"Nifty Fiftty" or nifty 56mm

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283
Name
Thomas
Edit My Images
Yes
I want to have a lenses I can use indoors with, W/o flash for life style events and family gatherings so your feedback will be put to good use.
Right, so always people are going on about using, needed, wanting a 50mm prime. This legacy is carry over from the film days and lives on near as I can tell. So my question is why? If 50mm is a great prime for film/FF body then why are people not going just as talky about a 35ishmm prime for cropped body camera, or even 24mm? 24mm has been available for a while and the 35mm is available, are these lenses not offering the same or better image quality compared the trusted 50mm primes? There all about if not the same speed of lens so what are your thoughts on the matter. If you have used FF with 50 and moved to ASPc with 50 & or 35ish or 24ish I think it would be particularly helpful to hear from any one with experience around this.

Canon
ASP C X 1.6 = FF
35 X 1.6 = 56
24 X 1.6 = 38.4

Nikon
35 X 1.5=52.5


Thanks,
T
 
I think the reason people recommend the 50mm f1.8 lenses are because they are a cheap way of getting a fast lens; no other reason.
 
So why is it that a 50mm f1.8 is so much cheaper than any other fast prime?
 
The f/1.8 seems to have been the widest used lens ever, looking back at my dads old film kit he has the 50mm 1.6 in there I think the camera came with it. or everyone bought it?

They are cheap because they are cheap to produce espcially the canon offering its plastic, focus motor sound like a jet engine they are just cheap but perform very well.
 
I have just bought the Nikon 35mm 1.8 dx as my new all the time lens. Have not not got any really good examples of using it yet, did take this of my step grandaughter Bailey though.

DSC_0038web.JPG
 
£380 compared to £85 for a 50mm though.. and you see where the attraction comes into it.

Crop, full frame, 35mm, 50mm, 24mm whatever... at less than £100 brand new for a 1.8 lens it is going to be on everyones 'got to have' list.
 
So why is it that a 50mm f1.8 is so much cheaper than any other fast prime?

pay for what you get... Plastic lens body with plastic mount, external AF thats very loud. They probably make them in very large quantities too.

For £75 they are fantastic.
 
Where can you get them for £75 from?! I think I'm missing out. Cheapest I've found is still over £100.
 
ChrisMClark said:
Where can you get them for £75 from?! I think I'm missing out. Cheapest I've found is still over £100.

Amazon is 85 for the canon version at the moment.
 
There is a NIKON (sorry!) 50 f1.2 (yep F1.2) on ebay at the moment - £58 it has reached with only a couple of hours to go.

Now THAT is a lens...might even get it myself!
 
Cheers Andy, worth bearing in mind Not looking to buy now (just bought a D90!) but worth remembering for when I want one.
 
My canon 50mm 1.8 is amazing, if I had just one lens, that would be it.
Couldn't ask for a more balanced, sharper image.
I also dont really need less than 1.8.
And the price is good!

I get confused with the crop aspect though.
 
i also really likre mine, but because of my shooting style, i dont use it as much as id like! :(
 
I've got a 35mm f1.8 for my D300 and it's a cracking lens for a cropped sensor IMO.

50mm would be too close for a lot of stuff where as 35 I can use for the majority of stuff... But even then in tight spaces it's still a bit close. Onviously that only applies to my personal experiences on a cropped sensor
 
I let my nifty fifty go 6 months ago. Just replaced it, so happy.
Just love using it as walkabout.
Reminds me of using my first SLR. Pentax Spotmatic with 50mm Takumar !
NOSTALGIA ALERT !!
 
I've got the 50mm f1.4d (around 200ukp) although almost wish I'd gone for the 50mm 1.4g...

Still the 35mm f1.8 (170ukp) looks like a good range.


And I'm gonna throw in the M42 (adaptor 15ukp) Vivitar 28mm f2.5 (40ukp fleabay) :)

I'm still getting used to it but I have taken some nice images with it (there are three on flickr link in the siggy)
 
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