5 reasons why photography beginners should BUY THIS LENS first

Introduction

Five reasons why photography beginners should buy this lens first.

Before I reveal it, we'll go over the five reasons, and I’ll share some images to prove why this should be your first purchase.

I’m also going to share something that no other photographer in the world that I know of has ever mentioned the number 1 reason why this should be your first lens.

Table of Contents

Benefit 01

I have several lenses, and they are all different shapes and sizes. Some are very heavy, like my 200-500, which weighs 7 pounds.

But my recommended lens weighs under a pound.

So it’s compact and easy to carry. Although this is the first reason, it’s not really the best.

The second reason is more important.

Benefit 02

This is known as a prime lens, meaning it has a single focal length. Whereas a zoom lens has multiple focal lengths.

In general, a prime lens will be sharper than a zoom.

Although, I find my 200-500 to be sharper than some of my older prime lenses, like this 85mm that I picked up in the mid-’90s.

Overall, just better technology today versus back then.

Especially when compared to a kit lens that is sometimes included in some kind of DSLR bundle.

So, let’s look at a couple of images to compare the sharpness of this prime with a zoom lens.

Both of these images were shot at the same focal length, with an ISO of 100 and an Aperture of f eight.

The image on the left is the prime lens and it’s much sharper than the zoom lens.

It might be hard to see on your screen, depending on the resolution of this video that you’re streaming.

So, in the description, I’ve included both images and more that you’ll see in a moment, so you can compare them for yourself.

Benefit 03

Ok, the next reason you should get this lens is due to the aperture, which provides you with a couple of benefits over a zoom lens.

This particular lens has a maximum aperture of three point five.

And the prime lens has a maximum aperture of one point four.

At one point four, the amount of light that will filter through your lens to your camera’s sensor is over twice as much.

The benefit of this is the ability to shoot in low-light conditions without the need to use a lower shutter speed.

This particular zoom lens has a variable aperture, and shooting at the same focal length as my recommended lens meant the largest aperture possible was f four.

For this image, I captured this at f four, and a shutter speed of one-twentieth of a second was needed to get the right exposure.

And I needed to use a tripod to ensure that the image didn’t become blurry from camera shake.

But, at one point four, I was able to use a faster shutter speed of one-one sixtieth of a second to get the same exposure, and a tripod wasn’t necessary.

Now, real quick, it is true that you can increase the ISO to get a faster shutter speed.

But that creates digital noise in your image, which degrades it.

Another benefit to a larger aperture, like one point eight, is the ability to create better images vs. a smaller one.

So, with the one-point four, you can blur out the background more than the smaller aperture of three-point five, which gives you the pro look.

Benefit 04

So far, you’ve learned a few benefits of this lens compared to a zoom lens. And you might be thinking that you can’t afford something this good.

However, I think this is the best return on your investment due to the price.

It’s more than a kit lens but less than a premium zoom with the same focal length within.

This particular lens I purchased for four hundred dollars, and you can get a one-point eight for two hundred dollars.

At one point eight, it’s one-stop slower than one point four, which means, for example, you’ll need a shutter speed of one-sixtieth of a second instead of one one twenty-fifth of a second.

But it’s still better than the slower shutter speed I need at f four.

Now, real quick, if you’re not familiar with some of the terms I’m using, check out my free four-hour photography course here on Youtube, and I put a link in the description below.

Also, I should mention you can get this lens with an aperture of f one point eight at around a hundred dollars if you buy it used.

Benefit 05

Alright, the moment you’ve been waiting for.

The number one reason you should get this lens is because it will make you a better photographer instantly, and the skills you gain from using it will help you excel at photography faster.

Now, I did mention the larger Aperture will help you create better images.

But that’s not what I’m referring to.

Instead, I’m referring to the process of using this lens compared to a zoom lens.

When you start your photography journey, you’re excited to go out and take some photos. Lots of them. Am I right?

So, you slap on whatever lens you bought, and in my experience, most photographers I talk with start out with a zoom lens.

You go out, and you start shooting. And what do you do? You begin zooming in and out to frame your subject.

But you can’t do that with a prime lens. Instead, you have to move forward or backward to frame the shot.

The process of doing this slows you down and makes you think before you shoot. So, thinking is the key to creating amazing images.

And slowing down and thinking of what you’re about to create are skills that you’ll be developing early on, making you a better photographer faster.

So, think about this. Everyone has a camera. But that doesn’t make them great photographers.

If you truly want to master photography, you need to learn to take the steps to create something and not “take” like everyone else.

Be you. Be different. Stand out. Create, don’t take.

And it all starts with buying a 50mm prime lens.

To continue elevating your photographic skills, watch this 4-hour photography course.
Picture of Parker
Parker
A 30-year photography pro with a desire to help you achieve your creative vision! Facebook | Youtube

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.