35mm or 50mm?

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SW3105

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Sharmaigne
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Hi,

I'm looking at getting a prime lens - reason for the prime is because I want the widest aperture, I take mostly portraits of my girls in poor light. Widest aperture I get is f/4.something and keep needing to bump up my ISO. I am getting great shots IMO, but would a wider aperture = lower ISO? Noise isn't such a problem even at 3200 - depending on the situation. Current lens is the 18-55 which came with my D3100.

I have no problem rolling around the floor to get the best pictures and understand that this would be a necessary with a prime. With having the D3100, and lively children AF is a must! I tried a manual in Jessops but that would make the process so much more difficult whilst I'm still learning.

Also, now, I understand that 50mm = 75mm - I don't understand that? Is it crop factor? What does this mean? And does it make a difference to what I choose, and why?

Looking through my images, I mostly take around 40-50mm? So would it be worth my while going for the 35mm option? I've managed to convince the other half that I definitely need the new Nikon f/1.8 50mm AF-S which is due out in June, but wonder if a 35mm would better suit me?

My Flickr - for examples of what i usually do - http://www.flickr.com/photos/sharmaigne/

Thanks!
 
SW3105 said:
Hi,

I'm looking at getting a prime lens - reason for the prime is because I want the widest aperture, I take mostly portraits of my girls in poor light. Widest aperture I get is f/4.something and keep needing to bump up my ISO. I am getting great shots IMO, but would a wider aperture = lower ISO? Noise isn't such a problem even at 3200 - depending on the situation. Current lens is the 18-55 which came with my D3100.

I have no problem rolling around the floor to get the best pictures and understand that this would be a necessary with a prime. With having the D3100, and lively children AF is a must! I tried a manual in Jessops but that would make the process so much more difficult whilst I'm still learning.

Also, now, I understand that 50mm = 75mm - I don't understand that? Is it crop factor? What does this mean? And does it make a difference to what I choose, and why?

Looking through my images, I mostly take around 40-50mm? So would it be worth my while going for the 35mm option? I've managed to convince the other half that I definitely need the new Nikon f/1.8 50mm AF-S which is due out in June, but wonder if a 35mm would better suit me?

My Flickr - for examples of what i usually do - http://www.flickr.com/photos/sharmaigne/

Thanks!
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No it doesnt 50mm =50mm. Dont worry about it, its too complicated to get into. If you usually shoot around 40-50mm and you are happy with that, then get the 50mm when it comes out. I've always found 50mm a bit too long on a crop for indoors though, so the 35mm might be a good buy. You can always buy it and see. If it doesnt suit, you can sell it on for little to no loss.
 
SW3105 said:
Also, now, I understand that 50mm = 75mm - I don't understand that? Is it crop factor? What does this mean? And does it make a difference to what I choose, and why?

Looking through my images, I mostly take around 40-50mm? So would it be worth my while going for the 35mm option?
Click to expand...
Good wikipedia article on crop factor here.

If you mostly take around 40-50mm then that's tricky, right in the middle! Choice between buying a 35mm and cropping most photos or a 50mm and having to take some steps back, not always an option indoors! Maybe spend a day with your kit lens permanently on 50mm and don't touch the zoom to see how you get on and do the same at 35mm. Sounds like the 50 is the one for you.
 
A 50mm lens on a regular 35mm film camera is 'standard' view, giving something that's said to approximate to the angle of view of the human eye. Before zooms got good enough, you'd buy a camera with a 50mm kit lens.

It's a versatile angle of view, that produces little perceptual distortion (compared with a wide angle lens for example).

On a crop-sensor body, such as your D3100, you only get to see the middle of the image produced by a lens, the outer edges are 'cropped out', by a factor of 1.5. This gives an angle of view equivalent to a 75mm lens on a full-frame body.

To get something close to the 50mm angle of view, you have to use a wider lens. 50/1.5 = 33.3mm, so a 35mm lens is a good approximation.

As it happens, 75mm (on full frame) is close to what's generally regarded as a flattering angle of view for portraits. It flattens out the features, so people's noses don't look too big when you fill the frame with their head and shoulders.

SW3105 said:
Looking through my images, I mostly take around 40-50mm? So would it be worth my while going for the 35mm option?
Click to expand...

Well, with a 35mm lens, you always have the option of cropping the image down. With a 50mm, you're at the top end of your regular shooting length with nowhere to go, except to step backward, which may not always be an option.

edit:

Also, if you're shooting in low light, you'll notice camera shake less with a 35mm lens than a 50mm (unless you then crop the photo). It'll give you the best part of a stop's worth of advantage.
 
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I had a look at all the shots of my 2 year old twins that I have been taking. Sorry but I have been shooting at both 35 and 50mm it seems!!! :) I think you would be fine with either as long as you have a bit of room to shoot when you want to use the 50mm for a full body shot.

I do find that at 55mm being that bit further away allows me to get more candid shots. When I have a shorter focal length I am so close that they start trying to high 5 the camera or start running towards me... maybe something to consider?
 
I've got the 35mm on my D3100 and I still find that a little cramped at times, especially indoors...... i'd hate to think i'd only got 50mm to play with. (unless you only want head shots)
 
I think 35mm is better suited to crop.
Having said that 50mm can also be fun for tighter crops.

I'd say it's more of a personnel preference. For me I'd choose 35mm.

I hear the new Samyang 35mm f1.4 is quite a bargain.
 
