Nikkon 50mm f/1.4D vs 50mm f/1.8G?

[Elliot87]

You existing 18-55 kit lense is quite good for close up shots. The magnification at 55mm is about 0.3, so on the DX sensor - 24mm x 16mm, objects upto 16*3=48mm (or 2 inches) should fill up the whole space. You can check my shots of insects and flowers here
http://nikonites.com/wide-angle/21129-18-55mmg-vr-ii-3.html#axzz32EEjvzuZ
http://nikonites.com/macro/21534-insects-non-macro-lenses.html#axzz32EEjvzuZ

Till you get a dedicated macro lense, the 18-55 coupled with the 24MP sensor does quite a passable job.

Thanks aroy, you've got some really nice shots there! Were the majority of your non macro insects shot free hand or were you using a tripod?

You have also got some very nice images with your 35mm, I might well make this my next lens.

 

[aroy]

Thanks aroy, you've got some really nice shots there! Were the majority of your non macro insects shot free hand or were you using a tripod?

You have also got some very nice images with your 35mm, I might well make this my next lens.

All my shots are hand held. I have a manfrotto tripod 055XPROB and a manfrotto ball head 468MGRC0. This is a sturdy combination and works beautifully with the D70 and the D300. With D3300, unless I set it up carefully, it shakes (there is no mirror lock up and it is extremely light). I am still trying to figure out how to utilize the tripod.

The 35mm is an amazing lense, a must have if you want to do low light photography. I was lucky to get it for almost half the list price, now it has gone up again.