Learning to love a 50mm

It’s been years since I’ve actually owned a 50mm lens. Considered one of the standard and best primes for photographers, it was a focal length that just never excited me. I much preferred the 85mm for portraits, or the 35mm for photowalks.

But after testing Sigma’s 50mm f/1.4 Art lens last year, I decided to purchase its successor. And I have to say … the 50mm has become a staple in my camera bag.

Perfect for portraits

The main reason why I wanted a 50mm was that I needed something a bit wider than my 85mm for environmental portraits. A lot of environmental portraits I photograph from the waist up, making the 50mm a perfect choice.

The lens really lets me focus in on the subject, letting me separate it from the background in a way not many other lenses can. It’s fast, keeping up with subject movements, and also makes them the center of attention.

Beautiful, sharp and dreamy

But the reason why I’ve absolutely fallen in love with this lens is the experiences I’ve had when I’m just out and about. I’ve taken it on a few different photowalks to the lakeshore, and the images I’m coming away with are simply unmatched with any other lens I have.

Being limited to 50mm might be challenging at times, but it also opens up my creativity, forcing me to play around with different angles and ways to look at things.

That subject separation I was talking about earlier? Taking this lens into nature just makes it shine, with beautiful, dreamy bokeh in the background. I can focus on the most intimate details of what I see. The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art lens is truly unlike anything I’ve used — it’s a remarkable lens.