Nikon kit lens and Nikon 50mm 1.8D manual focus feel and behavior?

It's always been my dream to own a prime lens.

Does a 50mm 1.8D have the same manual focus "feel" as the Nikon 18-55mm kit lens? I accept the fact that I'd have to manually focus a 50mm 1.8D lens on my D5100. But if it feels the same as manually focusing an 18-55mm kit lens, then I might as well skip on buying 1.8D.

P.S. I don't have a budget for 1.8G and I thought the 1.8D may be greatly useful both for my Nikon digital and film camera.

So, should I give it a green light?

The 18-55mm kit lens manual focus is really bad, especially with the floppy front barrel. The 50mm focus ring is pretty good and the lens wil hold focus even when you're bouncing around. Trying to manual focus on the screens used in DSLR cameras is unpleasant if you're used to the old split/micro-prism focus screens used on old film cameras. You can get a split/micro-prism focus screen for your camera from KatzEye, but that's another $100 or more.
http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/

If you plan on getting a higher end body some year (like a D7100 or better), then you can suffer through manually focusing this lens until you get a body with a focus motor. Otherwise, things will be much easier with the AF-S version of this lens. The other option is using live view to focus, but I don't think the D5100 has a magnify option in live view to do critical focusing.

Edit: Correction, the D5100 does have magnify in live view. See page 106 in your manual.

I disagree. The AF-D lenses have a so-so focus ring, not as ergonomic as the fully manual lenses. But even with a better focus ring, your digital SLR will not have the split ring/microprism focus assist in the viewfinder as the film SLR cameras. If you can't afford to squander money on a 50mm AF-S, you can't afford to squander it on a 50mm AF-D. For this one trick pony to be used at wide aperture for the dramatic eyeball-and-nothing-else-in-focus look you need for the focus on the eyeball to be very, very accurate. You also need a tripod for this. Even if you can use the wide aperture to get a shutter speed that can hide camera shake, any swaying will mess up the focus at such shallow depth of field.

Actually, it is a much better focus system on the 50mm. Your 18-55 is supposed to be an autofocus lens, manual focus is just there as a backup and is implemented poorly. The 50mm has a real focus ring, and is much easier to work with.

Are you looking at the older 50mm f/1.8G? It is only $217.
http://www.amazon.com/...004Y1AYAC/

I have both of those lenses. The feel is about the same, although 50mm 1.8D seem little looser than 18-55mm.

Please keep in mind, 50mm f/1.8D will NOT auto focus on most less expensive Nikon Digital bodies as lens lacks internal motor and the camera body lacks the motor to actuate the auto focus prong on the lens. So you are buying a manual focus lens, basically.

What kind of film body do you have? Most auto-focus lenses are a pretty bad choices for manual only cameras. The focus rings aren't dampened, so it doesn't have the silky smooth feel of traditional manual only lenses. Also, manual focusing lenses on digital bodies aren't easy either. They lack focusing aid that older film bodies did.

Why do you want a prime lens? Do you need the lower f stop that f/1.8 offers? If not, you really don't any advantage.

They're both autofocus lenses so they feel more or less the same. It's slippery when done right and a bit gritty when the AF switch is left to ON.