I've got a 50mm on a crop sensor. I really love it but finding it just a bit to close for in doors and find that I'm often struggling to get far enough away. I think I'm going to be trying the 35mm fairly soon. At least with that, I can normally move closer if needed.
 
Hmm .. a mixed bag here .. Now I really feel like I'm back to square 1. I definitely think I'm going the right way with a prime, but, which one? At the moment, space isn't an issue, we are lucky to live in quite a large house, but we're not going to be here forever. I wonder if perhaps if I got a speedlight flash, that it would eliminate the need for a replacement lens seeing as I have the flexibility with the kit lens? Does that sound a better, more sensible option?
 
Definitely get one of the primes. I've also got the 18-55 and hardly ever use it now. I stick with the 50mm most of the time because the IQ is way way better and the wider aperture is a real eye opener.

Which ever one you choose I think you'll be very impressed. Maybe just go with the cheapest.
 
I ve got both. I had the 50 first then wanted a wider view so went for the 35. I like them both and use each as suit the situation. If I had to do it again I would still go for the 50 first
 
Even when outside I wish the 35mm was a little wider as my little girl starts racing towards, then in a flash she fills the frame even at 35mm.

If your subjects are going to sit still and do as their told, then 50mm will be fine. If they are on the move, the 35mm may suit better?

Maybe goto a local shop and try each one on your D3100?
 
Zarch said:
Even when outside I wish the 35mm was a little wider as my little girl starts racing towards, then in a flash she fills the frame even at 35mm.

If your subjects are going to sit still and do as their told, then 50mm will be fine. If they are on the move, the 35mm may suit better?

Maybe goto a local shop and try each one on your D3100?
Click to expand...

On this, I tend to roll around the floor and move around with them - I rely heavily on AF as a result. My youngest was born with ants in her nappy so can't stay still for a second. My eldest is easier to keep still and occupied but then she tends to 'pose', so I prefer to just follow her around and catch her in her own space. When I went to Jessops, they only had a 50mm non-AF. I'd have to go to a store which has both, or is there another photography store? Or a decently stocked Jessops in the Cambs area?
 
Musicman said:
Set the 18-55 to 35mm focal length and shoot without touching the zoom for a weekend.

Then set it to 50mm and do likewise.
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try this.

Or, if you have a folder with all your pictures in (with embeded exif) see if the majority of your photos fall closer to 50mm or 35mm.


If you really can't make your mind up, spoil yourself and buy both! :D
 
explicit4u said:
try this.

Or, if you have a folder with all your pictures in (with embeded exif) see if the majority of your photos fall closer to 50mm or 35mm.


If you really can't make your mind up, spoil yourself and buy both! :D
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I did that, and most of my pictures fall between 40-50mm ...

And .. I wish!! That would make life much easier! :)
 
I think you should have a flash period - i use large apertures for the fantastic shallow depth of field.. i still end up often using flash too.
 
Hey, I had a look at your pictures on flicker. I was impressed by how little noise you could see even at iso 3200 on your d3100. How do really dark scenes fair with noise btw?

I use a 50mm prime on a crop and dont find it too bad and i shoot in cramped spaces, sometimes just have to use liveview at some weird angles though. I even use my 85mm prime indoors sometimes, really nice to get some close ups of someone across the room without making it uncomfy for the subject (most of the time they dont realise anyways).
 
I currently use a 50mm Minolta lens on my DSLR and I must say, even though the angle of view is limiting sometimes, I have gotten used to it and haven't touched my 18-55 in months :P Honestly, I don't see it as a big problem. Of course, had I had the option to buy a 35mm one, I probably would have opted for that one. But price prevented me from doing so haha
 
Tough choice I agree, but if you were to buy either one 2nd hand i'm quite sure you'd get your money back if you ended up with "the wrong one" as these quality lenses hold their value.
 
Try this one:

Set your kit lens (18-55, I assume) at 50mm, and try shooting that for a whole session, then try the same at 35mm another time. See which one you prefer.
 
Ksanti said:
Try this one:

Set your kit lens (18-55, I assume) at 50mm, and try shooting that for a whole session, then try the same at 35mm another time. See which one you prefer.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I plan to do. Good advice.
 
salmoally said:
Hey, I had a look at your pictures on flicker. I was impressed by how little noise you could see even at iso 3200 on your d3100. How do really dark scenes fair with noise btw?
Click to expand...

Thanks for that, I am surprised at how little noise there is too but reading another thread, I guess technology is just coping better with the extremes now. I haven't tried dark scenes .. Mostly I take photos during the day whilst the children are awake, will try to experiment in the evening. Thinking about it actually, I did take a picture of my youngest just before she went to sleep one evening, blinds drawn, only the bedroom light on, I think that was a little noisy but I edited the picture and softened it a bit, as she was going to sleep the softening suited the image and so noise wasn't so distracting. I'll try to upload it later.

I will definitely try leaving the camera set to 35mm and 50mm over a few days.

Thanks for all the advice!
 
Well, after all that, I've changed my mind! I'm going to leave the lens for a while .. Now that I'm mastering and getting great images albiet at a high ISO, I'm going to just keep and use my current kit lens. Instead, I'm going to get a flash gun, I've decided (I think) on the Nissin Di622 Mark II ... it's compatible, have read a few decent reviews so I think that's the way. At least then I can bring the ISO down and just use the flash to bounce and manage even better pictures! It sounds right in theory anyway ;)
 
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