50mm Lenses

[mace]

I have noticed many use a 50mm 1.8 lens for taking doggy shots and swear by a fixed focal length. I have a 18-105 zoom on my Nikon D7000 and find with my guys running around I use the zoom all the time standing in one spot to shoot as they run out and come back in close. Just wondering what the advantages are with a fixed focal length, I have seen some awesome shots taken with these lenses hoping someone could give me brief explanation of their use please?

[Kirislin]

Because you can stop down to 1.8 or 1.4 depending on the lens, they are great for portraits and/low light, you can get that lovely shallow depth of field with them, where the background has the soft blur.

If the dogs aren't too far away they're also good for action shots because you can set a fast shutter speed and capture the action.

[~*Shell*~]

The 50mm 1.8 is just about the cheapest lens out there and is great value for money because it's fast, sharp and light. That's why so many people have it. I wouldn't be without mine (though I have the 1.4 for the better build quality).

[Gayle.]

I use mostly fixed focal length lenses, including my favourite, the Canon 50mm f1.4. The picture quality is superior because the lens makes no compromises, the composition of my photos is better because I now have to think about it. Standing in one spot, zooming in and out doesn't always make for good photography, although it does make taking snapshots fairly easy. And the more a lens zooms, the more compromises are made with the picture quality, especially at the long end.

[helen]

ditto what Gail said, I always use primes, except for the occasional show photo, although sometimes a zoom is great for things that are happening a long distance away.

[Kirislin]

I love my 2 primes, the 50mm is good but zooms definitely have their place.