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Don’t make this mistake when using the ‘nifty-fifty’ lens

Sep 1, 2022 by Alex Baker 1 Comment

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How many of you use a 50mm f/1.8 lens? Its popularity across the board has given this lens the nickname of the ‘nifty-fifty’. So-called because of its small size and correspondingly small price tag, but great value. It’s often the first prime lens that photographers buy and is still a firm favourite for many.

But are you getting the most out of your lens? Joshua Peg asks this question as although he believes that the 50 mm f/1.8 lens is pretty great, it still has some limitations, and many people may not be reaching their full potential when using it. In this video, he walks you through how to make the most out of the popular nifty-fifty.

Joshua makes a great point when he says that you probably don’t want to be shooting at f/1.8. There will be considerable chromatic aberration at the lens’ widest aperture, and even when the focus is perfect, at the widest apertures it will still be slightly soft.

This is true of most lenses if you’re shooting at the extreme ends of their capabilities. Instead, Joshua recommends shooting at f/2.8. This is only a couple of stops of light less and still gives beautiful soft bokeh but you’ll have noticeably fewer issues with chromatic aberration.

He also stresses that in the lens’ mid-range of apertures you will find the sweet spot for focus. This is between f/8 and f/11.  Now for landscape images I rarely use a 50mm focal length. However, these ideas are applicable to any lens you might have. You will always have more optical issues using the lens at its very widest.

 

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Filed Under: Tutorials Tagged With: 50mm f/1.8, lens, nifty fifty

About Alex Baker

Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

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Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

Dave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

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