Street petite. help a noob spend wisely

[snapdragon]

Hullo.

Just nabbed a D3300 as my first DSLR and I'm looking at either the NIKON AF-S DX NIKKOR 35 mm f/1.8 G or the NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 50 mm f/1.8 G to add to the kit lense.

In terms of use I generally sling a camera in a bag and snap random things I find interesting, not ventured into portraiture etc yet so basically "street" photography as much as the term grates upon me ( like I'm some great urban explorer )

Being completely honest I'm an absolute novice only starting to really enjoy photography in the last few months, I know nothing about lenses or camera's and tend to leave everything in auto at the moment.

I've searched and around and think the 50mm is the better option but I'm getting bogged down in technical chatter, so find myself really none the wiser.

Any plain English advice on the matter is very much welcomed

 

[GTRacer]

I assume you have the 18-55 kit lens, set it to 35mm and shoot for the day, and then do the same again except with the lens set to 50mm. Decide from there which field of view you like the most.

 

[snapdragon]

I assume you have the 18-55 kit lens, set it to 35mm and shoot for the day, and then do the same again except with the lens set to 50mm. Decide from there which field of view you like the most.

Works for me, thanks for the tip

 

[Steve M]

Get the 35mm. On DX this focal length is more 'normal' than the 50mm would be. Unless you shoot a lot of portraits, you'd probably find the 50 would be a bit too long.

 

[Smeghead]

I assume you have the 18-55 kit lens, set it to 35mm and shoot for the day, and then do the same again except with the lens set to 50mm. Decide from there which field of view you like the most.

Wouldn't they need to set it to ~21mm and ~31mm for 35mm as it's APS-C?

 

[GTRacer]

Wouldn't they need to set it to ~21mm and ~31mm for 35mm as it's APS-C?

No, focal length stays the same regardless of format, it's the field of view that changes. For snapdragon to get a feel for the field of view those focal lengths create they have to replicate what it says on the lens barrel.

 

[Columbo]

Wouldn't they need to set it to ~21mm and ~31mm for 35mm as it's APS-C?

No because if he buys the Nikon 35mm he'll still be seeing the same FOV as his kit lens set at 35mm.

 

[Hunders]

Out of those two I would be more inclined to get the 35mm. I have really no idea about Nikon lenses but I would prefer a ~23mm lens over both of them if there is such a thing available.

 

[Turbo-G]

I would go for the 35mm, as the focal length is a bit more usable on a DX.

I had one on my old DX body (D3100), prior to the D750 and found it to be very usable - from landscapes and street scenes to portraits.

In contrast to your kit lens, you'll be amazed how fast it is, and how well it focuses in low light situations.

 

[Clum]

While it is tempting to get one of these lenses when you're just starting out (why not, they're great lenses and cheap!), I'd maybe suggest getting a second hand 70-300 or even an ultra wide instead.

You've already got 35 and 50mm covered with your kit lens so having a telephoto or UW will allow you to try out different kinds of shooting and broaden your interest in photography. Not traditional street lenses, but you might well find that you end up enjoying other types of shooting more.

If you do go for one of the primes, Id take the 35mm on a DX camera.

 

[mid_gen]

50 is too narrow for street work on DX format really. Taking the most literal definition of street, you will struggle to frame anything on the pavement without standing in the road.