I found two older Nikon lenses and one newer one that I found are very fast and from what I've briefly read, very good, solid lenses with very nice performance.

It's between these three

Nikon 50mm f/1.4 AF-D---Runs around $300

Nikon 50mm f/1.8 AF----Can get for a little under $100 new

Nikon 50mm f/1.8 AF-D----Runs about $115 new



All are supposedly very sharp lenses, and will sing on my D300. I'm currently leaning towards the last one, the 1.8 AF-D. Only because it's newer (The first two were first produced in 1986....not saying that bad) than the second and what will .4 f stop really do for me?? Especially when I will most likely avoid the fastest aperture to not have any fall-off.

I thought this would be a good lens to use for the holidays when you have family and such gathered in the house. Is this a good assumption? I got to keep in mind that there is the crop factor since I have a D300.

If anyone has any other suggestions other than what I posted, let me know. Thanks.

 

I don't like a 50mm on a cropped body, 28mm or 35mm is what I'd want. sorry

 

A 50mm is not very wide on a crop body. Not saying it isn't great for portraits or maybe even couple/small group shots, but it's not a "gather up the whole family for a photo" kind of lens.

As for which 50 to get... I Nikons

 

Hmm...with that said I might consider a 24mm or 28mm now...

Not to say that I still wont buy the 50mm for other usage.

 

That doesn't mean it doesn't work well, just that it won't give you that "normal" perspective 50's were known for in the 35mm or full frame world. 50's make great portrait type and general use lenses on crop bodies. With Nikon you'll be in the 75mm range, which is a good portrait range.

I voted for the 1.4. You can't have too much speed.

 

50mm 1.4 nice bokeh and its great for low light.

50mm on my d300 you live with it till you can afford better =)
plus theres not many alternatives 28 and such are 2.8.

I learned to work with a 70-200 2.8 indoors it gets some great shots other times i have to ditch it for the 50mm 1.4 or go with a flash and 18-200vr.

 

^^^
I have the 18-200VR

I think I'm sold on the 28mm f/2.8 AF

I kind of want to spring for a 50mm too. I narrowed it down to the 50mm f/1.4 AF-D or the 50mm f/1.8 AF-D.

I'm just trying to decide whether or not the 1.4 is worth paying an extra $200 for since I'm a poor college student.

 

50mm AF-S. The old 50s have too much CA, soft wide open, ugly bokeh when stopped down. From samples that I've seen, the new one is sharp wide open, has much less CA, and produces better bokeh. I don't own any 50s at the moment. I'm waiting for the new AF-S. Right now, the closest thing I use is Voigtlander 58mm f/1.4, it's MF though.

 

^yea but the new AF-S costs around $450.

 

The CA on the older 1.4 is actually not that bad.

I'm figuratively biting my nails right now trying to decide which one I should get. I'm trying to decide if I will regret not having got the 1.4 if I go for the 1.8.

1.4, 1.8, 1.4, 1.8...........

I want to order them tonight

 

....and then part of me is saying f!ck it, and get the new 50mm f/1.4 G

 

1.4 D FTW...you'll wish you had that extra .4 after you've bought the 1.8...

check out my flickr page if you need some encouragement on getting the 1.4...

 

the new AF-S 50mm sample pics : http://www.flickr.com/photos/mureena...7608455508175/

 

I went from an 1.8 and the 1.4 is just great.

poor college student or not you shouldn't just always jump on things or cuz its cheap =P...
70-200 vr 2.8 cost me a leg and a arm...

but i manage to make sure i use it more than sports.

I agree 50mm is hard to use but i feel 28mm 2.8 isn't enough light.

 

You know, it's really not a question about which lens, but about how much to spend. Right?

 

i just upgraded my canon 50 1.8 to a 1.4 and it is so much nicer to use. Don't know much about nikon, but i don't regret buying either. I should easily get my money back for my 1.8 when I sell it, and it was cheap and good to learn on.

now I just need to start saving for a 35 1.4

 

Yeah I was thinking that is really the bottom line. I use the 50mm 1.8d on my d300, and I enjoy the pics from it much more than either of my other lenses. Pictures just seem sharper (well they are sharper) and the bokeh is nice. Now certainly, if you spend mroe you'll get more, but for my, its the best $115 or so I've spent.

