CHEAP Lens for Car Photography

Canon 50mm f/1.8 for RF mount (shown in video) amzn.to/3L5JsDw
Canon 50mm f/1.8 for EF mount amzn.to/43ND1xn
Sony 50mm f/1.8 for E mount amzn.to/3UVP5IE
Nikon 50mm f/1.8 for Z mount amzn.to/41LBqWW
Nikon 50mm f/1.8 for F mount amzn.to/3L2jRLs
Camera equipment used in this video:
Canon R5 amzn.to/3H5HbHf
RGB light bar amzn.to/43Rjpsa
43mm polarizer amzn.to/41JnhcK
77mm polarizer + ND amzn.to/3Lnc9NB
43mm-77mm step up ring amzn.to/3oxNKvB
This description contains affiliate links. If you buy a product through my custom link, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Win!
00:00 intro
01:08 why 50mm?
02:41 for photography
04:04 for video
06:04 low light
06:38 accessories
08:09 conclusion
If you’re into automotive photo and video and are looking to upgrade from your kit lens, or maybe you’re brand new to photography and aren’t sure what to buy, a 50mm lens should be high on your list. The model that I use is for Canon RF cameras, but every camera manufacturer has their own version of this lens.
You may hear it affectionately referred to as a “Nifty Fifty” or “Plastic Fantastic.” The point is, they are small, lightweight and affordable. The Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 is around $170 brand new. Here are some links to affordable 50mm lenses, be sure to choose one that fits your camera body.
50mm is considered a “normal focal length,” meaning that it gives us a similar perspective to what we see with our eyes. That’s why photos and videos taken with a 50mm have a familiar look to them. Different focal lengths will change how a car appears in photos. If the lens is too wide, it can throw off the proportions of the car, making the hood appear too long, or making the wheels appear egg shaped. With focal lengths longer than 50mm, the car can appear smooshed from certain angles.
A photo taken with a 50mm lens will give the car the same perspective as though we were standing next to it and looking at it in person. Keep in mind that if you’re using a crop sensor camera, it will be more like 85mm which is still a popular focal length for shooting cars, you’ll just have to stand further back to get the same framing.
For those coming from a kit lens, the 50mm has one huge advantage, a large f/1.8 aperture. At f/1.8, the lens lets more light into the camera meaning you can shoot in low light without introducing as much noise or “grain” into the photo. It also gives you shallower depth of field where the car is in sharp focus with a creamy blurred background. If you’ve ever seen a professional car photo with a blurry background and wondered how it’s done, they’re using a large aperture lens like this.
The effect works for video as well. I use it often in my KZbin videos to isolate something in the scene that I want the viewer to focus on. If you check out my Car Wash DIY from a few months back, that entire video was shot on this lens.
Another benefit that a lot of reviewers skip over is it’s form factor. These lenses are tiny and hardly add any weight to the camera. That’s why it’s my go-to for car shows or meets where don’t want to lug around a heavy setup where the camera takes away from my enjoyment of the show. 50mm in general is an excellent all-purpose focal length. Beyond cars, it’s great for portraits, travel, and family get togethers.. any time I want to take professional looking photos but don’t want to bring a bunch of equipment with me, this is my go-to. This could almost, almost be my only lens.
Being that this is an entry level lens, the optics aren’t perfect, and a common issue with nifty fifty’s is color fringing where you’ll see green or magenta halos around high contrast areas. I notice it the most around the headlights where you’ll see that pink outline around the running lights. Adobe Lightroom has a de-fringe tool where you can easily remove this from your photos with a couple clicks. And for those of us just shooting for Instagram and social media, the optical performance is satisfactory. It’s not until you start zooming in on a high-res monitor that you’ll notice these shortcomings.
The 50mm is great for video as well. Every reel that I’ve ever made for Instagram has been shot with this lens. People will ask what lens I’m using and they’re shocked to find out that the videos are shot using something so inexpensive. Being that it’s so lightweight, it makes it easy to balance on a gimbal and allows me to shoot for long periods of time without feeling fatigued. Keep in mind that these 50mm lenses don’t have stabilization. If you’re shooting on a tripod, it’s a non-issue. But for any kind of camera movement, a gimbal is almost a necessity.
INSTAGRAM @justinbuice
#BMW #photography #video
This description contains affiliate links. If you buy a product through my custom link, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Win!

[@M3BEATS]

To get rid of green or purple fringe “chromatic aberration” don’t shoot with the lens wide open. Step down a few stops from f1.8 and that will usually get rid of most of the fringe. Each lens has a sweet spot but everyone wants to shoot wide open but you’d be surprised how little changes and pic quality goes up when stopped down a little. But as you said it’s not really a big deal for IG photos. Circular polarizers are a must for cars to deal with reflections.

