Fixed Lens 50mm??

[Xan]

well hi guys...well erm jux wanna ask that it is recommendable that if we wanna learn photography we shld started off with a 50mm fixed lens and start shooting?? anyone owns a 50mm lens f1.4 care to share yr views?

 

[Witness]

i own a 50mm 1,8...... i started off with only this lens and a film camera....

recommended...its a cheap and good lens...till today i use it for lottsa assignments...

 

[foxtwo]

Speaking for film camera. 50 is just nice, haven't had the chance to try 45 though. But any wider, you have problems cropping pre-shoot.

 

[bouloss]

hi
i have the 50mm 1.4 AFD , its a lovely lens. Fast and sharp.
I picked up on ebay for a good deal. I shoot with it every days shots.

 

[Ah Pao]

For the photography old school of thought will ask you to get a fully-manual film SLR (lagi better with metering switched off so you learn the sunny/F16 rule) with a 50mm prime lens...and tons of books and visits to the library.

Or you can get a decent DSLR with kit lens and learn about lighting and composition with instant feedback.

Why must it be so limiting? It's not the equipment that makes good pictures, it's the perspective of the photographer that makes a great photograph.

 

[hongsien]

I agree that in order to learn something, it is best to limit yourself so that you are aware fully what the system can do, and make the best out of it.

Having said that, in my case I was 'seeing' things in a wideangle perspective and my 'normal' lens is a 20mm (in any filmformat). Makes you go closer to the subject (and you need to place a subject near the lens or else it is boring), something I like to do anyway when photographing people. If the subject is too far, I just don't take the picture....just enjoy seeing it.

If you think you like the 50mm prespective, use that to the fullest! If you like anything else, the same!

More importantly: develop your own style, doesn't matter if you need to copy someone elses style first, but in the end, you need to stand out! Don't follow trends or the crowd.......


Hong Sien

 

[Ris Goh]

"More importantly: develop your own style, doesn't matter if you need to copy someone elses style first, but in the end, you need to stand out! Don't follow trends or the crowd......."

very good advice here from hongsien.... otherwise you'll end up just being a "copy photographer".

my experience: film slr + 50mm macro @ duration 1yr

ch

 

[Prismatic]

The reason why 50mm is considered a normal lense is because for 35mm cameras, the angle of view of a 50mm is close same angle of view as that of an average human eye (with one eye closed). So in theory what you capture with a 50mm is exactly what you see with one eye. However, in digital photography, with the crop factor, a 50mm lense becomes 75mm. So there's isn't any need to keep to a 50mm lense.

As some of the guys advised, it's good to limit your equipment to a minimum and try exploring the options given by a single lense.When you feel exhausted with the lense, then move up or down to another focal length. This way, you will learn a lot more about the creativity potential of different perspective.

 

[XXX Boy]

Been using just a 50mm Summicron for the past 2 years. Been very happy with it!

 

[user111]

it is recommendable that if we wanna learn photography we shld started off with a 50mm fixed lens and start shooting??

this recommendation is just a standardized advise that is passed down for generations because most people find that its quite useful since the 50mm corresonds rather close to normally accepted human field of view. u can also say "start off with a fixed 28mm"... , "start off with a fixed 200mm"... etc. whichever lens u start off with, u will still learn.

 

[reno77]

.. also because its the cheapest lens. A 35/1.4 is .. :sweat: :sweat: :sweat:

 

[mpenza]

after a while, you may still find good use for such a fixed lense. e.g. low light conditions and times when you need a sharp and light lens.

 

[kh_drew]

well hi guys...well erm jux wanna ask that it is recommendable that if we wanna learn photography we shld started off with a 50mm fixed lens and start shooting?? anyone owns a 50mm lens f1.4 care to share yr views?

Like what others have said, it is a good way to learn how to see things. I have a suggestion for learning, which is to shoot a theme with a single focal length, i.e. choose a theme and try to get as many pictures of this theme with just one focal length. It'll help you learn about what you can and cannot do with a lens of that focal length. What I did (am still doing) is to shoot one city with just one focal length when I go overseas. Although the tendency is to be kiasu when traveling and have a zoom (cover all mentality), I found that it was quite a refreshing experience. So far I have shot Taipei on 28mm, parts of Malaysia on 105mm, Melbourne on 20mm and a few others. The most difficult for me was Singapore on 50mm, firstly because we live here (!) and also pictures tend to be more dramatic at extremes of focal lengths (I think that's coz we don't see like that with our naked field of vision)

Whatever it is, keep shooting!

Cheers
Andrew