Travel Nikon D7500 one-lens: 35mm 1.8 DX, or 50mm 1.4 FX?

TomiFisher · Jul 7, 2023

I can bring only one lens for my Nikon D7500 to Scandinavia for 3 weeks in Sept. Do I bring a DX 35 mm 1.8 lens or an FX 50mm 1.4 lens? And why? The one lens must serve all practical indoor and outdoor purposes. I'm torn. Thank you!

Peeb · Jul 8, 2023

I would take the 35, if forced to choose.

cgw · Jul 8, 2023

Factoring in the 1.5x crop factor, the 50 becomes 75mm effectively--a bit long for a walk-around lens. The 35 goes to 50mm--once the classic "standard" focal length for film SLRs. The Nikon 35/1.8g is light and sharp and won't let you down. FYI, the Nikkor 35, 40/2.8g MicroNikkor, 50/1.8g, and 85/1.8g primes are superb and affordable.

Hardus Nameous · Jul 8, 2023

No chance of rolling a lens up in a sock or a shirt in your checked bag huh? As said above 75mm isn't generally so great indoors so I'd go with the 35mm; as long as they're both comparable in image quality.

JoeW · Jul 8, 2023

First, both lens are very light and small. But I get the desire to travel light. That said, I'd go with the 35mm. Here's why:

1. It will be a better landscape lens. By far (no pun intended) than the 50mm.
2. f1.4 is superb for macro photography. I doubt you'll be doing a lot of that this trip. Much more landscapes, buildings, street photography, interiors. And the 35mm will be great for most of those (the 50mm is probably better for street photography).
3. The one downside of that 35mm is that will have chromatic aberration if you're shooting in to the light. So bring a lens hood. Also recognize that when you shoot doors and windows, that 35mm will create a keystone effect.

greybeard · Jul 8, 2023

The 35mm will give you a more usable angle of view for landscapes and group pictures where the 50mm will be better for portraits. What do you think you will be doing more of?

RAZKY · Jul 8, 2023

And focal length has nothing to do with a keystone effect.

(Edit: argumentive portions removed)

Don Fischer · Jul 9, 2023

Seem's a good number of people like to use primes for walk around lense's. I don't understand that. With a 35mm yu could have an opertunity but be to far off. Same with the 50mm but this time to close. Why not something like an 18-140 or I think there's also an 18-105 . Using either one your seldom in a spot where you might require either the short side or the long side and both the zoom's are fairly small and light to carry arouund. Of course I am a zoom kind of guy, I don't have even one prime and can see no need for one. I suppose if this is a work trip and the prime is needed that could be another deal. Sounds to me like your handicaping yourself going in.

JoeW · Jul 9, 2023

This is from K&F:
"7. Reduced Chromatic Aberration
A hood can also help to reduce chromatic aberration, which is an optical distortion caused by different wavelengths of light entering the lens from different angles. By blocking out peripheral light, a hood can help to reduce chromatic aberration, resulting in a more accurate and vibrant image."

I agree that most chromatic aberration on most lens is not going to be cured by a lens hood. But I used to use the Nikon DX35mm f1.8--which is what the OP is talking about. I found that a lens hood seemed to reduce the green streaks I would get when shooting in to extreme light (like a backlit model or building).

As for "focal length has nothing to do with a keystone effect"-- the Nikon DX35mm f1.8 lens seemed to have a strong keystone effect with doors and windows.

(Edit: argumentive portions removed)

ac12 · Jul 9, 2023

To ME, the normal 35 is more of a GP lens than the short tele 50, and that is what I would take.

RAZKY · Jul 9, 2023

According to Wikipedia, whose validity I have never had reason to doubt, what K&F calls chromatic aberration is simply lens flare which, of course, a hood will certainly help minimize or eliminate. I definitely concur with your advice to the OP to use the proper hood on whatever lens he uses.
As for the Nikon DX35mm f1.8, whatever distortions it may exhibit, keystoning is NOT one of them! Keystoning is caused by not keeping the focal plane parallel to the subject.

snowbear · Jul 9, 2023

Keep it civil, no more arguments, or it gets locked.

RAZKY · Jul 9, 2023

snowbear said:
Keep it civil, no more arguments, or it gets locked.

No need to get paranoid about it - we're merely expressing different points of view.
Edit: At least we were. Hardly seems worthwhile now.

cgw · Jul 9, 2023

RAZKY said:
According to Wikipedia, whose validity I have never had reason to doubt, what K&F calls chromatic aberration is simply lens flare which, of course, a hood will certainly help minimize or eliminate. I definitely concur with your advice to the OP to use the proper hood on whatever lens he uses.
As for the Nikon DX35mm f1.8, whatever distortions it may exhibit, keystoning is NOT one of them! Keystoning is caused by not keeping the focal plane parallel to the subject.

Ease up. "Not knowing" isn't incurable or an insult when it's obvious. Politely stating what's what is all you can do

RAZKY said:
No need to get paranoid about it - we're merely expressing different points of view.
Edit: At least we were. Hardly seems worthwhile now.

Just keep your stick on the ice, bro.

TomiFisher · Aug 13, 2023

Thank you all for your valuable input. I will be taking the DX 35mm f1.8 lens with my Nikon D7500. I will be "outside" more than "inside" and large groups more than individual portraits. Appreciate this experience and wisdom you all bring to the party.