I just had a kid and want a faster lens to be able to take lower light pictures without having to deal with the built in flash on the camera(I'll get one for the hotshoe later). I need help on deciding which lens to buy. I own a D40 Nikon. I would use the lens for walking around and for pictures of my child, closeups and such.
I am looking for a prime to complement my 18-55.
So far two lenses are front runners. The Nikon 50mm AF F1.8 which is great but will not autofocus with my camera. It costs about $100-120. There is a new Nikon made especially for the DX sized sensor cameras a 35mm AF-S f1.8. This lens costs $200 and would autofocus with the D40.
I've read the reviews and they confuse me. Basically which one would you get and why?
Info on the 35mm since it's new.
http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/nikon_35_1p8g_n15/
I have the 50 mm for my d40, and I love it and use it all the time. The large aperture is great. The only thing it is missing is autofocus, but coming from a Pentax K1000 no autofocus is no big deal. I would like it to be a bit wider though, which is why I have been looking at the 35 mm.
Bottom line: the 50mm is great, but the lack of autofocus might bug you. I would get the 35 mm to shoot kids, because it is wider, and kids move too much to manually focus.
Tommy Suddard wrote:
I have the 50 mm for my d40, and I love it and use it all the time. The large aperture is great. The only thing it is missing is autofocus, but coming from a Pentax K1000 no autofocus is no big deal. I would like it to be a bit wider though, which is why I have been looking at the 35 mm.
Yeah.. I want both but can afford one. If I get a manual focus lens, I doubt my wife will use it.
Considering it seems that autofocus is a concern for you of those two lenses I would go with the 35mm. However another consideration would be the Sigma "nifty fifty". its is a 50mm 1.4 with HSM so it will autofocus with the D40. Though it does cost more than either of the two lenses listed.
I have the 50mm 1.8 and use it on my D40 all the time and I love the DOF given with that lens.
Oh and crop factor on a DX Nikon (like the D40) is 1.5 so the 50mm becomes the 75mm equivalent to a film full frame lens.
yeah so I looked and the 35mm is equivalent to a 50mm fx
Yeah primes are fun little lenses. Most are tack sharp and give you great control over the DOF. However yeah if you are looking to the equivalent to a 50mm on the film bodies the 35mm is really the way to go.
I might give it a shot. I've heard the 50mm is more of a portrait lens. I guess the 35mm could be used the same. Mostly it'll be pix of a tiny baby.
Yeah one of the most loved portrait lenses is the 85mm 1.4, it is often times called the "cream machine" 
I'm going to shoot for a day manual focus with my regular lens and see how it is.. If I suck.. I'll get the 35mm if I don't I'll get the 50mm..
HA!
Sounds like a plan. Just practice it takes some getting use to. Make sure you use the focus indicator dot in the lower left corner of your view finder when you are manually focusing.
