50mm

[markafc]

Hi first post.

I'm a beginner and own a Nikon d3100 with a 18-55 and 55-200 lens. I'm looking at getting a 50mm 1.4. I like the look of the pictures Iv seen. I was just wondering how versatile it was, would it be any good for astrophotography?

 

[petrochemist]

I love my 50mm primes and find them very usable in low light interiors/street shots. Given the usual price I'd certainly consider them the obvious first prime
IMO 50mm is too narrow for wide field astro, and too wide for deep sky use (which needs a proper scope). I find my kit lens or my fisheye work better despite the smaller aperture. Having said that with good clear skies there are probably a few patches of sky that might have recognisable constellations that fit OK in the 50mm FOV.

 

[jaomul]

Many say the f1.8g is as good at less than half the price unless you feel you really need that 2/3rd of a stop. I love the 50 on my d3100

 

[markafc]

Would it be worth looking at the 35mm instead?

 

[jaomul]

35 another excellent lens, cheap and small. I don't do astro but wider is better.

 

[Ido]

Since both focal lengths you’re considering are within coverage of your zoom lens, you can easily find whether you like it or not by setting the zoom to a certain position and looking through it.

If what you have in mind is something like this, you'll need a wide-angle lens. That particular image was shot at 20mm on an FX camera, so the focal lengths you should be looking for are around 12mm–14mm. It was also shot at f/1.8 and ISO 3200. Unfortunately, I don't know of any f/1.8 lens with that kind of focal length … closest, I believe, is the Samyang/Rokinon 16mm f/2. If you went up to ISO 6400, though, you could use an f/2.8 lens—then there are several options, but the only “affordable” one is the Samyang/Rokinon 14mm f/2.8. Both, by the way, are manual-focus and manual-aperture only, which shouldn't be too big of a problem if all you’re concerned about are those night-sky photographs—autofocus will most likely fail anyway.

 

[BananaRepublic]

I have a d5100 and I got a sigma 30mm f1.4 which on mine and your camera is near enough 50mm cause of the cropped image sensor they use i.e. focal length x 1.5. Anyway it wasn't expensive but it is not much good for astro as your stuck at 50mm plus there is no manual focus ring. Your kit 18-55 would be far better for astro. its good for everything else.

 

[480sparky]

My gut reaction is the 1.4 is going to be a waste of money for you... hunting squirrels with an elephant gun, so to speak.

I'd recommend the 1.8 instead.

 

[Designer]

I'm looking at getting a 50mm 1.4.

So which 50mm is it, the "D" or the "G"?

 

[markafc]

I was looking at the d

 

[tirediron]

I was looking at the d

Bear in mind that version will not AF on your camera body.

 

[BananaRepublic]

I'm looking at getting a 50mm 1.4.

So which 50mm is it, the "D" or the "G"?

Explain what D and G mean, I don't see a reference in the above statements

 

[robbins.photo]

I'm looking at getting a 50mm 1.4.

So which 50mm is it, the "D" or the "G"?

Explain what D and G mean, I don't see a reference in the above statements

Different series of lenses. The older D models require the camera to have a focusing motor built into the body. The 3xxx series and 5xxxx series of Nikons do not have a focusing motor built into the body, so the D model lenses will not be able to use autofocus on these bodies. You can still use the lens, but you'll have to manually focus it.

The G series is newer, they have the autofocus motors built into the lens, so they will autofocus on any of the Nikon bodies whether it has a built in focus motor or not.

I'd also recommend the 50 mm 1.8 AFS-G in this instance. I own one, it's a fantastic lens and well worth the investment.

 

[nerwin]

I second the 50 1.8G as well. But I've personally never been a huge fan of 50mm on crop. Just bear in mind that it will have a equivalency of a 75mm lens on 35mm full frame. If you want to get a similar field of view of the 50mm prime on crop, then you'd have to get the 35 1.8G. Which I had and absolutely LOVED. I shoot full frame now and still hardly touch my 50 1.8G lens, but its so cheap that I don't even bother to sell it. Might come in handy someday. It does produce beautiful bokeh though.

 

[480sparky]

I'm looking at getting a 50mm 1.4.

So which 50mm is it, the "D" or the "G"?

Explain what D and G mean, I don't see a reference in the above statements

Different series of lenses. The older D models require the camera to have a focusing motor built into the body. The 3xxx series and 5xxxx series of Nikons do not have a focusing motor built into the body, so the D model lenses will not be able to use autofocus on these bodies. You can still use the lens, but you'll have to manually focus it.

The G series is newer, they have the autofocus motors built into the lens, so they will autofocus on any of the Nikon bodies whether it has a built in focus motor or not.

I'd also recommend the 50 mm 1.8 AFS-G in this instance. I own one, it's a fantastic lens and well worth the investment.

Not all older AF lenses are D lenses (the 'old' style with the aperture ring). "D" denotes the chip transmits focus distance information to the camera so it can use it to better expose images taken with speedlights. One can find, for instance, a 28mm AF as well as a 28mm AF-D.

Just to muddy the waters further, all G lenses are D lenses. They are merely lacking the "D" marking.