Apart from your photography knowledge, you are a naturally gifted teacher; to be able to explain complex subjects in a simplified format; this is a rare skill :)
1.8 is such a shallow focal plane as well, especially for portraits. You might get the eyes in focus, but the ears might not. Also 1.8 increases your chances of the camera missing focus.
True it also depends on how close you are to your subject. Taking a few steps back will bring give you a deeper focal plane. That's why macro photography is such a thin plane because your soo close even tho the f stop might be at f22 or more. Also why 85mm or 105mm and 135mm are such good portrait lens you can get loads of bokeh and have your subject fill the frame and be in focus because you have to stand so far back 😆
As a newcomer, it is tempting for me to set it to 1.8, just because i can, and the more light, the better, but you have shown me, that 2.8 is actually much better in those situations. Thanks :-)
I frequently shoot portraits at 2.8 with my 50 mm. It sharpens up nicely and you still get nice bokeh in the background. If I use it for landscapes I'm usually anywhere from 5.6 to f8 and its great!
I needed this video so badly! New to photography and absolutely guilty of cranking the f stop as low as it can go. Definitely noticed the chromatic aberration and had no clue what it was or how to fix it in addition to struggling to get the subject(s) of my photos sharper. Thank you so much for taking the time to create such a helpful video!!
I have always preferred mine at f1.8. Even though I learnt down the road that the sweet spot of a lens is not always the widest it can go, but never really tried that, until I saw your video. You are really an amazing teacher.
So glad to find your channel - it is refreshing to hear and watch someone who operates at human speed, not in a rush on a coke bender like so many folks on the youtubes!
I wholeheartedly agree. I've taken some of my best photographs with this lens, yet I rarely stop it down to its widest. It's cheap and super sharp, even on the Canon 90D, which is supposed to be unforgiving of budget lenses. I must say, though, that I never worry about chromatic aberration: it's so easy to get rid of in post.
@@willemdebeer2507 You'll get some very good shots with it, and perhaps more importantly, it'll encourage you to be a better photographer by having to move throughout the scene to compose instead of zooming.
Been using a Canon 50mm 1.8 for the past 5 years. I always saw good photographers avoid extreme apertures, but no one mentioned the loss of sharpness. Wish I knew this earlier. As I browse through all my favourite shots, all I can do is lament :(
@@Crazy_Dashcam_Videos true. Looking at the most famous photos ever taken as well as Looking at lenses of the time. They were for the most part pretty slow by today's standards and rarely shot wide open. But in this days, composition was paid attention to as well as environmental there was not the crutch that there is today on the instagram photo pro to rely on to have a "good" photo. It is a matter of taste but understanding what qualities change throught the range will help anyone to take memorable images.
@@Crazy_Dashcam_Videos So true! I shot on film for sixty years on so many cameras, before going digital, and sure, focus was important, but there wasn't this obsession with edgy sharpness there is today... And I actually liked film grain! So many of the classic shots of photo history are not necessarily super-sharp. They're simply great pictures, for a thousand other reasons. The world of photography has become so nerdy - always the pursuit of better kit... and now the obsession with full-frame cameras that we're all supposed to aspire to. And it's catching! I've recently upgraded from a Nikon D3300, on which I shot great pictures, to a Nikon D7500, and am already wondering if I should change again! But with a bunch of Nikon DX lenses to support it, that would probably be mad. Ha! Got to be strong. Use the tech as a tool to take great pictures, eh? Not become obsessed with tech over photography!
Many non professional and beginner photographers get an expensive camera body and lower quality lenses. It should be the other way round: buy the best lenses and then a body, you can afford. It's the lens, that does matter. My advice to beginners is, to buy a high quality 50 mm / f. 1.4 - 2.0 and a camera body without too many features. If they get familiar with this simple set, they can always add more lenses like a 24 and 90 mm. It's a good combo, if you're not shooting birds, macro, sport etc. But you're right saying full aperture isn't easy to handle always and to step down to 2.8 or 4.0 will give better results in landscape photography. Keep on rolling!
Great advice. As an amateur photographer I love the 50mm. I actually use a 35mm on an APS-C for a 50mm full frame equivalent. I agree that just using a lens for its lowest aperture for background blur is a waste. Great advice thanks!
I'm one of those new subscribers you mentioned and I just want to say that you're doing great! Solid information. No clickbait. Great quality. Keep it up! I plan to go through your back catalog and watch a number of your older videos, and I look forward to seeing where you go from here.
I learnt this with experience from working with my RF 50 f1.8 and had no clue this was a thing and only figured when i started editing my images and watching this video was like a flashback of my realisation to not use the narrowest and widest apertures to get the best pictures :)
I concur with what you advised . For me a good prime does not have to be faster than 2.8 as I will often shoot between 5.6 and f8 to ensure I have the best sharpness possible and will use a telephoto to blur background and move in closer to achieve that look with a standard lens. However , landscape and portraiture benefit from isolating the background and using a background that creates a three d effect . Finally , using a lens wide open , even on a tripod can still produce an imperfect image if you have not correctly nailed your focus and here, is where the choice of the f stop can nail it every time . Thanks for the video and it is something I think others should address in their videos too. Well done! You nailed it perfectly .
