What does Nifty Fifty mean when talking about cameras and photography?
The term ‘nifty fifty’ is a photography colloquialism for a cheap 50mm prime lens, usually with a maximum aperture of f/1.8 or faster.
Lenses in this range are fast, lightweight and extremely versatile for street and portrait photography. The ‘nifty’ feature is the price; These f/1.8 and f/1.4 50mm lenses often have a relatively simple optical formula with fewer elements than their more complex counterparts.
This makes a ‘nifty fifty’ one best value pieces of glass you can add to your kit as a beginner who is looking to learn how to shoot with a prime lens. With a fast aperture, it will also give you that dreamy background bokeh that so many photographers desire.
