3 Reasons Why You Should Absolutely Get Your Hands on a Nifty Fifty
If you haven't purchased a 50mm lens yet, here's why you might want to.
When new filmmakers buy their first camera, they typically go with a kit lens that gives them some flexibility in the focal length department, allowing them to zoom in and out to get the right shot. And while gear acquisition may not be the prime directive when first starting out, there is one additional piece of equipment that newbies might really want to consider getting their hands on: a good ol' nifty fifty. In this video, David Bergman of Adorama TV explains several of the main benefits of working with a 50mm lens. Check it out below:
They're small and lightweight
A huge benefit of using these lenses, especially for those who aren't used to carting around a bulky camera, is that they're small and lightweight. You're not shooting on a long, heavy, unwieldy zoom lens that you have to carry around all day, you're shooting on a relatively short and compact lens that doesn't bulldoze its way into your work.
They have a very wide aperture
On an aesthetic level, 50mm lenses allow you to capture some truly beautiful images thanks to their wide aperture, which are usually anywhere between f1.8 to f1.2. Because of their wide apertures, you're able to capture a nice shallow depth-of-field with stunning bokeh, and you won't need as much light to get it either.
Bonus: Also, nifty fifties capture what many tend to believe is what our eyes naturally see (unless you shoot on a camera whose sensor crops your images), so they're great for getting used to shooting what's around you without having to worry about zoom or distortion.
They're affordable
Perhaps one of the greatest things about nifty fifties is that they're usually inexpensive. There's a pretty wide range of great 50mm lenses that you can buy for less than $100, like the YongNuo 50mm f1/8, the Jupiter 8, or the Helios 44.
What is your favorite nifty fifty? Let us know down below.
Source: Adorama TV
