Lens Choice for Street and Candid Photography

Hello friends and fellow photographers

 

This is for my son who is extremely interested in street and candid photography. He mainly uses my old D90 coupled with my AF-D 50mm lens or AF-S 55-200 Dx lens. Sometimes he uses my D7200 with the same lenses. I am planning to gift him a lens for his photographic journey, and together we have short-listed the following.

 

AF-S Nikkor 24mm f/1.8 G ED

AF-S Nikkor 20mm f/1.8 G ED

AF-S Nikkor 28mm f/1.8 G

AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 G ED

AF Nikkor 20mm f/2.8 D

AF Nikkor 24mm f/2.8 D

AF Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 D

AF Nikkor 35mm f/2 D

20mm f/2.8 Nikkor

 

It would be a great help if the members here may comment on these lenses and point me to the best possible lens, keeping the price in mind.

 

Thank you all in advance.

With those DX bodies, you really need something shorter than a 50 or 55mm focal length. How much shorter depends on the photographer's style and taste.

 

Personally I'd eliminate the 35mm f/2 D lens from that list as well as the AF-S G ED. The 35mm AF-S f/1.8 DX lens - while not on your list it should be - is designed for DX use. The others aren't, and although much cheaper, it performs superbly. I'd also knock the 28mm lenses off the list, since that focal length is neither 'standard' nor noticeably wide on DX.

 

For me it would come down to a choice between the 35mm or 20mm focal lengths... or a Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 zoom. (Nikon's 17-55mm f/2.8 zoom is ridiculously heavy and obtrusive for a DX lens. Not to mention expensive!) And the Tamron runs it a very close second in IQ.

IMO - interesting street photography reflects your own presence in the street as part of the scene (as opposed to photographing people from afar with tele lenses) - that requires a fairly wide focal length.

 

For a fixed focal length, I would not go longer than 20mm on DX - but rather consider an even wider lens. From a value proposition that would point towards a dedicated DX lens, as wider full frame lenses becomes very expensive and large.

I am not aware what is available in the Nikon DX universe but the Tamron zoom Joe suggests above sounds good - I don't think Nikon made many wide DX fixed focal length lenses (although someone will hopefully correct me if I am wrong).

 

If it must be from the above list, I would gravitate towards the AF-S Nikkor 20mm f/1.8 G ED, for no other reason than is more compatible with newer Nikon DSLR bodies, should he wish to upgrade camera at some point.

Disclaimer: I only use Canon/Tamron/Sigma stuff and I can't comment on Nikkor lenses.

 

What a great gift for your son! A 50mm full-frame equivalent (35mm on a DX body) focal length is often considered the 'best' focal length for street and candid photography. Mostly because it most closely matches what the human eye sees. So 20mm even on a DX body (giving a 30mm FF equivalent) might be a bit on the 'wide side' for some street/candid situations. One more prime you may want to consider is the Sigma 35mm F1.4 Art DG HSM prime. I have no experience with this lens but reviews seem positive.

 

I note that your list consists of prime lenses, which is fine. As [uSER=2403817]@rodeo_joe|1[/uSER] mentions, The Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 zoom could be an alternative. For 95% of my photos (street, people, portraits, general walkabout, ...) I use a Tamron 24mm-70mm f/2.8 zoom on a FF camera which is roughly equivalent to the 17-50 f/2.8 zoom on a DX body. Admittedly, I like the flexibility that a zoom lens gives me in 'framing' a scene or subject. And the image quality is way good enough for my purposes.

 

This article gives a useful overview of prime and zoom focal lengths for street photography. And also lists some Pro's and Con's of prima and Zoom lenses.

 

PS. My guess is that most camera stores would allow your son (accompanied) to try out different focal lengths on the street in front of the store before deciding between 20mm and 35mm (or zoom).

If I have to choose among your lenses it would be the 20mm AF-S but I feel you have all the FX lenses for a DX body. I would get an FX body

Ask him.

A modest wide angle to short telephoto (say 24-35mm to 85-120mm full frame equivalent) is just so handy. Otherwise you are spending all your time juggling lens changes.

 

Unless you aare a "sharpness fetichist", that is. Then shoot only on a tripod using so-called 'prime' lenses

The 35mm AF-S f/1.8 DX lens - while not on your list it should be - is designed for DX use. The others aren't, and although much cheaper, it performs superbly.

I own that lens and it indeed performs fine. Whether or not it is the "right" focal length depends on how close your son gets to the action and what his style is - in many cases, it will prove to be too long a focal length.

 

Sigma 35mm F1.4 Art DG HSM prime

A bit large and heavy and not much of an improvement over the Nikon 35/1.8 DX. I own the lens but use it on FX cameras only.

 

I would gravitate towards the AF-S Nikkor 20mm f/1.8 G ED

For me it would come down to a choice between the 35mm or 20mm focal lengths

f I have to choose among your lenses it would be the 20mm AF-S

I own that lens too and it is a superb performer. In all likelihood the best choice here - especially on a DX body.

Today, for a general purpose lens, I would choose a zoom rather than a fixed prime. The zoom is just more flexible.

