Prime Lens for Nikon

Vinnie

I have a D200 and would like to start using a prime lens. I currently have a 50mm 1.8 but find it a bit too long at times. Can anyone recommend a wider auto focus prime lens other than the Nikon 28mm f/1.4 (Just saw this on eBay for $2800 - Just can't afford that)? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Brascole

Vinnie wrote:

I have a D200 and would like to start using a prime lens. I currently have a 50mm 1.8 but find it a bit too long at times. Can anyone recommend a wider auto focus prime lens other than the Nikon 28mm f/1.4 (Just saw this on eBay for $2800 - Just can't afford that)? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Are you looking in the 50 f/1.8 price range? There probally aren't any. Maybe the Sigma 30mm.

ziggy53

Vinnie wrote:

I have a D200 and would like to start using a prime lens. I currently have a 50mm 1.8 but find it a bit too long at times. Can anyone recommend a wider auto focus prime lens other than the Nikon 28mm f/1.4 (Just saw this on eBay for $2800 - Just can't afford that)? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

You might look at the NIKKOR 35mm, f/2D for around $320USD.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/92011-USA/Nikon_00001923_Wide_Angle_AF_Nikkor.html

It's a fairly "normal/standard" FOV on the D200 and a pretty good value.

Vinnie

Brascole wrote:

Are you looking in the 50 f/1.8 price range? There probally aren't any. Maybe the Sigma 30mm.

I was trying to spend under $500 if possible. I know that getting closed to the 50mm 1.8 at basically $100 is unrealistic. I was thinking of that one...that's the 1.4 correct?

Vinnie

ziggy53 wrote:

You might look at the NIKKOR 35mm, f/2D for around $320USD.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/92011-USA/Nikon_00001923_Wide_Angle_AF_Nikkor.html

It's a fairly "normal/standard" FOV on the D200 and a pretty good value.

Thanks for the info Ziggy - I will do some research on it...the little I've seen so far on this lens has been good. Have you shot with this lens? If so, how does it handle wide open?

nightowlcat

I have the Nikon 20mm F2.8 and it's pretty wide, on DX cameras it's 30mm

Brascole

Vinnie wrote:

I was trying to spend under $500 if possible. I know that getting closed to the 50mm 1.8 at basically $100 is unrealistic. I was thinking of that one...that's the 1.4 correct?

Hi Vinnie,

Yes. The Sigma from reviews I have read and you know what they say about reviews, 75% like it and 25% don't. I have my eye on that also but it's hard to tell with just photo's. It is EX which is thier best build plus HSM for the D200. Take a look at pbase.com, using search look up equipment then Sgma and the lens, then just click on the lens and member photo's will be displayed. At least you can get an idea of what it can do in the real world.

Sigma has a 28mm for under $500. Don't know much about it.


Good Luck

Vinnie

Brascole wrote:

Hi Vinnie,

Yes. The Sigma from reviews I have read and you know what they say about reviews, 75% like it and 25% don't. I have my eye on that also but it's hard to tell with just photo's. It is EX which is thier best build plus HSM for the D200. Take a look at pbase.com, using search look up equipment then Sgma and the lens, then just click on the lens and member photo's will be displayed. At least you can get an idea of what it can do in the real world.

Sigma has a 28mm for under $500. Don't know much about it.


Good Luck

Thanks for all the info, I think I may try the 28mm - it's about a hundred and fifty bucks cheaper than the 30mm - granted its 1.8 vs 1.4, but I may be able to live with that.

Thanks again to all!

Vinnie

So in general, how do you all feel about primes vs standard zoom lenses?

InsuredDisaster

I have the Nikon 35 F2. I'm not a pixel peeper so I can't give you a lot of info, but I use it a lot on my D300. Actually, it tends to be the lens I use the most. I also like it a lot on my Nikon FM2 so it does get a lot of use. Its light, its more or less equivalent to 50mm on my D300, and its reasonably light sensitive. However, there are times when I do appreciate the difference the 1.4 makes on the 50. Sadly, Nikon doesn't have anything else I think.

I have the sigma 30 1.4, and I'm not that pleased with it. Some focus problems on my D300 (front focus) and some difficulty observed when focusing with the D70 and D80. I might have had a bad copy. Who knows. However, works very well on the D60 so go figure. Image quality wise, its very decent I think, though its big and heavy compared to the Nikon 50 1.4/8's or the 35 2.

Vinnie

Seymore wrote:

I've found that I prefer my primes (MF) in most landscape cases. Don't get me wrong, there are some cases where an AF zoom is the only thing that will capture the moment.

If you're up for MF, I would highly recommend the Nikkor 105/2.5 as a start. A classic Nikkor that will usually render very well. (I only say it this way because with older lenses you never know what you're going to get in a lens till you mount the lens and take some shots...)

Nikkor 105/2.5...

Or if you can find a Russian MIR (24H) 35/2...

Even an old Nikon Series E 100/2.8 can surprise, stopped down...

Just one photo-g opinion...
Hope this wets your whistle a bit...

Seymore - awesome shots!! you have definitely piqued my interest! Thank you so much for your help.

Vinnie

InsuredDisaster wrote:

I have the Nikon 35 F2. I'm not a pixel peeper so I can't give you a lot of info, but I use it a lot on my D300. Actually, it tends to be the lens I use the most. I also like it a lot on my Nikon FM2 so it does get a lot of use. Its light, its more or less equivalent to 50mm on my D300, and its reasonably light sensitive. However, there are times when I do appreciate the difference the 1.4 makes on the 50. Sadly, Nikon doesn't have anything else I think.

I have the sigma 30 1.4, and I'm not that pleased with it. Some focus problems on my D300 (front focus) and some difficulty observed when focusing with the D70 and D80. I might have had a bad copy. Who knows. However, works very well on the D60 so go figure. Image quality wise, its very decent I think, though its big and heavy compared to the Nikon 50 1.4/8's or the 35 2.

Thanks for the info!!! I heard that a lot about the sigma 30...

Ekaj

I just bought a nikon 24mm 2.8 that I am really enjoying. They are nice and cheap too.