Can’t figure out why your photos are not tack sharp? Overheard people talking about prime lenses but don’t know what the big deal is all about? This article will help you learn all about prime lenses and how they compare to zoom lenses. Also, you’ll discover a few great techniques for achieving a wonderfully sharp, crisp finish to your photos.
1. Zoom, Zoom, Zoom
When I was just getting into photography, all I was exposed to was zoom, zoom, zoom. Everyone had one, and it was said to be a photographers must-have. I was a studying film production, and all I heard about getting a better looking image with more depth was to push back and zoom in. I took some photography classes over the years, and thought I knew everything there was to know about the topic.
When I first discovered the notion of a fixed, 50mm lens, my world was flipped upside down. I didn’t realize that I was hindering myself and holding back possibilities. I would look around the web to gather research and inspiration and wonder why everybody else’s photos looked more clean and crisp.
2. Introducing the 50mm Prime Lens
I thought my shots to be well composed and well lit, but they didn’t seem to stand up to other photographer’s work. One day, my friend and I were talking about photography techniques and she said that a must-have in a photographers arsenal is a prime lens. She had just purchased a 50mm prime with a maximum aperture of 1.8 and couldn’t put it down.
I was a little skeptical when I first heard this, but decided to take that challenge for myself. The next day I called her up and said, “I want to borrow your nifty fifty and see if it lives up to your praise.” I put it on my camera and for the next several hours I was just looking around my room to find stuff to take pictures of. It was amazing. I would take a picture of the most unusual things, but the picture would still look sweet and crisp. My eyes were opened to all of the possibilities.
So much more light was let into the camera with an f1.8. My roommate was sleeping in the room so I couldn’t turn on any lights, but found that even with minimal light creeping through the window, images were outstanding.
3. Prime vs. Zoom
Most people these days are scared of the word “Prime” or “Fixed,” meaning the lens is manufactured at a specific focal length and does not move or zoom. We have been too accustomed to being behind a camera with a zoom lens.
Yes, a zoom lens is more versatile when trying to capture a candid moment. It can adjust to different focal lengths in good speed to capture multiple compositions quickly but there are downsides. Some cons of using a zoom lens are:
- Lack of sharpness
- Poorer depth of field
- In low-light situations, it is almost impossible to shoot without sacrificing image quality by raising the ISO
4. Fast Lens Pricing
For most indoor photography and late evening shoots, you need to be equipped with a “fast lens”. Fast refers to the maximum aperture your lens will open up to (wide aperture equals more light). These fast lenses are a big advantage when you need a fast shutter speed in low light conditions. For a high quality zoom lens that has a decent aperture you can find yourself paying close to two thousand dollars for a Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Nikkor Wide Angle Zoom Lens, or a little over twenty four hundred dollars for a Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II AF-S NIKKOR Lens.
These zoom lenses would be a little more useful in low-light situations than your regular zoom lens that usually only opens up to 3.5-5.6, because these have a maximum aperture of 2.8.
Compare the prices of a fast zoom lens to a fast prime lens. A Nikon 50mm f/1.4G SIC SW Prime Nikkor Lens can be found for little over four hundred dollars here, or you can pick up a Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor Lens for just over a hundred dollars!
The price difference is staggering. Although zoom lenses are great with our new technologies in this last decade, it would be a shame not to have a prime around when you need it. Especially when you can pick one up for a fraction of the price of a fast zoom lens.
5. Better Sharpness and Depth of Field
You truly haven’t experienced a tack sharp image until you have shot with a prime lens, especially for the price. The way zoom lenses have to be made (more moving parts) causes them to have more variations or possibility for variations.
Prime lenses, on the other hand, are set at a certain focal length (no moving parts besides the focus ring) and have the luxury of being able to offer a wider aperture. As a result of having a bigger aperture, the blessings are twofold. Firstly, you are able to capture more light without sacrificing shutter speed, and secondly, a wide aperture means more depth of field for isolating your subject from the background.
6. ISO & Sharpness
ISO is the term used in reference to how sensitive the film or sensor is toward light. Many people may not realize that ISO plays a big role in the sharpness of your image.