[@illestprincessforeve]

This came out great babe! It was such a helpful feature to show the 3 focal lengths side by side to really show the difference. Proud of how far you’ve come in your photography and videography journey!

[@justinbuice]

couldn't have done it without your support! 😊

[@chrisking6740]

Justin has helped me a lot as well in my budding photography. I picked up a 5d Mark ii on his advice last fall and couldn't be happier. With a 50mm lens of course ; ) I agree this video was great and really shows his skill and capability. Many thanks friend, keep up the great work.

[@DDHDTV]

Been using 30mm on APSC for years now. Traveled the world with it and using it like 98% of the time. Focal length is perfect, not quite the same compression and proportions as a 50mm on full frame, but never had an issue. Cars look just a tad bigger which is a good thing :D

[@AaronTremblay]

Heck yeah man! The Internet needs to see this, you can definitely get some banger photos and videos with cheap gear if you prioritize light and composition. Great video!

[@justinbuice]

Thanks man! $170 lens + $3,800 body 😆

[@telkirton]

Great video with loads of info for beginners

[@dsrtmedia]

One of my favorite lenses for sure! 🙏🏼🔥🔥 such a good video! 🤌🏼

[@justinbuice]

Thanks man! I need that Rf 16mm next 😬

[@angi334]

Fantastic video! I recently bought a 50mm for my Nikon for portrait photos but never knew it would work perfectly for cars too. Thanks so much for all this terrific info!

[@justinbuice]

You'll love it for shooting cars!

[@charielperez5629]

Hey Justin I followed, you back in 2015 when I purchased my 128, I sold the car mid 2017 since my family grew. A couple of days ago, due to being in a much better financial situation (bought house, payed off student loans) I purchased a manual 135 and an auto 128. Awesome to see that you are still making content and congrats on the F30.

[@justinbuice]

Thanks! And congrats on paying of your student loans! That’s such a huge relief. Congrats on the house too 😎

[@whaledbmw]

I've literally been looking for this exact video, I have a rebel T7 and wanted to make it a little better, thanks!

[@justinbuice]

Nice!! You’ll want to pick up the version for Canon EF mount 😎

[@ketijens1]

Great content as always👍😎

[@justinbuice]

Thank you! 🙏

[@rookietoprobuildz]

📸 Useful knowledge. I went for a T3i to a GH7 & trying to find out my next camera, preferably for video.

[@thekingofmeerkats]

Absolutely love my 50mm, always in my carry bag or on the body 🤙🏻 Your shots are beautiful though mate! I'm just a novice with Lightroom for editing but would be decent to see a video on your editing techniques etc.!

[@justinbuice]

Thank you! Might be cool to do an “intro to Lightroom” style video

[@lewismoore9n3]

brilliant video man! super informative and some great tips thrown in as well! I'm looking to improve my automotive photography with either a 40mm pancake lens or the 50mm 1.8. My 700D is crop sensor so have to factor the 1.6x crop. currently enjoying the 24mm pancake lens also.

[@justinbuice]

The 50 will give you shallower depth of field if that’s what you’re looking for. Since you’ve already got a 24 for wider shots, I think the 50 would be a nice compliment 😎

[@badingis754]

Great video Justin! Could you also recommend me a camera that’s not too expensive but still has a good amount of features that would great with that lense?

[@NoiseLess1980]

Very appropriate describtion bro.

[@S12Gaming]

I have recently picked up a camera and the kit lens that came with it (18-55 mm) is good but not good enough. And I definitely needed to see this focal length comparisons because I couldn't make up my mind with what I wanted. Overall this video is very helpful and as always its great watching your videos!!!

[@justinbuice]

Glad I could help 😁

[@Oscar_T.V_cars_and_stuff]

...my first experience with a BMW was when i drove a 325i e36 5 speed manual, which looked like sh*t but boy did it drive well, i loved it to bits, the sound and the torque was just astonishing, any gear acceleration was a marvel, it just kept begging me to press. The second encounter was in a 530d e39 manual 5 speed, it felt sluggish at take off but i got used to it and the steering felt heavier than normal. Right now I'm interested in a 525i e39

[@castyourmemories9686]

Thank you

[@valuree]

Hello! Is the yongnuo 50mm f1.8 good? Its cheaper and would be more comfortable with budget. Gday1!

[@blackpandasyndicate]

bro can u shoot car use canon 600d and what best setting for this camera??

[@davidfountain4229]

Good stuff!! I am just beginning (using a Nikon 5300 w/ kit lens) and I find your videos very helpful. I bought an ‘88 M6 (E24) last year and got it pretty much where I want it. After I did a paint correction, I was determined to begin to photograph it. Sounds like a 50 mm is what I need. What type of gimbal are you using? Thanks again.

