Sometimes referred to as the “Thrifty 50″ because it’s relatively inexpensive to buy, the Nikon 50mm lens goes down to f/1.4. What does f/1.4 mean? The low f-stop number means you’ll be able to shoot in low light, and get that fuzzy background – what’s referred to as shallow depth of field. It’s super light, and you’ll be able to carry it around all day without whining.

One of the only drawbacks to the “Thrifty 50″ is that its focus is fixed at 50mm. So you’re going to have to move in nice and close to your subject, or back away to fit more in the frame. Now, moving around to try out different distances, angles and perspectives is a positive thing! You’ll find yourself getting more creative. Try one for the day on your next outing and you’ll have a lot of fun. I guarantee it.

The 50mm is “Fast Glass” – Good For Low Light Situations

The 50mm f/1.4 is considered to be “fast glass” which means you can shoot at higher shutter speeds in lower light without a flash. For that reason, the 50mm is a good choice for museums where flash photography is prohibited, photos of newborn babies, and for night photography, too.

True Proportions

The 50mm produces an image that is relatively free from distortion, making for a picture that looks like what you saw (in contrast, a wide angle lens can produce a somewhat distorted image.). The 50mm is also a “prime lens” which means it’s a fixed focal length and doesn’t have a zoom. That means you’ll have to use manual zoom (walk in closer!).

Great Walk-Around Lens

If you’re going to have your camera hanging on your shoulder all day it’s nice to minimize weight. The 50mm is one of the lightest lenses and doesn’t add much weight to your camera body. Save money on Advil!