Reading mode: Light Dark

Help the Man Select a Prime lens of these 3

Go to last post
H

Hazemhaddad

Active member
Messages
72
Reaction score
0
Location
JO
Hi Guys

with a D7000, i just came across these three prime lenses, i want to get one of these Prime lenses, but confused which would be the best choice,

i need one for taking photos inhouse for Family gatherings and great looking portraits of my family, lenses are:

50mm 1.4 D , looked amazing at the store. priced at $353

50mm 1.8 D, surprisingly low cost at $170 but is there really this difference in picture quality from the above.

35mm f/ 2D, priced at $381

there is also 35mm 1.8G not much less than the above but it seems the one aboe is better in quality, isnt it?

Please advise... Thanks in advance.
 
First, find out which focal length works best for you. Use your kit zoom to take pictures at 35mm and 50mm and see which you like better. Then choose which version you want.

I find the 50mm too telephoto for my house, I have to shoot with my back against the wall all the time.
 
thanks for the advise. i am on the same finding you have for 50mm. however, the price of 50mm 1.8 is really enticing and making me confused!!!!
 
Of those choices, sorry, I don't own any for my DX shooting.

I bought the 35/1.8 and can highly recommend it -- mine is sharp as well as very fast for a 35mm. I bought mine lightly use for about $180 on ebay. On the DX format, 35mm is the "normal" lens.

I've heard good reports here about the 50/1.8, and it can be found used on ebay for around $100. I'm no convinced it is as good as the 50/1.4G, which is what I would aim for if cost weren't a big factor. I've stayed away, due to the price, and it's lack of appeal for me. On DX format, 50mm is a light telephoto lens.

So, for about $300, you could get the 35/1.8 and the 50/1.8 on ebay, and that's where I suggest beginning this collection.

Have fun deciding!
 
To me it depends on my inhouse subject. I have a D90 and the 50 f1.4 and 35 f1.8. When im shooting my kids age 2 and 3, I much prefer the 50mm (75mm equivalent).
For more general shooting and adults, the 35 comes on..

Regards
 
From what I've seen the IQ of the 50 f1.8 and f1.4 are pretty much the same, you just pay for the wider aperture on the F1.4

As some have said, the 35 mm is the 'standard' on an APS-C camera giving 50 mm which is the normal angle of view of the human eye.

So I'll differ on this and suggest the 24 mm which is exceptionally sharp and will give you a better focal depth in restricted areas like rooms. However, the 'pop-up' flash might not cover the 24mm angle if used.
 
I have the 35mm f1.8 AF-S (got it for $140 used on Craigslist), and the 50mm f1.8 (used on Craigslist for $80). Hmm. Now I have both, and only spent $220.

The 50mm has better bokeh, but is a little less sharp wide open, and as others have stated, SOMETIMES a little too long for indoors in small/avergae size rooms.

The 35mm is great, but has not so nice bokeh.

I actually want a 24 or 28mm fast prime next.
 
nfpotter said:
I have the 35mm f1.8 AF-S (got it for $140 used on Craigslist), and the 50mm f1.8 (used on Craigslist for $80). Hmm. Now I have both, and only spent $220.

The 50mm has better bokeh, but is a little less sharp wide open, and as others have stated, SOMETIMES a little too long for indoors in small/avergae size rooms.

The 35mm is great, but has not so nice bokeh.

I actually want a 24 or 28mm fast prime next.
Click to expand...
you got both on amazing offers...envy you :)
 
.. makes it an expensive acquisition, no matter how low the purchase price!

That's what happened to me after getting the 50/1.8. It is just too long for family social occasions in a normal sized house.

I ended up buying the Nik 18-35 which is my only zoom lens and I use it a lot.

You should search this forum though. 50/1.8 versus 50/1.4 comparisons have been done to death, as also evaluations of the 35.

If you do not have a decent flashgun (SB600 at least) then you should factor this in as well because using a lens wide open for indoor family shots is no substitute for decent light (in my opinion).

David
Hazemhaddad said:
thanks for the advise. i am on the same finding you have for 50mm. however, the price of 50mm 1.8 is really enticing and making me confused!!!!
Click to expand...
 
Antony John said:
As some have said, the 35 mm is the 'standard' on an APS-C camera giving 50 mm which is the normal angle of view of the human eye.
Click to expand...
This is an oft-repeated photography myth. The human eye doesn't have a "normal" angle of view. 50mm on full frame is considered standard because it's close to the diagonal of the format (43mm).
 
binary_eye said:
This is an oft-repeated photography myth. The human eye doesn't have a "normal" angle of view. 50mm on full frame is considered standard because it's close to the diagonal of the format (43mm).
Click to expand...
Thanks for pointing that out. Many things we grow up with and take for granted.
Noted.
 
this is a nice ligtening discussion,

David,

is it possible to point out some of these comparision? especially the 35 1.8 and 2D and why the 2 is more expansive than the 1.8?
 
Antony John said:
A reference from DPReview:
http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=picture+angle
Click to expand...
Yes, it's mentioned all over the place. And, thanks to the "ubiquity equals truth" aspect of the internet, it gets propagated even more.

The horizontal angle of view of a 50mm lens on full frame is about 40 degrees. I don't know about you, but when I close one eye, I can see something close to 80 degrees. With both eyes open, it's probably about 160 or 170 degrees.

In general, human vision works so much differently than a camera and lens that it's not worth trying to come up with equivalencies between the two.
 
For whatever it's worth, when I put the 50mm on my D90, the viewfinder image is almost exactly the same size as the view from my other eye. In other words, the 50mm + the optics of the viewfinder creates an image the same size as what my other eye is seeing.
 
DrewS40 said:
For whatever it's worth, when I put the 50mm on my D90, the viewfinder image is almost exactly the same size as the view from my other eye. In other words, the 50mm + the optics of the viewfinder creates an image the same size as what my other eye is seeing.
Click to expand...
People often take this as an indication that 50mm is "special" but of course viewfinder magnification is the key factor there. If you pick up a camera with a different viewfinder (or if you attach a viewfinder magnifier) then you need a different focal length to achieve the same effect.

--
http://www.darknessinterrupted.net
http://www.pixelfixer.org
 
Tried 50mm 1.8D and 35mm 1.8G and the 35mm is MUCH MUCH better. Also a much better range for DX cameras cause the 50mm always feels a bit too much tele.
Hazemhaddad said:
Hi Guys

with a D7000, i just came across these three prime lenses, i want to get one of these Prime lenses, but confused which would be the best choice,

i need one for taking photos inhouse for Family gatherings and great looking portraits of my family, lenses are:

50mm 1.4 D , looked amazing at the store. priced at $353

50mm 1.8 D, surprisingly low cost at $170 but is there really this difference in picture quality from the above.

35mm f/ 2D, priced at $381

there is also 35mm 1.8G not much less than the above but it seems the one aboe is better in quality, isnt it?

Please advise... Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
 
Yes, certainly agree with that. If you hold your arms out so that they make a straight line through your shoulders then move them in slightly until you can see both of them without moving your head that gives the angle which is indeed about 160 or 170 degrees.

But vision is a complicated thing - we give far more attention generally to what's straight ahead of us.
binary_eye said:
In general, human vision works so much differently than a camera and lens that it's not worth trying to come up with equivalencies between the two.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top