Low ISO (slow film) produces a nice clear and crisp image but needs more light. On the other hand, High ISO (fast film) is more sensitive to light. They don’t need as much light, but you pay the price with grainy photos.
Today, Digital SLRs have become a great deal better at dealing with grain, though it’s still difficult to beat the benefits of using a low ISO. Here are two images taken at different ISO. The first one was taken at 200 ISO with an aperture of 1.8 and the second one was taken at 3200 with an aperture of 1.8.
As you can see in these photos, there is a big sacrifice in quality when you have to resort to a higher ISO. A prime lens means this is rarely the case, and again – this contributes to sharper, higher quality images.
7. Working Against Yourself
People sometimes forget that good equipment doesn’t directly lead to good photos. Of course, the better the equipment, usually the easier it is to get good photos – but sometimes that is not the case. Understanding how and why your equipment works the way it does is by far more important. Here are a few tips to ensure you come out with tack sharp focus:
- Use a high enough shutter speed to reduce motion blur.
- Brace your arm against something sturdy like a wall or tree. If that fails, hold your elbow against your side.
- Breathe out and hold while taking your shot.
- Use the burst or continuous shot feature to increase the chance of one shot being perfect.
- Use a sandbag or beanbag as a cushion.
- If convenient, use a tripod to keep your camera perfectly steady.
- Use a cable release to ensure pressing the shutter isn’t jolting your camera.
- If using a tripod, turn off your VR or IS.
8. Conclusion
A general rule for prime lenses is that they have better sharpness than a zoom, they have been found to have better bokeh (or the way the lens blurs out of focus areas), and have wider apertures. I also appreciate knowing exactly how the lens will perform, so I can plan accordingly.
Although a zoom lens gives me greater versatility, I prefer the way in which a fixed lens makes me really consider each shot.
Each lens in your arsenal obviously has it’s own purpose and uses. Figure out what you need and what type of lens would suit your content and purchase the best quality you can afford. I like the prime 50mm so much that I still haven’t taken it off my camera ever since putting it on.
I have talked to many photographers, and they have come to the same conclusion; a prime lens is a must have in a photographers bag of tricks. They are inexpensive, produce clear, crisp photos and perform great in lowlight situations without resorting to a high ISO.
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Nice little tidbit you wrote here! I absolutely ADORE my 50mm 1.8 lens and it really is a bargain at the price. One tip for people looking to invest into new lenses would be to check around photo stores for already used lenses. As long as you find a used lens without any substantial damage it’s gonna be just as good as the real thing but at the fraction of the price! I bought my 50mm used for only about 125 USD and haven’t looked back since.
Also, that second last shot you posted was really excellent. Is that a shot of your own?
yes! all of these shots are mine except for the lens in the pricing section. =D
I found this Very interesting, and I have noticed that I like my fixed 50mm photos more than my zoom photos. I was never quite sure why I was having such trouble trying to get the same effects, but I have a better Idea of that now. I usually find myself in low-light situations also. Maybe I should take a photo class to better understand all the other things I have no idea about.
Thanks.
I sure you could find alot of the things you need to know on the internet just need to know what you are looking for. That is why this site is good because it brings to light a lot of things people don’t know about.
I have been longing to buy a nifty fifty for several weeks now and this article may have pushed me over the edge..
The only thing you didn’t mention is that without a full frame camera.. a nifty fifty is kinda a 80.. which will be the case for my 50d.
Just a though :)
thanks for reminding me. =D
After reading this article, I went out and bought myself the canon 50mm f1.8, which is dirt cheap. It’s awesome. Thank you for the inspiration.
Anyone who still uses film SLRs will already be aware of the joys of prime lenses. My two SLRs that have prime lenses have a maximum aperture of around f1.8 and the depth of field they can create are stunning. Will have to investigate getting one for my digital camera too.
I love my primes, I have a 50mm f/1.4 and a 24mm f/2.
But count in the focal length to the depth of field. Longer focus also means more DOF.
that is true that about more length but to achieve the same amount and quality of a prime lens it would take a very long focal length.
nice job matt, I was a little weary of primes until now. thanx.
