5 reasons you NEED a 50mm for portrait photography

[@charlesianima]

I had a weird period of highly disliking my 50mm and all of a sudden I have fallen back to reaching for it more and more. Must be something in the air ~

[@Babyboo294]

Every time I start to heavily research a lens, Julia always posts a video that reconfirms my decision 😂

[@jonathanwang1643]

Love these shots, Julia! I used to be a 35mm and 85mm person like you when I was doing event photography. However, I recently found my love for my Sony 50mm f1.8 when I started doing portraits. Gosh, even I feel the 50mm is such a versatile focal length. I can get flattering shots, yet it’s wide enough in case I can’t step back. I’m glad you also enjoy using the 50mm and started using it again.

[@Avstinali]

Same as you, Julia I started on a nifty 50 my first year and then moved to 35mm + 85mm after that. But 50mm had such a special place in my heart, I ended up switching back and getting the 1.2. It’s a perfect focal length for me 🙌🏾

[@hoatd1993]

All you need is a decent 50mm f1.8 lense and you're good to take stunning photos!

[@stefan_becker]

Even though a f1.2 is even better 😅

[@hoatd1993]

@@stefan_becker most of the time, you won't need that aperture. It's hard to keep the model body in focus.

[@stefan_becker]

@@hoatd1993 Only people that have never used a 50mm f1.2 on an Alpha 1 say that. It's sufficient to point the camera roughly in the right direction and take a picture in af-c mode an eye detection enabled and you'll get tack sharp results. At 2 or 3m distance the depth of field is just perfect for full body shots and a lovely soft bokeh. I did this thousands of times.

[@classic.cameras]

I truly love the Sony Zeiss 55mm f1.8. Buying it used its pretty good deal and it is indeed twice if not 5x better then their cheapo FE 50mm f1.8 that clearly is just a DSLR lens with a built in adapter.

[@maxanderssonphotography]

I mostly shot street photography and 50 is my favourite focal length. Zeiss 55mm f/1.8 was my first lens and probably my favourite still even if I own some GM lenses now.

[@mclenowski]

I’ve just brought back a 50mm to my usual kit of 35mm and 85mm. There’s just something so satisfying about the 50mm - it feels good to look at the photos 😊

[@bigwavedave350]

I have the 35 1.4 gm the 85 1.8 and the 50 1.2, my favorite is the 50 1.2gm. It has produced some of my favorite photos, I shoot for fun, (my family) and I absolutely love it, it’s such an easy lens to take beautiful shots with, I was always confused that you liked portraits with the 35 1.4 more so. But I get it, it’s your style. I think my style is the 50 1.2 it’s an incredible lens, thanks for letting us know you’re using it again and loving it because I feel the same way

[@karlmuud]

Nifty Fifty is King! However, Julia is THE QUEEN! 👌😉

[@chrisgresham7048]

The main reason why I purchased the 50GM 1.4 because I like the close up (Jon Snip style portraits). I mainly use my 35GM in the city to show more of the location..

[@jessewright3728]

Great video. The versatility of the 50mm focal length has been the biggest reason why it’s my most used lens on photoshoots. I really love 35mm and 85mm as well but I find that switching lenses mid-shoot is sometimes a momentum killer. Yes, you can also carry two bodies or use a 24-70mm to avoid switching lenses but the added weight of two bodies isn’t always ideal and I prefer the shallower depth of field from prime lenses. So 50mm seems to be the perfect focal length for versatility.

[@harryvuemedia5106]

I use all Prime lenses for portraits like the 14mm, 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm and 135mm. They all have their usages and take great portraits

[@The_Essential_Light]

I was having some out of focus images when using the Sony 24-105 f4 with my A7RV. I bought the Sony 50 1.4 and now I have the sharpest images I have ever taken.

[@johnmuscat8731]

I agree with what you are saying about the 50mm. It’s just so natural.

[@Cthames123]

I agree with you 100% in that there is something about a good 50mm that feels just so right! I am a Sony shooter and have (2) 50mms, the Sony f2.5,G that I use with my take everywhere camera, A7C, and my newest lens the f1.4, GM that I use with my A7IV. Both spectacular, and both return beautiful distortion free results. I also shoot with 24mm and 90mm, as they are still great focal lengths. It’s pretty hard taking a selfie with 50mm at arms length and sometimes I want to capture the grander of a scene. These occasions are what 24mm are made for. Also, 90mm gets you nice and intimate while keeping a comfortable distance from your subject. Still, if I just could bring one lens 50mm is my go to, (usually)!😊

[@dominicoliveira6613]

The first lens I bought for my Sony a6000 was a Sony 50mm. Now I have the sigma 50mm f1.2 for my a7iv and I’m in love 😍 definitely a fun lens

[@soumyonath911]

50mm has to be my favorite focal length

[@Valleedbrume]

The nifty fifty is great.If you want a cheaper version of the Gmaster 1.2 for the gmaster 1.4 you save a lot of money and is just as good.

