50mm lens photography.

Learn how to harness the power of the “nifty fifty” with these 50mm lens photography ideas.

What’s so special about a 50mm lens?

The 50mm lens didn’t get the nickname “nifty fifty” for nothing. It’s one of the most versatile lenses in any photographer’s arsenal.

For starters, it has about the same focal length as the human eye. That means that when you look through the viewfinder, the shot looks the same as if you were looking at it without the camera. It’s not zoomed in or out.

50mm prime lenses also have a much wider aperture than zoom lenses — with some 50mm lenses going all the way up to f/1.4. The extremely wide aperture lets in about three to four times as much light as your regular kit lens, helping you shoot clear pictures in even the lowest light conditions.

As an added bonus, the low f-stop (wide aperture) will give your photos that blurry background that makes portraits look so good.

When to use a 50mm lens.

No matter what type of photography you like, there’s a good chance you can use a 50mm lens. It’s one of the most popular lenses on the market, and it can be used for anything from portraits and car photography to landscapes and nighttime shots.

The only time you can’t use a 50mm lens is when you’re so far away from your subject that capturing it requires a telephoto lens. Otherwise, just about everything can be considered 50mm lens photography. It’s truly one of the best all-purpose lenses to have.

Want to learn more helpful photography tips and tricks?

Explore how you can use Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop to further enhance your 50mm lens photography.