50mm fix is cool for portraits on cropped cameras. And 50mm f1.8 is very cheap :D (for Canon is 100%). I think every beginner must have it.
i’m in love with 50mm. and i highly recommend you to pay extra and get 1.4 if not 1.2. !!
Wow! Last year I bought a Nikon 50mm f/1.4G lens and, as you said, a world of possibilities opened to me. Really!
I acually bought a fixed 50 mm lense quite some time ago now, but never acually started using it. I will now!
The worlds best zoom is your feet.
Great post! On the part about “ISO & Sharpness” should those images be around the other way?
Yes! somehow they got switched. hopefully there is not to much confustion.
For anyone else that notices an error. in fact it is. in the ISO & Sharpness section the two phone photos are supposed to be switched.
Hey, that post leaves me feelnig foolish. Kudos to you!
Thanks for the rundown on this type of lens. Great photos. I am new to photography and wanting to add a lens to my bag. I currently shoot stainless jewelry form time to time and this seems like a great lens for that. I currently have a Canon Xti (400D) and was wondering if it would produce the same results or does the camera model make a difference?
thanks again for the article
Payton
I am sure that the camera model matters in that you image is basically as good as your camera body can capture it. which is the same with the lens.. if you have a cheap glass on the end of a nice body. your still going to see the product of a cheap glass. I think of it as this. you picture quality will look as good as your cheapest item on your camera that the light hits or flows thru.
still, the lens is the most important part if the camera is at least decent.
The good news though, is you can pick up a cheap Canon EOS that takes stunning photographs (I’m constantly amazed why my nifty little 550D can do, especially with the magic lantern firmware hack that opens up a lot more control, its great stuff). I’ve just picked up my first nifty-50 since I was goofing around with film in the 90s, and its bringing back “that feeling” I used to get from my old Canon A-1 and its nifty 50 (I could never afford a zoom lol). For the first time I’m starting to really feel good about digital, something I never thought I would.
wow great advice should try it. By the way if i use more zoom lens can i get better sharpness?
I would think no. you will get more DOF but that doesn’t mean sharpness. primes usually are the ones that are going to be sharper because they only use one glass.
Thanks! I have just realized again how much I miss by not using my 50mm…
Awesome job Matt; now you won’t be hijacking my lenses, yeah? ;-) @ Payton, for product shots, this will give you nice depth of field, however a 50mm can’t get really nice and close (meaning, close to your subject). Yes, you can get close to say a human subject, but product shots, especially nitty gritty details would be better done on a lens with a macro setting.
I didn’t know if that’s how you intended to shoot it, but yeah, sometimes you can get great details using a zoom (70-200), and backing up until you’ve zoomed in quite a bit…it’ll pop your subject right off the background.
Thanks Tanya!
I really tend to buy the Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor Lens. But there’s no autofocus with my D90 am i right?
Is it hard to focus manually? And maybe you got some tips for manually focussing?
Thank you for that great article!
I actually have the D90 and yes it does autofocus. =D
I also use the Canon 50mm f1.4… more than the 24-70 f2.8.
I’m even thinking to replace my 70-200mm f2.8 by a 135 f2, for the weight difference and the quality. I’m a bit afraid for the weddings to loose the zoom.
Hi!
Great article!
I use my Sigma 50 mm prime lens (which is also a macro lens) on my Nikon DSLR for about 70% of my photos.
As an alternative I have a 105 mm prime lens (also macro) for more elusive subjects.
The image quality is really better, you learn how to compose (escpecially with the 50 mm) – my legs are my zoom. ;-)
Mostly, I really like that I can get a small depth of field – excellent for portraits and creative photos.
I only use zoom lenses when I go out and don’t really know what to expect.
You can get good fast prime lenses without spending a fortune. If you want macro capability you have to pay a bit more though.
Cheers,
Timo
Love your post!