[@sarmedozil4060]

I love 50mm lenses! When i want to pack light for a portrait shoot i usually go with the 50mm because it can do the work of both of my 35 & 85 perfectly!💯

[@paulyeung6608]

I used to like 35mm more than 50mm but for street photos, but social anxiety won’t let me get close enough for 35mm. Fast 50mm is where it’s at!

[@gavinfulton1361]

I rented the 50mm 1.2 GM earlier this summer, and it was wonderful, creating some really great results. I would never buy it, as I don't think it's worth the cost, but it's fun to play around with. I own the classic Zeiss 55mm 1.8, and it has a bit more character with providing some very similar results wide open. I will never, ever, sell that lens. I also primarily shoot a 50mm lens on my 35mm film camera, so I guess I'm just in that long honeymoon phase (4+ years hah). ~50mm doesn't really get the love it deserves, and I'm glad I rotate it in on shoots. Glad you were able to find that love again, Julia!

[@denniscornelisse341]

For a couple of years now I use a Sigma 50mm 1.4 for portraits. It gives such good images. For a shoot I always take the 35, 50, 85 (Sigma) and 135 (Canon) with me.

[@joekabooki]

I love my Zeiss 55mm 1.8.

[@kennethcheong4498]

I was using the EF50L for a while, but wasn't quite satisfied with its sharpness. Then the RF50L came along and that completely changed my lens preferences. Its a combination of a super sharp lens with incredible bokeh and a reasonable working distance from the subject. Shooting at f1.2 just fixes your attention on the subject and its shallow depth of field throws everything else out of focus. While some Canon users claim the 28=70f2 is better, the bokeh on the 50L just blows away everything but the 85L. The only problem I had was that I wanted some degree of flexibility as the model shoots are usually limited to 2hours and I wanted to optimise that time. The only other lens that I considered is the Tamron/Samyang 35-150mm f2-2.8. This lens is fabulously sharp with almost zero chromatic aberration and the bokeh is also extraordinarily smooth. So I got an A7iv to pair with it and haven't looked back. The only issue is the weight and so I'm also wondering which 50mm is there for the E mount that won't break the bank. The one lens that pops up regularly in my search is the 55mm Zeiss. Just wondering what are your thoughts about that lens?

[@petermcginty3636]

Thank you Julia, fab video. 🎉🎉🎉 Question for you: Many of your images are at high shutter speeds. Do you find that these high speeds can sometimes make your colours look a little washed out?

[@DVinstapics]

I recently bought a 50mm 1.8 (I own the Sony 85 1.8 and Samyang 35-150 2-2.8 which is a chonker) because I wanted a compact lens that I can take everywhere with me and can do it all. For street photography the 50 is great, I can take a few steps back for a wider shot and also it has some reach for when I need to shoot something further away and can do a minimal crop in after. It's also great for portraits and product shots so yeah, I'm quite happy with my purchase and it deffinitely has a place in my bag

[@snapjacksonphotography]

I have GM glass and I still find myself reaching for the 50mm 1.8 often/ Something about it. Love that little lens!

[@DVinstapics]

@@snapjacksonphotography I think it's because of the size and weight, it's like a toy but also sooo capable

Chuckles in 85mm + 35mm kit for literally everything

[@ChemaPhoto]

Loved it! Really nice and we'll explained congrats team!

[@ScratThunder]

Whenever I travel, I almost always take the 55 1.8 with me. Pared with the a7c ii you get amazing quality despite the smallness of the combo.

[@schubertludwig]

Heh, I also shot a 50mm 1.4 exclusively for my first 8 years of portraiture. When I got a new camera system I switched to the 85 + 35 combination; in no small part due to your inspiring work with those lenses! Maybe in a couple years I’ll feel the pull of an allrounder lens again; atm I love including more of the background with the 35 - I had gotten into a routine where I’d blur out too much and make all my pictures look sameish and eventuallly boring to me. Enjoy your newly refound perspective!

