Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D Autofocus Lens good for low lighting settings? - 1

I'm in the market for a 50mm lens and I was set on buying the 1.8 d until I read that the 1.4 D offers better clarity photos in low light settings. I usually photograph a lot of performances at my school (lit stage, strobe lights, etc.) and was wondering if the 1.8 will give me the clarity of shots that I need or if I should just buy the 1.4. If I can get pretty great shots in stage settings with the 1.8 I would rather stick with that since it's a lot cheaper, which for a college student like me would be the most beneficial.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Unless you have a Nikon D90 or D7000 the Nikkor AF 50mm f1.8 will NOT auto focus. If you have the Nikon D40, D60, D3000, D3100, D5000 or D5100 you must use the Nikkor AF-S 50mm f1.8G IF you want auto focus.

The Nikkor 50mm f1.4 lens is 1/2 stop faster than the 50mm f1.8 which, in my opinion, is negligible. So save your money and buy the Nikkor AF-S 50mm f1.8G. It will do what you need in low-light situations.