Difference between 50mm, 60mm, and 105mm lenses?

Question

Ok. I am using a Nikon D50.
what are the diffrences between a 50mm lens, a 60mm lens, and a 105mm lens? Will all 3 work for portraits and macro? what is each type used for?

I know that they are differnet focal lengths, but whare re the differences in terms of the type of photo that i can take?

Answer 1

They are just different focal lengths. I doubt that you own the lenses, or you would just put them on your D50 and see how they looked.

These lenses are all useful, but you may not want both the 50 and 60 mm, as they are fairly close is focal length. There would be other factors involved in your decision, particularly maximum aperture or quality of the glass.

A macro lens would be labeled "macro" or "micro" somewhere on the barrel of the lens. A macro lens will focus extremely close allowing you to get a very high magnification of the subject. Nikon makes macro lenses in both 60 and 105 mm focal lengths, but you will have to be sure that the lens you are looking at is specifically a "macro" or "micro" lens.

The "classic" portrait lens in 35 mm film cameras is a 105 mm lens. This lets you get a little distance away from the subject so camera is not so intimidating. It will also "flatten" things out just a bit, as well as allow you to throw the background out of focus a little easier than a 50 mm lens would.

In the D50, there is a 1.5x magnification factor due to the sensor being smaller than a full 35 mm format. This means the 50 mm would be a "35 mm equivalent" of 75 mm. This means the 60 mm would be a "35 mm equivalent" of 90 mm. The 105 mm would be a "35 mm equivalent" of almost 160 mm.

I would bet a nickel that the 60 mm lens you are looking at is a Nikon macro lens, with an f/2.8 maximum aperture. I own this lens and I love it. You can do a very wide range of general photography with it. At an effective 90 mm, it is considered a mild telephoto. It lets you work at some distance from your subject for portraiture and it focuses down to a 1:1 ratio (the best) for macro work. This lens must be locked in the minimum aperture prior to mounting it on your D50, but that is a one-click operation. You have to do that to preserve all of the automatic functions of the lens.

I'll guess that the 50 mm is a classic "prime" lens with a maximum f/stop of f/2.0 or even f/1.4. If so, this is really good for low light situations. On the D50, it would be a very mild telephoto. If you want a single focal length prine lens for the D50, look towards something like a 35 mm lens with an f/2.0 aperture. I used to think that any photography student really needed to master the use of the prime lens before being allowed to progress to a zoom lens, but I guess that is the philosophy of a different era.

I'll bet another nickel that the 105 lens you are looking at is another macro lens. You can't get any larger an image than you can with the 60 mm, so if you are looking for a macro lens, I like the 60 about as well as the 105. When you consider that the 60 mm costs about $400 and the 105 mm costs about $650, this is a decision that might make itself for you.

Then again, if money is no object, the new vibration reduction 105 mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR is a lens to covet. The VR would really help for sharp macro images. The only thing wrong with this lens is that it costs over $800 and it is hard to find in stock anywhere.

Are we having fun yet?

Answer 2

Well, 50mm is considered the "standard" view, as a person would see something. 60mm is basically the same, just a touch more in the telephoto range. The 105mm would be considered a light telephoto lens.
The typical range of portrait lenses is between 85mm and 105mm. Of course it's all a matter of taste and opinion.
The reason one would use a light telephoto for portraits is that telephoto lenses have a smaller depth of field. That means the foreground and background will blur more than with a standard lens. This is a nice effect since it makes the person stand out more. Also, with a light telephoto, you're not in the subjects face which might intimidate them. If you wanted more blur, you could use a 200mm lens, but now you're so far away from the subject that it's not convenient for "normal" portrait photography. As you can see, it's a matter of balance to find the lens that is best for you.
Now, of course you have to remember, with the Nikon D50, you have to multiply the focal length by 1.5. So now you're 50mm lens is a 75mm lens, the 60mm a 90mm lens and the 105mm a 157mm lens. So I suppose the 60mm would be your best bet...

Answer 3

Sam's really working for his 10 points on this one - and he deserves them!
Here's the idiot version:
A dedicated macro lens is for subjects that you can reach out and touch: flowers, insects, circuit boards, etc. You *can* use then for normal photography, but why would you? Regular lenses are better for that.
Some normal lenses advertise a 'macro function', which means that they'll focus 'fairly' close to the lens (around 1.5 to 3 feet, as opposed to a few inches on a true macro lens).
As for portraits, most pros prefer focal lenghts between 85 and 135mm on 35mm film - which works out to 55-90mm on a D50. If you go (much) wider, the lens will produce an unflattering perspective and if you go (much) longer, you'll have to call your subject on his cell phone to suggest new poses.

Answer 4

Nikkor 60mm Micro is much better than Sigma 50mm Macro. I suggest that you buy close-up filters first and try out macro photography. If you like macro work, then go ahead and buy a dedicated macro lens.