prime lens for D5000 ?

[mingraham]

I have a nikon D5000 camera . I am looking to get a prime lens. what is a good lens to get on a budget.

 

[PaulWog]

For general photography: Nikon 35mm 1.8G DX lens

For portraiture: Nikon 50mm 1.8G

 

[KmH]

In many, if not most, portrait shooting situations a 50 mm lens (or focal length) is not a good focal length to use.

 

[mingraham]

what wluld be a good focal length then?

 

[Designer]

what wluld be a good focal length then?

Your original question did not specifically mention the primary use, so are you now asking about portraiture?

Also; what is your proposed budget for this purchase?

 

[astroNikon]

For general photography: Nikon 35mm 1.8G DX lens

For portraiture: Nikon 50mm 1.8G

with your initial general question I also recommend the above.

the "optimal" (for most) focal length for portraiture is 85mm. But sometimes due to a DX camera (being different from a FX camera) 85mm is not optimal. Thus most are recommended the 50mm/1.8 (also because it's less expensive and easy to afford). You'll spend 3x for an 85mm versus a 50mm.

A crop DX camera may also have distance to subject issues of which a 50mm will be better versus an 85, or 105mm lens. But for simplicity, and low budget a 50mm/1.8 AF-S lens is a good choice.

 

[BananaRepublic]

I get confused with Dx lenses sometimes, is a Dx sense designed to counter the crop factor in a Dx camera or not. Is this correct,

35mm Dx on a Dx body = effective focal length 52, ish, mm

 

[Solarflare]

In many, if not most, portrait shooting situations a 50 mm lens (or focal length) is not a good focal length to use.

A 50mm is a good portrait lens even on full frame; it would be more of a full body portraits, or even 2-3 people, but thats perfectly ok.

However the question was about a D5000 which is Nikon DX, or APS-C, or crop sensor, or half frame, or ~24x16mm, or how you want to call it, instead of Nikon FX / full frame / small format / 35mm film / ~36x24mm. On this sensor, the 50mm is effectively the same as a 75mm lens on full frame.

And 85mm (or 105mm) is the classic portrait lens (on full frame).

Thus yes, the AF-S 50mm f1.8 is a good portrait lens on a D5000, and a very popular pick for DX cameras in general, because its so cheap.

In the same way, the AF-S 35mm f1.8 DX is a 53mm equivalent to full frame.

 

[shadowlands]

35mm 1.8G DX all day

 

[mingraham]

I would use it for portraiture and general use. I was looking to spend 150 to 200

 

[PaulWog]

I would use it for portraiture and general use. I was looking to spend 150 to 200

The 50 1.8G makes the most sense then.

 

[otherprof]

In many, if not most, portrait shooting situations a 50 mm lens (or focal length) is not a good focal length to use.

On DX?

 

[BananaRepublic]

In many, if not most, portrait shooting situations a 50 mm lens (or focal length) is not a good focal length to use.

On DX?

50mm on a Dx is 75mm effectively is it not. Where as the 35mm is 52 effectively ?

 

[jcdeboever]

If you get too close with a 35 on a DX, it distorts facial features. It's not a typical portrait lens but it works when you know the distortion area. When I shoot a person with it, I step up until I like it in the viewfinder, then take a large step back and crop in post. It works nice for people when you want to get a little more in the frame. The blurred backgrounds are super nice, so it isolates the subject well.

I prefer the 35 on my DX over the 50 because it looks right in the viewfinder most of the time and allows for a little more inside the frame. For casual portraits, it works great. 35 works well for landscape, closeup of flowers (12" focus distance), street shooting, parties in tight spaces. It is a wonderful lens on a DX camera, I use it often. Very sharp, nice color render, isolates subject well, wonderful bokeh. You can even adjust for distortion if you get to close to something and it looks weird.


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