Prime time

Find out how to get the best from simple 50mm prime lenses with Peter Travers

- Peter Travers

THE MISSION

Learn how to use a 50mm prime lens for indoor portraits

Time needed

1-2 hours

Skill level

Beginner

Kit needed

50mm prime lens

Compact and with an ability to produce high-quality in mages in different lighting, a 50m mm prime lens is one of the most useful optics you can own. From cheaper and lightweight models to more expensive but solidly built Canon EF and RF options, there’s always a 50mm to fit your budget and needs. All 50mm lenses offer you the ability to shoot in lower light conditions, such as indoors, thanks to their wide ‘fast’ apertures of f/1.2 to f/1.8. These apertures also produce beautiful background blur (or bokeh – see right). A 50mm prime also simplifies the way you shoot, as you are forced to work with one focal length.

To shoot indoor environmental portraits, such as a metalworker in action, a 50mm lens is a great choice. You want to handhold your Canon camera to be able to focus and fire at the perfect moment, yet be a safe distance from the subject.