Last week I purchased a Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor Lens and love it! When I bought the lens I knew it would not autofocus on my Nikon D40. Any tips on manual focus, as sometimes I’m not getting the results I desire because the lens is out of focus. I have taken about 150 shots with the lens and have gotten about 10 good photos. Another note, I am shooting(at least trying to shoot) portraits of my 2yr old and 1 month old grandchildren. Before I got the lens I did a lot of research and all I read said manual focus is easy……. HELP
Yup. i know how you feel. a couple things to try.. if you do not need the 1.8 for more light, try going down to a 2.8 or 4 for aperture so that you will have alittle less depth of field so that you have a better chance of getting it right. also if you need the DOF then you gotta use a tripod because you might seem like your still but your model might shift alittle as well..
If anyone wants to see more of my stuff i run a little photoblog here: taylorphotography.tumblr.com
I’ve been using the 85mm f/1.2L all weekend here in Collegedale in preparation for a wedding I’m doing in Costa Rica on Wednesday.
I rarely use non-prime lenses anymore….actually…it’s been a while ;)
I’ve made some hefty purchases when it comes to lenses, but an old old manual focus 50mm I found at a thrift store for $12 has them all beat. I’m serious. Like you said, there are times when a zoom is preferable. But for creative shots or low-light shots, fixed is prime (haha). I also picked up a prime 35mm, but there is something sweet about 50mm’s, I don’t know what it is…
Thanks for the write-up and pictures!
totally. If anyone has a good place for used lenses online let me know down below!
Very useful for photographers
I’ve got a Canon 50mm 1.8 on it’s way to me as a I type, for a mere £75 off Amazon.
I really can’t wait. “I prefer the way in which a fixed lens makes me really consider each shot.” – That’s exactly what I found when trying out one of my friends fifty’s.
as they say “let your feet do the zooming for you”
just a question i have a 50 1.4 now and love it, but kinda want to shoot a little wider. For example wanted to shoot in a tight room in a office setting so couldn’t get back far enough, but needed the 1.4 cause of the lighting. I love primes anyone recommend a good wide prime for nikon?
if you are going for wide 1.4 then your going to be paying a high price.. lets say thousands of dollars. 18mm or 28mm are nice wide lengths but at 1.4 I’m not sure it is worth the cost unless your are going to use that alot.
also you could just use a tripod and have a longer exsposer to get more light with like a 18mm at 2.8f
Hi Ryan!
I have the Nikon 35mm f/1.8 and LOVE it. Although the f/stop isnt as low as the 1.4, it does provide that extra width we sometimes need. It was relatively inexpensive (around $180?) and I purchased it at B H Photo and Video. Good luck!
I hear what you’re saying. I love my 50 1.8 and my 85 1.8. I’ve just recently dug up my 24 2.8 and I’m loving that too! My 17-40, 24-70, 70-200 have all taken a backseat these days. Bottom line I love my cheap primes!
Very nice article. I have a 50 mm Nikon lens and is really great, here you can see a picture taken with this lens http://ionutcirja.deviantart.com/art/I-Kiss-YOU-140879274!
Nice. I really like that picture. Good Job.
Great article, real quality work. Yeah, the nifty fifty is pretty amazing. Like most people it was my first real lens after the kit lens. I’m now putting together a little “fan page” about the nifty fifty lens ( http://www.niftyfiftylens.com/ ) that will lead to lots more nifty-fifyishness like in this article. :)
Same here on the lens… it is amazing.. that is all i like to shoot with for the most part. i go nowhere without it.
In the world of film, I loved my 50 and my 135mm. Being new to digital, what would you recommend for a secondary lens? I enjoy photographing people and still life.
True is true. I got my 50 1.8 for $98. What a marvel! I was taken back by how crisp the images were.
FYI,here are some samples from this lens http://www.flickr.com/photos/30564708@N04/sets/72157618824855140/
This was exactly what I was looking for! I have a friend that was telling me about the Nftty Fifty but I was just not getting what he was saying. Now I understand PERFECTLY. My entire family is in education and you are a great teacher. You explain everything simply w/out talking down to your audience.