 

I bought the 18-135 and thought it was okay for awhile,
then a 50 1.8 great lens.
then got a 55-200, felt it was too dinky.
Then sold the 55-200vr
had to buy a 12.5 sigma fisheye for this job, didn't use it too much it was indoor retailing and personally i didn't use it much so it was a waste.

sold the 50 1.8 got a 50 1.4 no regrets i got the 50 1.4 cheap too 220 but the redesigned the body to make it cheaper, same optics just ones metal body and ones plastic.

got a 18-200 vr great lens for not taking it off all the time and switching.
70-200 vr 2.8 is my best lens though worth the 1600-1700 that it cost me, but i'm also shoot sports for my college paper all year, along with a job in la in the winter shooting a modela and talent association.

personally if i wasn't smarter to wait on the lenses i would had have enough money to have 3 pro glasses already haha...

 

I think I decided to get the new 50mm f/1.4 G AF-S and then just not get a 24/28 mm.

Only problem is nobody has it.
I was mainly looking to buy something from amazon, but aren't pressed to buy from there. But after brief searching I couldn't find it. Still too new.

Maybe I can have it by Christmas time.

 

Its not out yet, just discussions about it so far.

 

What!?
Damn. I thought it just released a couple weeks ago.


Rumors on it's release?

 

16 Dec.
Just wait for it.

 

I'm just hoping I can order it so I'll have it by Christmas. I have doubts, but we'll see. I hate back-order.

 

I have the 50 1.4

I almost never use it anymore. Especially when I had a cropped body.

 

How's the performance?

 

Its good but I would put it in the bottom ranks of my Nikkor lens. My 85 1.8 is the still the best I have.

 

Honestly I wouldn't bother with a 1.4, it's not worth the extra money over the 1.8 IMO. The sharpness is just not really going to be there wide open so you're going to want to stop up to 1.8 anyways .

 

But would not the same hold true for the 1.8?? Yes. Total sharpness isn't going to be there...therefore you would end up typically wanting to stop down that too.

 

The 85mm 1.4 bokeh is really nice due to the 9 blades. Which is why the new 1 is expected to be really nice.

I really say the 1.4 50mm is better for indoors like concerts and stuff, but it does have little use for me.

Indoor sports i use it around 1.8 and 2.2
If i had the money i'd get a 85 1.4 for indoor sports better reach.

 

You'll always have more headroom with the faster lens, meaning you can stop down the 1.4 to 1.8 and it'll be sharper than the 1.8 wide open.

 

I will agree with jup on this one -- I've got a 50mm 1.8D and it's too long for what I really wanted it for (I've also got the 85mm 1.8).

I'd rather have the 35mm instead.

 

Again, it depends what you like to shoot, the decision you make with all lens purchases.

 

Yea i carry a 50 1.4
sb 800
70-200 vr 2.8
18-200 vr
manage to use all of it where ever i go atleast.
my friend however lets his beautiful lenses sit in his bag and grow dust.

the 50mm is hard to work with but it helps you learn how to work with it and come out with different perspectives.

 

Ended up buying the 50mm f/1.8 D from svtmike for a good price!
I figure if nothing else, this will give me a feel for how the 50mm performs on DX cameras, and will challenge me to get some shots that maybe aren't the easiest, but in the end will maybe help me seeing different shots, and learning different perspectives, etc. If I end up liking the 50mm enough, I may upgrade to the new one that is releasing next month, but until then, I'm happy with my decision.

 

THumbs up!
plus you probably saved some money for the holidays on other goodies.

 

I vote a Sigma 30mm But a 50mm on a crop body does make for a decent portrait lens.

There's also a Nikkor 50mm 1.4G has a USM type focus instead of the on body focus.

The Sigma 50mm 1.4 has also been getting great reviews. However those two will probably cost you $450-$500.

The nikkor 50mm 1.4D can be found used for around $230 shipped @ nikoncafe

 

Opps looks like I'm too late well the 50mm 1.8 is a great lens too, no doubt you'll have a blast with it