Another 50mm F1.8 vs 35 mm F1.8 question

I know this question is asked quite often and have been reading all the threads I could find in the subject. I will probably eventually get both but can only afford one to start with.

While I do get that they are different lenses and render different results, is there anywhere I could view photos as a direct comparison between the two?

Apologies for starting yet another thread but I didn't want to hijack someone else's.

Try this link: Advanced Search

You select the lens, the camera and then click show the pics. It has plenty of camera models and almost all the lenses.

Marcel Carey said:

Try this link: Advanced Search

You select the lens, the camera and then click show the pics. It has plenty of camera models and almost all the lenses.

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Thank you so much for that link. What a gem!! Not sure this is going to make things easier - there are some beautiful photos on there.

Now Lee, just a bit of wisdom if you'll allow me. Do not compare the lenses… I repeat, do not compare the lenses. They both are good and the only thing that should be of matter is what you want to do with them. If you like to do portraits of people, take the 50 first, if you like to do street photography, the 35. You already mentioned that you will eventually buy both… so buy one, use it and then buy the other one.

Best of luck.

Marcel, thank you for bringing me down to earth I am always open to advice and you just made me take a very simple practical look at my short term needs from a lens. I'm about to become an Aunt for the first time, Christmas is coming with plenty indoor family photos and I think I am going to go with my instinct and opt for the 50 mm lens first.

Portraits and "family shots" are 2 very different composures. As Marcel advised, the 50 is the choice of the 2 for portraits. Family or group shots may require something wider (unless the house is huge and you can back up allot!) What other lenses do you have?

Yeah, I realise that space would be an issue with the 50 mm. I don't have a very large family and tend not to take group shots very often - if at all. I have an 18-105 lens which covers pretty much most of the rest of my needs. I can see how the 35 mm could come into its own in a group gathering, but my intention wasn't really for big group shots, or at least not more than 2 or 3 faces together portrait style. I'm not rushing out to get one today but will be investing in a lens within the next few weeks so I'm very open to suggestions and pointers. I do still think the 50 mm is possibly going to serve me better in the immediate term though (says she, hopefully )

The 50 should be fine if you want to do close ups of the kids and tight crops of persons. If you were to do group pictures (family portraits), I'd advise for the 35. But since you might have a "kit" zoom, you might be covered for groups already.
The 50 will get you a more intimate shot than the 35 if you want to focus on expressions and kids.

Marcel Carey said:

The 50 will get you a more intimate shot than the 35 if you want to focus on expressions and kids.

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That is exactly what I am after. I just needed some reassurance and objective points of view - and I have been given both. I am an extreme amateur so you may well have to brace yourselves for lots of questions. I would love to be confident enough to start posting some gallery photos sometime too.

To me 35 and 50 are pretty close together...myself I like to have 24 or 28 (not that there is anything wrong with 35) and a 50...so that is something you might take into consideration.

The thing I might advise you to do is consider the problem from the standpoint of speed. I know the 50 1.8 AF is a bargain but I would say the 50 1.4D is also a great bargain...less than 400 brand new...I bet you can pick up an excellent used one at KEH for around 300 maybe less. I would almost bet that you would like the 1.4 better than the 1.8...

Funny, I had been looking at the 50 mm 1.4, but I was a little confused by the time I had done (probably too much) thinking about it. Reviews were very mixed - as always - but the 1.8 vs 1.4 seemed to have most folk extremely for or against the 1.4. What do you feel the plus points of spending the extra on the F1.4 are? I know this is all very subjective .....

It's real simple...I don't like to shoot wide open and I don't like flash particulary and I don't have any floodlights and my main camera is meterless although I have a Luna Pro SBC but I digress...

The 1.8 will make some great Thanksgiving and Christmas pictures for sure...what the 1.4 is going to do is going to give you some more depth of field a little more shutter speed or a little lower ISO...either lens is able to do the job...they'll "write" basically the same...you can make nice pics with either.

Like you say it is all very subjective but one thing you must learn and understand about photography when it comes to lenses is the relationship of what your eyes see, your brain imagines, and how your lens will draw the subject...and how to make it into a good photo! It is a lot of work...shoot...shoot...shoot!!!

Perhaps folks who know a lot more than me about these more modern lenses will chime in about the 50 1.4D...

Eye-level said:

but one thing you must learn and understand about photography when it comes to lenses is the relationship of what your eye's see, your brain imagines, and how your lens will draw the subject...and how to make it into a good photo! It is a lot of work...shoot...shoot...shoot!!!

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That statement has had me thinking since yesterday morning. It's a good thing
I have found a store selling the 50 mm F1.8 at a really good price. It comes with a 1 year warranty but there is an option for a fairly nominal fee to add a 7 year warranty to it. I generally don't take out extended warranties and I was wondering, since a warranty won't insure for loss/damage etc, is there any point considering this? It's not much money to take it, but I assume that if a lens is going to need to be returned under warranty, it is likely to be something that shows up at least in the first year. Or am I wrong?

Sorry, browser issues = double post

With regard to the warranty issue...now please understand I use old MF lens only because that is all I have to work with and I have very little experience with the more modern lenses...but I feel Nikkors are some of the most well made camera lenses around. So my thought is I would probably invest the extra money in a nice lens case and/or protective filter rather than a warranty.

i was shooting pictures of music plaques on the walls and was starting to use the 50mm but was unable to move back to get the shot. so i switched to the 28mm to get closer. so to me both took great pics. do i care they are fully manual? no. to use these lenses for stationary shots i love them. i plan to go with the 50mm afs for my 3100 in january to use in weddings and portraits. will probably spend the extra for the 1.4.

Well it's ordered. I thought carefully about what you said Eye-Level and it makes a lot of sense. Leave the warranty and get a good filter, which for me is a must on all lenses. Now I am sitting asking myself WHY I always order things on a Friday so that I they arrive during the week, not the weekend .....!

Awesome...I have two old series E 50/1.8 and I really enjoy shooting with them I am sure you will like your new lens too. On a DX camera like your D90 you should be able to make some fantastic half body portraits and you'll also get to try and make some bokeh.

Eye-level said:

Awesome...I have two old series E 50/1.8 and I really enjoy shooting with them I am sure you will like your new lens too. On a DX camera like your D90 you should be able to make some fantastic half body portraits and you'll also get to try and make some bokeh.

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I am looking forward to it. I got expedited shipping (not patient with waiting for a lens!) I love portraits and playing with depth of field is an area of interest which I have not mastered so I am looking forward to having some fun learning. Stand by for more questions.

A question not related to this lens, but I was reading about the aperture ring being present on some lenses and not on others. I am just curious, if you have no aperture ring, do you set the aperture through the camera menu as opposed to on the lens?