[@evrythingis1]

50mm is great if you can only afford $100 and you were given a free camera, and computer/monitor... so basically useless for everyone.

[@megamastah]

@@evrythingis1 Well that's rich.

[@stefan_becker]

Yes, the 50mm f1.2 GM is my favorite lens 😍

[@lensman5762]

I have in my possession more than a dozen 50&55 mm lenses from Nikon, Canon, Helios, Voigtlander, Zeiss and Leica. I am leaving the Leicas out here as they are mostly irrelevant to this discussion but my most favourite 50 mm is the Voigtlander 50mm F1.2 VM. It is magical wideopen at close range and stopped down to F4 it is razor sharp corner to corner even at infinity. Impressive lens for a lot of subjects including portraits. BTW, in my youth every single SLR or Range Finder came with a 50 mm lens for good reasons. To hell with zooms.

[@michaellowe8890]

I only have the Nikon z 50mm 1.2mm and the 105mm 2.8. Will hopefully get a 28mm, a 70-200m and then see where to go from there.

[@michaelcliffordphotos]

@JuliaTrotti Everything that you said is so true! The 50 1.2 GM is one of my very favorites (and the one I have with me right now!). I'm a huge fan of 85 1.4 and 135 1.8, particularly because they let me de-emphasize the background - which I need for some of the shots that I do. But when I want context in a portrait, or when there just isn't enough room for something longer, the 50 is amazing. If I want the background to be part of the story, but I don't want to worry too much about other things (random people, objects and backgrounds that don't fit the shoot, etc.) sneaking their way into the image, a 50 is an excellent choice! I also use the 50 2.5 G as a walking around lens, because it is small and light. I'm not sure if this is universally true, but I keep seeing 50s that have convex front elements. They're the only lenses I've seen with them, so I keep wondering why.

[@davidellis5141]

Hi Julia ! Loved the location for this shoot. The 50MM seemed to incorporate the location perfectly.

[@evrythingis1]

That's some kind of joke right? The location just looks like a terribly distracting background because she never stood far enough back to get a good shot..... she treated the 50mm like a 35mm and it shows.

[@Sqeezy3]

I've bought a 35GM because you make great photos with it. Love the lens, but this video makes a little emotional hit😅

[@michalkus509]

Hi, I shoot everything on the Canon RF 50mm f1.8 STM + R8 - the motor is slow and sluggish, but optically it's not too bad. Anyway, I like the 50mm focal length, for its universal use - I started shooting with my Praktica and 50mm f1.4 Carl Zeiss 25 years ago. When Canon releases the upcoming RF 50mm f1.4 L VCM, I will go for it - The 35mm version is very good and I think the 50 will be great too. Otherwise, you have very nice videos, I subscribed.

[@okeydokey6605]

Love 50mm ❤

[@DoubleTheDom]

Julia you are destroying my bank account with your awesome images

[@gamerw1zz]

Already having a 40 F2 I think I can get away with that and the next prime, 85mm would best serve me better than buying a 50mm. Unless someone tells me otherwise 😅. Seems most folks bypass the 50 these days, I wanted a different focal length for once, plus a 40 was much smaller, Great video!

[@andyphotoandfilm]

Absolutely 50mm and i believe the Lumix S 50mm 1.8 is the best in terms of weight & size vs. speed/bokeh and sharpness. Its actually very sharp and soo light.

[@Хубби-х8щ]

Менга хам суратга олиш жуда екади. Чиройли суратга олар экансиз

[@Champageproblemsreviews]

Do you use fill lights or reflectors, or do you just count on post to lift shadows?

[@trzmaier]

50mm doesn't get the love it deserves - there are some truly fantastic lenses out there

[@ryzenbiel4145]

50mm best prime lens over all. .. ☺️

[@tjsinva]

Nifty! 😍 Carry on. 👍🥂

[@paulanderson8557]

Awesome viddy! I do have a question as a beginner. I have APC-S sensor, the Canon R50. I do have 50mm F1.8 Prime and a 16mm F2.8 Prime. Should I get the 28mm Prime for similar results? Thanks

[@shutterlag192]

50 is probably the best balance of natural and beautiful looking, but I can’t give up the versatility of 35mm and I hate using two cameras. We need a Nikon z 35 1.4 video! Did I miss it?

[@munckmb]

Nice photos! Question: Why do you not use a lens hood? You are shooting backlit a lot.

[@QwietStorm]

Hey Julia, what camera strap are you using?