I've just recently got my 50mm f1.8, this video is extremely useful and helpful. I tried it at f1. 8 only so far but now I'm going to try more apertures and experiment, thank you. Subscribed.
Nice to hear a heads up for bokeh or selective focusing. There's far too many grumpy photographers online that think any landscape shots taken with an aperture wider than F16 or focus stacked are somehow below standard
I've watched so many videos on this lenses ability to just create "creamy bokeh" that I too caught the "Bokeh Bug"! I just got this lens today went straight to 1.8, and started shooting away. As a new photographer I thank you for helping me to free my mind and understand my cameras full potential!
That makes a lot of sense. Today, i bought my F1.8 50mm and was wondering why i was not getting the best image i wanted at 1.8. Thanks for this video. 👍
Recently picked up a camera and a 50mm, and this seems to address exactly the problem I've been having with sharpness/clarity. Very well explained, too.
Honestly, I enjoyed your content but was not going to subscribe until your heartfelt message at the end. Stay grounded my friend and keep up the good work 👍
It's almost akin to a motor. There are absolutely times where you want to be driving around at low RPM and, conversely, where you want to have it at redline. But the motor is meant to be operated somewhere in the powerband, not lugging or redlining. That's where the optics, machining, and tolerances shine.
Thank You for what you share, I absolutely love your level of Chill in your videos... your relationship to place and comfort with the landscape around you comes across really strong... and also, the breakdown simplicity with which you impart your knowledge of photography keeps me engaged... btw, the Purple Heather shots pretty awesome. Cheers.
Definitely, it's like when a beginner guitar player uses too much distortion, you CAN do it and it's fun, but the best clarity comes from backing off and working harder. Step down a bit people ☺️
Thanks for this genuinely nice video! It was so easy to listen and follow along, and the way you explained and showed example photos was just so balanced! Best video I’ve come across as a photographer newbie.
it's refreshing to see beginner photography tips with actual beginner equipment. the sound of that canon shutter really brings some nostalgic memories for me :) not that I've completely put my old canon 550D on a shelf. It's still a good enough camera. but do note, a 50mm prime on a crop sensor is roughly 80mm equivalent and the optics on it are bit worse than a kit lens 18-55mm. that kit lens is pretty decent.
That thank you at the end of your video is the reason why I subscribe. The i donation is solid and the way you helped me become a better photographer is awesome, but saying thank you….that’s classic mate. Cheers 🥂
Thats actually so true. Im an hobby photographer for about 11 months now and i had to learn this the hard way. My sister in law asked me for a black&white baby belly shoot and it was pretty difficult to get her whole body with the belly in focus. Had to heavily sharp most of the pictures what impacted the overall photo quality. Now i only use f1.8 if i absolutely have to (low light or shutter priority).
This video popped up at the right time. I've had my 50mm 1.8 for a week or two and have been having trouble getting crisp portrait focus - I'm new to photography! And yes, I've been using f1.8 to get the background blur. So thanks for the tip, I will definitely be trying to shut down the aperture a bit more. 👍🇦🇺
You’re literally my new favorite on TH-cam for photography advice and just helpful tips! I’m a beginner and enjoy shooting nature as well. Love the work!
Great advice. Also when you get a new lens pick a couple of good subjects far and near and photograph them from the same spot at all apertures. Then study them and work out the idiosyncrasies and the best apertures for that lens and the the type of subject you are shooting.
I like your style Josh, keep plugging away. I love the fact your not using £20k worth of kit, more representative of most people watching this and other channels.
I did this mistake too, but figured it out by myself. I have Canon M50 w 50mm f/1.8, using it on manual, but sometimes shoot same picture on auto, and than u can compare thoos two shots, and see whats different. Its my little hack to be better in photography also u are figuring this stuff by yourself and kinda making your own style.
Joshua, many thanks 😂for this tutorial. And, I’m impressed that you used a “common folks camera” rather than a $3k or $5k model. I recently returned to my Canon DSLR for its simplicity so I can genuinely enjoy photography while sharpening my skills, especially for B&W. Also, those picturesque locations in the UK are amazing! Peace.
I agree with most points - the only 2 things I would challenge is the notion, that this is a universal rule and that this canon f1.8 is a high quality - with or without metal back. Let's be real, the 50 f1.8 is like a 100-150€ or $ lens, making it the absolute cheapest native option for most systems. These are awesome for the price, but they do come with drawbacks, that more expensive primes don't have. And yes, you can get amazing results with relatively good sharpness, but you will not need to step down the f-value (as you pointed out). But: with an actual high quality lens, the issues with sharpness and chromatic aberrations usually improve dramatically. If you want great results wide open, the sigma art lenses, Canon L or Sony GMs etc will be razor sharp even wide open at f1.4 or even f1.2 and only suffer from a neglectable amount of CA. Less expensive alternatives would be the Sony 55 f1.8, or my personal favorite, the Samyang 45mm f1.8 which is sharp wide open and only shows CA in extreme high contrast scenes (it's a little more difficult for canon or ikon shooters, there are really not a lot of "mid-class" lenses fpor their dslm systems as of now). So in conclusion: I would recommend, to always think about your usecase for a lens before buying it and then read reviews and do your research, to make sure, the lens does, what you need it to do. If you want something, that delivers good bokeh and can be shot wide open, maybe wait and save more money bevore spending it on a 100€ nifty-fifty that's really not that great wide open. On the other hand, if you're happy with a cheap, small and light lens that delivers okay results and you mostly shoot stopped down to like f2.8 or f4, then go for the fifty. It'll be a great companion. TL:DR Great Video for beginners, but in my opinion, your advice heavily depends on the lens you own.
