Tag Archives: 50mm

What is Focus Breathing?

Some lenses change apparent focal length during focus due to their optical design.

A demonstration of focus breathing in the Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lenses

Some lenses change their apparent focal length as you move from infinity to near focus. This phenomenon is called “focus breathing.” In the video above, I demonstrate what this looks like using the Nikon 50mm f/1.8G and Nikon 50mm f/1.8S lenses on a Nikon Z7 mirrorless camera.

Life at 50: The Nifty 50 Millimeter Lens

50 millimeter lens
The 50mm lens used to be the standard “kit” lens with many film SLR cameras.

The “Nifty” 50 Millimeter Lens

When I got my first SLR camera, it came with a 50 millimeter lens. For many years, this was the only lens I had, and so I used it for just about everything. I photographed people, sports, and stuff around my backyard with that 50mm lens. Nowadays, the 50mm prime is often an afterthought, as zoom lenses dominate photography. If you could add just one lens to your bag for a creative spark, you should consider giving the  “nifty fifty” another look. Continue reading Life at 50: The Nifty 50 Millimeter Lens