Need advice on choosing lens

[jellyfishy]

Recently I'm in a dilemma whether to get a prime lens or micro lens.

Currently I'm into close-ups (not macro) and often got very frustrated with my 18-105mm (D90 kit lens) as I need to move quite a distance away from my subject (at least half a metre), but getting a micro lens seems like an overkill. At the same time I also wanna utilize this lens for my portrait and night shooting.

The lenses in mind now are af nikkor 35mm f/1.8, af-s nikkor 50mm f/1.4, tamron af 60mm f/2 micro and af nikkor 60mm f/2.8g micro. My budget is about $500 to 700. If there is any other lens suits the job, please let me know too.

Your kind advice and recommendation please. Thank you

 

[Duracell]

Recently I'm in a dilemma whether to get a prime lens or micro lens.

Currently I'm into close-ups (not macro) and often got very frustrated with my 18-105mm (D90 kit lens) as I need to move quite a distance away from my subject (at least half a metre), but getting a micro lens seems like an overkill. At the same time I also wanna utilize this lens for my portrait and night shooting.

The lenses in mind now are af nikkor 35mm f/1.8, af-s nikkor 50mm f/1.4, tamron af 60mm f/2 micro and af nikkor 60mm f/2.8g micro. My budget is about $500 to 700. If there is any other lens suits the job, please let me know too.

Your kind advice and recommendation please. Thank you

The nikkor 35mm f/1.8 will be my pick! I won't take Tamron since nikkor lens will outperform it from colour, sharpness, speed of focus! I hope Nikon will make something similar to the Olympus pancake lens. This will make it a excellent walk around lens with the small d3000!

 

[gibss]

I think the Tamron 17-50 f2.8 / Sigma 18-50 would make more sense in the long run versus the 35mm f1.8. f1.8 vs f2.8 is just around 1 stop difference, so it's quite negligible.

Get it 2nd hand for better deals: I see 17-50 and 18-50 going for around $500 in BnS, and $400 for 17-50 non-motor version, though this version only autofocuses on motor-bodies (D90, D300, etc.)

Regards,
gibss

 

[akszaksz]

just got my Tamron 17-50 f2.8 1 or 2 weeks ago...

and i'm loving it.

 

[Dark Matter]

Recently I'm in a dilemma whether to get a prime lens or micro lens.

Currently I'm into close-ups (not macro) and often got very frustrated with my 18-105mm (D90 kit lens) as I need to move quite a distance away from my subject (at least half a metre), but getting a micro lens seems like an overkill. At the same time I also wanna utilize this lens for my portrait and night shooting.

The lenses in mind now are af nikkor 35mm f/1.8, af-s nikkor 50mm f/1.4, tamron af 60mm f/2 micro and af nikkor 60mm f/2.8g micro. My budget is about $500 to 700. If there is any other lens suits the job, please let me know too.

Your kind advice and recommendation please. Thank you

Base on what u have in mind, my take is Nikkor 35mm.

 

[jaRv1s]

go rent one by one and try yourself... your style might not be matching those who suggested lenses... ultimately you'll be the only one using it... so better don't buy the wrong one...

 

[Dark Matter]

Ya...anyway we don't know what is the subject (size) TS is shooting at close up. meaning what will be the min focus distance he required in his scenario.

 

[luna_sea83]

if you do really need the close up like 20 cm or closer, consider the 60mm micro D or G version, good for portraits and low light too.

But with the budget you have, its impossible to get a brand new one unless you searched in the BnS market

 

[jellyfishy]

Thanks guys for all your contribution.

if you do really need the close up like 20 cm or closer, consider the 60mm micro D or G version, good for portraits and low light too.

Ya, I wanna get closer to my subject, probably 10 to 30cm would be good enough. Most of the time my subject is food or small items like fruits.

On the other hand I have heard that micro lenses are good for portrait as well, but not really sure how well they fare as compared to any prime lens.

 

[horizon_grazer]

Thats no magical one fix-it-all lens..
Focus on ur interest priority first & get each lens one by one..