Your advice is spot on ! When I started in Photography back in the Eighties it was just me and my Canon AE-1 Program with my 50mm and 135mm lenses ! Took incredible pictures !
Came across your video and so glad someone else is saying this. I use 3.5-4 on my 1.8 all the time as I start to get pleasing Bokeh and sharp images at those apertures. Well done!
So often a super blurry background looks like the subject has been photoshopped into the photo. I hate that artificial look. Everything in balance. Helpful video--well done.
That explains why I have some really good lenses but sometimes Im getting some quite blurry images. Top Bloke - thank you for not over complicating all your videos.
Partly.... Back in the days when these lenses were first used, they were intended to be used with film SLRs - where the brightness of the image in the viewfinder was directly related to the aperture of the lens wide open. F1.8 was just there to make the camera easier to use - especially when (manually) focusing: no one expected you to actually take the shot wide open - it was just for viewing and focusing. Of course, later, people found good reasons to actually take pictures wide open too.....
Thank you for the clear and straightforward demonstration on how to properly use the 50mm lens to produce a sharp photo. Not to mention that you were so relaxed in explaining things! Keep cool! 😎 liked and subscribed!
I have six 1.4 + one 1.8 which is best of the lot. Then came auto focus and my second hand 1.4 G just was not up to snuff. I finally got a 50 1.8G for $135 at KEH. Easily best 50 I own except for my 50 APO Leica which cost 100x more.
Thanks, very informative. 50 mm is one of my favorite lenses. It's got everything going for it, ideal blend of size, weight, and performance. Honorable mentions, 35mm and 85mm. (Full frame, or equivalent with crop factor considerations)
Picked up this lens for portraits and cars shots, because of the talk of the extreme blur. Now you have taught me the full potential of this lens thank you so much!
Thanks for taking the time to put this video together. Straight forward and to the point. It's nice to see real world work that can be done on a lens. I found this lens used for ($25 USD !!!)for my street photography/portraits on my APSC and am excited to utilize these techniques. I realize it'll be 80mm roughly. I'm normally a wildlife shooter, but love all photography. Thanks as well for being humble on the end of this video and not just fishing for subs. Be well.
This vid popped up on my feed and out of a keeness to understand the 50mm lense for portrait photography, i watched it and so glad i did. I am a keen amateur photographer with a skill lever lets just say is avaerage and still 'work in progress'. The author of this video is just so good with his commentary, excellent explanation on the given subjects and most importantly his delivery left me no choice but to subscribe AND buy a 50mm!! What a bloke 👏
I’ve definitely been guilty of using my 50mm at its widest aperture too often, I’ll be sure to change things up a bit more often for some different results!
Joshua, Thank you for posting your informative video on how to better use a 50 mm 1.8 lens. I have heard good things about the Canon 50 mm 1.8 lens. I am a Church photographer and recently purchased the Nikkor Z 50 1.8 S lens. I watch many videos to learn how and when to use the lens. I am surprised to learn that a wedding photographer uses a 50 mm all day at an event; her photos clearly showed it is possible. I liked that you encourage using different aperture and shutter speed settings and that the 50 mm can do quite well as a landscape lens. This information is helpful since I will take photos during large building Church services. Dan
a tripod and remote shutter also handily beats hand held for quality, even though you may feel like you are not moving, on a microscopic level you are moving slightly
Thank you so much for this! I just got my first ever mirrorless camera, and I've never worked with interchangeable lenses before. The 50mm lens definitely posed a bit of a challenge 😅 This helped a lot!
Joshua, Thank you. I am a graphic designer but recently decided to pick up a camera, I am still learning. Your channel is new to me but I have learned much from your videos. the 50mm is my latest addition and I had to play around with the aperture a lot. the 50mm 1.8 gave me a new urge to take more pictures. thank you
i think the beauty of an ultra fast lens isnt that you can shoot it at f/1.8 or f/1.1, but that you can shoot at f/2.8 without the artifacting that you get with a slower lens that bottoms out at f/2.8. good video
Well, I'm in love with my 50mm lenses (Zeiss, Minolta, Sony, Nikon, etc. f1.4 to f2.8, old and new glasses). I use them often wide open. The problems you describe occur on them more or less. The Minolta MD 50mm f2 build 1981 stands out with an excellent performance. On the other hand, the Leica Q, which has a 28mm f1.7 lens, doesn't have problems like that. Wide open is the to go choice for most of the pictures I made. There are of course unsharp areas, but they are smooth and prikle the picture to make them deep. Also high contrast is no problem after opening the DNG files with manufacturer lens profile correction. There might be a chance of a glimp of reason why they are so unbelievable expensive …
Testing lenses this week and was trying the 50mm but was getting that semi-out of focus blur on my subject. This video really helped clear things up. Thank you!
