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Starting Your Photography Business? Why the 50mm f/1.8 Should Be Your First Lens 📸
So you bought your first camera. You're excited. You're ready to start taking beautiful photos. Maybe you're even dreaming about turning photography into an actual business.
And then you start shopping for lenses...
24mm. 35mm. 50mm. 85mm. 70–200mm. f/1.2. f/1.4. f/1.8...
And suddenly you're thinking, what in the world am I supposed to buy?! I've been there. When you're starting a photography business, you absolutely do not need thousands and thousands of dollars in equipment to start learning your camera and creating beautiful images. If you're a Canon photographer looking for an affordable first prime lens, there is one little lens I think every beginner should know about!
Meet the Nifty Fifty: The Canon 50mm f/1.8
There's a reason photographers lovingly call the 50mm f/1.8 the “Nifty Fifty.” It's small. It's lightweight. It's relatively affordable. And most importantly? This little lens can create some seriously beautiful photographs. With an f/1.8 maximum aperture, you can create beautiful background blur, photograph in lower-light situations, and start learning how aperture actually changes the look of your images. And
Canon photographers have TWO versions you'll commonly encounter:
đź“· Shooting a Canon DSLR?
You'll want to look at the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM.
đź“· Shooting a Canon EOS R mirrorless camera?
Look at the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM, which is made for Canon's RF mount.
We'll talk more about the difference between EF and RF below because you definitely want to check your camera before ordering!
Why I Recommend the 50mm f/1.8 to Beginner Photographers
1. That f/1.8 Aperture
This is probably one of the first things you'll notice when you move beyond a basic kit lens.
The f/1.8 aperture lets in a lot of light and gives you the ability to create that gorgeous, soft background blur that makes your subject stand out.
Think:
Sharp subject + creamy background
It's also an amazing lens for actually learning aperture. Take a portrait at f/1.8, then photograph the exact same person at f/2.8, f/4 and f/5.6. Look at the background. Look at how much of your image is in focus. Look at how your exposure changes. Suddenly, aperture isn't just a number you've been memorizing from photography tutorials. You can actually see what it's doing.
2. It's SO Good for Portraits
If you're starting your photography business because you want to photograph families, couples, seniors, maternity, children, branding or portraits, the 50mm is an incredibly useful focal length to learn. On a full-frame camera, you're getting the traditional 50mm field of view.
If you're using an APS-C crop-sensor Canon, a 50mm lens gives you a tighter field of view than it does on full frame. That's something beginners should know because your camera body affects how a focal length feels when you're shooting.
And this is where the Nifty Fifty becomes such a fun portrait lens.
You can practice:
Headshots • Individual portraits • Couples • Seniors • Kids • Details • Lifestyle portraits
It's a LOT of versatility from one little lens.
3. It Teaches You to MOVE
Here's something you'll discover pretty quickly:
The 50mm doesn't zoom.
It's a prime lens.
That means if you want to get closer...
You move closer.
Want more of the environment? Back up.
And while that might initially feel limiting, I actually think it's one of the BEST things for a beginner. You're forced to start thinking about composition, framing, distance and perspective instead of standing in one spot and zooming in and out.
Your feet become your zoom!
And those composition skills will stay with you long after you've upgraded your gear.
4. It's Small, Lightweight & Easy to Carry
When you're learning photography, you need to actually use your camera.
A smaller 50mm setup is easy to bring along while you practice.
Photograph your kids.
Photograph your dog.
Photograph your coffee.
Photograph your husband until he's completely over having a camera pointed at him.
Photograph EVERYTHING. Because the more you shoot, the more you'll start understanding your camera without having to stop and think about every single setting. Practice will teach you more than owning ten lenses ever will.
5. It's Not Just for Portraits
Don't let the portrait reputation fool you. You can experiment with SO much using a 50mm:
Portraits • Couples • Seniors • Kids • Branding • Products • Food • Details • Lifestyle • Everyday photography • Low-light situations. When you're brand new, you might not even know what type of photography you're eventually going to specialize in. That's okay! Use this stage to experiment. Photograph everything and figure out what makes you excited to pick up your camera.
6. It's an Amazing Lens for Learning Manual Mode
Before you start worrying about having a bag full of expensive lenses, learn your CAMERA. Put your Nifty Fifty on and start experimenting with:
ISO • Aperture • Shutter Speed • Focus • White Balance • Composition • Light
Learn what happens when you shoot wide open at f/1.8. Learn why your shutter speed needs to change when you're photographing a toddler who refuses to stop moving. Learn what increasing your ISO does. Learn how light changes when you move your subject three feet toward a window. Those skills are what will ultimately make you a stronger photographer. Expensive equipment can't replace knowing how to use your camera.
EF vs. RF: Which Canon Nifty Fifty Do You Need?
Okay, beginner Canon photographers...
THIS PART IS IMPORTANT.
Before you order your lens, look at what type of Canon camera you own.
Canon currently has two major lens-mount families you're likely to encounter as a beginner: EF and RF.
Canon DSLR = EF
If you're shooting with a traditional Canon EOS DSLR, the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is the version to look at.
Think Canon DSLR bodies such as many cameras from the Rebel line and other EOS DSLR models.
Canon EOS R Mirrorless = RF
If you're shooting one of Canon's newer EOS R-series mirrorless cameras, the native version is the RF 50mm f/1.8 STM.
The RF version mounts directly onto compatible EOS R-series cameras.
Canon's current mirrorless system uses the RF mount, while Canon's DSLR system uses EF/EF-S lenses. Canon also offers EF–EOS R mount adapters that allow compatible EF and EF-S lenses to be used with EOS R cameras.
So the beginner-friendly version is:
Have a Canon DSLR? → Look at EF.
Have a Canon EOS R mirrorless camera? → Look at RF.
And if you're unsure, check the exact model of your camera before ordering.
Don't just search Amazon for “Canon Nifty Fifty” and click the first one.
What About the Price?
This is another reason the Nifty Fifty has been so popular with photographers.
Compared with Canon's premium professional lenses, the 50mm f/1.8 versions are positioned as relatively accessible ways to get into prime lenses and wide-aperture photography.
Prices on Amazon can change frequently because of sales, sellers and availability, so rather than putting a price in this article that could be wrong next month, I recommend checking the current listing:
DSLR photographers:
EOS R mirrorless photographers:
Do You Need Expensive Gear to Start a Photography Business? No.
And I really want new photographers to hear this. You don't need to look at an established photographer's camera bag and think you have to buy everything they own before you're allowed to start. Photography equipment can grow with your business. Start with equipment you can reasonably afford.
âś“Â Learn it.
âś“Â Practice.
âś“Â Start building your portfolio.
âś“Â Book clients.
âś“Â Make money.
âś“Â Then reinvest some of that money back into your business and your equipment.
As you grow, you'll figure out which focal lengths you love and which lenses make sense for the type of photography you actually shoot. You might eventually own professional zoom lenses, multiple prime lenses, backup camera bodies, flashes and a closet full of gear you swore you'd never need. But you don't have to start there.
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