When many people purchase their first digital SLR, they often buy it with a "kit lens." For most prosumer Canon digital SLRs, this lens is the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS glass. While not a poor lens choice, I think that most digital SLR users eventually find themselves struggling with the limited aperture and slow response time. Nevertheless, with many people taking the plunge these days and purchasing cameras like the Canon Rebel and Nikon D40 at mostly affordable price points, it can be scary to think about purchasing a new lens when most ring in at $500-600 and the top glass at well over $1000. I certainly would like my next purchase to be Canon's 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM telephoto lens, but its $1950 price tag is just a little too much.
Here's where the Nifty Fifty comes in! Both Canon and Nikon offer a 50mm f/1.8 lens for just around $100. It's just $109.95 over at B&H Photo. The Nifty Fifty is one of the most raved about lenses, especially because it is so affordable. But people, myself included, also love this lens because it delivers good results in low light because of its wide 1.8 aperture. Indoors, with a little bump of your ISO (start around 400) and in Aperture Priority mode at f/1.8, you can get great images without the use of harsh on-camera flash. Also, the wide aperture yields delicious bokeh, with only what you want in focus and the remainder softly blurred to melt away into the background of the image. I instantly grab this lens for indoor parties and events because I know it is reliable and will always deliver, even if it is a bit clunky and slow with its less expensive plastic build. My cake photos from yesterday's post were Nifty Fifty images as well as the ones I share with you today. Enjoy!!!
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Eric
Eric Lovelin Photography
Sadly, the Nikon nifty fifty won't autofocus on the less expensive bodies (like my D40). There's a new 35mm 1.8 for these bodies, which is roughly equivalent (due to the smaller sensor) to a 'real' 50mm. But, it's been really popular and no one can seem to keep it in stock. Plus there's no suitable rhyming nickname. I'm hoping to pick one up at some point, although its $200+ price tag takes it just out of the realm of impulse purchase.
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