[@justinbuice]

That’s an awesome car!! Congrats! The gimbal I use is called the Zhiyun Crane Plus. It’s an older model but you can still find them on Amazon/ eBay

[@ravetilldawn]

Lot's of Bimmer fans here ! Post your E24 be great to see it !

[@goprobuddies9995]

Which camera would you recommend that is beginner and budget friendly?

[@justinbuice]

What's your budget for a camera? And are you only doing photo? or video too?

[@goprobuddies9995]

@@justinbuice Mostly for photos. I would say that max budget is 1000€ ($1100) on a camera.

[@Jacob-rt6on]

How do you tell if you have rf mount or ef mount? Im using a canon eos2000d

[@AX5Z]

How do you edit your shots?

[@Erickguitar16]

This guy has the grace of God. Continue to provide good quality content.

[@justinbuice]

🙏

[@marcovanhoven6405]

I have absolutely no knowledge of photography,but for those who do,it was probably a very valuable video. But I still enjoyed it.👊🇳🇱🇳🇱

[@justinbuice]

Thanks for watching 😁 I’ll have more car content soon 💪

[@SycaShow]

What do you keep your tire pressure at?

[@justinbuice]

32 front, 35 rear

[@hotplatesuk]

Hey Justin what camera did you use to shoot this KZbin video that is quality 😅

[@justinbuice]

Lol thanks! I use a Canon R5 for my youtube videos

[@geoffwatches]

Fascinating. I know f all about photography

[@Drews_Elite_Mobile_Detailing]

Hey Justin will this work on a Nikon D5200 didn’t know if it worked on all Nikons.

[@justinbuice]

Yes, there is a Nikon version of this lens

[@gcdelrosario]

Sold mine and planning to buy the sigma 30mm f1.4 for my canon crop sensor.

[@justinbuice]

That's a great lens. I used to have a Sigma 16mm f1.4

[@KiesMotorsports]

Yesssssssss

[@mikemoral99]

What do you use for editing photos?

[@justinbuice]

I use Adobe Lightroom for editing

[@fantasticict-chamikaekanay8424]

Shall we add a front splitter?

[@justinbuice]

I had one and it broke off on the highway. I have a new one but haven’t put it on yet

[@fantasticict-chamikaekanay8424]

@@justinbuice ah nice 😀 You should do a video ok???.... This is my dream car!. my dream is inspiring by this channel...

[@NoCoMpany741]

Hey man my Question is Is the Canon EF 17-40 mm good for Car Photogrpahy ?

[@justinbuice]

Yes! That would be a great lens

[@NoCoMpany741]

@@justinbuice This was 4 Months ago and I got myself a Tamron 17-50 2.8 😅

[@justinbuice]

@@NoCoMpany741 LOL how do you like it??

[@NoCoMpany741]

@@justinbuice It's the greatest lenses I ever owned

[@HeroTrickshotz]

I’ve been wanting to get a camera to take car pictures for me and my friends maybe get into it with a few other people but I don’t know where to start. Does anybody have a good affordable first camera to get that isn’t gonna break my bank? Thanks.

[@justinbuice]

What’s your budget for a camera? That will help me give you a recommendation

[@BadBoy5]

SO for sure in m4/3 its just 25mm? 😮

[@justinbuice]

Yes m4/3 has a 2x crop so you’d need a 25mm to get the same field of view.

[@basheralbost9669]

in 5:58 why he don't use tap on screen to focus?

[@justinbuice]

I usually do. But sometimes I want to pull focus more slowly than what the AF is capable of, even at the slowest setting

[@AlanNoMoney]

You need to shoot for BMW 🔥

[@justinbuice]

I have the opportunity to shoot some photos for a local BMW dealership soon 😊 I'll post them on IG if I end up doing it

[@gameplayclips2623]

ganggangnoti

[@danny_r27]

At f/1.8 you’ll have a lot of toneh (hardly anyone will get this reference)

[@justinbuice]

I know the exact video you’re referring to 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@J2dad5389]

Correction, the 35mm is the one that Is the same as human eye level 😇 the 50mm is just a little Bit more zoomed

[@vainvoid4469]

You sold me. I just ordered a canon EF 50mm, sounds like the perspective I’ve been looking for. My first lens🥲

[@justinbuice]

Congrats! You will love it. I’ve been doing photo/ video for years, and to this day, it’s one of my most used lenses.

[@vainvoid4469]

@@justinbuice It truly is an excellent lens. I just wish I did my research before ordering it because my little T4i’s crop sensor turns it into an 80mm lens essentially which is still great. But now I’m gonna have save up for a nice lil 24mm 1.4 to achieve that 50mmish focal length😅