The best 50mm lens in 2021: which 'standard prime' is the right one for you?

Without having one of the best 50mm lenses in your camera bag, you can't really say your kit is complete. With a focal length pretty much equivalent to what the human eye can see, they capture a naturalistic medium perspective that's great for all sorts of photography. No wonder it's become a classic focal length.

While you can happily spend four figures on some of the best 50mm lenses, some can be picked up for as little as a couple of hundred pounds or dollars. There are differences of course, with the pricier optics often featuring faster maximum apertures of between f/1.2 to f/1.4, as well as razor-sharp image quality and beautiful bokeh. They can also feature a more durable build than their more f/1.8 counterparts as well, but don't discount a more affordable alternative though, as some of the best 50mm lenses fall into the cheaper price bracket. This is because they offer a great blend of value, portability and versatility. 

With such choice available, we've put this guide together to help you choose the perfect 50mm lens for you. We've included a range of specific lenses for each lens mount, and have also included a selection of third-party lenses that are available for multiple systems. Use the navigation bar at the side of the page to navigate to the appropriate section for your camera. 

Best 50mm lens: Equivalent focal lengths

One thing that's worth being aware of is that a 50mm lens does not always produce the field of view of a 50mm lens, depending on the sensor size of the camera you're using. On an APS-C body, such as a Fujifilm X camera, the same lens will have an effective focal length of 75mm (80mm for Canon), making it a better fit for portraiture. 

Shrink down to a Micro Four Thirds camera, and a 50mm lens will have an 100mm effective focal length, more suitable for really tight portraits and short telephoto shooting. 

With that in mind, the MFT lens we've included here is a bit less than 50mm: its 42.5mm focal length equates to 85mm in full-frame terms. Many regard that as spot-on for portraiture.

Whichever camp you’re in, a ‘nifty fifty’ might well be the only prime lens you ever buy, so it pays to get a good one. Even so, nobody likes spending over the odds. So let's take a look at the best 50mm lenses available right now...

The best 50mm lens in 2021

Canon EF & RF 50mm lenses

Sure, it's too big for the cameras it's made for. Sure, it costs about the same as a new EOS R camera. All these are valid points. But... well, if you use the RF 50mm f/1.2L USM, you'll understand. It is quite simply a beautiful lens that radically redefines what the L series is capable of. Real-world results are near-flawless, with exceptional sharpness even wide open at f/1.2, and the customisable control ring allows you to really make the lens your own and have it handle exactly the way you want it to. There's weather-sealing too, and a super-speedy autofocus system: in short, everything you could want from a lens of this type. It's an incredible feat of engineering by Canon.

While the RF 50mm f/1.2L USM is a stunning lens, its price means it's out of reach for many EOS R series users. That's where the new RF 50mm f/1.8 STM comes in - a cheap, compact and capable standard prime lens. The great news too is that image quality hasn't been compromised - our tests show that it's on par in some areas with the much pricier f/1.2 variant, while the build quality is noticeably better than the EF equivalent (though it's worth bearing in mind it's not weather sealed). Focusing is also very good, with the stepping motor (STM) used offering quick and quiet focus, which is fast enough to stills and smooth enough for video. The Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM is a fantastic everyday lens that pairs well with any RF body.

Canon’s 25-year-old 50mm f/1.4 lens might seem the obvious choice, but we prefer this newer option. It’s two-thirds of an f/stop slower, but is less than a third of the price, is much lighter and has better performance. 

Unlike previous f/1.8 editions, the ‘STM’ model has a stepping motor autofocus system that gives speedy yet quiet operation. The focus ring no longer rotates during autofocus, which improves handling, as well as enabling manual override in Single AF mode. 

The lens has a metal rather than plastic mounting plate, and a better-rounded aperture based on seven diaphragm blades instead of just five.

After testing multiple samples of the Canon 50mm f/1.4 and f/1.8 lenses, we've found the f/1.8’s autofocus system to be much more accurate and reliable than its older sibling. Sharpness is also better than from Canon’s 50mm f/1.4 lens, from the centre to the edges. 

Colour fringing is minimal at wide apertures and negligible at other apertures. There’s a little more distortion than with some rival lenses, but it’s rarely noticeable. Considering its accessible pricing, this lens is a great value budget buy.

Nikon F & Z 50mm lenses

Nikon's standard prime for its full-frame mirrorless Z cameras packs a 12-element optical stack which includes two ED glass elements as well as two aspherical elements to boost contrast and vibrancy. 

Externally, the Z 50mm is noticeably bigger and heavier than a good old F-mount Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.8G, but compared with some F-mount 50mm alternatives from Sigma and Tokina, it’s pleasingly portable.

The lens barrel features just a single AF/MF switch, but the wide, tactile and precise manual focus ring isn’t redundant if you’re using autofocus, as it can also be set in-camera to adjust exposure compensation or ISO sensitivity.

