Read our comparison of 30mm vs 50mm lens, the two most common focal lengths being used for night photography. We also covered lens recommendations and mistakes to avoid.
Night photography is not for everyone; it requires a high level of skill, a suitable lens, and, more importantly, a capable one and a killer intuition. Even then, it’s a captivating challenge, as there are so many factors that can make you go from hero to zero. One of the major roles is that of the lens, which you are going to use during your night out shoot.
There is a wide range of focal lengths used in night photography, each with its own unique feature set. These range from 14mm all the way up to 85mm, all used in different scenarios of nightscapes, street photography, and astrophotography. We are doing a 30mm vs 50mm lens in this range, as both are the most common focal lengths for night photography.
Comparing 30mm vs 50mm lens:
Coming back to basics, a lower number of focal lengths indicates a greater field of view. The 30mm, being the smaller number, provides a wider field of view than its counterpart, the 50mm lens. This allows you to include much more of the environment or landscape in the night shot and makes a lot of difference in the information of what you are aiming to capture. This might give you the impression that 30mm is the way to go for night shots instead of 50mm, but it's not that simple, as using both depends on your use case.
Pros and Cons:
First, since the 30mm here can punch in a higher field of view, depth of field, and compression in your night shot, this makes it a great choice for taking crispy photos of cityscapes, environmental portraits, or astrophotography. These lenses are also more forgiving when it comes to minor camera shakes, making it easier to shoot handheld at night.
Moreover, you can capture more context, reflections, and surroundings when capturing night shots of city streets. You will not get any noticeable depth of field in night portraits but can use them for environmental portraits where the background tells a story.
But 30mm is far from perfect; since it captures everything, it will have a hard time isolating your subject, so if you plan to take portraits with a decent bokeh, that’s not going to happen with this lens. When attempting near shots, you might experience subjects appearing stretched or warped.
This is where 50mm sets itself apart, as it can capture moody portraits or small scenes with beautiful lighting and can bring in that creamy bokeh most of us are looking for. It can open up to f/1.8 or even f/1.4 aperture numbers, which lets you receive more light for clear and crisp portraits. But it crops most of the scene and requires you to step back to bring more into the field of view.
30mm vs 50mm lens: Use cases
Taking into account both the pros and cons of this lens duo, our recommendation based on this knowledge and the current industry standards is to pack a 300mm if you are aiming for group photos under low light (not individual portraits), night cityscapes, environmental portraits, and pictures related to astrophotography with foreground interest. The 30mm shines when you are looking to capture a complete scene of a city skyline, a landscape under the stars, or a group of friends under neon lights.
And if you are specifically into night portraits with beautiful bokeh, street photography with details, and capturing nighttime events where subject separation is key, then go with a 50mm lens. You will get professional portraits with creamy background blur and can easily isolate your subject against the night but have a smaller field of view when compared to 30mm.
30mm vs 50mm lens: Which one comes out on top?
The SIRUI Saturn 35mm and 50mm full-frame carbon fiber anamorphic lenses each offer unique strengths, especially in low-light and nighttime photography. The 35mm lens provides a wider field of view, capturing more of the scene and delivering a dynamic, immersive look that is perfect for dramatic landscapes or environmental portraits at night. On the other hand, the 50mm lens offers a more natural perspective, closer to human vision, making it ideal for tighter compositions and intimate portrait work.
When shooting handheld at night, the 50mm lens can be more prone to camera shake compared to the 35mm due to its longer focal length. To achieve the best results, it’s important to adjust shutter speed accordingly, following the 1/focal length rule.
Both lenses, crafted with lightweight carbon fiber barrels, feature SIRUI’s signature anamorphic design that produces cinematic blue flares and a beautiful oval bokeh, bringing a true widescreen look to your nighttime photography and videography. Whether you seek the expansive feel of the 35mm or the classic framing of the 50mm, the Saturn series ensures exceptional image quality