Thank you
AirHarp
Great article, I am definitely set on buy’n one of these…
Yep the fifty is a marvel. I shoot with the F3T and the F2T and have a 17-35mm, an 80-200mm and the 50mm F1.8 AIS in my bag. I’m seriously considering putting the 17-35 & the 80-200 on the sidelines and bringing back out my 28mm F2, or my 24mm F2 & my 85mm F1.8. What a weight difference! This past weekend I was at a place that was selling pumpkins. They had hundreds. All sizes. I pulled my fifty out and had a field day. A little girl came over to me and asked if i wanted to buy a pumpkin. I said sure. She had her hands cupped and opened up her hands and there was a butterfly inside. It never moved. It was so cool. I got a close up shot of her hands and the buttterfly with the fifty. Can hardly wait to see the results.
Isn’t the canon 50mm f1.8 the plastic lens???
Matt!! Your info on the nifty-fiftthy helped me alot!!!
Endless Thanks to you Matt on this article on Nifty Fifty 50mm f1.8, so clear .. comprehensive .. you explained it thoroughly in simple way .. Thanks also for a great deal of information under the comments .. girls & guys made great interaction and discussions which has significantly contributed to the subject above … the Author is of great value … and the contributors under “Comments” are of great value as well .. c: |
I’m getting a Nikon 50mm f1.8D this weekend. Can’t wait!!!
Very good article.
I would also mention that primes are less bulky and ligher. Big plus when out there shooting. Not to mention the Zen feeling of having to frame by moving your body. It turns out in better pictures .. at least for me.
Thanks!
Hernán.-
Nice article on the 50mm. I have an old manual 50mm f/2 from my old film days that I still use on my Pentax K20d. The images are wonderfully sharp for 30 year old glass (I guess I didn’t do to much damage to it over the years). It’s a great lens to learn on. I’m teaching my children about photography and I won’t allow them to use a zoom, only a 50mm. That way they have to use their brains.
The one thing I miss from the film day is the wider field of view you’d get with the 50mm. With digital it doesn’t feel like a 50mm anymore.
Thanks,
Dave
Thanks for the article. I recently bought a Nikon 50mm f/1.8D for my D3100 and wish I had the same enthusiasm everyone else has. I haven’t noticed much difference between my nifty fifty and my 18-55 zoom. Whereas I can use the auto-focus for my zoom, I can only use manual focus with the 50mm (which I don’t mind – I prefer it actually) but have a lot of trouble getting a well focused pic with the 50mm. Any suggestions?
It seems you are not able to focus correctly. Your lens of choice should have been the 50mm 1.8G as its a AFS which will auto focus on a D3100.
Hey! Thanks for the great article. Every photographer I’ve met tells me how good the 50mms are. So I got one. I’m really happy with it!
Hey! Great article – like the rest of your followers, Im nuts about my Canon 50mm 1.8f.
So the question I have is this – with the 1.8f already in my camera bag, what are the pros to getting the 1.4 or even the 1.2 baring in mind the cost?
I’m getting interesting in music photography in particular so very low light conditions with moving subjects, the smokey haze and the flashing lights… any tips on a lens to perform best in these conditions? So far the 1.8 has been my best friend, but Im still only getting a small % of great shots from the hundreds I take. Would love to increase that %! Would the 1.4 or 1.2 do that for me?
And now a total amateur question – when I see the pros in the media pit at a gig with their giant pro lenses, what are they using?? ie. lets pretend cost is not a factor (make believe time!) – whats the ideal lens for gig conditions?? I guess in theory you’d want a zoom or wide lens too to take in the entire stage, the crowd etc.? All tips welcome!
Thanks! (God I love the internet!)
it all depends on whether your % is low because your photos are coming out to dark or if it is another reason. yes, 1.2 will let you have a faster shutter speed but then only a 1/2 inch would be in focus, so not capturing the whole stage in focus. So a nice camera body that can handle high ISO is a must as well. So that you can have less depth of field to capture more of the stage while maintaining a high shutter speed.
Im looking at getting a prime lens for my Sony a350, but it looks like the one that Sony makes is about 3 times the price as your suggested lenses. Do you think the Canon version would fit my camera???
