Portraits with Sony's CHEAPEST Prime Lens

[@DrWasim]

I’ve always loved this lens. Those who say it’s bad, haven’t really used it, they’re often just reiterating what they’ve read other people say.

[@natureredux1957]

Ah that would be a totally false statement. Plenty of folks have used this lens along with the 24 70 Kit Lens. It isn't great, anyone stating otherwise has really LOW standards.

[@DrWasim]

@@natureredux1957 Or perhaps, those who can’t get good results with it have low skills? 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@natureredux1957]

@@DrWasim Well clearly you must be talking about composition which is totally subjective and not technical IQ quality. Those that have low skills can't seem to understand the difference.

[@juliatrotti]

From what I've heard of this lens, I was expecting much worse IQ haha but it's really not that bad.

[@lifesbeautiful3024]

Gorgeous model and great vid, Julia

[@juliatrotti]

Thank you

[@BeautyNFood]

Your videos are so thorough and helpful. Thanks for making such great content.

[@juliatrotti]

Thank you!!

[@davidellis5141]

Affordability is nice ! Thanks Julia 📷

[@Anton-gx9lh]

i've used the Canon "nifty fifty" for so many shoots and most of my best and favourite shots that have even been put on big print were shot with the 50mm.1.8

[@marcusgregory9571]

This was the perfect little nifty fifty when I bought my a7iii in 08. It works just fine for beginners and hobbyists like you said. Great little lens 🫶🏾

[@natureredux1957]

Why saddle a beginner or hobbyist with a low quality lens. That makes no sense.

[@juliatrotti]

@@natureredux1957 When I first started photography, I didn't have enough money to buy the best gear out there so the cheaper lenses were all I could afford until I started making money from my work. Aside from that, some people don't want to do photography professionally and don't want to invest too much money into their hobby. There are lots of reasons to go for a budget friendly lens like this

[@EdwardIglesias]

Really glad to see this lens getting some love. I bought mine with my A7II and it is still one of my favorite lenses even surviving a fall in the mud.

[@juliatrotti]

It's a great little lens!

[@regnartoja4378]

It was my first Sony lens. I still like it. Now I use more pro lens like Distagon and GM but still love 50 1.8 for very interesting reflections.

[@Kim_Miller]

Nice portraits and nice video. When the videographer turned around to show the building at about the one minute mark I thought, "Ah, Federation style Sydney sandstone." I've not seen your videos before and had to go looking to see where you are from. That's a great environment.

[@gigi-ww5is]

Beautiful portraits with it

[@ElCinecaptures]

Awesome Video Julia! As a beginner photography like me, this lens was already giving me awesome photos. Bought this one together with my Sony A7C mark 2 and I'm loving it 😊 I'm using this compact combo in my street photography here in Central/North Queensland and I can say its light and hassle-free ☺

[@juliatrotti]

Thank you! I can imagine it would feel even more convenient on a body like the A7CII

[@hazard3020]

Well, what a great video. Some lovely shots from the "cheap" 50mm lens !!! Lovely colours (especially at f1.8 which is unexpected for the price) and great for Portraits.

[@juliatrotti]

Thank you, I appreciate it!

[@apricanephoto]

The one on the right at 6:11 would have to be my favorite of the bunch, though it seems arbitrary to say so amongst such a fine selection. The Sony 50/1.8 does seem to deliver the merchandise, though I don't intend letting go of my Sigma 50/1.4 anytime soon!

[@juliatrotti]

Thank you, I really appreciate it! That was my favourite one too and I ended up posting that one to my Insta feed :D

[@Ngojohnny_dp]

Julia! How are you recording your screen while you're shooting now? I don't see the wireless transmitter you usually use!

[@TerryDoesTech]

Bought this lens the same day I bought my A7iv and Samyang 24mm 1.8 Agree with all your points! The Sony 50mm is a nice lens, but anytime you need to get faster moving shots I would recommend something else. Great video!

[@daniel_brqlo]

I would love to see a video on using an ultra wide lens for creative portrait shots

[@minasa3306]

Great Job.❤ what camera did you use for this photoshoot?

[@saliwanpl1832]

Everyone complains about the performance of this lens and that's a fact, but no one cares what the price is and in fact it is very underrated.

[@cervantessolim]

Everyone complains?

[@gmphotography7165]

Yeah I had this lens and I thought I had a bad unit, it’s hunts for AF bad and the AF noise is pretty loud( the noise part didn’t bother me, but I know it is for some.) I would recommend this lens if you can get it for under $300 used. Other than that…nope

[@northeast7416]

Can i take self portrait with these lens???

[@saliwanpl1832]

@@northeast7416 if u use tripod

[@juliatrotti]

Yep, I've heard lots of negative things about this lens. But, you can actually get some really nice images out of it

[@michaelbell75]

Cool! This lens is alright in sunlight with a model that doesnt move much, but it's slow and not very good in a studio with lower light though. Pretty much any lens will do well outdoors in good light. Even my old Minolta Maxxum 50 f/1.7 is great in outdoor light 😊 Thanks for showing some budget gear though!

