Credit: Satish Kumar Tumulu from Sunset Pixels
When I was learning photography, many of my friends told me that I had to get 50mm lens if I wanted to have a career as event photographer in Montreal.
Of course, I didn’t understand. If I had a kit lens that can change zoom form 18mm to 55mm, why did I need to have a different lens.
Eventually I gave in and I bought a 50mm lens.
Let’s start with the obvious question:
What is a 50mm Lens?
It’s kind of confusing at first, but a high length number, for example 200mm or 300mm have a narrow point of view and you can see objects that are further away. A lower length number, for example 50mm or 35mm have wider point of view and you can see more on object on the periphery.
It is said that the 50mm lens is the lens focal point that most resemble the human eye, that’s way photos taken with a 50mm lens seem so natural to the viewer.
A unique feature found on 50mm lenses is that they have a wide aperture (usually f/1.8 or f/1.4), which means that they are great for low light photography because more light can enter the camera sensor. If I am photographing a wedding reception, where lights are low, then my 50mm lens will be able to capture enough light to make the subject look good.
A 50mm is also great for creating a celebrated photo effect called Bokeh, which occurs when the object on the foreground is on focus but the background is a bit out of focus. This effect gives context to the photo, but it keeps the attention of the subject of our interest.
A 50mm lens is small and sturdy
There are no moving parts in a 50mm lens, it’s a prime lens. It has some glass and the protective casing around it, and that’s it.
When you are an event photographer, accidents do happen. My camera has been dropped on the floor many times, but having sturdy equipment has saved the day.
50mm lenses are not expensive
As a beginner event photographer in Montreal, I couldn’t afford to spend a lot of money. I just had my camera, a few memory cards, and extra set of batteries, my kit lens, and the 50mm lens. That was it.
Lenses can run up to the thousands of dollars, but a 50mm costs about $200CAN. This was within my budget. Maybe that’s one more reason why most event photographers have a 50mm lens.
Learning to use a 50mm lens
The best way to learn is to practice. Go to any event, a wedding, a birthday party, a corporate event, and just start taking photos. You will learn quickly how far away you have to be from your subject in order to get the proper framing. Try to find the right background to create a beautiful bokeh.
And you?
Do you use a 50mm lens? Share your experiences on the comments below.