective is boring and flat. It works best if you are a content photographer rather than an arty type like me. I have the 50mm f1.8 Nikkor but I use it mostly with a macro lens attached because the macro filter doesn't fit my other lenses.

I love my 50mm for it's speed. I have an original Canon 50mm 1.8 and recently purchased a Sigma 1.4. I pop the 50mm on my full frame body when shooting indoors in natural light such as in a museum or living room, etc.

Don, I'm surprised to hear you're not a fan. I would think that being able to isolate your subject and blur the hell out of everything else would be right up your ally. With that said, that is what I like most about my 50mm, and my 35mm 1.8 for that matter as is more of a true normal lens now.

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Originally Posted by EOSThree

I love my 50mm for it's speed. I have an original Canon 50mm 1.8 and recently purchased a Sigma 1.4. I pop the 50mm on my full frame body when shooting indoors in natural light such as in a museum or living room, etc.

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Hey, EOSThree - I too picked up the Sigma 1.4 recently. It is stunning isn't it? I started out with the Canon 1.8, then bought the Canon 1.4, then sold the 1.4, and now have the Sigma. Chose it over the Canon 1.2L.

If I see no problems over the next couple months, I'll probably get the 85 1.4 over the Canon 85 1.2.

Actually I found it useful when I was doing those bus photos because it is fast and light, but I find it much less useful now that I'm doing more scenics.

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Originally Posted by Loupey

Hey, EOSThree - I too picked up the Sigma 1.4 recently. It is stunning isn't it? I started out with the Canon 1.8, then bought the Canon 1.4, then sold the 1.4, and now have the Sigma. Chose it over the Canon 1.2L.

If I see no problems over the next couple months, I'll probably get the 85 1.4 over the Canon 85 1.2.

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It's an impressive lens. The reviews were a little spotty wide open, but I've been more than satisfied so far.

Yeah, the 85 1.4 has my attention too...now, where's my wallet?

I've had a "love-out of love" relationship with my Nikon 50mm lenses over the years. My first lens was a manual 50mm f1.4, and after that got stolen, I replaced it with another. It often sat unused in my camera bag for months. Eventually, I got the AF 50mm f1.8 and have really fallen back in love with it.

If you use it on subjects that are close to medium distance from the camera, you can get some VERY nice results with the 50mm lens. The super shallow depth of field is really nice, especially for closer work. As with any lens, it just takes time and creativity to make it work for you and your style of photography.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PhotoGirl

thank you for all your replies so far:)
this may be stupid questions but, what does APS mean? how do you know that my camera is a APS camera?
so because I have a APS camera, a 35mm lens would work better on my camera, giving me a better result/of one that matches that of the human eye?
thanks.

---

APS stands for advanced photo system and was one of film's last stands!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Photo_System

Calling your camera an APS camera is a bit of "shorthand" used by photographers to classify digital SLRs by sensor size

Generally digital SLRs fall into two categories

Full frame where the sensor is the same size as a 35mm image; 24 x 36 mm

And the 1.5 / 1.6 crop factor camera that have a sensor approx 16 x 24mm. This is very close to the image size in APS-C cameras 25.1 x 16.7 mm, hence the APS designation


For these cameras, the focal length that best matches the eye's angle of view is roughly 28 -30 mm

There are plenty of 28mm lenses and Sigma make a 30mm lens

Quite frankly, just using a standard lens is a very "hair shirted" approach to photography

You bought a camera with an interchangeable lens facility; use it!

At $100, you can't go wrong! It is easily the best value you can get in a lens, bar none. No other lens can optically compete with it if quality per dollar were the measure, even if we were to pretend it was twice or 3 times the price - it would still hold that bar. And the aps conversion of 50mm is an excellent portrait range. It easily and quickly redeems its value.

I would personally favor a 50mm field of view over a 35mm field of view well over 80% of the time. Try some nice tight portraits with the 35mm - you will have to be a couple feet away from your subject (this isn't usually ideal), you'll distort their facial features. The 35mm is also over 3 times the price of the 50mm. Honestly, if it were a question of 50mm or 35mm, I would pick the 50mm hands down, even assuming they were the same price, which they aren't.

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Originally Posted by Anbesol

At $100, you can't go wrong! It is easily the best value you can get in a lens, bar none. No other lens can optically compete with it if quality per dollar were the measure, even if we were to pretend it was twice or 3 times the price - it would still hold that bar. And the aps conversion of 50mm is an excellent portrait range. It easily and quickly redeems its value.

I would personally favor a 50mm field of view over a 35mm field of view well over 80% of the time. Try some nice tight portraits with the 35mm - you will have to be a couple feet away from your subject (this isn't usually ideal), you'll distort their facial features. The 35mm is also over 3 times the price of the 50mm. Honestly, if it were a question of 50mm or 35mm, I would pick the 50mm hands down, even assuming they were the same price, which they aren't.

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That total depends on the field of view. On the APS sized sensors the 50mm gives you the stand off required for good portraits a fast F stop to get super shallow depth of field. But put the 50mm on a Full Frame camera you really need a fast 75mm lens to eliminate distortion of facial features with tight portraits. If is not the lens but it is the field of view which causes the distortion.

There are a lot of things which cause distortion, chief of which being perspective, and being that close perspective does change, esp granted by field of view. but, I dont understand exactly why you went off on this tangent... ?

I recently purchased the Sigma 30mm f1.4 for my Canon 50D. When I started in photography most cameras came with the "normal lens". I found I wanted a lens with the perspective of a normal lens but much faster than my zooms. Neither wide nor telephoto it works well for available light photos.

thank you everyone for your very helpful advice.
I bought the 50mm from canon (1.8) just the other day (on sale!!) and so far I'm loving it.:)