Why so many choose 50mm prime lens??


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Get one, use one, love one, and understand why everyone needs one.. :bsmilie::bsmilie:
 

Get one, use one, love one, and understand why everyone needs one.. :bsmilie::bsmilie:

haha but choose one, for me newbie and TS, is hard too.
i see this thread, i also feel the need to have a prime lens too but dunno choose which one leh.
i think i am camera shy one lor i dont dare to take too close one :/
 

The 50mmf1.8 is the cheapest prime lens you can get, and since it will be a like a short tele on a DX SLR body, so it is very popular to be use as a portrait lens, but it is not design as a portrait lens originally.

base on a 35mm film format, or on a FX format, traditionally 50mm focal length is for a full length portrait, 85mm is for half length portrait, 105mm is for bust length portrait and 135mm is for head shot.

however, ones can use a much longer focal length lens for portrait, as such, it will get a much nerrower depth of field effects, hence, 180mm and 300mm lenses are commonly use on fashion photography.

hope this help.

Thanks for the insights... seems interesting... For starter like me, any suggestion on which Focal I should buy?

Its great for bust-up or close-up headshot. If you step back some, half-body

Thanks... Would really love to add to my arsenal.. Just which one now?
 

haha but choose one, for me newbie and TS, is hard too.
i see this thread, i also feel the need to have a prime lens too but dunno choose which one leh.
i think i am camera shy one lor i dont dare to take too close one :/

Spot on.. Have been thinking to get one 50mm lens, just not sure if it is a worthwhile purchase..

Get one, use one, love one, and understand why everyone needs one.. :bsmilie::bsmilie:

Hopefully, I get to love it one day.. Cheers
 

Another reason... a cheaper approach to macro photography..
 

Thanks for the insights... seems interesting... For starter like me, any suggestion on which Focal I should buy?



Thanks... Would really love to add to my arsenal.. Just which one now?
you can start with the 50mmf1.8, than go on from when you want to expend, like what many others doing right now.
 

How to compare 50mm prime with 35mm prime? Is 35mm more versatile?

Another thing I don't really understand, why nikon 35mm f1.8 is almost double the price of 50mm f1.8?
 

The 50mm1.8 makes a good doorstop or paperweight after I got my 35L.
 

How to compare 50mm prime with 35mm prime? Is 35mm more versatile?

Another thing I don't really understand, why nikon 35mm f1.8 is almost double the price of 50mm f1.8?

one is meant only for DX, the other for older film cameras and the current DX/FX cameras.

one comes with AFS motor, the other an older AFD motor... the AFS motor alone will drive the price thru the roof.

one comes with more gee-whiz new-tech and lens coating, the other... is i think almost 10yrs old? actually, i think it is older becos it is an iteration of the even-older AF lens... which means it hasn't change in over 20yrs?

reason why people (regardless using DX or FX bodies) go for the 50mm prime is becos it is still (dun care whether canon or nikon) the best bang-for-buck lens. where on earth will u find a sub-$200 f1.8 lens??!!! the new AFS 35mm/f1.8 DX is just replicating the 50mm focal length on crop sensor bodies, much like the sigma 30mm/f1.4.
 

you can start with the 50mmf1.8, than go on from when you want to expend, like what many others doing right now.

Thanks... Cheers
 

you can start with the 50mmf1.8, than go on from when you want to expend, like what many others doing right now.

one is meant only for DX, the other for older film cameras and the current DX/FX cameras.

one comes with AFS motor, the other an older AFD motor... the AFS motor alone will drive the price thru the roof.

one comes with more gee-whiz new-tech and lens coating, the other... is i think almost 10yrs old? actually, i think it is older becos it is an iteration of the even-older AF lens... which means it hasn't change in over 20yrs?

reason why people (regardless using DX or FX bodies) go for the 50mm prime is becos it is still (dun care whether canon or nikon) the best bang-for-buck lens. where on earth will u find a sub-$200 f1.8 lens??!!! the new AFS 35mm/f1.8 DX is just replicating the 50mm focal length on crop sensor bodies, much like the sigma 30mm/f1.4.

3rd party zoom lenses often drives cost much lower than original.. Like Tamron..
What about prime lens?? I guess original is much superior in terms of quality, but what about price?? Does it vary a lot too??
 

3rd party zoom lenses often drives cost much lower than original.. Like Tamron..
What about prime lens?? I guess original is much superior in terms of quality, but what about price?? Does it vary a lot too??

u mean the tamron 17-50/f2.8? of cos it is cheaper compared to the nikon 17-55/f2.8... almost $1k cheaper, IIRC. i'm not a lens snob to say must always go for originals. the tamron has garner good reviews online. horses for courses. ask urself wats ur budget. of course, u do get wat u paid for...

the cheapest prime lens dat most of us start with is the 50mm (regardless of brand). beyond the 50mm/f1.8 lens.... all bets are off, regardless of original or 3rd party lenses. IIRC, the sigma 30mm/f1.4 is ard $600+?? :dunno:
 

The Sigma 501.4 is also a very good lens if you can find a good copy. The quality rivals the Canon 50L. It will only cost you around $845.
 

u mean the tamron 17-50/f2.8? of cos it is cheaper compared to the nikon 17-55/f2.8... almost $1k cheaper, IIRC. i'm not a lens snob to say must always go for originals. the tamron has garner good reviews online. horses for courses. ask urself wats ur budget. of course, u do get wat u paid for...

the cheapest prime lens dat most of us start with is the 50mm (regardless of brand). beyond the 50mm/f1.8 lens.... all bets are off, regardless of original or 3rd party lenses. IIRC, the sigma 30mm/f1.4 is ard $600+?? :dunno:

Seemingly, the price difference between sometimes seems alarmingly huge.. I have not come to terms on the valuation of quality between the 3rd party and the original in ratio to the cost. i have got to a few websites that do reviews on lenses, like dpreview.. the sample images that they show does not seems different to me (naked eyes).. So in broad sense, why people are willing to fork out tons of dollars to buy original??

I own one Tamron 28-70mm.. The quality that it produce is good, just that it is noisy.. However said, this full frame lens on my friend's D700 does wonderful job.. It of course does not produce the loud AF noise compared to mine..
 

How to compare 50mm prime with 35mm prime? Is 35mm more versatile?

Another thing I don't really understand, why nikon 35mm f1.8 is almost double the price of 50mm f1.8?

IIRC, 50 prime is a lens with simple design, definitely simpler to make than the 35mm which is also a wide angle....

But 35mm on a DX camera would be almost equivalent to 50mm on a FX camera... Making 35mm the best walkaround lens for DX Camera users like me... hehe
 

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