LIFE BEGINS AT 50MM

Kickstart your photography by mastering the focal length that can do it all – it’s why a 50mm should take a prime spot in your kit bag, say Jon Adams and Andrew James

- Jon Adams and Andrew James

Imagine a world where you can only use one lens. For many of us with a lens collection built up over many years, the thought is enough to send shivers down the spine – but with the right optic, you can still tackle almost every situation with an abundance of creativity. In this one-lens world, the 50mm would take some beating, which is why we’re dedicating the next 14 pages to prove just how versatile it can be. From shooting landscapes to portraits, the 50mm prime can cover it all and give you a creative twist.

The 50mm focal length gives you a field of view with roughly the same magnification as the human eye, so it’s a comfortable place to start from. Add in its ability to give you everything from shallow focus to the sharpest of sweet spots, and you’ll soon realize that the only limitation with this lens is your own imagination.

It’s worth noting that a 50mm doesn’t function in the same way on every camera. If you have a full-frame model, everything works normally, just as with a film SLR. Factor in the smaller physical size of an APS-C sensor, however, and the 50mm needs to be multiplied by around 1.5x to give the effective focal length you’re experiencing.

We’ll cover this in detail over the page, where we start our look at the benefits of this versatile and affordable optic.

1 INTRODUCTION TO PRIME TIME

Discover the delights of shooting with a fixed focal length