EF-s 50mm f/1.8 STM good for a "point and shoot" wife?

[theandies]

As my title implies, my wife is a "point and shoot" photographer.  She mainly uses her point and shoot at the school where she teaches taking portrait shots and the occasional action photo of her students (pre-school ages, indoors and out).  Would the EF-s 50mm f/1.8 STM be a good "all around" lens for these types of shots?  I have a Rebel T6i that I bought because wanted some of the more advanced features (changeable lens and manual control) of a DSLR over a point and shoot and ease of use for my wife.  I also wanted the WiFi features as my wife has no idea what an SD card is (she is very technically challenged) and I wanted an easy way for her to transfer her shots to her iPad (which the T6i has accomplished beautifully).

Thanks

John

[TCampbell]

I'm not sure I understand the question.

I gather than YOU have a T6i and it probably came with a kit lens. Are you asking about buying another camera for your wife and also buying a 50mm lens? Or does she use your T6i and you're thinking about buying another lens for it?

The T6i has an "APS-C" crop-frame size sensor. APS-C refers to "Advanced Photo System - Classic" size film because the digital sensor on the camera is roughly the same size as a single frame of APS-C film (60% smaller than 35mm film).

When you use a 50mm lens with an APS-C camera, it provides a focal length similar to what you'd get using an 80mm lens on a full frame (digital sensor is the same size as a single frame of 35mm film) camera. This is a nice "portrati" focal length. It's a bit narrow for candid photography (not there are rules about this -- you certainly could use it for candids anyway).

The big advantage to the lens is the focal ratio -- f/1.8. It gathers about 10x more light than the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens can gather (assuming the kit lens is also at a 50mm focal length).

There is a trade-off when using a low focal ratio... the depth of field (range of distances from the lens' focused distance at which a subject will appear to be reasonably in focus) is reduced. That means foregrounds and backgrounds will be blurred (often that's actually a good thing and even somewhat artistic) but if you intend to take a photograph of a group of people it can also mean that some subjects will not be focused.

[theandies]

Tim,

Once again thanks for your input.

She will be using the camera and she is just a point and shoot kind of gal.  I think over time she'd get used to the kit lens that came with the T6 but what I'm looking for is a fixed focal length lens so all she has to do is......well......point and shoot.  I think the f/1.8 would be good for her indoor shots.   Hope I've clarified my question a little.

So:

Good for portraits and low light

Not so good for candid or group shots because of the depth of field with the fixed focal length but can be artistic.  I think she would grow to appreciate that over time though.

Is that about right? 

[ebiggs1 · Accepted solution]

"Not so good for candid or group shots because of the depth of field with the fixed focal length but can be artistic."

This is a bit ...ah... wrong!  On top of the list when comparing a prime 50mm lens to a zoom is, a prime is more limited to what it does well.  This means you must weigh the bennys to the downsides.

A 50mm on a T6 can be great for candids becuase you don't have to be as close to the kid(s).  It can be a problem because you can't be as close to the kid(s).  Do you kinda see this trend. The 'depth-fo-field', DOF, has nothing to do with it in this case.

No Point & Shoot, P&S, that are worth having are limited to a fixed or prime lens.  IE, the Canon G series of P&S.  I have a G15 and it ia a great camera.  However, this level of P&S does not come cheaply.

Sorry but the lens I would reccomend for her and you is not going to come cheaply either.  But you already dropped the coin on a mighty fine camera so here is my thought, EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM.  It gives you almost the best of both worlds.  It is fast.  It has a good focal range.  It has outstanding IQ.  It will make the T6 as close to the best P&S there is.

So my long winded answer to your question, "EF-s 50mm f/1.8 STM good for a "point and shoot" wife?"

No, it wouldn't.