Thanks for the solid demonstration of some of the disadvantages of using the lens extremes. I really love shooting with my Canon 50mm 1.4 (EF with an adapter) and will take this into consideration on my next trip.
With all lenses, when going for bokeh, use live-view and if possible also DOF preview to focus - it's more accurate as there's always a focus shift with aperture changes - especially with the older EF 50mm on a crop sensor body. One tip I have is use aperture bracketing! - You could also stack the photos in post as wide open you don't get the best contrast...
That was so well explained. Exactly what I was looking for in a video. Great to see you’re past the 18K subscriber mark now as well. Including myself. Cheers
Try the Zuiko 40-150 and take a look at max aperture... It's a piece of art. Of course, you shouldn't be shooting every time at max aperture, as most of the time you would want to have some information in the background, not just a stain.
My 1.8 50mm arrived today and impressed and this video reflected my short walk about today just trying it out on my z6 .. Enjoyed your presentation thanks you again
thank you for your video. You made me change my mind because I was about to sell the whole camera because the pictures wasn’t clear and I was making mistake by making the aperture wide open and now I knew what I should do. Thanks to you again.
I learnt something I was doing wrong for many years now. Always turn your Active D Lighting: OFF it totally messes up the captured pictures making it so dark than seen on the LCD and undermines the true capabilities of the 50 1.8G
Immediate sub. You pretty much confirmed what I had recently learned myself with the 50mm. Looking at the subscriber count you have more than doubled your count in 4days so congratulations for that.
I had this lens on my canon and i never learned how to use it properly, i just understood these concepts you said when i changed to sony and had a sigma 30mm f1.4.
I strongly agree with your point about having too blurry backgrounds. I love it when there’s lights or big objects. But if the background is a landscape then it looks like you applied photoshop blur.
I do the 50mm challenge with myself and just take my Nikon 1.4 50MM out and just see what I can get. I did notice things get super soft at wider aperture but sometimes it works for some situations of course.
Thank you for this video. You make me feel like you’re speaking to me. I get a little lost by some really good photographers that know the trade but speak as if everyone understands them. You’re enjoyable to listen to and learn from…
Something that I think most video tutorials miss are side-by-side comparisons. You demonstrated f1.8 and showed the aberration. Then you showed the f2.8. You really missed an opportunity to show them side-by-side so that we can see the contrast. It think it's ironic that photographers miss this opportunity to capitalize on contrast. Nice video.
Yes, I was making this mistake indeed and thanks to you that you made me aware of what I've been doing since I've bought the camera. To have specific informations about it, I was just surfing on the internet and I found you as a really good vlogger! Thanks for this video and tips though. Gonna use them for sure, appreciate that. :)
Great video having to use a 50mm, as my main lens in for repairs. But had to buy a lens so can keep taking photos, so watching your video was a great help thank you
Apart from your photography knowledge, you are a naturally gifted teacher; to be able to explain complex subjects in a simplified format; this is a rare skill :)
Thank you so much
need to agree with that. Thanks for the tips, greetings from Brazil!
Agree.
*Because of
@@OhhhhhhhBugger thanks. I adjusted my comment accordingly
1.8 is such a shallow focal plane as well, especially for portraits. You might get the eyes in focus, but the ears might not. Also 1.8 increases your chances of the camera missing focus.
Very good points mate 👍🏼
True it also depends on how close you are to your subject. Taking a few steps back will bring give you a deeper focal plane. That's why macro photography is such a thin plane because your soo close even tho the f stop might be at f22 or more. Also why 85mm or 105mm and 135mm are such good portrait lens you can get loads of bokeh and have your subject fill the frame and be in focus because you have to stand so far back 😆
@@sebastiantreloar6045 i love my 105mm 1.4. That lens is like magic.
@@TheJoshuaPeg yes
As he points out, just because you have an f/1.8 you don't have to, in fact you rarely should, use it wide open.
As a newcomer, it is tempting for me to set it to 1.8, just because i can, and the more light, the better, but you have shown me, that 2.8 is actually much better in those situations. Thanks :-)
I frequently shoot portraits at 2.8 with my 50 mm. It sharpens up nicely and you still get nice bokeh in the background. If I use it for landscapes I'm usually anywhere from 5.6 to f8 and its great!
I needed this video so badly! New to photography and absolutely guilty of cranking the f stop as low as it can go. Definitely noticed the chromatic aberration and had no clue what it was or how to fix it in addition to struggling to get the subject(s) of my photos sharper. Thank you so much for taking the time to create such a helpful video!!
Me too
Same - i always just thought - "oh, other people have more expensive equipment than me" 😅
I have always preferred mine at f1.8. Even though I learnt down the road that the sweet spot of a lens is not always the widest it can go, but never really tried that, until I saw your video. You are really an amazing teacher.
So glad to find your channel - it is refreshing to hear and watch someone who operates at human speed, not in a rush on a coke bender like so many folks on the youtubes!
I wholeheartedly agree. I've taken some of my best photographs with this lens, yet I rarely stop it down to its widest. It's cheap and super sharp, even on the Canon 90D, which is supposed to be unforgiving of budget lenses. I must say, though, that I never worry about chromatic aberration: it's so easy to get rid of in post.
