5 Quick Reasons to Use the Nifty Fifty for Landscape Photography

By: Tim Gilbreath 

The 50mm prime lens, or as it’s more commonly known, the Nifty Fifty; we all know the name, even inexperienced photographers have likely heard of it. Most of us know it for its outstanding qualities; an inexpensive, quality, prime lens that is in plenty of photographers’ bags around the world, and one of the most popular lenses of all time.
What we might NOT think of it as, however, is a lens normally used for landscape photography. The zoom is tight, and doesn’t possess a field of view wide enough to usually be considered proper for this sort of work.
But I have. For four years, the 50mm f/1.8 has been my workhorse for portfolio building (which is primarily nature and landscape), and even though I’m branching off with other lenses, I can’t stress the usefulness of the Nifty Fifty. And I’m not alone.

My primary reasoning for using the 50mm instead of going out and buying a proper wide angle lens such as a 35mm or even wider? Cost. I was delving back into photography, and was on an extremely tight budget. After buying my camera, spending $500 on a lens simply wasn’t an option. It didn’t take long for me to hear my fellow photographers sing the praises of this wonderful lens; cheap, fast, and sharp. Right up my alley.
There are no tricks or immaculate revelations here, and you won’t likely become famous for taking only landscape shots with 50mm lenses – but there are a few reasons why shooting landscapes with a 50mm lens can produce great results. Giving it a try can only improve your photography and make you a better observer of the world around you.

Focus on What’s Important

We think of landscapes as sprawling, wide shots, that include many elements in one frame, but does it have to be that way? Can we not capture the beauty of the area around us, in a tighter package? The rolling hills and an interesting tree in an outdoor scene are more than enough to create a photo that provokes thought.

The Nifty Fifty makes it easier to focus on whatever is most important in your photo, while still capturing enough around the subject to lend it scope.

Shooting at this focal length forces us to focus on the most important parts of what we’re seeing around us. Trimming the fat, as they would say. In doing this, we’re also training ourselves psychologically to do the same in all of our shots.

Quality

Landscapes usually require very good sharpness, and the 50mm prime lenses excel at that. No extra moving parts normally required for varied focal lengths (zooms) mean a crisper, sharper result. As with most lenses, its sweet spot isn’t wide open, but more in the f/4 to f/5.6 range. Even narrower apertures will still yield excellent results.

The 50mm prime allows you to capture very sharp images.

Take Your Time

Since the 50mm is a prime lens, you’ll get an added benefit (or detriment, depending on how much you care for walking); the single focal length means you can’t just shoot from anywhere, you’ll need to move around to find the best angle and distance. This automatically forces you to think about your shot a bit more, which is always a good thing.

The 50mm allows you to think differently about the landscape or subject you’re framing, and to make more creative choices.

With a zoom, you’d adjust focal length without even thinking, until the scene is framed in a way that looks good. But what if that isn’t the best angle or distance? The Nifty Fifty will give you incentive to take a chance and try something different, whether it be an angle, a distance, or even perspective.

No Wide Angle…or Can There Be?

Of course there can! The 50mm gives you a gentle push into playing around with some panoramic shots. Three, four, five, or more shots can be stitched into a flattering wide angle composite, sometimes with even more dramatic results than a single wide angle shot.

By stitching together shots, we can create a panorama that gives us the wide field of view we’re looking for.

Lightweight is King

If you’re serious about landscape photography, you’re probably already lugging around a considerable amount of gear; camera bodies, other lenses (you don’t go out with just one lens, do you?), tripods – the list goes on. The last thing you need are more heavy lenses when you’re out and about, right? Do you know what the Canon 50mm f/1.8 weighs? 4.6 ounces (130 g). It’s short, sweet, and light to boot.
At the end of the day, all lenses and focal lengths have advantages and disadvantages, and the case can certainly be made for using glass with wider angles. But as a teaching tool, the 50mm prime lens is a great option for your landscape photography; it will make you think a bit differently about those types of shots and easily provide you with clear, sharp images.
What are your experiences with this lens? What images have you captured? Tell us your opinion below, and show us those Nifty Fifty shots!

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