Is A 50mm Lens Good For Group Shots?
Every click matters for a passionate photographer. No matter whether the shot is for a single subject or a group of people. When the 50mm lens is in your camera bag & you have to shoot for a group, the mind asks- is a 50 mm lens good for group shots?
To answer your query, yeah, a 50mm lens is good for group shots. You can take impressive photos of your family or friends’ group through the 50mm lens.
For a perfect group portrait with this lens, you should know many more interesting facts. So, take a step closer to the perfect shots with the nifty fifty 50 mm lens in today’s write-up. Here we go!
In the world of photography, several things matter for a perfect shot. Like the location, the number of your group, or their ages. Considering these things, you have to choose a lens for the perfect portrait.
A 50mm lens is a good companion in the arsenal of a photographer. You can take a fantastic shot with a 50mm lens, even of your groups. Large groups require a short focal length lens to fit everyone in one frame.
If you are shooting for a family or friend group, a 50mm lens will give you enough wider angle that you may need to fit in one portrait.
Besides, sometimes a group not only contains adults but also children or toddlers. In this case, it will be better if you choose a lens of a short focal length, like a 50mm lens. It will be easier to keep them in the frame despite their movement.
Moreover, based on the location, like if you are taking photographs indoors, the nifty 50mm lens can also provide enough wide shots to have everyone in the best portrait. In tight spaces, the lens is a good choice rather than touching the wall trying to get everyone in.
But here, the 50mm lens will work supreme with a small group of up to 4 people because it has a limited field of view.
Regarding a group with 4 or 5 people, you can choose the 50mm lens to take the group shot with magnification. Apart from this, you can also get a good depth effect.
For a large group of 10 or 15 people, a 50mm lens will not work better. In this case, you cannot get the effect of the group shot that you want.
How To Take A Perfect Group Shot With A 50mm Lens?
Using proper techniques, you can take a pro-quality group photo. Whether it is for personal or professional work, you can master the lens towards improving your shooting technique. The steps are as follows.
#1- Choose Location
First, choose a location where you can take a group shot. Because perfect and beautiful photographs mostly depend on the places and the backgrounds.
#2- Ensure Enough Room For Photography.
The 50mm lens is wide enough to shoot the group outside or within nature. But if you intend to take the shot indoors, ensure you have enough to back up your foot for capturing all in one portrait.
#3- Ensure Not Too Wide Aperture.
While taking a group photo with the 50mm lens, ensure you have not used a wider aperture. Always remember the smaller f-stop means the larger aperture, and the larger f-stop means the smaller aperture.
When you are taking a group photo of more than five people, set your aperture to about f/5.6 to f/8.
See the chart below to get an idea of how much focus depth you can get in different apertures.
Subject Distance | Aperture | Focus Depth |
20 feet | f/1.8 | 5 feet |
10 feet | f/1.8 | 1 foot 3 inches |
20 feet | f/5.6 | 19 feet 8 inches |
10 feet | f/5.6 | 4 feet 2 inches |
#4- Leave Some Space Around The Group.
While shooting with the 50mm lens, you cannot zoom in or out. So leave some spaces around your group for the adjustment.
#5- Focus Your Composition
That is no need to say for the lenses, but it is worth saying about the 50mm lens. In this lens, there is no distortion or compression, so you can only focus on the composition.
#6- Shoot Faster [1/100 of a second]
When shooting with the 50mm lens, you have to shoot as fast as 1/100 seconds. To prevent the portrait from blurring any motion, shoot at 1/160 or 1/200 seconds.
#7- Consider The Focal Line.
The curvature of the focal line of the 50mm lens is minimal. So if you have space, it will be easier for you to take the group shot. Keep the focal line in a straight arc to get them in focus.
What Is So Special About The 50mm Lens?
The 50mm lens has not got the title of the power of the “nifty fifty” to no purpose. Henri Cartier Bresson, known as the father of modern photojournalism, used a 50mm lens in most of his photographs as the lens is a complete all-rounder. Let us see some of the reasons that make the 50mm lens that special.
#1- Bring The Subject Closer
The 50mm lens brings life a little bit closer. In some cases, you may not zoom the subjects due to the wider field view clutter. Here the 50mm lens provides the narrower frame.
#2- Isolate The Subject
A perfect shot means the subject is isolated from the background. The 50mm lens creates an impressive separation of the person from the background catching the viewer’s eyes. Besides, the lens doesn’t distort the features of the people.
#3- More Control With Greater Creativity
The 50mm lens has a narrower field view, so you can have better control over your creativity. By using the lens, you can make more decisions on how to make the image more focused.
#4- Value The Money
50mm lenses are relatively affordable. So, as a beginner, you can own a 50mm lens and learn with it.
#5- Excellent Depth Of Field
The 50mm lens is the master of taking haze or blurring pictures as it is a quick lens. When this is the case of adjusting the depth of field, the 50mm lens has a unique and impressive appearance.
#6- Effective In Capturing The Light
The 50mm lenses have the ability of a wider aperture for capturing the light as its strong focal point. That is why the 50mm lenses are one of the best lenses for shooting in low light.
#7- Great In Low Light
One of the significant advantages of the 50mm lenses is the capturing ability in low light. Having a large aperture, the 50mm lenses are best for low-light portraits.
When To Use The 50mm Lens?
Honestly, the 50mm lens is a versatile all-purpose lens. No matter what type of photographer you are or your subjects, you can use the 50mm lens in all fields.
From person to animal or landscape to night shot, from lit area to dim light area, from single to group photos, the lens can leave a surprise note in a portrait!
The only thing where you can’t use the 50mm lens is when your subject is too far from you. Otherwise, you can consider everything to take a shot with the 50mm lens.
Best 50mm Lenses Nailing The Photography!
Here we have highlighted some of the top 50mm lenses with their qualities. These cameras can be a good companion for you to be a master of photography. Choose one according to your preference.
Lenses | Qualities |
Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM |
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Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM |
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Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM |
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Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S lens |
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Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S |
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Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.4G ED |
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Sony FE 50mm F1.2 G Master review |
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Sony FE 50mm f/1.4 GM |
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Top 6 Pick Lenses For Group Photography
When the time for photography of your large group, wider lenses, and great features, you know, makes a real difference. That is why, for your assistance, we have chosen the six best lenses for group photography.
Lenses | Features |
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM |
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Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM |
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Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II |
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Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G |
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Sony – FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM |
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Tamron AFF013C-700SP 45mm F/1.8 Di VC |
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Final Verdict
Photography is an art, a passion for expressing talent! In this way, a 50mm lens is the best alternative for everyday photography. The lens can be proven best if you are taking a family group photo or friends.
In the case of group photos, only a small group can be taken mesmerically with the 50mm lens. If you are looking for more magnificent photography, you have to head to the other lenses according to your purposes.
Ultimately choosing a lens all depends on the goals and places of your shooting and the money you want to spend on your photography. So select a lens according to your preference, always be inspired & keep shooting!
Bordie Capron
Author
“Bordie Capron is a Sr. Content Maker who is working in The Clipping Path Service an US-based image and video post-production company for over 7+ years. She completed her degree in graphic designing and worked as a graphic designing expert for several years. She always loved writing”
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