Draconian Guppy Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 Hey folks, first and foremost, happy new year ! So i've been deciding between a d90 or D5000, in the end I think the camera will be the least of my worries.... My question is, for those of you who have own the 50mm or 35mm regardless of the brand. I feel 50mm is to in the long :wacko: but i've never tried anything shorter to be honest with that aperture 1.8 (kit lense is 3.6?) so I really can't say, but since i've seen a lot of people here that own a lot of glass for nikon, canon and olympus I thought I'd ask are there any short comings on going 35mm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 Get the 50mm for portraits. with the 30mm, you'll have to be on top of the person. The "Ideal" portrait length is between 70-100mm, and the 50mm on a 1.5x (nikon) or 1.6x crop camera is 75mm/80mm which is perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cacoe Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 personally, I want a 35mm 2.0 lens. My 50mm 1.8 presents the problem of never being able to get far away enough from my subjects when indoors. (I shoot a lot of stuff in doors) don't forget the crop factor too. 35mm with 1.5 crop factor = 52.5mm, closer to a true 50mm lens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I8PP Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 Note on a D5000/3000/40/60 the 50mm AF-D will not autofocus. It's screw driven which the body does not have a motor for so you'll be manually focusing. D90 will autofocus AF-D lenses. On a crop sensor, the 35mm LENS (not lense :p) is equivalent to ~52mm and the 50mm is ~ 72mm. When taking portraits, you really don't want to be too close to your subject just to get a well composed shot. The 35mm AF-S is a good walk-around lens because it's close to what your eyes see. 50mm is a nice sharp low-cost lens. Just try them both out in a store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draconian Guppy Posted January 2, 2010 Author Share Posted January 2, 2010 Get the 50mm for portraits. with the 30mm, you'll have to be on top of the person. The "Ideal" portrait length is between 70-100mm, and the 50mm on a 1.5x (nikon) or 1.6x crop camera is 75mm/80mm which is perfect. Really :s? I always figured the closer the better personally, I want a 35mm 2.0 lens.My 50mm 1.8 presents the problem of never being able to get far away enough from my subjects when indoors. (I shoot a lot of stuff in doors) don't forget the crop factor too. 35mm with 1.5 crop factor = 52.5mm, closer to a true 50mm lens Note on a D5000/3000/40/60 the 50mm AF-D will not autofocus. It's screw driven which the body does not have a motor for so you'll be manually focusing. D90 will autofocus AF-D lenses.On a crop sensor, the 35mm LENS (not lense :p) is equivalent to ~52mm and the 50mm is ~ 72mm. When taking portraits, you really don't want to be too close to your subject just to get a well composed shot. The 35mm AF-S is a good walk-around lens because it's close to what your eyes see. 50mm is a nice sharp low-cost lens. Just try them both out in a store. (ay caramba forgot about the whole D5000 not having in body focus, hmmmm...) Potato, Potatoe :p Now one of the main reasons i'm asking is because i'll be buying online and sadly none of the stores here have the 35mm lenS, and like i've said before never used anything anything under 50mm. :( which is why I decided to ask, but so far 1 for 50mm and 1 for 35mm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cacoe Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 Actually, using a longer lens foreshortens perspective and this is the traditional way to take portraits.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazzy88ss Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 50mm f1.4 AF-S!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andre Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 Go with D90 and 35/2.0. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argote Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 Try measuring 50mm and 35mm with the kit lens, just set it at that zoom and use it as if it were a prime, see which one you like better. The reason longer lenses are used for portraits is because they tend to "flatten" the face which looks better according to beauty standards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modena Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 I use my 50mm 1.7 Minolta for Christmas lights. That's all it's useful for. You will never find one lens to do it all. As you play with different lenses and experiment more you will quickly find out why many people swear by their zoom lenses for portraits. The primary advantage is that you're not in everybody's face and you're virtually unnoticed when snapping pictures. This gives you a candid edge; your photos will not look posed or staged. My advice is to stick with the kit lens until you're comfortable with it. Then move up to a fast zoom lens. Something with f/2.8 or bigger is ideal. Find a camera body that is comfortable with easy to adjust settings. Everything else is in your choice of lenses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o0moonman0o Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 on a crop body i would suggest a 35 f1.8 afs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draconian Guppy Posted January 2, 2010 Author Share Posted January 2, 2010 50mm f1.4 AF-S!!! Sadly, out of budget including lens and body ( $1000 ) Go with D90 and 35/2.0. Yep I think my mind is pretty set on a D90 on a crop body i would suggest a 35 f1.8 afs. (Y) Well consensus seems to be 35mm :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~WinGz~ Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 I own both the 50mm 1.8 and 35mm 1.8. I found myself using the 35mm more for portraits then the 50. I use Nikon. I love the way the lens just seems to draw out the details more then the 50mm. So I don't know if its just me, or if theres something in it. But after using both for a few months. I'd go with 35mm especially if you do more indoor portraits then outdoor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draconian Guppy Posted January 5, 2010 Author Share Posted January 5, 2010 I own both the 50mm 1.8 and 35mm 1.8.I found myself using the 35mm more for portraits then the 50. I use Nikon. I love the way the lens just seems to draw out the details more then the 50mm. So I don't know if its just me, or if theres something in it. But after using both for a few months. I'd go with 35mm especially if you do more indoor portraits then outdoor. Yeah i'm more of indoor I'd say. What body do you shoot with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~WinGz~ Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 I shoot with both a D700 <3 and my D80. I havent used my D700 much still the whole new love for it and dont wanna hurt it haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirEvan Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 50mm f1.4 AF-S!!! That, and the 85 1.4 are two of the best primes for portraits EVER. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max84 Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 It's wrong to limit yourself to one focal length. I have several lenses that I use for portraits. Personally, I dislike 50mm because of its standard look. Every amateur photographer has the misconception that it's the best focal length for portraits. The longer the focal length, the better the perspective. Of course that is subject to personal preference, though. For me anything below 85mm is not made for portraits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andre Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 That, and the 85 1.4 are two of the best primes for portraits EVER. So are 105/2DC, 135/2DC, 200/2G and many other lenses. Or basically what max already said. On a side note, 85/1.4 MF is said to be slightly better in some aspects than then D version. Plus, it's also cheaper, given you can find one. Personally, I am currently hunting for a 105/1.8 AI-s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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