The 50mm lens.

[MarkoKovacevic]

It's the classic do everything lens. So why does it sit in my pelican case 95% of the time? I use my 28mm most of the time, I just prefer the look of it. I use it in conjunction with a bounced flash indoor, and outdoor I just get closer. The only thing I use the 50mm really for is portraits.

How can I learn to appreciate my 50mm more, and use it more? What does RFF find it useful for?

 

[bmattock]

It's the classic do everything lens. So why does it sit in my pelican case 95% of the time? I use my 28mm most of the time, I just prefer the look of it. I use it in conjunction with a bounced flash indoor, and outdoor I just get closer. The only thing I use the 50mm really for is portraits.

How can I learn to appreciate my 50mm more, and use it more? What does RFF find it useful for?

I think it's down to personal taste. I seldom use a 28mm. 35mm sometimes. I prefer the 50 for its intimacy. I have no idea how to tell someone how to use the 50. I just use it.

 

[ferider]

Winogrand's do everything lens was a 28.

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28 for everything but portraits, and the 50 for the rest makes very much sense to me.

The other thing you can use the 50 for is scene details and speed (if it's faster than your 28).

Don't worry - there are more of us with a 28 view. 🙂 Because the FOV is similar to that of both eyes open.

 

[xxloverxx]

My 50 1.4 is my favourite lens that I use 99% of the time.

Take your 50 as your only lens and go shoot in low light without flash; also shoot it wide open and experiment with DOF.

Then go and shoot landscapes with it and force yourself to compose with that same lens and notice the lack of distortion.

Observe how a lot of 50s are smaller than 28s and how many choices you have if you ever get another 50. Not sure about prices, but I think a 50 would cost less than a 28 most of the time (excluding those faster than 1.4)

 

[ampguy]

The 50 lux (pre and asph) are the nicest size is no factor 50/1.4 lenses. However, size does matter for what I'm likely to carry around, which is a 28 or 35, maybe an ultrawide, so I've limited my 50s to the collapsible f2 cron, and 2.4 ltm Hex. 40 CV is also handy. If I'm planning on portraits, I'll take the 75 lux.

 

[abenner]

It's the classic do everything lens. So why does it sit in my pelican case 95% of the time?... How can I learn to appreciate my 50mm more, and use it more?

You could leave your 28mm at home! A man is only as faithful as his options, right? Force yourself to use the 50mm. I'd guess you'll eventually gain in both appreciation and skill. (I'm trying to do the same now, only with my 35mm.)

 

[aizan]

these photographers used 50mm almost exclusively. look at some of their books and see how they do it.

andre kertesz
henri cartier-bresson
william eggleston
helen levitt
elliott erwitt
saul leiter
fred herzog
ralph gibson

 

[Keith]

28mm may offer the same field of view as that which we see with both eyes open but I don't really comprehend what this has to do with photography where duplicating our vision is not really the priority ... or is it?

28mm is borderline over distortion for me, 35mm seems quite wide and 50mm feels near perfect with 85mm offering more intimacy as Bill put it! I don't really see 50mm as a great portrait lens but as a walk around lens it's perfect for me.

It always amazes me how differently we all see the world in regard to our ideal focal length on a camera ... such a variety of opinions and tastes here! 😀

 

[back alley]

i've never cared for the 50 fov always preferring the 35 as the more normal fov.

but then i discovered real wide angle lenses and that was it for me. my current fave is the 15 on an rd1 which is like a 24 (or so).
on the longer end i am liking the 60 fov which a 40 on the rd1 offers.

but that's me...

 

[raid]

I find the 50mm lens to be satisfactory for about 80% of all photography settings for me. Quite often, I go out with 2-3 50mm lenses. It is a personal preference.

 

[ferider]

28mm may offer the same field of view as that which we see with both eyes open but I don't really comprehend what this has to do with photography where duplicating our vision is not really the priority ... or is it?

Which vision ?

Suggesting we'll start another thread on the need to pre-visualize ... Or did we have one already ? 🙂 😛

 

[Bingley]

For me, 50 is about being selective, whether it's on the street or w/ a landscape photograph. It also provides a very natural perspective. What makes the 50 such a great focal length for portraits also makes it a great lens for other kinds of shots.

 

[degruyl]

I dunno. I use 135mm in 4x5 (roughly 35mm equivalent, since I only use 8x10 aspect). And, 65mm in 6x7 (somewhere around 35-40mm) but I use 50mm in 35mm. I HAVE a range of 21-90 mm lenses for the leica / voigtlander, but I USE the 50mm about 80% of the time. In fact, I even switch between two of them (both summicrons).

I have no idea why, but I think it has something to do with the lens / camera combination.

On the other hand, about 75% of my pictures are medium format (95% of which are with the 65mm above). I will be happy to let you do the math on that one. My biggest mistake? Buying / carrying the 80mm lens for the Mamiya 7. If I need something longer than 65, it ends up being the 150.

So, do I agree with your problem? maybe. But for 35mm rangefinders, I use 50/2.

 

[jtzordon]

Use it. I shot with only a 50 for a long time and loved it. When I first got a 35 it seemed too much of a middle ground lens. After using it a while, I can use the 50 and 35 with equal pleasure.

 

[pachuco]

I use a 50mm on both my rf and dslr most of the time. When I was starting out the cheapest lenses I could find were 50mm so that is what I used. Over time I began to really "feel" the lens and started thinking in that focal length. I also like the wider lenses but use them only when I see something and think I really should get the whole scene in this shot.

 

[Macpod]

Try setting your 50/1.4 wideopen in aperture priority mode for a few rolls. I hate to say it but thats how i use my 50 most of the time. The 50 really shines wide open, thats when the character of the lens comes out in all those much talked about 50s.

given that a 28 probably never gave you much in the way of DOF, using the 50 wide open for a day might give you some unexpected results. But then again maybe you dont like shallow DOF.

 

[Keith]

I spent a large part of yesterday at a new year celebration with my OM-1 and 85mm Zuiko ... looking at the scans today reminds me of what a great focal length 85mm can be in some situations.

 

[Keith]

Winogrand's do everything lens was a 28.

----

28 for everything but portraits, and the 50 for the rest makes very much sense to me.

The other thing you can use the 50 for is scene details and speed (if it's faster than your 28).

Don't worry - there are more of us with a 28 view. 🙂 Because the FOV is similar to that of both eyes open.

I seriously struggle with 28mm Roland!

The GR1v I bought through the classifieds a few weeks ago is a brilliant little camera but I am struggling with it's 28mm lens to the point where I feel I may have bought the wrong camera! 🙁

 

[Warren T.]

When I started serious photography in the 1970's, all I had was a Nikomat FTn and a Nikkor-S 50mm f1.4. After shooting with this setup exclusively for a good 3 to 4 years before I had the money to buy more lenses, I guess you can say that I learned to "see" with a 50 🙂.

So maybe what I'm saying is that perhaps you should get out there with only your 50mm lens once in a while to practice... just for fun...if you are really interested in using it.

--Warren

 

[coelacanth]

I spent a large part of yesterday at a new year celebration with my OM-1 and 85mm Zuiko ... looking at the scans today reminds me of what a great focal length 85mm can be in some situations.

I totally agree with you on that 85/2 although I'm a big fan of 50mm.