[@ramonrichardson730]

It’s my only lens atm. It’s great I’ve done over 40 shoots with just this lens so far.

[@schoeferfilm]

Great video Julia 👍🏻 don’t forget the most important is the person before the cam 😅 the model is top 😉

[@juliatrotti]

Thank you!

[@joeyrushfield1260]

This is great - would love to also see a shoot with the cheapest full frame prime autofocus lens overall for Sony (one of those fourth party lenses like ttartisan or something)

[@juliatrotti]

Thank you and I was thinking the same thing! I will have a look at what the cheapest I can find is 😄

[@jbmedia8882]

Nice video. You always keep it simple.

[@juliatrotti]

Thank you :)

[@Harvester88]

I have a Rokinon 35 f1.8 and I love it, except for the fact that sometimes it struggles to lock focus and breaths a lot. I'm considering another 35 prime but not sure if I want to go Sigma or go Sony.

[@JosefFoti]

I've never shot with this lens myself but my friend has it and I was really surprised to see that it really does perform well.

[@Ataraxia_Atom]

still saving up for the 50 1.4

[@ozsyed]

Hi Julia, may I please ask how do you record your video (without external moniter) while taking photos at the same time? Is this your camera feature or you could do it with any camera in the market?

[@laerafaluevano]

love the video, I would like to see more vidoes like this, con the afordable side

[@juliatrotti]

Thank you, I will work on some more :)

[@codmahii]

Worth the money 💰 love it.

[@onlyonestevie]

At this point I would recommend the rokinon/samyang 45mm 1.8. It's sharp and can be had for around $300 US. I do wish there was another option that could compete with these lenses though

[@adrianvasian]

Try the budget samyang 45mm f1.8 next!!

[@mcauleyrj]

Julia, Thank you for the video. How does this lens compare to the Sony 55mm 1.8?

[@juliatrotti]

Thanks for watching! I would say the 55 is a tad sharper/clearer BUT I haven't had the chance to use it on my A7IV yet. I've only used it on the A7III which is less MP. I might have to get my hands on it again and test it out

[@classic.cameras]

Did you update the Firmware for this shoot? There is a "new" update from last year that improved the AF accuracy.

[@juliatrotti]

Yes I always check for firmware updates for all the gear I use

[@rajendrahansdah3065]

Awesome, keep doing

[@Leondrian]

Cool to see that you get these cheaper lenses a go. I got a used Sony/Zeiss 55f1.8 for the same price and I truly love that lens. Have you made a video on the Samyang 45f1.8? If not I'd love to see that. Thank you for the inspiration.

[@regnartoja4378]

Yeah, 45 1.8 is so underrated lens. I really like it,

[@juliatrotti]

I love that Zeiss 55! It's a great little lens. I have used the Samyang 45mm before but I've never made a video on it, I will try and work on something soon

[@mtaauth8491]

This lens is way underrated (especially with firmware 3). Not only is the image quality good, but the lens is incredibly light compared to every other lens I own. However, there is zero weather sealing, so don't use it outside unless you are 100% sure it is not going to rain...

[@RamkrishnaRudra123]

Really sooooo Beautiful photography my friend ❤❤

[@juliatrotti]

Thank you so much

[@RamkrishnaRudra123]

@@juliatrotti you are most welcome ❤️❤️

[@zollieuncle9647]

Thanks for encouraging the masses on a tighter budget and demonstrating that skills and creativity are way more important then gear. I cannot agree more learning from my experience in a negative way: despite of having an over the top set of gears, my photography has only improved when practicing, which hardly needs 90% of my gear. In the same time, I learned that mastering your photography requires to find yourself in photography which practically translates to trying a number of focal length, lens characteristics and shooting schenarios. If you are patient, smart and lucky, then you can do that without a major investment. I know you are a 35mm nerd, but would you prefer this nifty fifty over the Sony 35/1.8 lens when it comes to a single lens at a carry-gear-all-day adventure and the price difference is not a concern?

[@juliatrotti]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video! I couldn't agree more that practice is so, so important. At least you have the gear you need once you master your techniques at least ;) Out of those 2 lenses, the 35mm f1.8 from Sony also performs really well and is actually incredibly sharp so I would use that if I am doing travel, landscape, street photography, etc. But I think the 50mm has more character for portrait photography.

[@michaelcliffordphotos]

@JuliaTrotti Interesting! Those definitely looked nicer than I would have expected from that lens. It came with the most important feature in a lens or camera though - it had a great photographer being it! It did seem like the lens was producing much warmer photos than I usually see, and also much warmer images than Dan's camera was capturing. Was that a "feature" of the lens? I loved your review, as always! I would be very curious to see a comparison of the 7Artisans, TTArtisan, Samyang, etc. lenses with this one. Lens design and coatings have evolved so much in the last decade, and I imagine the low end has benefited from this quite a bit!

[@juliatrotti]

Thank you so much! Actually that's interesting you brought that up, yes the lens did seem warmer than usual. I had to tone it down a bit in my editing. I would love to make more videos like this with budget friendly gear - I will look into what else I can loan!

[@AdHocVisions]

Amazon video, I'm always learning from you.

