Back when I was young (when gas cost a nickel a gallon, when wooly mammoths roamed the plains, and when kids still respected their elders), most new and aspiring photographers tended to gravitate towards one particular kind of lens: a 50mm prime lens.
50mm lenses were and still are so ubiquitous and dependable that many photographers affectionately refer to their 50mm lens as a “Nifty Fifty.” 50mm lenses are common and relatively cheap because every camera manufacturer makes several different variations on the lens, and most DSLRs and mirrorless cameras are also compatible with third-party lenses.
All that means that you can generally get a 50mm f/1.8 lens for between $100 and $200, and there are even cheaper ones if you go with a thirdparty manufacturer. A 50mm f/1.4 lens will cost
