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Nikon N90 - which lens?


matt_tippin

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I just purchased an N90 for my girlfriend as she has had the desire

to get back into photography. I only bought the body, however, and

need a lens to pair it with. What would you all suggest for a

good "all-around" lens. I would like to spend less than $200 as the

body itself cost more than I was planning on spending, but will

consider upping the ante if it's overwhelming that I need to go that

direction. I would rather not, though, as this has become a fairly

expensive Xmas gift already! :) Thanks for any help.

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I could trot out the familiar and say - Get her a 50mm F1.8 ... If she doesn't care about autofocus then there are some bargains to be had.

 

Personally on my F90x I use 24mm, 50mm and 85mm. The 50 was almost never used.

 

A 35mm F2 would never be a bad choice.

 

I think starting with a zoom is a bad idea - not for quality reasons, but for vision reasons. A zoom offers too much choice - so you never learn how different lenses change the way a picture looks, but you just 'zoom' until it looks ok and snap.

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I second the recommendation for the 28-105. Great all around lens. Great performance for the money also. Wouldn't even bother with a 50mm prime unless she needs something faster and couldn't afford a faster zoom. If she had both the zoom and the 50mm prime I'll bet the 50mm never gets used. Rediculous also to even coinsider a MF lens at this point. Standard focus screen in most AF bodies is not that great for MF anyway. Besides, why limit yourself. If you don't want to use AF turn it off.
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Depending on her previous experience level, she may have a preference for a 35mm, 50mm, or 85mm. Ask her, or give her money toward a lens, or go with a 50mm AFD f/1.8 best lens for the price.

 

I had to pick one up last year because my wife and daughters were hogging our ancient manual focus 50mm f/1.4 and 55mm f/2.5 macro.

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Obviously your mileage may vary, but I don't like 50mm lenses at all. I had a 50mm/f1.4 along with my first SLR, a Minolta, from 30 years ago and that was my least useful lens. A few years later I switched to Nikon and never bought any 50mm Nikon lens in the next 25 years and counting. To me, a good alternative would be the 35mm/f2 AF. Otherwise, something like a 24-85 zoom would be good.
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