best low light lens for D60?

Barros VeeDub

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hey guys, ive been into photography for about 3 or 4 months now, and ive been getting pretty good with night photography. I was wonder what your opinions were for a lens for my D60 for low light shots. i use a tripod now and the shutter is very long with my aperture set to 3.5 on my 18-55mm kit lens.

i would love the 17-55mm 2.8G or i think it might be the 1.8G; but that lens is $1100.

are there any other lenses out there that are just as fast?
 
If you want it to autofocus:

Nikon 35mm f/1.8G $200
Nikon 50mm f/1.4G $600
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 HSM $600

If you don't care:

Nikon 35-70 f/2.8D $300
Nikon 50mm f/1.8D $100

Many more of course but those are what I've used/recommend for under $1000
 
If you want it to autofocus:

Nikon 35mm f/1.8G $200
Nikon 50mm f/1.4G $600
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 HSM $600

If you don't care:

Nikon 35-70 f/2.8D $300
Nikon 50mm f/1.8D $100

Many more of course but those are what I've used/recommend for under $1000
I've just been to Nikons USA web site and don't see a 35-70 f/2.8D offered at any price. Could you supply a link?
 
They don't make it anymore, you'll have to find one on eBay or another online source.
 
I found 4 used Nikon AF 35-70mm f/2.8D at amazon.com. The prices ranged from $450 (used-acceptable) to $700 (used-like new).

There were none available at KEH.com.
None on eBay.
 
There's some on KEH for around $400 and one on eBay for under $300 at the moment.
 
I second the 35mm f/1.8.
 
I second the 35mm f/1.8.

I'll 3rd the 35mm, depending on what you are shooting and your budget.

If you are shooting cityscapes, you may want something wider like the 20 f/2.8 (manual focus on D60, but for tripod action it's no big deal) or if you need a short telephoto, the 85 f/1.8 (again, manual focus on D60). Both of those are about $400-500 USD.
 
I found 4 used Nikon AF 35-70mm f/2.8D at amazon.com. The prices ranged from $450 (used-acceptable) to $700 (used-like new).

There were none available at KEH.com.
None on eBay.
Wouldn't the OP be better off getting a newer lens that will AF on his camera? You can find a Sigma 18-50 f/2.8 or Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 for around 400 USD in new or like new condition.
 
Maybe, but I didn't have experience with those lenses so I couldn't recommend them :lol:

I dunno, just because they'll work doesn't mean they're good - and I'd hate to recommend something I haven't tried myself I guess.

If you say they're good, cool... another good option listed! :D
 
In addition to those mentioned already:

Lenses that autofocus on the D60:
Tamron SP AF60mm F/2.0 Di II MACRO
Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM

Lenses with autoexposure but not AF:
Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 AF

Asking "what is the best low light lens" is like asking "who was the best athlete at the last Olympics". You need to specify the exact use or the approximate focal length(s) needed.

Also, you should note that f/2.8 is not much faster than f/3.5; its only 2/3rds of a stop. If you are doing your low light shooting at the wide end of the zoom you won't see a significant difference with an f/2.8 lens. Where most of the f/2.8 zooms beat your 18-55 is that they, that is most of them, retain their f/2.8 maximum aperture even when zoomed to full telephoto. Your 18-55 has a maximum aperture of only f/5.6 at 55mm, two stops slower than f/2.8.
 
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