What do these lenses specialize in?

[Taylorl813]

D3200 can use older, pre-Ai or Non-AI lenses, Ai, and Ai-S series, and AF and AF-D series lenses. Available used, inexpensively. NO AUTOMATION with the pre-Ai or Ai or Ai-S models however, but those cost very little in some models.

You're saying the d3200 CAN use AF? I thought it was specifically AF-S

Derrel's comment written in ALL CAPS said "NO AUTOMATION", meaning that you would NOT get the camera to auto focus the lenses. Your camera will need a focusing motor built into the lenses, which will be designated "AF-S".

Those older lenses using a screw-drive motor in the camera would require you to focus manually.

Ohhh okay! Thank you, I didn't see that. It was a lot of new terminology all bunched up together.

 

[Dave442]

I went with the 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX lens over the 50mm. I wanted the faster lens when indoors and the 35mm covers more area than the 50mm - that helps where you are limited on how far you can back up from your subject. Some people go with the 50mm f/1.8G AF-S lens - often looking to take portrait style shots of people with the DX camera - using the large aperture to give a small depth of field to help separate the subject from the background. Both of these are prime lenses (fixed focal length) you can take your 18-55mm zoom and set it to 35mm for a day and then do the same another day with the lens at 50mm - see what you prefer as a focal length for what you like to shoot. What you can't do right now is see the effect of shooting at f/1.8 - for that you need to pick up one of these lenses.

 

[ceemac]

35mm would be my choice. I just shot photos of our local Christmas parade with a 50mm. Standing on the sidewalk was too close and I couldn't back up without having someone stand in front of me.

 

[petrochemist]

As is often the way the question in the title is not actually the same as in the post. Yes as @Designer & @ronlane pointed out the kit lenses specialize in being affordable, and covering the bulk of photography. They're not the best option for anything, but good enough for most.

When it comes to choosing between 35mm & 50mm primes (The affordable options for a fast prime) the FOV from your kit zoom set at the same focal lengths will show what FOV to expect from the primes. Try going round shooting with the kit taped in each focal length position in turn for an hour or so. You may find one setting suits you much more than the other.

If you find a FOV wider than either of these is more to your liking there are reasonably affordable manual focus options from third party suppliers, that you might get within your budget. My used Samyang 10mm f/2.8 was ~£100 but I find it much more difficult to compose with than a 35 or 50.

 

[Nintendoeats]

I know it's a month overdue, but I had exactly the same lenses (AF-P in the 18-55, but the same otherwise) and I added a used 35MM 1.8. I would take that over the kit lens, even prime and without VR.

 

[ac12]

Taylor,
I recommend that you NOT use a manual focus lens.
Unless you know how and are comfortable manually focusing the lens, a manual focus lens can be difficult and slow to use.
Stick with a AF-S lens for your D3200.