50mm prime. What do you use it for?

[JoshD]

I have gotten some great shots with my 50mm f/1.8 of indoor low light concerts and family type photos. I took it biking with me today for the heck of it, and clearly it was the wrong lens to bring for shooting landscape scenery, but oh well, had fun anyway.

What kind of photos do you use yours for?

[Alison]

Portraits and low light situations :thumbsup:

[mjs1973]

Macros. Reversed on a 100mm macro lens.

I also use it as general walk around lens when I want to go light. That could be for anything.

[tayl0124]

What exactly went wrong with your shots???

[Franglais]

This is on APS-C obviously. I use the 50mm for

- concerts and live events (though the 85mm f1.8 is more useful for really getting into the action)
- family pictures across the dinner table without flash

For "one prime lens walk-about normal lens" I use the 35mm f1.8. At the moment I'm doing a lot of photos of buildings and having to take a few steps back compared with the view I usually choose on a 18-55 is a good exercise. Plus PJ wants more examples of images done with the 35mm f1.8 and most of the stuff I've done with it I can't publish

[Speed]

Close up portraits - great bokeh, low light and no flash situations, and astrophotography. I do use it some for landscape photography, though a wider lens is usually a better choice in most situations. Then again, I've used my 80-200mm f2.8 for landscape photography as well. Depends on your subject.

[Old Timer]

Mostly low light portraiture. I'll stick it on if I know I'm going to be in a situation where flash isn't going to be appropriate. For example in restaurant or in an art gallery.

[jorgemonkey]

I use mine for portraits, low light stuff, walk around vacation stuff, product shooting, and I'm sure a lot more than that!

[jetrim]

I find it great for bug photography as well as product, and some studio work (3/4 & full length shots).

[A.M.D.A.]

I use mine for a variety of things, though in particular --- low light, provided the subject isn't moving much (my 50mm is MF-only).

Also sometimes for macros, outdoors, and the occasional portraits.

[GB1]

Nothing. I've forgotten the last time I've used it.

[adina]

haven't used mine in a while either...but when i did, i used it for just about everything.

[Dave6223]

Well, this one is with my 50mm manual focus f1.8

[straightarm]

I hardly ever use mine. Probably last used 5 years ago! My 24-70 is used much more instead.

[realart]

I do like mine (Nikkor 50mm 1.8) for low light or for shallow depth of field. But also because it is just a very sharp lens with wonderful image quality. If I want the sharpest image and the situation warrants it, I like using it. .

Sometimes I will take it out alone just as a "discipline". You know, no zoom, force myself to manuever into a good composition. It reminds me of my old days doing photography when prime lenses were much more prevelant than zooms.

[Franglais]

I do like mine (Nikkor 50mm 1.8) ...

Sometimes I will take it out alone just as a "discipline". You know, no zoom, force myself to manuever into a good composition. It reminds me of my old days doing photography when prime lenses were much more prevelant than zooms.

A prime lens is an excellent exercise for composition. I just spent two weeks with just the 35mm f1.8 on the camera (the APS-C equivalent of a 50mm).

I kept on saying to myself "There is a picture here but how can I make it fit?", then spending some time looking at the subject and moving around till it looked right.