Sony - E 50mm F1.8 OSS Portrait Lens (SEL50F18/B), Black

This is by far my favorite lens. I am an amateur photographer and this lens is able to capture most of the shots I want to take including portraits, landscapes (yes), and still-life.That being said, I use this lens about 90% of the time. You might say, hey this is a portrait lens you can't use it for something like street photography, or still life, or landscape shots. I'm here to tell you that you can and the quality of the photos will more than make up for the extra time it takes to frame the shot.Pros- F 1.8 produces some incredible bokeh and really focuses on your subject- Fast lens and is solid for low light situations- Very compact and light, perfect for travel or extended photo sessions- Versatile. After using it consistently it was rare I had to change lenses to get a shot I wantedCons- Crop factor (effectively 75mm) makes it difficult in tight quarters to frame shots. It may be hard to frame an entire subject in close quarters- There is some noticeable chromatic aberration, seen as mostly blue outline around subjects, around the F2s and down to F1.8. Some of it can be mitigated but it will still show- The minimum auto-focus range is slightly further than I like, often times it's difficult to focus on objects very close, within about a foot when it seems capable

I bought this lens about two years ago; it was my first lens, and I truly have no regrets. I did almost all my initial projects with it. If you’re just starting out, I recommend it 100% for both video and photography. Keep in mind that it can be challenging to use in tight spaces, as you need a certain distance depending on what you’re focusing on.The most positive aspect for me is its quality and brightness, as it has an aperture of F1.8. Additionally, its focusing speed is quite good.The only downside for me has been the chromatic aberration in certain situations, but it still remains one of the best.

Disclaimer: I'm an amateur photographer and purchased a Sony a6000 several months ago with the 16-55mm kit lens. I quickly graduated from the kit lens, however, and really wanted to unlock the power of my new camera. After debating between Sony's prime 35mm and 50mm, I settled with this bad boy first. I can't say this is my go-to lens that I leave on 90% of the time, but it definitely fills a specific niche depending on the situation.Thanks to its relatively low f-stop of 1.8 compared to the kit lens, it's great for portraits. Even at around f/2.5 to f/2.8, you still get that creamy bokeh in the background with nice subject isolation. To justify its $300 price tag, however, I've used it for other situations. As a Yelper Elite, I'm constantly that camera dork who takes pictures of every restaurant entree I order before shoving it away voraciously into my mouth. With that said, it operates well when taking close up shots. Extreme shots of insects, flowers, etc. would be better justified with a macro lens, although you can consider a cheap alternative from Meike (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BXZ9ALQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) to turn this 50mm into a quasi-macro lens. I've also used it occasionally for street photography, although its large focal length makes it cumbersome to use indoors. You can't really zoom out with your feet once your back hits the wall, ya know?In these particular situations, I will use the 50mm hands-down. Is it the most versatile lens? No. That's why I also have Sony's 28mm f/2, which I find myself leaving on my camera most of the time. In hindsight I would have purchased my 28mm prime first, given its practicality. However, the 50mm acts as a great sidekick with the kit lens and should eventually find its way into your camera bag, regardless of when you purchase it.

For some reason, I just don’t enjoy shooting at distance, so the only two lenses that I end up using on my 6400 are this lens and the Sigma 16mm. The 16 is wide, so I keep the 50mm on when not in use so I can grab and shoot under most conditions.There are plenty of other reviews so I won’t belabor. Yes, the lens is as amazing at capturing every nuance of a moment as everyone says. However, there is one thing in particular that I want to mention for the next person that might be considering this lens. The built-in stabilization in this lens saves a lot of pictures! As I said, this is my grab and go lens. When I’m grabbing and going, I’m usually not using a tripod. Based on my historical experience, I know how many pictures I need to take to get one that is usable. When I’m using this lens, that number drops substantially.I am aware that when people are gushing about their non-Sony lenses, they downplay how significant the stabilization is. I get it, I love my Sigma lens on this camera, but I can’t say enough how great it is to have the extra edge provided by the stabilization. This is true of both motion pictures and stills.I personally believe this lens must be in the bag!