Gear Review | The Nifty Fifty


 

written by Beckie of beckiegkengle.com

Today’s review is about the fabulous little Nifty Fifty!

This lens is a gem! It’s small, fast, and incredibly sharp! (priced between $289 used -$329 new)

When I was shooting with my D90 (and before I got my 60mm) this lens was on my camera 99% of the time! (on a cropped body this lens is relatively equivalent to a 75mm lens on a full-frame body)

I have been purposely putting it on my D700 a lot lately, because it has gotten neglected over the last couple of years. And I have realized that I’ve ย been missing out on a great lens by not using it! (I did this entire little family session with my D700 and my 50mm f/1.4)

I think it is a great walk-around lens for any camera body. Especially on the D700; it has a 1:1 aspect ratio. Meaning, it is the most like seeing out of your owns eyes! That isn’t so on a cropped body (D7000 and below). On a cropped body, you see approximately 97%, but due to the cropped sensor, you are only getting part of what you see. (cropped vs. full-frame, that’s the post I just did a couple weeks ago! ๐Ÿ™‚ )

The 50mm f/1.4 has a nice solid build. Lightweight, yet feels very sturdy! This is not an AF-S lens, which means that it will not auto-focus on Nikon’s entry-level bodies (aka D40, D40x, D60, D3000, D3100, D5000, D5100).

The f/1.4 is a step up from the f/1.8 version. The 50mm f/1.8 is still a very sharp, and fast lens, that has great quality, and has an attractive price tag if you need to stay within a budget (around $135).

If you enjoyed reading my post and would like to follow more of my journey through life in photography, feel free to visit my blog or follow my Facebook page!
About Beckie

I'm Beckie, a fun, think-outside-the-box mama to 2 miracle children.
I love all things photography, and being able to share in this art with others!
www.beckiegkengle.com

Comments

  1. OK Beckie, I need more info. I have had this lens for 3 years and NEVER USED IT! I can’t figure it out. Will you do a post on tips for how to use it? Where to stand? Settings? Anything to help me get started?! Thanks. Lisa~

  2. These pictures are GORGEOUS!! I have the 50mm f/1.8 lens & LOVE it!! Hoping one day to upgrade to the f/1.4! Thanks for sharing this review!!

  3. Beautiful photos! I have a 50mm for my Cannon and I love it. I would love to know how much natural light you have going on in those photos, and what type of software are you using to edit them – PSE, Lightroom?

    • Thank you! Elizabeth, I was working off of natural light from only one window so I’m pretty sure my ISO was up a little (800 maybe? I’ll check tomorrow). As far as processing, I use Lightroom 3 and CS5.

  4. brittney says:

    Hi! Thank you for providing such great info on the 50mm lens! I’m still so confused which I should start with/what will work with me camera!!?? I have a Nikon d-5000, would you suggest the f/1.8d AF? Thanks so much!

    • brittney says:

      I re read your post and you already answered my question:-) thanks! I’m ordering the 1.8 AF tonight!

Trackbacks

  1. […] if you are a Nikon shooter, check out the great post that Beckie wrote about the 50mm options for you! You Might Also EnjoyHow to use a gray […]

Leave a Reply to beckieGkengle Cancel reply

*