At the very end of the year 2015, I got my first DSLR Camera. It came with a Kit Lens, but I really anted to have something better. Back then, YouTube had me believe that every Photographer should have a Nifty 50.
And so I decided to get one. My choice fell between Canons 50mm 1.8 II and the then pretty much brand new Canon 50mm 1.8 STM. And because the STM was slightly cheaper on Amazon at the time, and because of its Metal Lens Mount, I went with that Lens.
When that Lens arrived, I almost returned it, as I believed it to be broken. Then I discovered that the Focus Switch was set to Manual. And I quickly changed that to Auto Focus.
And from that Point on, I actually quite liked the Lens. It can do pretty much anything I want from it. But I mostly use it for Landscapes. And to annoy my Cat when I take Fotos of her.
1.8 is not exactly the brightest Aperture when it comes to Canons 50mm lineup. But for the price of one 1.4 Lens you can pretty much get three Nifty 50s. And do not get me started about Canons 50mm 1.2. It is awesome, but it is also awesomely expensive.
And while you definitely get what you pay for with the Lens being pretty much entirely made out of Plastics, it is actually quite sturdy. I broke off the front of the Lens Barrel and snapped of a little piece somewhere inside the Lens, but it hums on as if nothing ever happened.
And humming it does. The Focus Motor, while being quieter than the one they put in its predecessor , the 50mm 1.8 II, it is definitely not quiet. And it will get picked up by any Cameras internal Microphone. That is why I got an external Mic when I thought that I was getting more into Video.
The Canon 50mm 1.8 STM also has no Image Stabilization what so ever. But that is completely normal for 50 mm Prime Lenses. Pretty much none of them come with IS. And you can definitely go without.
But the best thing about my little Plastic Fantastic (another very fitting Nickname for the Nifty 50) is definitely the low Price paired with the Performance you get. You really can not get much better on a budget.
I would definitely recommend anyone getting a Nifty 50.
Here is a short List of what I shot with my Nifty 50:
- Portraits (a classic use for that Lens)
- Pets
- Landscapes
- Cityscapes
- Motorsports (it works surprisingly well)
Robin Ho Fotos 