Just purchased Nikon D60, one question about the lens.

[jnm]

find a store nearby and rent a 50mm f/1.4 and see how you like it.

 

[Cop J]

I was looking around and I read that the D60 has some sort of rangefinder that helps with manual focus to tell you when your picture is in complete focus.

True or not? Exactly how does that work?

EDIT: Now that I think about it, I can buy a 50mm f1.8 AIS instead of the AF one, right? Doing this, I'd save money since the lens and since the D60 will only allow me to shoot manual, I'd be basically getting the same lens?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-50mm-f1-8...era_Lenses?hash=item2ea9e1dd09#ht_6979wt_1396

or

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-50mm-f1-8...era_Lenses?hash=item2ea9e1e8f5#ht_6927wt_1396

^ Will that lens fit on my D60? What will the quality of it be compared to the 50mm AF F/1.8D version?

 

[Cop J]

Seems those 2 lenses will fit on my D60. If so, I will just keep the kit lens and pick up this: Nikon 50mm f1.8 AI-S lens AIS E wtih Hoya 82A filter - eBay (item 200418647305 end time Jan-14-10 22:44:03 PST) for $50 and that will be my prime.

Good idea?

 

[KmH]

Seems those 2 lenses will fit on my D60. If so, I will just keep the kit lens and pick up this: Nikon 50mm f1.8 AI-S lens AIS E wtih Hoya 82A filter - eBay (item 200418647305 end time Jan-14-10 22:44:03 PST) for $50 and that will be my prime.

Good idea?

That's a Series E lens for film cameras. Not only will it not auto focus (no focus motor) on your D60 I don't think it will meter either, making it totally manual. That's why it's only $50, even with the essentially useless filter. It's a decent lens.

From Wikipedia:

Series E — A line of lower-cost lenses manufactured during the 1980s for Nikon's amateur SLRs. They sacrificed some construction quality and employed simpler optical designs. All were specified as AI-S, but not branded Nikkor, instead carrying the text "Nikon Lens Series E."

See page 61 of your D60 manual for info on "Rangefinder Mode".

There are situations where you will need to manual focus any lens, foucs motor or not. AF is not and end all to be all.

 

[Cop J]

Probably a dumb question, but what is metering and how does it affect a picture I am taking with a dslr? How do I manually meter?

 

[fiveoboy01]

I also vote that you should keep the kit lens. The 18-55, while not very fast, does have VR and it's suprisingly sharp when stopped down.

That said if you want a prime, I'd get the 35/1.8, it will autofocus on the D60 and I think that 35mm is a better "general" focal length for the D60's crop sensor.

Enjoy your D60 and if you have any questions post up or PM me, it was my first camera.

 

[fiveoboy01]

Probably a dumb question, but what is metering and how does it affect a picture I am taking with a dslr? How do I manually meter?

Metering senses how light/dark the scene is and adjusts shutter speed and/or aperture(or even ISO if you have auto ISO enabled) to get the proper exposure. Sometimes depending on the scene, the camera's meter can be fooled and you might end up with a picture that's too dark or too light.

You can't manually meter per se, but you can use the exposure compensation button to adjust the exposure if you want to get the picture darker or lighter.

 

[mammarazzi]

You can get a 50mm for about $85 but it will not auto focus with the D60. It has something to do with the motor not being in the lens but in the camera. The lense is awesome but I would not sell the kit lens to get it. You can get great crisp portraits with your kit lens. You also have to remember that when shooting children that AF and zoom makes things so much easier.

 

[Nikkor]

I know its hard to see another lens you want and have no money for but firstly, you won't get too much for the kit lens, and second, you'll want to learn the glass you have now before you upgrade. It's rough, but I suggest holding out. I have a D60 and was super eager to sell my kit lens for the extra camera cash since I have an 18-105mm that I love and use all the time. But I ended up finding a maco lens attachment that I needed the kit lens to fit on, so you never know when you'll need it. I suggest waiting, just for a little while. But shop around as well, you can always find a good price.

And by the way, what you paid for your D60 is a sweet steal!

 

[Darkhunter139]

I know its hard to see another lens you want and have no money for but firstly, you won't get too much for the kit lens, and second, you'll want to learn the glass you have now before you upgrade. It's rough, but I suggest holding out. I have a D60 and was super eager to sell my kit lens for the extra camera cash since I have an 18-105mm that I love and use all the time. But I ended up finding a maco lens attachment that I needed the kit lens to fit on, so you never know when you'll need it. I suggest waiting, just for a little while. But shop around as well, you can always find a good price.

And by the way, what you paid for your D60 is a sweet steal!

What kind of attachment do you have?

