I know,stupid question , but I am a newbie...

[Marcel Alexandre]

Guys , I have been reading a lot here , and deeply thankful for everything I am learning.
I want to buy a 50mm prime lens BUT noticed it comes in several flavors 1.4 , 1.8 2.4 etc...
So ... which one is the one that you refer as "Nifty Fifty"?
What is the practical difference between 1.4 and 1.8?
I have a Canon Rebel Kissx3(500D) but want the one that shows exactly what the eye can see ...
So ... Which one should I buy?

Thank you very very much to you all , I am really enjoying this!!!
Addicted to the camera now ... LoL!!

[Gonzo13]

It all depends on what you are planning on doing and how much you are willing to spend.

I have to 50mm 2.5 and it is a compact macro. I believe that it can focus 7 inches from the subject to the sensor. I like it I use it all the time. I would like something faster though.

The 50mm 1.8 II is the least expensive one and it is faster than the macro. It can probably be found for around $100.

I haven't even looked at the 50mm 1.4 because I don't have that kind of money to spend on a lens.

[iDP]

Originally Posted by Marcel Alexandre

So ... which one is the one that you refer as "Nifty Fifty"?

the 1.8 one

[DarumaBlue]

The 1.8 tends to be much more reasonably priced. I also have yet to see someone that thought the 1.4 was essential to their photographic suite where the 1.8 had failed.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by Marcel Alexandre

So ... which one is the one that you refer as "Nifty Fifty"?

Most often, it means the EF 50mm f/1.8 II, but it can also mean the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM. That's why I tend to call the 50/1.8 the "Thrifty Fifty"; because you can find it for about $100 new. One of its other many many nicknames is the "Plastic Fantastic." The earlier Mk I version of the 50/1.8 had a metal mount, a distance scale, and a good manual focus ring, and on the used market often goes for more than the current one.

What is the practical difference between 1.4 and 1.8?

About $250. We've got a whole thread going on the actual differences. And the digital-picture review side-by-sides them.

There's also a third 50mm portrait prime in Canon's lineup, which is the EF 50mm f/1.2L USM, but most people can't afford it, as it costs over $1000. And there's the lens it replaced, which is now discontinued and goes for ~$4000 on the used market, the EF 50mm f/1.0L USM. And there's also a macro 50.

50mm is a very popular focal length, because with film, it was the focal length that's considered "normal"; i.e., gives you an angle of view that approximates what your eye sees. (Or, alternatively, a lens with a focal length that equates to the diagonal measurement of the sensor/film frame). On a digital SLR, with the crop factor, it's more of a short telephoto, but still a great portrait length. Most people consider either 50/1.6 => 31.25mm, or sqrt(22.3^2 x 14.9^2) => 26.8mm (the diagonal of Canon's APS-C sensor) to be the normal focal length for crop.

I have a Canon Rebel Kissx3(500D) but want the one that shows exactly what the eye can see ... So ... Which one should I buy?

The EF 35mm f/2, EF 28mm f/1.8 USM, or Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM are acually the closest you can find to a normal lens for a 1.6x crop body. But they all cost more than the Thrifty Fifty, and the image quality isn't necessarily any better. We're all still waiting for Canon to come out with an EF-S 30mmish fast prime, like Nikon did this year.

[Marcel Alexandre]

WoW!! Guys , Thank you very much!!! I have a very limited budget right now and really want to get a 50mm , now I know what I want , and my guess is the 100$ as I am just a beginner wannabe maybe it will be nice for learning , test and try.
Thank you all for your explanations!!
Will tell you how it goes in a few days