[@julianstrau6663]

If we are honest, the most important component for such wonderful portrait shots is the beauty of the model and not the camera equipment.

[@snapjacksonphotography]

I have G Master lenses and I still find myself reaching for this lens when I want a light and solid alternative. I enjoy the peace of mine it brings knowing god forbid anything happens, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

[@JC-Denton]

Her sparkling skirt would make any lens look good... SCNR💖

[@northeast7416]

I cnt take self portrait with these lenses???

[@jackofblades6736]

A cityscape background might have worked better. As the buildings are further away from the subject. The trees were too distracting until you got closer with the framing.

[@hr7936]

My oh my who is the model?

[@bladeyoshi7287]

How do you get people to volunteer for a photo shoot? I don't want to feel like a creep

[@Nerdzombiedisco]

You have to be a people person. Learn to talk to people and have at least one example of your work for them to see.

[@jackoz6818]

It’s not a hard task, just ask nicely

[@dubenick]

Probably look around FBM or local reddits maybe and put a thread out with some photos and a bit of information about you and go from there. 😊

[@sexysilversurfer]

Pay for a professional model, they already know the best poses and it makes it easier.

[@juliatrotti]

These are all good tips! +1 to ask nicely and have examples of your work for them to see

[@gabmilitao]

Great video, Julia. Such pretty photos. It took me a while to get the hang of this lens. Coming from another system (Olympus), where even non-Pro lenses were fast focusing, this Sony 50mm seemed a bit slow. As soon as I got the hang of it, everything worked out fine.

[@p.t.ngwolo1003]

You are an amazing portrait photographer. I learn so much from you. You favorite word is “maybe.”

[@vincentmccormack3629]

It takes decent images and is nice and light, but the auto focus is tedious and the reason I switched.

[@Qxi_reviewer]

Great material, but it would be interesting to do the opposite thing - i mean take Sony A7(S/R) 1st gen and pair it with some really good lens :p

[@juliatrotti]

Yesss I've been wanting to do this! Hopefully Sony Australia have an A7 lying around that I can borrow haha

[@royphair9676]

This lens gets ripped apart but this is in my opinion a great little lens

[@LaurentHAMMER]

Such beautiful pictures indeed !! ;)

[@jjhoking]

This is actually the first lens I bought! I own a sigma 24-70 now, but on nights out with friends, I always go back to this guy :) just a light and simple lens that I love!

[@jessemartinez2606]

It must be hard coming up with content ideas

[@vishnupr243]

Thank you for this video🌟 can you try with 50 mm 1.8 oss . Especially regarding whether the stability is satisfactory or not.

[@SelimKrdy]

This lens is just perfect photo quality wise for its price apart from its autofocus. Autofocus is not reliable and too noisy.

[@mrbaiser4133]

I'd prefer the Samyang 45mm f1.8.

[@lensman5762]

I have given your video a like because I believe that you are showing more maturity in dealing with the subject of photography than before. And yes, indeed you are correct, creating good photographs is not about the latest gear. Photography above anything else is about vision and creativity, and not the latest mega pixel mega box stuff from all the usual suspects as they are as useful in this context as a spare d..k in an orgy. Some of the most creative and beautiful photpgraphy that I have seen, including portraiture and fashion were done on Holga cameras. A £35.00 plastic fantastic from H.K with a single element uncoated plastic lens, one shutter speed of about 1/50s ~1/100s and a couple of apertures of arounf F8 and F11, but some of the results shown by young photographers were jaw dropping. Thank you again. I do believe you are a talented photographer Miss Trotti. Take care.

[@proimagerah]

I had the Sony nifty 50 . It was alright but I didn’t like the autofocus noise and the sharpness was a bit underwhelming for me

[@VishwasRavindran92]

Please try tamron 17-50 f4 and viltrox 16mm and 20mm

[@koikoeee7012]

❤❤❤

[@orlandorolon6139]

Purchased this lens in October to get in a football game. Lens is trash. Sent it back.

[@juliatrotti]

Yeah like I mentioned in the video, this wouldn't be a good lens for fast moving subjects unfortunately

[@marcinwziontek1828]

Bardzo dobry materiał.

[@roynirjhar]

Plese do Tamron 20-40 mm 2.8 for Sony

[@juliatrotti]

I already have a review of this lens! You can use the search feature within my channel to find it :) I uploaded the video last year

[@mightyliving3753]

Hi, are you a Christian lady? Just curious as you have such a happy face

[@PcFishX23]

Can't complain at $200 USD

[@Fre_patrick97]

I myself do find the bokeh busy and distracting on this lens

[@boundaryscience]

Friends. Cover your multi-interface shoes.

[@natureredux1957]

I own this lens. The first copy I exchanged for a second one. Still felt the same. Not worth the Money. Sometimes something is cheap for a REASON. I would never recommend to anyone at any LEVEL of photography to start out with this lens. Wayyyyyyyyy too many other BETTER options out there. That aren't really that expensive by comparison. Some might actually be cheaper.

[@andreasstolten9179]

Almost all photos were taken in dappeled light. I do not like these photos very much.