 

[Cop J]

Hey thanks for all the help everyone. I still haven't made up my mind on what I am going to do for this situation, but with the comments I realize that the kit lens isn't a POS and it is useful. I actually just got back from a camera store and used a D3000 with a 50mm f/1.8 and autofocus didn't work with that either (I know they are different cameras but I read that only difference between them are screen size, a tutorial mode, and autofocus points). I tried it out for about 20 minutes throughout the store and the manual focus wasn't that bad. The rangefinder has a green dot that lights up to tell you that it is in focus. I guess it would be a lot more convenient to have AF, but I don't know if it is worth paying the extra $100 for the 35mm f/1.8.

Oh yeah, WeddingPhotographer reminded me about something I never got to ask...$369 for used 9/10 condition D60 a good price? B&H said it only had a couple scratches on the underside and on the handgrip of the camera.

 

[Cop J]

You can get a 50mm for about $85 but it will not auto focus with the D60. It has something to do with the motor not being in the lens but in the camera. The lense is awesome but I would not sell the kit lens to get it. You can get great crisp portraits with your kit lens. You also have to remember that when shooting children that AF and zoom makes things so much easier.

I haven't seen that lens for under $100 anywhere. Where have you seen it for $85?

 

[Derrel]

I haven't seen that lens for under $100 anywhere. Where have you seen it for $85?

There are multiple different prices on "quantity" items like the Nikon 50mm f/1.8 AF or AF-D lenses, which have been made since roughly 1988 or so. There is brand new, full retail price for the 50mm 1.8 AF-D, the brand new production made in China model with the D-chip. The 50 1.8 AF became the AF-D model in what was it? 2001 or something? There are a million or more (no exaggeration) 50mm 1.8 AF Nikon models floating around. There is also street price in the real world of shops not on the web, and the price of person-to-person sales (Craigslist).

I bought a Mint AF model, probably a 1998 model based on the serial number, for $40 at a pawn shop a few years ago. On eBay, an old Nikon N4004 on N6006 with a 50mm/1.8 AF lens might bring $50, for the camera and the lens.

In small-market camera stores across the USA, equipment is worth a lot LESS than it is on the major web sites of the Big Five stores. It's a matter of supply and demand. It's like private party vs dealer used car prices. If you look for older Nikon film outfits, you might be able to snag a body, a 50/1.8 and the popular 35-70mm f/3.3~4.5 Zoom-Nikkor lens for $65-$80 from Caigslist or eBay or an actual camera store or pawn shop.

 

[Cop J]

I haven't seen that lens for under $100 anywhere. Where have you seen it for $85?

There are multiple different prices on "quantity" items like the Nikon 50mm f/1.8 AF or AF-D lenses, which have been made since roughly 1988 or so. There is brand new, full retail price for the 50mm 1.8 AF-D, the brand new production made in China model with the D-chip. The 50 1.8 AF became the AF-D model in what was it? 2001 or something? There are a million or more (no exaggeration) 50mm 1.8 AF Nikon models floating around. There is also street price in the real world of shops not on the web, and the price of person-to-person sales (Craigslist).

I bought a Mint AF model, probably a 1998 model based on the serial number, for $40 at a pawn shop a few years ago. On eBay, an old Nikon N4004 on N6006 with a 50mm/1.8 AF lens might bring $50, for the camera and the lens.

In small-market camera stores across the USA, equipment is worth a lot LESS than it is on the major web sites of the Big Five stores. It's a matter of supply and demand. It's like private party vs dealer used car prices. If you look for older Nikon film outfits, you might be able to snag a body, a 50/1.8 and the popular 35-70mm f/3.3~4.5 Zoom-Nikkor lens for $65-$80 from Caigslist or eBay or an actual camera store or pawn shop.

So let me get this straight. I can buy a 50mm/1.8 AF lens that was used on a Film SLR camera and it will meter correctly on my D60? I know that a 50mm/1.8 MF from a Film SLR camera will ONLY work in Manual mode so I do not want that, since I wan't to experiment in the Aperture mode. Will a 50mm/1.8 AF lens from a Film SLR camera work in Av mode on my D60? Will it be basically the same as if I had the newer 50mm AF 1.8D on my camera?

Just making sure so I don't go out and waste money.

I have been looking around craigslist and eBay. Not finding many primes on craigslist but a lot of expensive ones on eBay. I will keep looking around though.

 

[Cop J]

I think this shot from the D60 manual answers my question pretty well. The 50mm AF F/1.8 lens will work in every mode on my D60, except for the autofocusing. This 50mm AF F/1.8 lens is in the "Other AF NIKKOR" row, right?

I will be picking one of those older lenses up since it is essentially the same as the F/1.8D version, since neither will have autofocus. Now the question is will they produce the same quality, or is the D version better?