Best Prime Lens?

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CoolMistery

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For years I've been into photography, starting off with a film camera then onto a point and shoot. Well, I recently stepped into the dslr Nikon world. My dilemma is we'll be going on our yearly vacation to Disney World and I'm thinking of purchasing a prime lens for the low light conditions. I currently own the D5300 with the 18-55mm kit lens and the 55-300mm lens (which I plan on taking to Busch Gardens). I was mainly looking into the 50mm or the 35mm, which both seem to do very well in low light just not sure which would be best. I will also be using the lens outside of Disney to take pictures of my nephews and nieces (don't have kids of my own). I'm the photographer in the family and always get volunteered to do birthday parties and such. Just wanting suggestions from experienced photographers. Thank you all in advance. :)
 
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Lawrence

Senior Member
For a walk around in Disney I think the 35mm will suit better. Out of the 2 mentioned this will be better in confined spaces and better for landscapes.
50mm will be better for family shots (especially portraits imo)
 
Danno

Danno

Senior Member
Welcome to the forum... This is a good place with good people and good information. I agree with Lawrence. I have the 50, and it is a nice lens, but I do not use it as much. The 35 is on my short list.
 
Marcel

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
Both 50 and 35 are 1.8 lenses so they would both do good in low light. As Lawrence mentioned, the 35 is better for group shots and the 50 for portraits of a single person.

I would advise you to get both. But if this is out of your budget, then set your 18-55 at 35 for a week and then at 50 for another. You will then know which one is for you.

Good luck shopping.
 
Horoscope Fish

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Between the Nikon 35mm f/1.8G and the 50mm f/1.8G, I would suggest the 35mm. Both are excellent lenses for the money. My girlfriend shoots with a 35mm prime (granted it's my uber-expensive Sigma but you know how that goes) on her D5300 and it's the lens she needs good reasons to move away from. She's also figured out it's a good practice to shoot a little wider than what's needed so you can later crop to perfection, especially when you find *The* Shot. You can zoom and crop to get to the 50mm field of view when using the 35mm, but you can't widen the 50mm field of view to match that of the 35mm.
 
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WeeHector

Senior Member
Isn't there a heading on this forum saying "Feedback & Suggestions for THIS SITE - NOT photography related"

Shouldn't this thread be resited in the "Prime Lenses" forum?
 
A

aroy

Senior Member
I use 35mm F1.8 DX a lot. It is my go to lens for indoor shoots and those times outdoors when I want shallow DOF. Rest of the time it is 18-55 with other long lenses once in a while. On a DX body 35mm has the same FOV as the 50 on FX, so we can call this a "Normal" lens for DX.
 
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TKC_D500

Senior Member
I'm in the minority I guess. I own the 35mm 1.8G and the 50mm 1.4D and the 50mm is almost never Not on my camera! It's so versatile and easily the best low light lens I own. I have ignored the 35 to the point that it was in my wife's bag for 2 months before I missed it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Horoscope Fish

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
TKC_D500 said:
I'm in the minority I guess. I own the 35mm 1.8G and the 50mm 1.4D and the 50mm is almost never Not on my camera! It's so versatile and easily the best low light lens I own. I have ignored the 35 to the point that it was in my wife's bag for 2 months before I missed it.
Click to expand...
The 50mm vs. 35mm prime "debate" is kind of a Ford vs. Chevy sort of argument. While I do prefer the 35mm personally, they don't call it the "Nifty Fifty" without reason.

That being said it's also a lot harder to come up with a catchy rhyme for "thirty-five".
.....
 
Marcel

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
This thread being more than a month old and the fact that the OP never even showed up to either question our suggestions nor let us know what he's decided to get. I'll just close this thread.

It would have been polite to at least thank the ones that did answer him...
 
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