So I finally dusted off my old D5200 thats been sitting in the closet for like two years and I realized the kit lens is just... not doing it for me. Im trying to get some decent shots of my daughters birthday party next month but the indoor lighting at our place in Portland is honestly terrible. Ive been looking around online and everyone says to get the 35mm f/1.8G or the 50mm f/1.8 but Im super confused about which one actually makes sense for a crop sensor.
I read that the 35mm is the natural view but then other people say the 50mm is better for portraits and since Im mostly taking photos of people I dont know which way to go. Also some of these older D series lenses are way cheaper but I heard they wont autofocus on my body because it lacks the internal motor? My budget is pretty tight, like under $200 if possible because I still have to pay for the cake and decorations and everything else lol.
- item Nikon 35mm f/1.8G DX
- item Nikon 50mm f/1.8D (is this the one that wont focus?)
- item Maybe a third party brand like Yongnuo?
Does anyone have a favorite bang for your buck lens that works well for indoor low light stuff on these older Nikon bodies? I'm worried the 50mm will be too zoomed in for a small living room but the 35mm might distort faces if I get too close...
- Get the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G! It is absolutely amazing for tight indoor spaces and the low light performance is fantastic.
- Avoid the Nikon AF NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8D. It wont autofocus on your D5200 at all, and manual focusing at a birthday party is a total nightmare. The 35mm is the perfect choice!
Regarding what #1 said about "Get the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G!...", I actually have to disagree a bit there. While it is a solid lens for general snaps, be careful if your main goal is taking nice portraits of your daughter. The 35mm can really distort faces if you get too close for a tight shot, making noses look bigger than they are... definitely not what you want for birthday memories! Since you are worried about the 50mm being too tight but want that pretty portrait look, I would suggest looking at the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G. Just make sure it is specifically the G version, not the D version you mentioned. The G version has the internal motor so it will autofocus perfectly on your D5200. It is a bit tight indoors, but the background blur is way better for photos of people. A few things to keep in mind for your budget:
- The Yongnuo YN 50mm f/1.8 for Nikon is dirt cheap, usually under $100, but the autofocus is noisy and can be slow in dark living rooms.
- If you find the 50mm too long, look for a used Nikon AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 40mm f/2.8G. It is a weird middle ground focal length that works great for faces and close-ups of the cake details.
- Check used sites like KEH or MPB to stay under that $200 limit. Personally, I think you will regret the 35mm for people shots once you see the perspective distortion. Just move a couple chairs out of the way so you can back up a bit with the 50mm and you will be much happier with the results. Just watch out for the cake table lol.
Bookmarked, thanks!