[@africah_beauty]

also, am sponsored to say this😅😅😅😅. 85mm ,105 and 135mm is where portaits are made from, 35mm and 50mm is for videos

[@huzaifazkansa]

Do you do videos on software editing photos and videos.and equipment of camera these things.

[@ste8ven]

Wow, I remember you only used 35 and 85mm before and ditched the 50mm. Some other photographers always preferred the 50mm, so this was always the controversy.

[@rappersloveme]

Right, She's Really the Queen of 35

[@Anarki2U]

For portrait photography, use Lenses from 55mm and longer, 85mm, 135mm... !

[@den_yes]

What you are prefer, 50 or 85? Because, now I have 35 and 50, and just thinking about switching 50 to 85.

[@Anarki2U]

85mm is the best for portrait !

[@Dariusproductions]

I love my 50

[@margot6041]

Do you prefer the 1.2 over a 1.8?

[@johnmuscat8731]

Hi Julia I’m an amateur/enthusiast photographer in Sydney. I love your locations. Any chance you can let us know your locations when you are doing your videos. Thanks in advance 😊

[@mooksdfe]

Watching this while looking at my FE 35mm F1.8 and FE 35mm F1.4 GM: I don't need another lens. I don't need another lens. I don't need another lens.

[@ryzenbiel4145]

more 50mm Shoot.. like budget lens Sigma art 1.4 50mm or GM 1.4 50mm... love the photos and composition and color.. .thanks idol Julia watching from Philippines 🇵🇭

[@jkjorstadmoen]

yes. Canon EF 50 mm L. F:1,2

[@cristiangeorge781]

I never use the 50mm. It is on my bag and I never use the focal. I prefer the 24 35 and 85.

[@watarchives]

Dang! You're so pretty

[@MrJapanforce]

50mm is the one and only focal length for me. Period.

[@marqessanzcora4089]

06:20 are the best photos ( for me )

[@ste8ven]

to be honest, I think people use the 85mm gm or sigma 1.4 for the bokeh, but the 50mm gm 1.2 also has good bokeh without distortion, so I really don't know how people choose between the two. if anyone can give me a clear reason to use 85 more than 50 it would be great

[@astralfilmsstudio]

bardzo ładnie ;)

[@cristianc.5927]

Ciao. Come mai iso 200?

[@gamingwithmaths2834]

Julia can you give me any camera which you no use plzz 😢 my love is photography but i have no camera

[@Shahidnabi...211]

Pixel 9pro camera test plx

[@hauducnguyenvn]

Did you try the new sigma 50 1.2. A lot of people reviewed saying it's good

[@MissCharly1992]

Next video : best 50mm for Sony? ;)

[@evrythingis1]

I just started taking two steps closer with my 35mm and no one has noticed yet...

[@myfakeguuglaccount8307]

That's what I'm going to do. I was sold on the 85/1.2, and love that thing. So my next prime will be a 35.

[@BenLovell80]

I just sold my 50 and kept my 35 for this reason.

[@waldemarkoop7187]

I guess that works for most cases. You can‘t however recreate the non distorted look a 50mm will give you…

[@evrythingis1]

@@waldemarkoop7187 Well, maybe you can't, but I can with a single click in light room.

[@BenLovell80]

@waldemarkoop7187 agreed, although the distortion on the 35 is quite minimal. For closer than half body shots, I'm switching to the 70-200.

[@grandscent]

Hehehehehhe can I ask all the experts here 50mm here refers to full frame or apc? Hehehehehhe

[@greylord50]

I like 40mm better😄

[@evrythingis1]

Kind of strange to go to a beautiful location like that and take nothing but half body/head shots with distracting backgrounds. The location combined with the shallow depth of field is the worst of both worlds.

[@Mahdi.Real46]

Halloo ... Jullia

[@joptoyochannel]

Joke😂

[@blackimp4987]

I find terribly hard to choose a 50mm over a 85mm for portrait. My nature is to frame things individually and put their details in evidence - this is something I usually do with my language when speaking of particular subjects - . I surely appreciate who can include more evnironment in a portrait in a pleasant way. But 50 to me is too much wide and when I tried to shoot a little closer the distorston was evident and ruined to result. I don't understand anyway portraits with the head in the center the whole weight of the body on the bottom and the half op of the pictures with only background. They look to me horribly unbalanced

[@ValStylePhotography]

I tried to use 35mm and 85 mm, but ended using 35mm and 50mm🤍 I really love the versatality of the nifty 50❤