Tamron 17-50 f2.8 (non-vc) or nikkor 35mm 1.8g?

Happy holidays! I'm planning to buy a new lens for my nikon d3200 this coming year and couldn't decide between the tamron 17-50 f2.8 (non-vc) or nikkor 35mm 1.8g. I plan to use it mainly on everyday shooting and i've always wanted to try street photography.right now i'm quite on the side of the tamron because of the constant f2.8 & the flexibility of the mid-zoom. On the other hand, the 35mm 1.8g is sharp, fast, & smaller; but is a prime.

Those two lenses are priced differently and used for different purposes. Tamron is a zoom that costs $499 and the nikon costs $196. I honestly love primes a lot because of the fast aperture, the small size and weight and high quality results. It mainly depending on your shooting style. I own a Tamron 17-50 too but I only use it when I expect to have no time to change lenses, where I need the flexibility of the zoom such as going on a travel abroad or so. But for normal days my 50mm 1.8 spends most time on my camera. I don't know why but I use it so much more. Its just my style.

If I don't have a standard zoom i would go for the zoom first and when I have more money then I would add some primes in it. But for street photography, using primes is the way to do it. I'd buy both, seriously.

For Nikon entry level cameras like you have there, you must check if the lens can focus automatically on your camera or not. For Nikon lenses it is easy, just check if it has a AF-S or AF-I motor. But for third party lenses I'm not very sure. I'm a canon shooter sorry but do check about this by asking the seller or check with experienced Nikon users. Have a good day.

35/1, 8

On your D3200 the 35mm lens will have the equivalent angle of view of a 52.5mm lens on a full-frame DSLR like the Nikon D700. A 50mm lens is considered a "normal" lens on a full-frame DSLR since its angle of view approximates that of the human eye. So if your goal is to make pictures that are close in angle of view to the way you saw the scene then the 35mm is a good choice.

Here is a review of the Tamron lens you're considering:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/...f28-vc.htm

Of course the Nikkor AF-S DX 17-55mm f2.8 ED-IF lens would be far superior to the Tamron but at $1, 399.00 its about 3 times more expensive.

Different Uses

The Prime [35mm F1.8] will let more light in wide open and due to less moving glass be sharper. BUT it will function as a 52mm on your D3200 and that is it. It never will be wide.

The Tamron 17-50mm is a much more interesting buy, as in that at 17mm it is 29mm effective on your D3200. This means nice for landscapes and group shots. At 50mm it is effective 75mm so great for portraits.

Sure it is only F2, 8 over its zoom range and you might have to go to F3, 5 or F4 in certain areas of its zoom range to get it super sharp. But it is able to go wide and also give you a nice portrait shot. The Tamron 17-50mm is more versatile! And will replace your 18-55mm kitlens.

The Tamron 17-50mm is something very nice to own as it probably is one of your first better lenses. And it really is sharp and nice to own so I suggest Tamron 17-50mm

I own one and I'm happy about what it can do for me. It just makes nice sharp images…

Now if you say "Okay but how about the 35mm" Hey primes are great to own. To own a nice sharp quick prime it is so nice. And the 35mm Prime will probably will be smaller then the Tammy 17-50.

It will of course be kinda fixed so it forces you to walk more and. Sometimes you are stuck with your back against a wall. A zoom gives you a little bit more playing space, a prime though well it teaches you things. It teaches you about walking around, as they say a Prime's zoom are your legs.

Still that doesn't always does it. In a more modern approach the zoom has a gain. Still the 35mm isn't a bad choice either, it will teach you allot about position. It also forces you to plan where you stand.

I own a 50mm F1.7 and oh my it is fun to shoot with BUT and its a BUT. You have to walk around and position yourself. It is really thigh sometimes [it would be a 75mm on your nikon]

If you're talking about night time street photography, then the f1.8 is the way to go. If you're talking about mixed use, especially when more light is available, then the Tamron may be more handy. As mentioned, just make sure the Tamron has the built in focus motor, otherwise you'll be manually focusing all of the time whether you like it or not.