Nikon D3100: 50mm f1.8 or 35mm f1.8?
I'm hopefully receiving a Nikon D3100 for Christmas this year and being a complete novice to using DSLRs I have no idea what each lens does.
I've done a lot of research and it seems that investing in prime lenses are the way to go for brilliant picture quality and the two most mentioned lenses are the Nikkor 50mm and 35mm.
I'm not entirely sure what the pros and cons are on each lens so if someone would be able to give me any information I would be very grateful.
It seems that you have been reading all about "Prime" lenses and that the 35 mm and 50 mm lenses are nice and fast.
But do you know what they do? Do you know that they also have limitations, one of the reasons why zoom lenses are the most popular among beginners AND professionals?
Your D3100 will come with a 18-55 mm lens. It is perfect for learning how to use a fully adjustable camera because with it, you can shoot landscapes, group and full body shots as well as ahead and shoulder portraits.
After you have learned how to use the D3100 so that each time you press the shutter release, you get brilliant images, then you can start testing with it to determine if you want a 35 mm or 50 mm… Or something totally different.
To do that, just tape your 18-55 mm lens at 35 mm and walk around with it to see how far from your subject you need to be to compose it well. Next, tape the lens at 50 mm and do the same thing. This is the ONLY way you will be able to decide which you eventually buy, if either. Many people decide to skip those two lenses and buy a macro lens like the 60 mm f/2.8 or a lens they can use to shoot action, sports or some wildlife.
Here is a link that will show you what each lens sees
Just because prime lenses can produce beautiful crisp clear photos doesn't mean that zoom lenses can't.
Zoom lenses are massively convenient and the 18-55 kit lenses supplied with most Canon and Nikon cameras are VERY good lenses. When bought with the kit they add so little to the overall cost that they are a really cheap option.
The difference between 35mm and 50mm is very small. If you must go down the prime lens route then replace the 35 with a 28.
They are two rather different lenses, and do very different jobs.
AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.8G:
- On DX sensor this is a short telephoto lens, making it an ideal for portraits.
- f/1.8 maximum aperture is good for blurring backgrounds. As well as allowing this lens to be used in limited light.
- Narrow field of view makes it rather difficult to use for other applications.
AF-S Nikkor 35mm f1.8G DX:
- On DX sensor this is a normal lens, which means it's a good general purpose walkabout lens. It's wide enough for scenes while still giving a telephoto-like perspective for reasonably flattering portraits.
- f/1.8 max aperture allows this lens to work well in low light.
- DX coverage means it will only work properly on DX cameras. It does become impractical on FX cameras such as the D600/700/800/800E, or D3/3S/3X/4.
Personally I prefer the 35mm/1.8, it's more useful overall.