Yup. I usually shoot mine at f/2.2 for this very reason.
I also bought have a Canon 90D and bought myself this lens as an early Christmas gift to myself. And I am so glad I did. It's my favorite lens to use
@@willemdebeer2507 You'll get some very good shots with it, and perhaps more importantly, it'll encourage you to be a better photographer by having to move throughout the scene to compose instead of zooming.
How do you get rid of the chromatic abberation?
@@DymondKB In lightroom
Been using a Canon 50mm 1.8 for the past 5 years. I always saw good photographers avoid extreme apertures, but no one mentioned the loss of sharpness. Wish I knew this earlier. As I browse through all my favourite shots, all I can do is lament :(
That's an artistic choice. Film didn't use to be tack sharp. Nothing wrong with going with a softer photo.
@@Crazy_Dashcam_Videos true. Looking at the most famous photos ever taken as well as Looking at lenses of the time. They were for the most part pretty slow by today's standards and rarely shot wide open. But in this days, composition was paid attention to as well as environmental there was not the crutch that there is today on the instagram photo pro to rely on to have a "good" photo. It is a matter of taste but understanding what qualities change throught the range will help anyone to take memorable images.
@@Crazy_Dashcam_Videos So true! I shot on film for sixty years on so many cameras, before going digital, and sure, focus was important, but there wasn't this obsession with edgy sharpness there is today... And I actually liked film grain! So many of the classic shots of photo history are not necessarily super-sharp. They're simply great pictures, for a thousand other reasons. The world of photography has become so nerdy - always the pursuit of better kit... and now the obsession with full-frame cameras that we're all supposed to aspire to. And it's catching! I've recently upgraded from a Nikon D3300, on which I shot great pictures, to a Nikon D7500, and am already wondering if I should change again! But with a bunch of Nikon DX lenses to support it, that would probably be mad. Ha! Got to be strong. Use the tech as a tool to take great pictures, eh? Not become obsessed with tech over photography!
This is one of the best advice I've got, just got the 50mm and this is what I needed!
Many non professional and beginner photographers get an expensive camera body and lower quality lenses. It should be the other way round: buy the best lenses and then a body, you can afford. It's the lens, that does matter. My advice to beginners is, to buy a high quality 50 mm / f. 1.4 - 2.0 and a camera body without too many features. If they get familiar with this simple set, they can always add more lenses like a 24 and 90 mm. It's a good combo, if you're not shooting birds, macro, sport etc. But you're right saying full aperture isn't easy to handle always and to step down to 2.8 or 4.0 will give better results in landscape photography. Keep on rolling!
Great advice. As an amateur photographer I love the 50mm. I actually use a 35mm on an APS-C for a 50mm full frame equivalent. I agree that just using a lens for its lowest aperture for background blur is a waste. Great advice thanks!
I just bought my first camera and I do the same with my 35mm.
No actually not. It also advantage of light, bokeh, and it will help u to take photo in low ISO.
I'm one of those new subscribers you mentioned and I just want to say that you're doing great! Solid information. No clickbait. Great quality. Keep it up! I plan to go through your back catalog and watch a number of your older videos, and I look forward to seeing where you go from here.
Great comment
I agree, very detailed explanation, no unnecessary overexplanation, not too long, great👌
I learnt this with experience from working with my RF 50 f1.8 and had no clue this was a thing and only figured when i started editing my images and watching this video was like a flashback of my realisation to not use the narrowest and widest apertures to get the best pictures :)
This was genuinely interesting and informative. You showed us what you were talking about. A lot of photographers can't teach. Definitely subscribed
I concur with what you advised . For me a good prime does not have to be faster than 2.8 as I will often shoot between 5.6 and f8 to ensure I have the best sharpness possible and will use a telephoto to blur background and move in closer to achieve that look with a standard lens. However , landscape and portraiture benefit from isolating the background and using a background that creates a three d effect .
Finally , using a lens wide open , even on a tripod can still produce an imperfect image if you have not correctly nailed your focus and here, is where the choice of the f stop can nail it every time .
Thanks for the video and it is something I think others should address in their videos too. Well done!
You nailed it perfectly .
God, I love the irony of this person describing getting the most out of this lens with a crooked sternum strap! Awesome video with great info!
I've just recently got my 50mm f1.8, this video is extremely useful and helpful. I tried it at f1. 8 only so far but now I'm going to try more apertures and experiment, thank you. Subscribed.
I'm getting back into photography again, I just bought a mirrorless Canon and I'm refreshing my memory about all of it. This video is great.
Nice to hear a heads up for bokeh or selective focusing. There's far too many grumpy photographers online that think any landscape shots taken with an aperture wider than F16 or focus stacked are somehow below standard
I can’t get enough of how beautifully you expose this lens flaw!! And how it can be a game chnger! In a purchase decision
First video of yours I’ve ever come across and that last part of the video got me. Very informative, subscribed. Almost 1k then, nearly 20k now !
I've watched so many videos on this lenses ability to just create "creamy bokeh" that I too caught the "Bokeh Bug"! I just got this lens today went straight to 1.8, and started shooting away. As a new photographer I thank you for helping me to free my mind and understand my cameras full potential!
