When I started taking photography seriously some 40 years ago or so, I took all my photographs with just one lens for well over a year. That lens was a 50mm f/1.8 prime – the basic lens that practically everyone got when they bought an SLR camera.
Today I have access to stacks of lenses - in every focal length that I could ever need, from super-wide to super telephoto. But although having the right angle of view on your camera can be a great asset, there is something wonderful in the simplicity of using one lens, and without having the benefit of having a zoom.
So when I saw that the Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 was highly discounted in Amazon's Prime Day sale I just had to buy one. At £128.90 (or $223 in the US) that's an absolute bargain - and I can't wait to get my hands on it.
I recently upgraded to a Sony A7 IV full-frame mirrorless camera - which replaced my old, original Sony A7. On this camera, my new Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 will give me the same limited angle of view of my first ever system camera - forcing me to rebuild my skills of using my camera position to tweak the framing.
With its f/1.8 maximum aperture, it wil be faster than the standard zoom I usually leave on the camera - so will allow me to isolate subjects from the background better, and shoot handheld in lower light.
But the 50mm lens will also be a useful asset for the old Sony A6000 camera that I occasionally use (due to its small size). Here it will give an angle of view equivalent to a 75mm - which will make it a great lens for head and shoulder portraits.
What's more, even when I do go out with lots of kit, the new 50mm takes up so little space, and weighs just 186g. without adding unduly to the load.
Check out our pick of the best Amazon Prime Day camera deals we have seen so far
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