I have been trying to decide on purchasing a 50mm 1.4D or 85mm 1.8D lens for portraits to capture face and body. I'm not sure which lens would work best on the D5000 Camera. I've also seen two 50mms 1.4D and 1.4G. Not sure which would work better. I've also read that the 35mm 1.8 works well. Could someone help with advise. Thanks Deb
Nikon 55mm or 85mm 1.4d or 1.4g questions
- Thread starter DEB
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If it's a question of finances, the 50mm 1.8 and the 35mm 1.8 are great lenses. If money is not an issue, then of course the faster glass (f/1.4) would be the best choice. The 85mm isn't too shabby either at taking portraits. You wouldn't go wrong with any of your choices. Let us know what you eventually get. 
I have the 35/1.8G, 50/1.4D and 85/1.8D. As Jack said above, all of them are fast enough to get the nice bokeh blur to separate your subject from the background. Traditional film and FX shooters tend to lean on one of the 85mm versions for portraits. With your D5000 being DX, the 50mm is equivalent to about 75mm on FX. You can pick up the 50/1.8D for about US$120. A used 85mm/1.8D will cost you around $350-400. The nice thing about the 85mm is that you don't have to be as near to the subject which tends to let them relax a bit more.
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Joseph Bautsch
New member
All of the lenses suggested will work, but Deb has the D5000 camera body. It does not have an internal focus motor. She has to have a lens with the AF-S (or AF-I) designation to support auto focus. With a "D" or even a "G" type lens with no built in auto focus motor, focusing will be manual. See page 225 of the users manual for a list of compatible lenses and supported functions.
Joseph Bautsch
New member
lol...Eduard, the only reason I caught it was someone else kept me straight on the same issue... what goes around comes around.
Ruidoso Bill
Senior Member
The 85 mm was my choice for portraits when I shot film (full frame) On a DX body the 50 mm will give 75 mm equivalent so that is still a good (similar) choice. Rokinon makes a 85mm 1.4 manual focus lens for about $250 that has actually reviewed fairly well (These lenses are made by Samyang and sold under lots of different names, including Bower, Rokinon, Vivitar, and probably others).
You could pick up a 50 mm 1.8 Nikkor and the Rokinon 85 mm for about $365 which isn't bad for two prime lenses.
You could pick up a 50 mm 1.8 Nikkor and the Rokinon 85 mm for about $365 which isn't bad for two prime lenses.
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