That makes a lot of sense. Today, i bought my F1.8 50mm and was wondering why i was not getting the best image i wanted at 1.8. Thanks for this video. 👍
Recently picked up a camera and a 50mm, and this seems to address exactly the problem I've been having with sharpness/clarity. Very well explained, too.
Honestly, I enjoyed your content but was not going to subscribe until your heartfelt message at the end. Stay grounded my friend and keep up the good work 👍
It's almost akin to a motor. There are absolutely times where you want to be driving around at low RPM and, conversely, where you want to have it at redline. But the motor is meant to be operated somewhere in the powerband, not lugging or redlining. That's where the optics, machining, and tolerances shine.
Thank You for what you share, I absolutely love your level of Chill in your videos... your relationship to place and comfort with the landscape around you comes across really strong... and also, the breakdown simplicity with which you impart your knowledge of photography keeps me engaged... btw, the Purple Heather shots pretty awesome.
Cheers.
Thank you Nathan that’s very kind of you 😁
Definitely, it's like when a beginner guitar player uses too much distortion, you CAN do it and it's fun, but the best clarity comes from backing off and working harder. Step down a bit people ☺️
Thanks for this genuinely nice video! It was so easy to listen and follow along, and the way you explained and showed example photos was just so balanced! Best video I’ve come across as a photographer newbie.
it's refreshing to see beginner photography tips with actual beginner equipment. the sound of that canon shutter really brings some nostalgic memories for me :) not that I've completely put my old canon 550D on a shelf. It's still a good enough camera. but do note, a 50mm prime on a crop sensor is roughly 80mm equivalent and the optics on it are bit worse than a kit lens 18-55mm. that kit lens is pretty decent.
A 50mm prime on a crop sensor is equivalent to 80mm :- i didn't understand this.. but for me its a piece of cake... tnx buddy.👍
@dartixon3842 ok, got it.tnx bro.
@dartixon3842 so, what about the mounting adapter?? I mean, if I am using a mount adapter, I think it will also change the focal length?? Am I right?
@dartixon3842 focal length is the distance between lense focal point and the sensor. Isn't it??
That thank you at the end of your video is the reason why I subscribe. The i donation is solid and the way you helped me become a better photographer is awesome, but saying thank you….that’s classic mate. Cheers 🥂
Thats actually so true. Im an hobby photographer for about 11 months now and i had to learn this the hard way. My sister in law asked me for a black&white baby belly shoot and it was pretty difficult to get her whole body with the belly in focus. Had to heavily sharp most of the pictures what impacted the overall photo quality. Now i only use f1.8 if i absolutely have to (low light or shutter priority).
Great video! Thanks for not including any cheesy montages with stock music, just straight to the important stuff.
This video popped up at the right time. I've had my 50mm 1.8 for a week or two and have been having trouble getting crisp portrait focus - I'm new to photography! And yes, I've been using f1.8 to get the background blur. So thanks for the tip, I will definitely be trying to shut down the aperture a bit more. 👍🇦🇺
Can’t agree more to this! 8 months now photographing people and it just frustrates me how I am unable to get the sharpest photos! Thank you for this😊
You’re literally my new favorite on TH-cam for photography advice and just helpful tips! I’m a beginner and enjoy shooting nature as well. Love the work!
Great advice. Also when you get a new lens pick a couple of good subjects far and near and photograph them from the same spot at all apertures. Then study them and work out the idiosyncrasies and the best apertures for that lens and the the type of subject you are shooting.
I like your style Josh, keep plugging away. I love the fact your not using £20k worth of kit, more representative of most people watching this and other channels.
Super advice for someone like me trying to master the art of photography
I did this mistake too, but figured it out by myself. I have Canon M50 w 50mm f/1.8, using it on manual, but sometimes shoot same picture on auto, and than u can compare thoos two shots, and see whats different. Its my little hack to be better in photography also u are figuring this stuff by yourself and kinda making your own style.
Joshua, many thanks 😂for this tutorial. And, I’m impressed that you used a “common folks camera” rather than a $3k or $5k model. I recently returned to my Canon DSLR for its simplicity so I can genuinely enjoy photography while sharpening my skills, especially for B&W. Also, those picturesque locations in the UK are amazing! Peace.
I agree with most points - the only 2 things I would challenge is the notion, that this is a universal rule and that this canon f1.8 is a high quality - with or without metal back. Let's be real, the 50 f1.8 is like a 100-150€ or $ lens, making it the absolute cheapest native option for most systems. These are awesome for the price, but they do come with drawbacks, that more expensive primes don't have. And yes, you can get amazing results with relatively good sharpness, but you will not need to step down the f-value (as you pointed out). But: with an actual high quality lens, the issues with sharpness and chromatic aberrations usually improve dramatically. If you want great results wide open, the sigma art lenses, Canon L or Sony GMs etc will be razor sharp even wide open at f1.4 or even f1.2 and only suffer from a neglectable amount of CA. Less expensive alternatives would be the Sony 55 f1.8, or my personal favorite, the Samyang 45mm f1.8 which is sharp wide open and only shows CA in extreme high contrast scenes (it's a little more difficult for canon or ikon shooters, there are really not a lot of "mid-class" lenses fpor their dslm systems as of now). So in conclusion: I would recommend, to always think about your usecase for a lens before buying it and then read reviews and do your research, to make sure, the lens does, what you need it to do. If you want something, that delivers good bokeh and can be shot wide open, maybe wait and save more money bevore spending it on a 100€ nifty-fifty that's really not that great wide open. On the other hand, if you're happy with a cheap, small and light lens that delivers okay results and you mostly shoot stopped down to like f2.8 or f4, then go for the fifty. It'll be a great companion.
