Spread for Prime Lenses

[holidaydom]

I'm presently using a 50mm f/1.8D on a D7000 and am thinking of getting the 35mm f/1.8D as a second prime. I'm attracted to the 35's value for money but would a 28mm or 24mm be better in terms of focal length (i.e.: Is the 35mm "too close" to the 50mm) ?

What's a good "focal length spread" for prime lenses ?

FX: 35 / 50 / 85 mm
DX: 52 / 75 / 128 mm

Any experienced prime-shooters care to share your thoughts please ?

 

[daredevil123]

It really depends on your shooting style and your preference.

Personally,

For FX I use 24 / 50 / 85 / 105

For DX I use 24 / 50 /105

 

[catchlights]

during the days when I was using F3 and FM, I have 20mm, 28mm, 35mm, 55mm 105mm and 180mm, pretty much cover what I need.

 

[Ben Ang]

I'd go for the 24 and 35 instead of 35, 50. 35mm on DX matches the 50 for FX and is my most used focal length. got about 5 lenses btwn 45 and 58mm for use on FX. 24mm on dx matches 35mm on FX which is also a very good focal length for street shots and group shots without distorting the perspective too much.

i personally use: 24, 45, 50, 90,135, 180 together with a 17-35 (which i use only for events) on FX.

 

[icarus]

What's a good "focal length spread" for prime lenses ?

FX: 35 / 50 / 85 mm
DX: 52 / 75 / 128 mm

Any experienced prime-shooters care to share your thoughts please ?

For FX 35mm is too close to 50mm... i am using 20 / 35 / 85 /105 for FX.
For DX, there is no good DX prime wides (except for 10.5FE) for Nikon that will be wide enough after the 1.5x crop factor. A light 12-24DX will be a better choice.

 

[Benji77]

A light 12-24DX will be a better choice.

I second this. Together with a 50/1.4, its a great combo.

 

[holidaydom]

I second this. Together with a 50/1.4, its a great combo.

Food for thought...

 

[holidaydom]

I'd go for the 24 and 35 instead of 35, 50. QUOTE]

How about an in-between like the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 ?

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

I'm presently using a 50mm f/1.8D on a D7000 and am thinking of getting the 35mm f/1.8D as a second prime. I'm attracted to the 35's value for money but would a 28mm or 24mm be better in terms of focal length (i.e.: Is the 35mm "too close" to the 50mm) ?

What's a good "focal length spread" for prime lenses ?

FX: 35 / 50 / 85 mm
DX: 52 / 75 / 128 mm

Any experienced prime-shooters care to share your thoughts please ?

Hardly used 50/1.8 on DX. Found the focal length a bit 'weird' somehow
Used 12-24 f/4 and 35/1.8 mainly.

 

[Ben Ang]

I'd go for the 24 and 35 instead of 35, 50. QUOTE]

How about an in-between like the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 ?

I've never tried that particular lens, but i do use a 45mm often enough. it also provides a very nice perspective and i'd like to think of it as a 50mm with abit of room for cropping. here's a sample, taken at 45mm and 2.8, about the same as sigma 30 1.4 set at f/1.8 on a DX sensor (in terms of dof):

it won't replace a 35mm eqv though so you'll still need a wide lens. perhaps the tokina 11-16 should sit well with it (17-24 and 45mm)

Hardly used 50/1.8 on DX. Found the focal length a bit 'weird' somehow
Used 12-24 f/4 and 35/1.8 mainly.

else if, this would work wonderfully as well. I agree that 50mm is abit in the middle of no where.. 60mm can be pretty sweet though. maybe tokina 11-16, sigma 30, tamron 60 f2? an 85 would also add very nicely to that.

 

[dardar]

i also looking got a prime for Bokeh but yet to find a lens that not too long yet have nice bokeh

currently using 35mm 1.8 but bokeh isnt great looking to upgrade

12-24 f4 + 50mm sound great

 

[Miao]

i also looking got a prime for Bokeh but yet to find a lens that not too long yet have nice bokeh

currently using 35mm 1.8 but bokeh isnt great looking to upgrade

12-24 f4 + 50mm sound great

Got lar , just that not everyones pocket is deep enough .. 24 f1.4 for dx or 35 f1.4 for fx ..

 

[Ben Ang]

Well, the 35 1.8 is actually a very good lens both for normal use and as a learning tool. if you use nothing but the 35 1.8 for 2-3 months you ll find yourself improving alot. but if you really are looking for a faster lens for shallow depth of field, i'd highly recommend the Nikkor 85 1.8D. its honestly quite an underrated lens. skip the 50mms because the perspective isnt as good.

i also looking got a prime for Bokeh but yet to find a lens that not too long yet have nice bokeh

currently using 35mm 1.8 but bokeh isnt great looking to upgrade

12-24 f4 + 50mm sound great

 

[dardar]

Well, the 35 1.8 is actually a very good lens both for normal use and as a learning tool. if you use nothing but the 35 1.8 for 2-3 months you ll find yourself improving alot. but if you really are looking for a faster lens for shallow depth of field, i'd highly recommend the Nikkor 85 1.8D. its honestly quite an underrated lens. skip the 50mms because the perspective isnt as good.

mmm 85mm. actually i got tamron 90mm 2.8 may try out on potrait somedays

 

[yongshun]

im using 24, 50 n 85 for FX
previously 35 n 85 for DX

 

[John Mama]

I don't think there's any prescription here: as has been pointed out, it depends on what you shoot and even more importantly, how you like to shoot it.

Some people like to do street photography with either a 35mm or a 50mm, me I prefer the 28mm perspective so I use a manual focus 28mm f2 ais. I managed to score a very late serial number version of this and I love this lens to bits. Small and lightweight, sharp, and can shoot into the sun all day ha ha...

For what it's worth, my primes include 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 105mm and 180mm. Crunch time: 28mm and 85mm enough for me heh...

In your case, yes, 35 is too close to 50 as others have pointed out. I'd say 24 or 28 but Nikon makes lousy AF versions of those. I'd definitely choose the Sigma 30 over those if you need AF. This also depends on what other lenses you have that are below the 50 you already have and whether you want your next prime to overlap in focal length? Note that the Sigma 30 is a DX lens so if you are going FX later....another consideration....

 

[sjackal]

Different opinion here; 35 is not close to 50. You won't notice the different if you are a outdoor shooter with lotsa of space.

Indoors; you will know 24, 35, 50, all different and have their places in the system.

50 always feel too tight indoors to me.

 

[GReddyZC76]

previously 35 n 85 for DX

+1.

35 f/1.8 + 85 f/1.8 on DX.

50 felt ; too tight indoor, whilst too 'short' outdoor.

Just my opinion thou, and shooting preferences.

Cheers.

 

[Omega23]

agreed with mama.... if u can afford get the sigma 30mm else the nikon 35mm is a value for money lens.. if yr budget no problem get the 24mm f1.4 ... it is only marginally better then the sigma 30mm althought focal length is different

 

[sonq9]

For FX 35mm is too close to 50mm... i am using 20 / 35 / 85 /105 for FX.
For DX, there is no good DX prime wides (except for 10.5FE) for Nikon that will be wide enough after the 1.5x crop factor. A light 12-24DX will be a better choice.

I'm using 12-24dx and found it great for indoor and landscapes. Yet to decide which other dx lenses to get; still using a cluster of Ais primes.