Friday, September 19, 2025

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


If you happen to’ve been concerned in a pictures group, you will have heard the time period ‘nifty fifty lens’ thrown round. Nifty fifties are a number of the hottest lenses on the market, and for cause: They’re unbelievable lenses and are an ideal choice for photographers seeking to transfer previous a equipment lens.

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

However what precisely
is a nifty fifty lens? Why is it known as a ‘nifty fifty’? And what,
particularly, makes a nifty fifty such a sensible choice?

That’s what this text is all
about.

So if you wish to study 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 presents a area of view much like the human eye, which leads to minimal optical distortion. They’re typically the primary “prime” lens photographers put money into, as they’re inexpensive with wonderful picture high quality. These lenses are versatile and can be utilized for the whole lot from portraits to road pictures 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 just a few.

Why Is it Referred to as a Nifty Fifty?

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

As you will 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 taking pictures in low mild, for portraits, for road pictures, for panorama pictures, and extra.

Actually, it’s
powerful to go unsuitable 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 equipment lens. You should use
a nifty fifty continually and also you’ll not often be dissatisfied.

Young woman shot in California, Big Sur with Nifty Fifty lensYoung woman shot in California, Big Sur with Nifty Fifty lens
Sigma 30mm f/1.4 lens on Sony APS-C digital camera

Causes to Use a Nifty Fifty Lens

What’s so fantastic a couple of nifty fifty lens?

Fairly just a few
issues, the truth is! Beginning with:

1. Nifty Fifty Lens Has a Good Focal Size

Nifty fifties are 50mm in
size.

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

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

Plus, means
that you are able to do a lot of pictures 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
pictures, portrait pictures, panorama pictures, even a little bit of
close-up pictures. Nifty fifty lenses can deal with all of it.

Urban landscape shot in Montreal (Lachine) with nifty fifty lensUrban landscape shot in Montreal (Lachine) with nifty fifty lens
City panorama shot with nifty fifty lens

The 50mm focal size is nice for capturing sincere pictures of scenes. It portrays scenes as you, the photographer, see them. And that permits you to seize what you initially envisioned.

I really like utilizing
50mm lenses for portrait pictures. I generally use my nifty fifty for
close-up taking pictures. And I additionally use a 50mm lens for road pictures all of the
time.

Why?

It’s all within the subsequent part:

3. Nifty Fifties Are Mild and Compact

Nifty fifties
are usually 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.

You can too retailer them fairly simply in a digital camera bag or backpack.

Be aware that the
unobtrusiveness of nifty fifty lenses make them perfect for road pictures.
If you happen to’re photographing in public, you don’t need to draw consideration to
your self, and a nifty fifty will ensure that 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 mild the lens will let in, thus permitting you to extend your shutter pace and get higher publicity. That is key in darkish circumstances when each bit of sunshine counts.

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

What Is a Nifty Fifty Lens and Why You Absolutely Need One 1What Is a Nifty Fifty Lens and Why You Absolutely Need One 1
Fujinon 35mm f/1.4 on Fujifilm APS-C digital camera

5. Nifty Fifties are Cheap

One final wonderful thing about 50mm
lenses:

They’re low-cost.

Actually, 50mm
lenses are usually a number of the most cost-effective equipment out there. You may seize nifty
fifties for round $100 USD. Much less, when you’re keen to purchase used.

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

Nifty Fifty Lenses are InexpensiveNifty Fifty Lenses are Inexpensive
Summary panorama shot with nifty fifty lens

Which Nifty Fifty Ought to You Select?

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

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 stunning photos.

I totally advocate it for any
Canon shooters in search of a nifty fifty choice.


Sony FE 50mm F1.8


Filter Measurement: 49mm, Mount: Sony E, Weight: 6.5 oz /185 g, Dimensions: 2.7 x 2.3″ / 69 x 59 mm

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 can be cropped, successfully magnifying the lens. You’ll find yourself with a focal size of round 75-80mm.

Fujifilm XT2 camera with Fujinon 35mm f/1.4 (nifty fifty)Fujifilm XT2 camera with Fujinon 35mm f/1.4 (nifty fifty)
My Fujifilm XT2 APS-C digital camera with Nifty Fifty lens (Fujinon 35mm f/1.4)

Fujifilm 35mm F2


Filter Measurement: 43mm, Mount: Fujifilm X, Weight: 6oz /170g, Dimensions: 2.4 x 1.8″ / 60 x 46 mm

Nifty Fifty Lens | Conclusion

It’s best to now
know all about nifty fifty lenses: Why they’re known as nifty fifties, why you
should purchase them, and extra.

The following step?

Get a nifty fifty of your personal.

And begin taking some unbelievable
pictures!

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