23Experimentwith
a cropped sensor
Ifyou put a 50mm standard lens on a
DSLR with a crop sensor, the effective
focal length will be 75-80mm,
depending on whether the crop factor is
1.5x or 1/6x. This makes the lens better
suited to portraiture than a 50mm focal
length, as you’ll get slight foreshortening
of perspective, which flatters features.ReduceDoF
Themaximum aperture of
a 50mm lens is handy for
reducing depth of field so
distracting backgrounds
are thrown out of focus. If
your standard zoom has a
maximum aperture of f/3.5
or smaller, for instance,
you’ll notice a big difference
if you use a 50mm f/1.8 or
f/1.4 wide open. Depth of
field will be reduced to a
few inches, so you need
to focus carefully – on
the subject’s eyes when
shooting portraits. The
bokeh is also pleasant with
most 50mm lenses used
wide open.
Capturedetails
The 50mm focal length is highly
versatile and can be used to shoot a
wide range of subjects. I regularly use
my 50mm for low-light portraiture
when I’m travelling. Architecture and
landscape are also well suited to the
angle of view, and the perspective is
very natural. It’s also great for detail
shots and with a minimum focus of
35-50cm, depending on the lens,
allows you to get reasonably close.Smalland light
Another reason why the standard lens is easier to handhold at slow
shutter speeds is because it’s so light compared to a zoom. For
comparison, my Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM zoom tips the
scales at 600g, whereas the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM weighs
only 160g. The 50mm is also tiny compared to your average
zoom and takes up minimal space in a backpack, so you need
never leave home without one.