We have discussed several times why shooting only with one lens can be a good call. And no matter the genre you shoot, you can benefit from using only one lens. In this video from Advancing Your Photography, documentary photographer Daniel Milnor will share three reasons why you should use only one lens if you’re shooting documentary photography.
Leica just announced their $4,500 50mm f/2 lens for L mount
Leica has announced the newest addition to its L Mount lens lineup, the Leica APO-Summicron-SL 50mm f/2 ASPH. Priced at a mere $4,495, Leica says the new lens “sets an even higher benchmark for the Summicron-SL family” of lenses. It consists of twelve elements in 10 groups to offer what Leica describes as “natural skin tones, smooth bokeh, outstanding contrast and consistent sharpness from corner-to-corner”.
Fujifilm announces two new lenses: XF 16-80mm and GF 50mm
Fujifilm has just announced two new lenses for its two camera systems. The first is the 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR, a versatile zoom for Fujifilm’s APS-C X-mount cameras. The second lens is the GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR, a compact prime designed for the medium format G-mount GFX system. Let’s check out more details and specs.
This is how focal length affects your portraits, from 24 to 135 mm
The focal length of your lens affects your portraits, both in terms of subject distortion and the subject-background relationship. In this video, Julia Trotti demonstrates how this looks. She uses five prime lenses from 24mm to 135mm, so you can see just how much the change in focal length can change the final look of your image.
Photographing New Zealand landscapes for a week with only a 50mm lens
My photography peers thought I was mad. I thought I was mad, taking just a 50mm lens and one camera to the south island of New Zealand for a week. The rules were simple. Attempt to make compelling photographs with a 50mm lens using any creative methods I could conjure up. Panos, single frames, cropping in post, long exposures and filters were used, but only one lens. My itinerary included Queenstown and the surrounding grand mountain-scapes followed by Milford Sound with its utter incredible, king of the world, spectacular life changing scenery. Could a 50mm lens, with its boring and uninspiring focal length live up to the big time landscapes of New Zealand?
7 reasons why a 50mm lens needs to be part of your kit
The 50mm lens, often called the “nifty fifty”, is a popular lens. The f/1.8 version for Nikon, Canon and many other brands is very inexpensive and has been a staple of photographers for decades. Personally, I think it should be the first lens a new camera owner buys after they get frustrated with their kit lens.
In this video from Shutterbug Mag, photographer Jordan Matter offers up seven reasons why he feels a 50mm lens is not only vital but may be the only lens you need.
Kamlan 50mm f/1.1 is a $170 bokeh beast
In his recent video, Kai Wong showed you five 50mm lenses you can buy for less than $100. This time, he shows you a Chinese “bokeh master” – Kamlan 50mm f/1.1 manual focus lens for APS-C bodies. It’s a bit more expensive ($170), so it didn’t get onto the previous list. But judging from Kai’s review – it’s a keeper. Don’t let the price fool you.
These are the two lenses every portrait photographer should own
No matter what genre of photography you’re into, I’m sure you have your favorite lens(es). Manny Ortiz does mainly portrait and has two lenses he’d recommend to any portrait photographer out there. The 50mm and the 85mm are his lenses of choice, and he explains why he thinks every portrait photographer should own them. Let’s see if you agree.
5 best 50mm lenses for under $100
A 50mm lens is probably the first lens most of us bought after we got the camera. They are generally affordable, especially if you go for a f/1.8. But if you’re on a really tight budget, or just want to satisfy your gear acquisition syndrome without guilt: Kai Wong has a video for you.
In this video, he suggests five great 50mm lenses that cost well under $100. So if you’re looking for your first or for another 50mm lens, check out Kai’s suggestions.
This is why I now only use one lens
After many years of experience using different lenses, I now have resorted to only using a single prime lens. I started with a 50mm then added an 85mm, 35mm, 100mm and 28mm to my collection, and I’ve played around with zoom lenses. But now I exclusively use a 50mm lens. No more zooms and no more choices. But why would I volunteer to limit myself?
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