Okay, here’s my blog post about the difference between 12mm and 50mm lenses, written from my personal experience:
So, I wanted to really see the difference between a wide-angle lens and a more “normal” one. I’ve got a 12mm and a 50mm, both for my mirrorless camera. I figured the best way to understand it wasn’t just to read about it, but to actually go out and shoot with them.
The Setup
First, I grabbed my camera and both lenses. I decided to head to a local park – it’s got a good mix of open spaces, trees, and a few buildings. Good for testing, I thought.
Shooting with the 12mm
I started with the 12mm. I screwed it onto my camera, and wow, the world felt HUGE through the viewfinder. I took a shot of a wide-open field with some trees in the distance.
- What I noticed: The 12mm got EVERYTHING in. The field looked vast, and the trees, which were pretty far away, still felt like they were part of the scene. I could even see a lot of the sky. It really emphasized the scale of things.
- I also tried getting close to a tree. The bark filled the frame, and it felt like I was right up against it, even though I had some space.
Switching to the 50mm
Next, I swapped to the 50mm. It was like zooming in without actually zooming, if that makes sense. I went back to the same field and took a shot from the roughly same spot.
- What I saw: The 50mm focused on a much smaller section of the field. Those distant trees? They were much more prominent, more of the subject of the photo, instead of just being part of the background. The sky was barely visible.
- When I tried the close-up of the tree, I had to step back quite a bit to get a similar framing to the 12mm. The 50mm really isolates a subject; it’s not about the whole scene, but a specific part of it.
My Takeaway
It wasn’t just about “zooming.” It’s about how the lens shapes the feeling of the photo.
- 12mm: Great for landscapes, architecture, or when you want to show a sense of spaciousness. It makes things feel big and open. Or,if you use close to object, it’s can get funny look.
- 50mm: Better for portraits, or when you want to isolate a subject and draw attention to it. It’s closer to how our eyes naturally see the world, making create stronger connection with the viewers.
Honestly, playing around with them like this was the best way to understand the difference. I’m no pro, but actually doing it made it all click. I feel like I have a much better handle on when to use each lens now. I’m even thinking about trying some street photography with the 12mm to see how I can play with those wide angles!