TL:DR Great Video for beginners, but in my opinion, your advice heavily depends on the lens you own.
Your advice is spot on ! When I started in Photography back in the Eighties it was just me and my Canon AE-1 Program with my 50mm and 135mm lenses ! Took incredible pictures !
Came across your video and so glad someone else is saying this. I use 3.5-4 on my 1.8 all the time as I start to get pleasing Bokeh and sharp images at those apertures. Well done!
So often a super blurry background looks like the subject has been photoshopped into the photo. I hate that artificial look. Everything in balance. Helpful video--well done.
That explains why I have some really good lenses but sometimes Im getting some quite blurry images. Top Bloke - thank you for not over complicating all your videos.
Partly....
Back in the days when these lenses were first used, they were intended to be used with film SLRs - where the brightness of the image in the viewfinder was directly related to the aperture of the lens wide open. F1.8 was just there to make the camera easier to use - especially when (manually) focusing: no one expected you to actually take the shot wide open - it was just for viewing and focusing.
Of course, later, people found good reasons to actually take pictures wide open too.....
Thank you for the clear and straightforward demonstration on how to properly use the 50mm lens to produce a sharp photo. Not to mention that you were so relaxed in explaining things! Keep cool! 😎 liked and subscribed!
As a filmmaker and photographer, gotta say my friend, I love your content. Keep it up!
Thank you Rayvin
I have six 1.4 + one 1.8 which is best of the lot. Then came auto focus and my second hand 1.4 G just was not up to snuff. I finally got a 50 1.8G for $135 at KEH. Easily best 50 I own except for my 50 APO Leica which cost 100x more.
I only have one lens, a 50mm 1.8, and I find it easy to set up outdoors. However, indoors, even with additional lighting, I find it a bit challenging.
Nice gentle reminder that you don’t always have to shoot wide open 🙏
It took me a long time to realise this, I blame Instagram 😖
I am seriously thankful for the information you have given me
Thanks, very informative. 50 mm is one of my favorite lenses. It's got everything going for it, ideal blend of size, weight, and performance. Honorable mentions, 35mm and 85mm. (Full frame, or equivalent with crop factor considerations)
85mm has to be one of my favorite focal lenths
Picked up this lens for portraits and cars shots, because of the talk of the extreme blur. Now you have taught me the full potential of this lens thank you so much!
Thanks for taking the time to put this video together. Straight forward and to the point. It's nice to see real world work that can be done on a lens. I found this lens used for ($25 USD !!!)for my street photography/portraits on my APSC and am excited to utilize these techniques. I realize it'll be 80mm roughly. I'm normally a wildlife shooter, but love all photography. Thanks as well for being humble on the end of this video and not just fishing for subs. Be well.
This vid popped up on my feed and out of a keeness to understand the 50mm lense for portrait photography, i watched it and so glad i did. I am a keen amateur photographer with a skill lever lets just say is avaerage and still 'work in progress'. The author of this video is just so good with his commentary, excellent explanation on the given subjects and most importantly his delivery left me no choice but to subscribe AND buy a 50mm!! What a bloke 👏
I’ve definitely been guilty of using my 50mm at its widest aperture too often, I’ll be sure to change things up a bit more often for some different results!
Joshua,
Thank you for posting your informative video on how to better use a 50 mm 1.8 lens. I have heard good things about the Canon 50 mm 1.8 lens.
I am a Church photographer and recently purchased the Nikkor Z 50 1.8 S lens. I watch many videos to learn how and when to use the lens. I am surprised to learn that a wedding photographer uses a 50 mm all day at an event; her photos clearly showed it is possible.
I liked that you encourage using different aperture and shutter speed settings and that the 50 mm can do quite well as a landscape lens. This information is helpful since I will take photos during large building Church services.
Dan
a tripod and remote shutter also handily beats hand held for quality, even though you may feel like you are not moving, on a microscopic level you are moving slightly
Thank you so much for this! I just got my first ever mirrorless camera, and I've never worked with interchangeable lenses before. The 50mm lens definitely posed a bit of a challenge 😅 This helped a lot!
I never knew that 50mm. is capable of capturing nice Landscape shot. Thank you very much.
I wish I saw this before I shot yesterday. I am going to explore more with my 50mm. Thank you.
GREAT VIDEO MAN! Greetings from Perú 🙌🇵🇪📸
Joshua, Thank you. I am a graphic designer but recently decided to pick up a camera, I am still learning. Your channel is new to me but I have learned much from your videos. the 50mm is my latest addition and I had to play around with the aperture a lot. the 50mm 1.8 gave me a new urge to take more pictures. thank you
i think the beauty of an ultra fast lens isnt that you can shoot it at f/1.8 or f/1.1, but that you can shoot at f/2.8 without the artifacting that you get with a slower lens that bottoms out at f/2.8. good video
I photographed this place some months ago while in Wales. Beautiful Place. Nice Explanations here
I have an 85mm, a 50mm and a 35mm all f1.4 but unlike some photographers, I don't go crazy trying to shoot everything wide open.