Hi Matt … interesting article … I am getting a really low % of good results as well with my Canon 50mm f1.4 … the images (at an ISO 100) with the lens open wide are often grainy and just soft … I am not going to say out of focus … but when the lens was new I was getting crystal clear pics and now 3 months later … very little is sharp. Even with auto focus, then manual adjustments and every care taken in portraits to achieve perfection … I am just plain disappointed to be honest … I am wondering is it me – the lens – or the memory card that I changed recently. Something is not stacking up. Any thoughts? S
If you WERE getting tack-sharp images at the beginning, something seems definitely wrong with the lens now. I can’t imagine it being a problem with the memory card either.
However, here is one tip that might help a bit: yes you can shoot wide open…many photographers do, but one fact about them is that when a lens is wide open, it’s actually not as sharp as it could be one stop down. So if you have a f/1.2, shoot at f/1.4 and you’ll find that your images are sharper. I’m not entirely sure why, I just Googled it and came up with several reasons to sift through at a comprehensible hour. Sleepy for now, lol.
I love my 50mm Nikkor 1.4 D….since I have a cropped sensor though, I also got myself the 35mm..sweet but a little more expensive…$259 CDN..
I agree and have a 50mm 1.4 canon.A question I have is how would you compare or comment with respect to a 50mm used as a portrait lens on a full frame camera?
I usually shoot portraits/people at 85mm or greater for good compression but not really done an analysis if 50mm is fine. Thoughts?
Good Article.
Thanks for explaining the benefit of prime lens.
i have that nifty fifty and a ef100mm f/2 usm both lenses rock !!
great post! just bought my Nikon 50mm 1.8f yesterday and can’t wait to experiment more!
Thanks!
In response to Heidi’s old post, any Sony ‘a’ series digital body will take the Minolta autofocus lenses, I have the Minolta 50mm 1.7 and although it feels a bit insubstantial, it takes great photos, a bargain at about 50-100 dollars used on ebay for sure.
I recently bought a Leica Summicron 50mm F2 and changed the mount for a Leitax Sony conversion and am using it professionally on my a900 full frame sony. There is something very nice about using it, I’m not sure to be honest whether its the mechanical thing (Leica lenses are reputed to be the best constructed lenses you can buy, period) Certainly feels very nice and feeling good about something is a big part of my enjoyment of photography.
It is a little sharper than the Minolta wide open but the difference is so small that sloppy technique with a little camera shake or slight missfocusing more than negates it. The Minolta being auto focus with get the right focus more than the Summicron, even with a brilliant viewfinder like the a900 it dosen’t snap into focus like my leica R4s or Nikorrmat or any of the other 35mm film cameras I have.
its this feel thing that gets me using it more for my personal phots than the Zeiss and Tamron and Minolta zooms that I have. If I didn’t need that 16mm wideangle for work I would use either of these primes as a main lens but you use the lens that you need to use so maybe a 50′s right for you, who knows. Oh yes I do enjoy the portrait telephoto length of my 50mm F2 Nikkor on my D40 although its not as sharp as the other two, very different colouring-super appealing.
Hi Matt, great article – makes me want to race out and buy a nifty fifty. I have a Nikon D3100 and am not sure whether to get a 50mm f/1.8 or f/1.4 – the price difference is significant given I am just starting out. What does everyone think?
In response to merennie’s post – I would highly recommend spending the extra money for F/1.4. Yes the cost is significantly higher but the build quality and long term prospects are well worth it, especially if you are already or think you might become serious about photography.
I upgraded to the Canon F/1.4 recently when I upgraded from the Rebel XS to the Rebel T3i and I absolutely love it. I skipped the F/1.8 entirely and have no regrets, the F/1.4 feels very solidly built and should be in my lens arsenal for many years down the road. There are good options out there in the “used in like new condition” category on Amazon.
Hi Merennie – I have a D3100 and I bought the f/1.8 for Christmas and LOVE it. I’m just starting out and I couldn’t justify the price difference. I’m only using it for amateur pics, though. Here are some I took with it.
http://laurie-thesmithfamily.blogspot.com/2011/12/more-lens-fun.html See what you think! Good luck. Thanks, Matt for the info…you’re the reason I took the plunge and it’s definitley worth it for the price.
Great article! I just bought a “nifty fifty” today and I’m in LOVE with it! Thanks for.the reinforcement! No buyers regret after reading this article!