The nifty fifty and why you need one NOW!


Nearly always my camera goes where I go, with all my photo gear in tow. I pride myself on being able to just grab my stuff and go shoot. This crazy spontaneous attitude of mine has to date resulted in some great moments, helping me create work which I'm particularly fond of. However, in all fairness I must also acknowledge the support I've always had from what is probably my favourite lens, i.e my nifty fifty, a.k.a the Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF. It truly is one of the best things that has happened to me as a photographer.

When I first began shooting I focused purely on portraits, so I did what most people do and shopped for a decent portrait lens. I found a select few and after reading till my eyes were sore I decided on what I was after. In the week it took to deliver my nifty fifty I fell more in love with landscape photography and hence portraiture was put on the back burner. Unfortunately so was the lens, which in hindsight was a pretty silly move.
It took me nearly half a year to actually get back to using it, and from the minute I did I was hooked. I couldn't believe what I had been missing out on. That was the decisive moment where it attained a permanent spot in my camera bag. After all, I would have to be really stupid to not carry it with me. It packs a serious punch and is ridiculously small. I'm talking fits-in-the-palm-of-my-hand small.
This little beast is sharp, lets in a plethora of light and weighs almost nothing. Win-win right? Well, there's more. Factor in the amazing 'bokeh' it helps produce and you have yourself one of the most versatile lenses to have ever left the Nikon factory.
I love it. I absolutely do. What I'd do without it I really don't know. Here was a lens that was meant for much more than portraiture. It's a shame it took me so long to figure that out.

If you spend hours reading on the internet like I do, then you're sure to stumble upon a sincere amount of talk on this lens's big brother, the 50mm f/1.4D AF. The question being constantly asked is if it's worth the extra wad of bills.  I've had the opportunity of using both and even though the 1.4 is great for the money its little sibling is not far from it. Not far at all really. The 50mm 1.8D AF is without a doubt one fascinating piece of engineering. I'm staying true to it, at least until the camera geeks at Nikon release something that is considerably better bang for buck.

If you own one then you most definitely concur, but if you don't and you're still on the fence about it, go get one. I'm sure you will have nothing but good things to say about it.
If I haven't convinced you yet then hopefully the images below will. Do let me know what you think.



The Low light shot- Purely candle lit, shot handheld at f/1.8, 1/80s at 
iso 1600.





Sharpness and Bokeh in one - Lit only by natural light, shot at f2.5, 1/100s 
 at iso 400 





Detail in motion - shot at f3.5, 1/640s at iso 400