Choosing the Right Lens for Your Visual Storytelling: A Comparison of Three 50mm Lenses
As photographers, we often talk about gear, cameras, tripods, flashes but one of the most important decisions you’ll make when it comes to capturing your vision is choosing the right lens. Each lens is more than just a tool to get the shot; it has the power to shape the story, evoke a mood, and even transport the viewer to a different time or place. The lens you choose can dramatically impact the feel of your work.
In this video, we’re going to explore three iconic Canon 50mm lenses, each with its own distinctive character and show why selecting the right lens is essential for visual storytelling. We’ll take a look at the Canon RF 50mm f1.8 STM, a modern sharp lens, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4, an older lens with a 90s charm, and the Canon nFD 50mm f1.8, a vintage lens that exudes character.
Canon RF 50mm f1.8 STM: Modern Precision Meets Portability
The Canon RF 50mm f1.8 STM is a contemporary lens designed for Canon’s mirrorless RF mount cameras. If you’re looking for a sharp, reliable, and affordable lens, this is it. Known as the "Nifty Fifty," this lens combines modern technology with decent quality, delivering crisp details and excellent color reproduction.
Visual Character & Mood
The RF 50mm f1.8 creates an image that’s clean and neutral. Its sharpness at wide apertures allows you to isolate subjects with beautiful bokeh while maintaining clarity and contrast in the focal plane. The lens is versatile enough to shoot a range of subjects, from portraits to street photography, and its compact size makes it perfect for on-the-go shooters. On the down side this lens suffers with strange low contrast in the corners and strange ghosting in harsh lighting due to the use of plastic lens elements.
In terms of mood, this lens leans toward precision. It offers a modern, no-nonsense look, which is perfect for storytelling that requires clear, accurate visual representation. Whether you're shooting portraits photography or capturing a fleeting moment in a bustling city, the RF 50mm helps deliver your vision with sharp focus and vibrant colors.
Canon EF 50mm f1.4: A Nod to 1990s Charm
The Canon EF 50mm f1.4 lens, released in 1993 is a slightly more refined version of the earlier f1.8 models. It's still very much beloved by photographers today for its ability to create soft, creamy bokeh, and its somewhat "loose" rendering of images gives it a timeless quality. Unlike the ultra-sharp RF version, the EF 50mm f1.4 has a more distinct and slightly dreamy look.
Visual Character & Mood
When you shoot with the Canon EF 50mm f1.4, you’re tapping into a lens with a distinctive, almost nostalgic character. The images this lens produces often have a certain glow and subtle softness, especially when shot wide open. This softness isn’t a flaw, but rather part of its charm it can introduce a bit of atmosphere to portraits or create a vintage vibe in your work.
For visual storytelling, the EF 50mm f1.4 is perfect for evoking emotions tied to the past or offering a more "romantic" portrayal of the present. The slightly imperfect sharpness and soft bokeh add a layer of artistic interpretation, making it ideal for storytelling that emphasizes emotion, memory, or nostalgia.
Canon nFD 50mm f1.8: Full of Vintage Character
For those looking for a lens that carries true vintage character, the Canon nFD 50mm f1.8 is a gem. Released as part of Canon's nFD lens series in the late 1970s, this lens has a unique optical design that’s far removed from the sharpness-centric modern lenses. It’s manual focus only, and while it may not be as fast or precise as newer lenses, its old-school build and rendering style have their own allure.
Visual Character & Mood
The Canon nFD 50mm f1.8 lens has a distinctive "old film" feel. Its optical design was intended for film cameras, so there’s a certain charm to the images it produces. You’ll notice the lens' inherent softness around the edges, unique color rendering, and a slight amount of optical flare when shooting in high-contrast conditions. These quirks contribute to a nostalgic, almost cinematic look.
The nFD 50mm f1.8 is ideal for visual storytelling that seeks to transport the viewer back in time. The lens is great for creating atmospheric images that feel timeless, evocative of a bygone era, or simply telling stories with an artistic, imperfect lens. If your work focuses on narrative-driven images that evoke a sense of nostalgia, vintage appeal, or cinematic quality, this lens is a perfect choice.
Why Choosing the Right Lens Matters
Each of these lenses has its own unique “character,” and that’s why it’s important to understand how they affect your work. As visual storytellers, the tools we use, particularly lenses, play a crucial role in how our stories are perceived.
The Canon RF 50mm f1.8 STM is ideal for those who need clarity, precision, and sharp focus. It works well in situations where you want to convey a modern, straightforward story, or simply focus on technical excellence.
The Canon EF 50mm f1.4 adds a touch of nostalgia and charm to your work. It’s a great lens for visual storytelling that embraces soft focus, atmosphere, and emotional depth, perfect for portraits and lifestyle imagery.
The Canon nFD 50mm f1.8 takes you to a different time entirely, offering character, softness, and imperfections that create a vintage or cinematic vibe. Its manual controls force a slower, more deliberate approach, making it ideal for those who want to craft a story with intentionality and character.
Ultimately, the lens you choose has the power to shape how your audience experiences your story. Each one creates a different mood, emphasizes different details, and invites a different way of seeing the world. The lens is not just a tool, it’s a part of your storytelling process. Choose wisely, and you’ll see how a single lens can elevate the narrative you want to tell.
50mm Portrait Test
Here are three shots taken from the same spot using all three lenses. All shots were taken with the lenses wide open. On the left is the RF 50 1.8, in the middle is the EF 50mm f1.4 and on the right is the nFD 50mm f1.8. The first thing you’ll notice is that the nFD 50mm has a blue cast to it. This is fairly common with nFD lenses. I would recommend using a Tiffen warming filter or Tiffen Enhancing filter with these old lenses to bring back the warm tones. The EF 50mm has a slight blue cast in the blacks and the RF 50mm has the most accurate colors. In terms of sharpness the RF 50mm is the sharpens of the bunch and the nFD 50mm is the softest wide open.
Harsh Lighting Shots
The right lens can elevate your photography from a mere snapshot to a visual story. Whether you’re using the precise and modern Canon RF 50mm f1.8 STM, the nostalgic Canon EF 50mm f1.4, or the vintage Canon nFD 50mm f1.8, each lens brings something special to the table. By understanding how each lens creates its unique character and mood, you can select the one that best fits the narrative you want to convey. Remember, it’s not just about technical specifications, it’s about how the lens helps you tell your visual story.
More content with these lenses -> RF 50mm f1.8, EF 50mm f1.4, nFD 50mm f1.8
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