Nikon has made much noise about the Z-mount's larger 55mm inner diameter and shortened distance between lens flange and image sensor, versus Nikon's F-mount. It's all supposed to add up to increased image quality. 

This isn't just hype though, as the Z 50mm is terrifically sharp, only fractionally down on the significantly pricier Z 35mm f/1.8 S, and that’s the sharpest lens we’ve ever tested. 

Aberrations are practically non-existent at any aperture, as is distortion, and the lens's stepping motor autofocus never missed its mark in our testing.

Compared with a Nikon-fit Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A or a Zeiss Milvus 50mm f/1.4, Nikon’s own-brand lens is only half the physical length and about a third of the weight. It’s simpler than the Sigma, with eight rather than 13 optical elements, and rather less robust than the metal-jacketed Zeiss. 

A further sign of the downsizing is that the Nikkor only has a 58mm filter thread, which is quite small for a 50mm f/1.4 lens. The straightforward optical path doesn’t contain an aspherical element (as featured in Nikon’s more budget-oriented 50mm f/1.8), and there are neither any ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements nor any Nano Crystal Coat.

Autofocus accuracy is more critical in very wide-aperture lenses and the Nikkor does well in this respect, unlike Canon’s f/1.4 counterpart. Sharpness is average at f/1.4, but stop down to f/2.8 and this lens delivers superb sharpness across the entire image frame. 

Lateral chromatic aberrations are minimal, though longitudinal fringing is present when wide-open. A nine-blade diaphragm helps to maintain smooth bokeh when stopping down a little. The only weak link is distortion, which is worse than we'd like for a standard prime. Overall, this lens is worth the extra outlay compared with Nikon’s f/1.8 optic.

Sony E 50mm lenses

Sony's 50mm lens range is now very extensive, but we reckon its latest 50mm f/1.2 G Master optic is the best of the bunch. Although it feels quite bulky on a Sony mirrorless body, it’s still fairly compact and reasonably lightweight for an f/1.2 lens. The weather-sealed construction feels of fully professional-grade quality, there are two customizable function buttons that fall naturally under the thumb in both landscape and portrait orientation shooting, and the manual aperture ring comes complete with a de-click switch for stepless control during video capture. Unlike most ultra-fast lenses, the Sony maintains spectacular sharpness across the entire image frame, even when shooting wide-open. Bokeh is beautifully smooth and both lateral and axial color fringing are very negligible. There’s noticeable vignetting when shooting at f/1.2 but this pretty much disappears by f/2, and automatic in-camera correction is available anyway.

Unlike many high-profile 50mm lenses with very fast max apertures, the FE 50mm f/2.5 is extremely small, extremely light and extremely practical. It can go places where you just wouldn’t take a bigger lens: with a lens this size you can shoot all day without getting arm-ache. Its maximum aperture of f/2.5 might sound very tame by today’s standards, but it’s still faster than even a pro zoom lens, while being a fraction of the size and cost. Performance-wise, this lens is just terrific. Sharpness is sensational, especially between f/2.8 and f/5.6, and chromatic aberration is almost invisible. The dual linear AF motors do their work silently, smoothly and quickly, and though there no stabilisation, all current Sony A7 (and A9) cameras have in-body stabilisation anyway.

Renowned for its quality yet reasonably priced manual focus prime lenses, Korean manufacturer Samyang has recently started making autofocus lenses, mostly for Sony’s full-frame E-mount fit. 

There are currently five E-mount lenses to choose from, plus two Canon EF and one Nikon F. This 50mm optic gives the ‘standard’ perspective on Sony’s A7 and A9 cameras, with a fast aperture rating of f/1.4. 

Physically, it’s about twice as long as Canon and Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 lenses for full-frame DSLRs. The solid construction features mostly metal barrel parts and, contributing to its hefty 585g weight.

This Samyang's performance doesn't disappoint. Sharpness is very uniform across the frame at f/1.4 and becomes excellent at f/2, where contrast is also excellent. Vignetting is quite severe until you hit f/2.8, but fringing is particularly negligible and there’s very little barrel distortion.

Pentax K

The HD Pentax D FA* 50mm f1.4 SDM AW represents Pentax's the first in a new generation of Star-series optics that have been designed for use with the both the full-frame K-1 and K-1 Mark II DSLRs. Designed to deliver the highest in-house standards both for current and future Pentax DSLRs, this 50mm lens features Aero Bright Coating II - a lens-coating nanotechnology employing a super-low refractive film fabrication process, while the lens also incorporates three super-low dispersion glass elements and one aspherical element. A large and heavy lens at almost 1kg, it's both dust-proof and weather-resistant, as well as enjoying a newly developed ring-type SDM (Supersonic Direct-drive Motor). It's pricey, but if you're looking for a high quality standard prime for your full-frame Pentax DSLR, this is the best 50mm lens you can buy. 

Fujifilm X 50mm lenses

Available in black or silver, there’s no denying that the Fujifilm XF50mm looks a bit pricey for an f/2 lens. Indeed, it has the slowest aperture rating of any lens in this test group. 

