The Nifty Fifty - Photography

    Here's a link to a blog post I wrote back in February. (I had great intentions of keeping the blog going, and then Baby #4 arrived... maybe I'll get back to it when she's 10 or I have more hours in the day).

     Link: That Little Black Lens: The Nifty Fifty

     The long and short of it is this: the kit lens that comes with your new DSLR sucks.

     More than likely, it's something similar to an 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 which lets in less and less light the more you're zoomed in. With photography and camera hardware, low f/ (aperture) numbers are much, much better. Trouble is, wide (low number) aperture lenses tend to cost you a pretty penny.

     The Nifty Fifty (50mm prime, no zoom, f/1.8) is SUPER 'bright' and lets in a ton of light. It's plastic construction and meant to hit a price point that most new shooters can handle. The Canon version is $110 and the Nikon version can run either $125 or $215. Note that the $215 model, the AF-S, is compatible with every Nikon body. The lower priced version only allows autofocus on select cameras--buyer beware.

The best lens $120.00-215.00 can buy--your program needs this lens! 

-Mike Simons

West HS / East HS
Corning-Painted Post, NY