[Don Schaeffer]

   
   
   
   
   

Those of us who started taking pictures in the mid 60s are well acquainted with 50mm lenses, once considered "normal" lenses, that came with our SLR cameras. But we lose track of our roots as we get fancier. I recently came to appreciate the special lightness and speed of my 50mm f1.8 Nikkor lens. I'm going to use it for a while.

[Toad]

Bravo Don. I use a 50mm almost exclusively these days. Its the "prince" of focal lengths.

I'm glad to see that you no longer consider the 50mm focal length to be "uninspiring" as you did in February...

http://www.shuttertalk.com/forums/showth...m#pid79637

[Don Schaeffer]

Bravo Don. I use a 50mm almost exclusively these days. Its the "prince" of focal lengths.

I'm glad to see that you no longer consider the 50mm focal length to be "uninspiring" as you did in February...

http://www.shuttertalk.com/forums/showth...m#pid79637

I am now looking at it as a 75mm lens. It's very sharp and fast (and light).

[Toad]

I am now looking at it as a 75mm lens. It's very sharp and fast (and light).

Well, it has a 75mm "crop" - but the character and point of view of the lens is all '50...

[Don Schaeffer]

I am now looking at it as a 75mm lens. It's very sharp and fast (and light).

Well, it has a 75mm "crop" - but the character and point of view of the lens is all '50...

What do you mean by character and point of view?

[Toad]

A telephoto is characterized by a foreshortened perspective and shallow depth of field. A wide angle is characterized by perspective distortion (a fisheye has a lot - less wide lenses have a little) and a wider depth of field. A 50mm lens is characterized by a more "natural" perspective in that it isn't much distorted or foreshortened.

When you put a full frame lens like your Nikkor 50 on a camera with a smaller sensor, only the center part of your lens is delivering light to the sensor. it amounts to the same thing as cropping a piece out of the center of your photo. The reach of the lens becomes similar to a 75mm telephoto, but the perspective and character of the 50 stay exactly the same as they were. The lens does not take on the foreshortening and shallow depth of field of a real 75mm.

[Don Schaeffer]

Very interesting--and true. Thanks Toad