What can I do with Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G lens?

Question

What can I do with Nikon NIKKOR AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G lens? I am thinking of buying one.

Is this lens a good choice? Could anyone suggest a good lens for me? I have 18-55mm kit lens which came with my Nikon D5000.

Asked by ParagM

Answer

According to numerous reviews and Nikon forums, this lens belongs to so-called Nikon's Dream Team and, as Alen above said, it's a must have.

Firstly, it's a really bright and fast prime lens with a rather unusual focal length. Most importantly, you can get this lens for a very reasonable price. The lens is really small and light but well built. The f/1.8 aperture lets in a lot of light so you can shoot with a very fast shutter and that's why people say that prime lenses are 'fast'.

Secondly, the DOF (depth of field) you can achieve with this lens is really shallow compared to kit lenses with a typical f/3.5 aperture. This means that you will be able to blur the background of your image in order to make your subject stand out and even experiment with bokeh. Also, you will be able to achieve good quality images even in low-light situations.

Finally, it's a prime lens, which means that there is no zoom. Prime lenses are ideal for portraits but a typical portrait focal length is 50-80mm and above. The longer focal length, however, implies smaller field of view so you will have to step back to get a decent field of view and frame your subject. This lens, on the other hand, is more versatile. Its 35mm focal length means that you don't have to step back a lot from your subjects and you will be able to use it indoors in tight conditions.

I've had this lens for about 2 years and have to say I wouldn't change it for anything else.

Answered by Greg

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