Thank you, sir. Just bought this lens for 6000 roubles (100 bucks), and it's pure magic! And now it is even better with your advice
Well, I'm in love with my 50mm lenses (Zeiss, Minolta, Sony, Nikon, etc. f1.4 to f2.8, old and new glasses). I use them often wide open. The problems you describe occur on them more or less. The Minolta MD 50mm f2 build 1981 stands out with an excellent performance. On the other hand, the Leica Q, which has a 28mm f1.7 lens, doesn't have problems like that. Wide open is the to go choice for most of the pictures I made. There are of course unsharp areas, but they are smooth and prikle the picture to make them deep. Also high contrast is no problem after opening the DNG files with manufacturer lens profile correction. There might be a chance of a glimp of reason why they are so unbelievable expensive …
Great video, thank you. Mainly use my 50 for street work but keen to try up the hills now too
Just bought a 250D with kitlens and the 50MM f/1.8.
Thanks for youre great vid's, very helpfull for a noob like me ☺
Greets from The Netherlands .
Testing lenses this week and was trying the 50mm but was getting that semi-out of focus blur on my subject. This video really helped clear things up. Thank you!
My pleasure!
Thanks for the solid demonstration of some of the disadvantages of using the lens extremes. I really love shooting with my Canon 50mm 1.4 (EF with an adapter) and will take this into consideration on my next trip.
With all lenses, when going for bokeh, use live-view and if possible also DOF preview to focus - it's more accurate as there's always a focus shift with aperture changes - especially with the older EF 50mm on a crop sensor body.
One tip I have is use aperture bracketing! - You could also stack the photos in post as wide open you don't get the best contrast...
Thanks for the quick lesson for my fast 50mm!!! 😄
I agree to twobarpsi's comment on the depth of field. I have used 50mm lens to capture everything from potrait, landscape and also wildlife.
the most clearest and the informative video i've ever seen about photography
That was so well explained. Exactly what I was looking for in a video. Great to see you’re past the 18K subscriber mark now as well. Including myself. Cheers
Try the Zuiko 40-150 and take a look at max aperture... It's a piece of art. Of course, you shouldn't be shooting every time at max aperture, as most of the time you would want to have some information in the background, not just a stain.
Thanks very much. Nice, clear, simple instruction. New subscriber.
My 1.8 50mm arrived today and impressed and this video reflected my short walk about today just trying it out on my z6 ..
Enjoyed your presentation thanks you again
Thank you Joshua for the valuable information! Best wishes from Bengaluru, India
thank you for your video. You made me change my mind because I was about to sell the whole camera because the pictures wasn’t clear and I was making mistake by making the aperture wide open and now I knew what I should do. Thanks to you again.
I learnt something I was doing wrong for many years now. Always turn your Active D Lighting: OFF it totally messes up the captured pictures making it so dark than seen on the LCD and undermines the true capabilities of the 50 1.8G
Immediate sub. You pretty much confirmed what I had recently learned myself with the 50mm. Looking at the subscriber count you have more than doubled your count in 4days so congratulations for that.
Thank you Raymond
Bruv your voice is super calming haha cheers mate
😁
1000 subs? You're on 13.2K now! Congrats. Thanks for the 50mm info.
I had this lens on my canon and i never learned how to use it properly, i just understood these concepts you said when i changed to sony and had a sigma 30mm f1.4.
Chromatic aberration with the lens wide open? Did not know. Well you learn something every day. thanks.
Fully agree, for portrait work I keep it around f4
I strongly agree with your point about having too blurry backgrounds. I love it when there’s lights or big objects. But if the background is a landscape then it looks like you applied photoshop blur.
All lenses are at their worst at full opening. I love them on reflex cameras, because you get a brighter image and easier focus.
I do the 50mm challenge with myself and just take my Nikon 1.4 50MM out and just see what I can get. I did notice things get super soft at wider aperture but sometimes it works for some situations of course.
Thank you for this video. You make me feel like you’re speaking to me. I get a little lost by some really good photographers that know the trade but speak as if everyone understands them. You’re enjoyable to listen to and learn from…
Thanks Joshua, it all makes sense to me.
Something that I think most video tutorials miss are side-by-side comparisons. You demonstrated f1.8 and showed the aberration. Then you showed the f2.8. You really missed an opportunity to show them side-by-side so that we can see the contrast. It think it's ironic that photographers miss this opportunity to capitalize on contrast. Nice video.
Yes, I was making this mistake indeed and thanks to you that you made me aware of what I've been doing since I've bought the camera. To have specific informations about it, I was just surfing on the internet and I found you as a really good vlogger!
Thanks for this video and tips though. Gonna use them for sure, appreciate that. :)
The advice works as well on the RF 70-210 f/2.8 as a 50mm f/1.8. Once I started using f/3.5 rather than f/2.8, my images are now sharper than before.
Great video having to use a 50mm, as my main lens in for repairs. But had to buy a lens so can keep taking photos, so watching your video was a great help thank you