Help with lenses please.

[PappyGatmus]

I had been wanting to buy a couple of lenses, mainly for portrait and another one for landscape. I use a Nikon D5000 and only have a lens AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II

First of all, a question. What is the difference between AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G and AF NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4D. They are mainly for portraits right? Hence, another question, would my AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II be suffice for portrait purposes?

Other than those mentioned what would folks here recommend for a portrait lens? Would a prime lens or soom lens be better?

Lastly, I havn't the chance to take landscape pictures. But I figured it's what I would love to do, so I would like to invest in a lens. I hope folks here could help me, because I don't really know what to go for other than what I need might be a wide angle lens.

Thanks in advance!

Edit= Pricing wise, I wouldn't want to spend 4 digit US$ on a lens.

 

[rmh159]

I did a search on bing.com and found that the D lens will have an aperture ring that's probably useless if your camera can set the aperture for your (which I'm sure that camera can do).

My opinion, the 18 - 55 wouldn't be a good portrait lens but that's based off of the 3.5 - 5.6 variable aperture. The prime lens you referenced would be a good lens because of the 1.4 aperture. It'll help control depth of field and blur the background away from the subject.

 

[Steph]

The AF-S 50mm f/1.4G will autofocus on the 5000D. The AF 50mm f/1.4D won't.

 

[sburatorul]

you are both corect, the D lens will have that aperture ring which is actually useless as you are forced to lock it at f22 to be able to use it. it will however come in handy if you plan on using a macro ring with it. but as steph pointed out it will not autofocus on the d5000.

the kit lens, while it is not bad is no match for the optics of the prime. i have the 50mm 1.8D and there is no comparison and i suppose the 1.4 is even better. not to mention the wide aperture.

 

[KmH]

...the D lens will have that aperture ring which is actually useless as you are forced to lock it at f22 to be able to use it.....

True, but it still looks cool.

 

[ANDS!]

For landscape photography, you want a lens that controls distortion, or have software that can potentially fix it in "post processing" (such as Photoshop). You're biggest problem, is going to be finding a lens that will autofocus for you (yes manual focusing is preferred in SOME situations - landscape photography is not such a time). As such, you are going to be limited in your options as others have said - unless your lens has a focus motor on the inside, you're camera will be stuck manually focusing it.

 

[sburatorul]

...the D lens will have that aperture ring which is actually useless as you are forced to lock it at f22 to be able to use it.....

True, but it still looks cool.

i didn't say it doesn't! i kinda like it.