50mm w cropped sensor

[chip]

I have a 50mm AF 1.8 and like it for the same reasons everyone else does, but also realize that 50mm is more like 75mm on a cropped sensor camera. In the film world 50mm was considered a normal focal length lens, and the closest one can get for a 1.5 cropped DX body to get 50mm would be a 35mm lens (for 52.5mm).

But I didn't like the $200 - $250 price of the newer AF-S 35mm 1.8 G lens. And I use D70S and D80 more than I do a D40, so I don't really need them to be AF-S lenses.

So, I looked on eBay, waited patiently, watched every day, and finally found a Nikon 35mm film SLR, a N80, with a Nikkor AF 35mm f/2, and won the auction for $35.00 + shipping for both the camera and the lens.

Sold the N80 for $50.00, covering the cost + shipping, so I got a very nice 35mm f/2 (how much difference can there be between f/2 and f/1.8 anyway) for a net cost of absolutely zero.

From what I can tell, the 35mm f/2 is just as good a lens, optically speaking, as is the Nikkor "nifty fifty"

There's more than one way to skin a cat...

I'm happy with it...

wow sounds like you got yourself a great deal Patrick! Happy New Year and Lord bless you my brother!

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[wishinghand]

I'm a bit confused. I've been wanting a 1.4 or 1.8 lens. I have a D90, which is 1.5 crop sensor camera. If the 50mm is too long at that sensor size, and Nikon makes a 35mm in DX, isn't the 35 too short now? Doesn't it show up as a 35mm ought to if the D90 were a full frame? Nikon makes a "wide angle" 35mm f2 (someone mentioned) but I'd rather have a 1.4 anyway, since I usually photography in low light conditions.

What I really want is a 50mm DX from Nikkor, or a 35mm f1.4/1.8 from another maker. Any recommendations/options there?

[djacobox372]

often overlooked is that the dof on a 35mm f1.8 is significantly wider then a 50mm of the same focal length at the same distance--so a 35mm 1.8 on a dx sensor is closer to a 50mm f2.8 on a full sensor.

[Sw1tchFX]

the 35 f/1.8 is a really good lens, i REALLY wish it had DOF scales. It's alot better at f/1.8 than it any right to be, it's almost as good wide open as the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7.

[wishinghand]

I don't know why it took me so long to figure out how DX lenses work. I feel like an idiot. I wish there was some warning or notice that you measure out the focal length the same w/DX lenses, and that they're just DX cameras only. I guess my engineer's brain got in the way because I figured they must adjust the focal length

I ended up getting a 35mm f1.8 DX since I didn't know that it's DOF was equivalent to a 50mm 2.8. I have noticed that the DOF is kinda wide. I do like the lens a lot though. The shots I've taken with it have been the preferred distance away from my subjects, so a 50mm might have been inconvenient. This may just the impetus I'll need to eventually go full sensor size.

50mm's are cheap enough though. In a few months I'll probably buy one.

[KmH]

DOF is effected not only by aperture but also by:

• lens focal length
• image sensor to subject distance
• subject to background distance.

so with the 35mm you're closer to the subject, and the focal length is shorter by 30%.

[epp_b]

That's why I have a 35/1.8

The 50/1.8 is not suited well for its intended purpose on a crop-frame, but it does have the side effect of making a nice short, fast telephoto.

[djacobox372]

With a crop sensor camera you'll never really achieve what people love about the dof of the 50mm f1.4.... unless someone comes out with a 35mm f0.85.

The same goes with larger formats, before I understood how dof worked I though it was lame that my medium format cameras "normal" lens only stopped down to f2.8, but I soon realized that the dof achieved at f2.8 was the same as f1.0 on a 35mm camera.

[wishinghand]

So this means a 85mm 1.8 would have an even smaller DOF? How do you calculate it?

[JeffieLove]

If you still want a 50mm f/1.8, I'm selling mine for $85 shipped within CONUSA