However, it’s impeccably built, with comprehensive weather-seals, a physical aperture ring for refined Aperture Priority and Manual mode shooting, and a high-grade optical path that includes an aspherical ED (Extra-low Dispersion) element. The nine-blade diaphragm is well-rounded. 

Autofocus is virtually silent. As with other ‘stepping motor’ systems, the focus ring is electronically coupled and, in this case, enables particularly precise manual control.

On Fujifilm X cameras, the lens has an effective focal length of 75mm and delivers a tight depth of field at f/2, making it a great portrait lens. Wide-open sharpness is excellent across the entire image frame, there’s very good resistance to ghosting and flare, and fringing is practically impossible to spot at wide apertures. There’s a very slight hint of pincushion distortion, but it’ll generally go unnoticed.

Micro Four Thirds 50mm lenses

Micro Four Thirds lenses only need to produce a relatively small image circle, and this Panasonic is typically compact and very light at only 130g - a fraction of the weight of some premium prices for DSLR cameras. 

With its effective focal length of 85mm, the Panasonic is ideal for portraiture and the f/1.7 aperture enables a fairly tight depth of field. It’s well-engineered and features an optical image stabilizer. 

This makes it ideally suited to Panasonic cameras; for Olympus bodies with sensor-shift stabilisation, we’d go for the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 45mm f/1.8.

Autofocus is quick and accurate, while color fringing is essentially a non-issue, as even Raw files are automatically corrected. There’s the merest touch of barrel distortion but you’re unlikely to notice it. Sharpness is good, but not great, and many other rival optics manage better centre-frame sharpness. 

With its relatively ‘telephoto’ effective focal length, this lens's optical stabilization will clinch the deal for MFT shooters whose cameras don’t have an in-body stabilizer.

Multi-mount 50mm lenses

Designed to be the start of a high-end Opera series, this lens is positioned above the company's AT-X lens line and rivals Sigma and Tamron’s latest premium offerings. 

Inside is a 9-element optical stack that contains three SD (Super-low Dispersion) elements and one aspherical element to minimise chromatic aberrations, while a new ELR (Extremely Low Reflection) coating reduces ghosting, flare and reflections. 

The Opera 50mm is dust and moisture resistant, and though its AF system is of the ring-type ultrasonic variety rather than a more modern stepping motor design, it's fast and reliable.

But it's the Opera's image quality that impresses most. Sharpness is excellent, even wide open at f/1.4, becoming simply sublime from f/2 right through to f/11. Purple fringing is very well controlled, right at the corners of the frame, and you can forget about distortion, as there simply isn't any.

The Opera 50mm will cost you a sizeable chunk more cash than the already-pricey Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A, but it is the new sharpness benchmark for a Canon or Nikon DSLR standard prime.

Sigma’s previous 50mm lens was renowned as being a heavyweight, but the replacement ‘Art’ edition really piles on the grammes. It gains 50 per cent in physical length and rises from 505g to 815g in weight. 

The main reason for the Art lens’s weight gain is that it has a much more complex and sophisticated optical path than its predecessor, based on 13 rather than eight elements. These include one complex aspherical element and three SLD (Special Low Dispersion) elements. 

Build quality feels superb, although there are no weather-seals and the focus ring doesn’t quite have the tactile fluidity of a lens like the Zeiss Milvus. But you can count on the Sigma’s autofocus system to be fast and accurate.

The Sigma is amazingly sharp, even at f/1.4, along with soft, creamy bokeh. Sharpness only drops off at f/1.4 in the extreme corners of the image frame. Colour fringing is very minimal at any aperture, even at the corners of the frame, and barrel distortion is absolutely negligible.

Autofocus cameras have been around since 1977, so it might seem strange that Zeiss is still doggedly making manual-focus lenses. However, the range of Milvus prime lenses certainly gives a hands-on, feel-good factor. 

The 50mm f/1.4 is typical in having a beautifully engineered metal barrel and a full set of weather-seals. The optical design is based on Zeiss’s legendary Distagon principles. The long rotational travel of the focus ring helps focusing precision, and its super-smooth fluidity makes focusing a joy. 

The Nikon edition has a physical aperture ring with a de-click facility, to enable smooth aperture transitions during movie capture. This ring is absent on the Canon edition.

Living up to its reputation and price tag, the Milvus delivers gorgeous image quality. Wide-open, it combines superb contrast and stellar sharpness across almost the entire frame. 

There's beautiful bokeh, and the lens maintains a lovely smoothness in defocused areas when stopping down a little. Colour fringing is almost a complete non-issue with this lens, even in the corners. 

There’s a little more distortion than in Tamron's SP 45mm f/1.8 Di VC USD, but less than in competing 50mm primes from Canon and Nikon.

Read more:

• The best wide-angle lenses for Canon
• The best wide-angle lenses for Nikon
• The best 70-200mm telephoto lenses
• Best portrait lenses