{"id":2022,"date":"2022-11-04T05:31:59","date_gmt":"2022-11-04T05:31:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.masterproductphotography.com\/?p=2022"},"modified":"2022-11-05T04:18:04","modified_gmt":"2022-11-05T04:18:04","slug":"50mm-lens-ok-for-product-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.masterproductphotography.com\/50mm-lens-ok-for-product-photography\/","title":{"rendered":"Is a 50 mm Lens Good For Product Photography? (Tips from a Pro)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
There are many lens choices that are suitable for product photography. Perhaps you’ve narrowed it down and are wondering if a 50mm lens is a good choice for product photography.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A 50 mm lens for product photography is an ideal choice for cameras with crop sensor cameras (APS-C or Micro Four Thirds). For full-frame sensor cameras, a 50 mm lens is suitable in some circumstances but may be too wide for smaller products.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There’s a little more to it than that though. With more than 15 years of experience working as a product photographer, I’m going to lay out for you some of the key considerations to help you decide if a 50 mm lens is a good choice for product photography. I’ll also give you my preferred choice.<\/p>\n\n\n I have also included some example photos which I took, so you can compare 50mm lenses with other focal lengths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before we talk about the considerations when deciding on a 50mm lens, let’s take a closer look at what actually makes a good product photo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Usually, when we’re talking about product photography, we’re talking about either eCommerce style photos (on a white background) or more creative product photography (styled or sometimes called lifestyle). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Product photography can be anything from stationery to food to a car. The images are usually used on websites, printed marketing materials, and catalogs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For eCommerce product photography (white background photos), usually, this is a less creative and more informational photo. Here’s what’s needed for a good eCom photo:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This style of product photos may be used for an ad or banner and usually, there is room to be more creative. It’s not about representing real life but creating an aspiration for the product. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether researching a 50 mm lens or any other type of lens for product photography, the lens selection process is similar. Usually, a lens with the following characteristics is best when it comes to a product photography lens:<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are several factors you need to take into consideration when deciding if a 50 mm focal length will suit your purpose. These are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The focal length of a lens has an effect on the creative aspect of your product photos. In practical terms, the lens focal length has the power to minimize perspective or exaggerate perspective. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I should point out that when it comes to perspective, it’s actually not correct to say it’s the focal length of the lens that causes perspective distortion. Because it doesn’t. But that’s another article. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The short answer is, to fill the frame using a 50mm lens, you’ll need to stand closer to your subject than with a 100mm lens. It’s because of this, the photo taken with the 50 mm lens will have more perspective distortion. <\/p>\n\n\n So the question is, do you want this distortion in your photos?<\/strong> It can be a creative tool but it may not be appropriate for product photos on a white background where the objective is to provide a photo that accurately represents the product’s dimensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two broad sensor sizes available in today’s digital cameras:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The sensor size of the camera affects the depth of field (how much of the subject will be in focus) and also the magnification effect of the lens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A 50mm lens used on a camera with a full-frame sensor will give a wider field of view than the same 50 mm lens used on a camera with a crop sensor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And because of this, the resulting images from a 50mm lens on a crop sensor may be just how you want the photo to look. The resulting photo on a full-frame camera will be different. Ultimately, it’s a creative choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A full-frame sensor camera paired with a 50mm lens can make a nice choice for product photography. It will provide a fairly natural view. Meaning that the perspective of the item does not appear exaggerated or unnatural, provided you stand far enough away from the subject. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n By standing further away, you avoid perspective distortion. Especially for smaller objects under 3 feet in size. You’ll need to stand closer, increasing the risk of perspective distortion, than if you were to use a 100 mm lens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In my opinion, a 50 mm lens on a full-frame camera is a better choice for large items. Items over 3 feet (1m). For items smaller than 3 feet (1m), I prefer an 85mm or 100mm lens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A 50mm lens on a camera with a crop sensor is a great choice for most product photography. It will give you the equivalent focal lengths of 80-100mm (depending on if you have an APS-C or Micro Four Thirds sensor) on a full-frame camera.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Crop sensors come in different formats or sizes such as APS-C and Micro Four Thirds. These sensors are smaller than full-frame sensors. And because of this, the subject will appear to be magnified, when compared to using the same lens on a full-frame sensor camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The magnification effect for APS-C sensors is ~1.6. Which means the subject will appear 1.6 times closer. Cameras with four-thirds sensors have a magnification effect of ~2 times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For smallish items, I would personally choose a 50mm lens when using a crop sensor camera for product photography. For larger items, a 35mm or 24mm lens may be more appropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A practical consideration when deciding on a 50 mm lens is the size of your set or the size of the background you have to work with. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A wide lens, say a 24mm, needs a much wider background than a 50mm or 100mm lens. The issue is, you may not have the space or a wide enough background to fill the frame. <\/p>\n\n\nWhat Makes a Great Product Photo?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
eCommerce and White Background Product Photography<\/h3>\n\n\n
Creative & Lifestyle Product Photography<\/h3>\n\n\n
What Makes a Great Product Photography Lens?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How to Decide if a 50 mm Lens is Good for You<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Creativity, Effect, and Perspective<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Camera Type: Full-Frame or Crop Sensor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Popular Full and Crop Frame Camera Models<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Full-Frame<\/strong><\/td> Crop-Frame <\/strong><\/td><\/tr> Canon – 5D, 6D, R5, R6, R<\/td> Canon – Rebel T8, T7, 90D, 80D, 7D, R7<\/td><\/tr> Nikon – Z9, D850, D780, Z6, Z7<\/td> Nikon – D3500, D7500, D5300<\/td><\/tr> Sony – a7R, a7, a7S<\/td> Sony – a6600, a6400<\/td><\/tr> Panasonic – Lumix S5 <\/td> Panasonic – Lumix GH5 and GH6<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Is a 50mm Lens a Good Choice with a Full-Frame Sensor?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Is a 50mm Lens a Good Choice with a Crop Sensor?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
3. Set Size of Your Set<\/h3>\n\n\n\n