IMHO, the advantage of a prime is in LOW light, where the larger aperture helps the exposure.

 

I would go with the older 18-70.

It came standard on the D70, and I LIKED that lens a lot.

It gives a moderate 18mm wide angle, so good for those wider shots.

It gives a moderate 70mm tele, so good for those longer shots. And a bit longer reach than the 18-55.

 

Alternate is the newer 18-55, but it does not have the reach of the 18-70.

Or the Tamon 17-50/2.8, the model one WITHOUT VC/IS. This lens is faster than the others, and he may not need a fast prime.

 

A second lens that I would get him is the DX 35/1.8.

This gives him a lens to use in low light conditions, when the zoom is too slow.

AF-S Nikkor 20mm f/1.8 G ED

 

you should be able to get a Z50 with 16-50 (plus a few pints to celebrate) for the same price... four or five birds with one stone: image quality, portability, focal range, service and support...

A limited zoom range, but the Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 is truly wondrous wide open...;)

No Nikon guy. Having a 50mm (which I love on DX), I 'd look for a 24mm and skip 35. Street in mind, I wouldn't pack my giant Sigma 24/1.8. With a single body a VR zoom might be the better bet? It is also amgood way to find out which focal length to buy as a prime.

you should be able to get a Z50 with 16-50 (plus a few pints to celebrate) for the same price

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikon-50-Nikkor-16-50-4-5-6-3/dp/B07YXH2DLB

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikon-AF-S-NIKKOR-1-8G-ED/dp/B00NI6WH1S

 

£1039 v £649 Errr.... please explain?

I am not aware what is available in the Nikon DX universe..

If you really want to go wider than 20mm, then Tokina's AF 11-20mm f/2.8 zoom would be hard to better. If I had to give a one word review of mine, it would be "Stunning".

a Z50 with 16-50..

Seriously? That kit zoom has a maximum aperture of f/6.3 @ 50mm! And I suspect knocks the IQ of the Z50 down to no better than a mid-price compact.

This gives him a lens to use in low light conditions, when the zoom is too slow.

So go and buy a fast zoom....see above..;)

So go and buy a fast zoom....see above..;)

 

Not so cut and dry.

Is the zoom range of the Tokina 11-20/2.8, Sigma 18-35/1.8 or Tamron 17-50/2.8 enough, or in the right focal range?

 

The OP said "keeping price in mind."

At $700+ the Sigma 18-35/1.8 is NOT an inexpensive lens. Even used at KEH it is $550.

Especially when you can get the Tamron 17-50/2.8 at KEH for about $200.

Hello friends and fellow photographers

 

This is for my son who is extremely interested in street and candid photography. He mainly uses my old D90 coupled with my AF-D 50mm lens or AF-S 55-200 Dx lens. Sometimes he uses my D7200 with the same lenses. I am planning to gift him a lens for his photographic journey, and together we have short-listed the following.

 

AF-S Nikkor 24mm f/1.8 G ED

AF-S Nikkor 20mm f/1.8 G ED

AF-S Nikkor 28mm f/1.8 G

AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 G ED

AF Nikkor 20mm f/2.8 D

AF Nikkor 24mm f/2.8 D

AF Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 D

AF Nikkor 35mm f/2 D

20mm f/2.8 Nikkor

 

It would be a great help if the members here may comment on these lenses and point me to the best possible lens, keeping the price in mind.

 

Thank you all in advance.

 

So WHAT is your budget? "keeping price in mind" tells us nothing.

To some of us $500 USD is expensive, to others $2,000 is expensive.

You have to tell us what YOU want to spend.

Because as you can see above, you are getting recommendations across a wide price range.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikon-50-Nikkor-16-50-4-5-6-3/dp/B07YXH2DLB

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikon-AF-S-NIKKOR-1-8G-ED/dp/B00NI6WH1S

 

£1039 v £649 Errr.... please explain?

 

explain why it's so expensive on amazon.co.uk? no idea :(

 

Nikon Z50 Mirrorless Kit w/ Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR Lens 34401 Mirrorless Cameras - Vistek Canada Product Detail (haggled mine down with ease to 1080 :cool: 81 more than Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 20mm f/1.8 G ED Lens 20051 Full-Frame Fixed Focal Length Wide Angle Lenses - Vistek Canada Product Detail)

Seriously?

 

yup

The lenses that live a bag that goes everywhere with me include the Tamron 28-75/2.8, 18, 24, 28, 80-200 and a 300. You can get all of these at good prices. Just for street use either a 24 or the Tamron. Dx or fx, those are what I use most.

 

Rick H.

I like the 20/1.8 AF-S and would recommend it for the purpose, paired with the 50mm it should make a nice compact kit.

Actually a 28mm lens on an APS sensor is close to what might be called a true normal giving an equivalent focal length of about 42mm. Just because years ago 50 mm on a 35 mm was considered standard does not make it so. It is what they had. There is almost nothing you can’t do decently, though maybe not ideally with a focal length of around 40mm.

I guess the question of whether a fixed FOV EQ of 30mm is 'right' for your subjects??

 

The tech requirements for 'street' lenses, are, I guess, based on things like aperture speed for lowlight, AF (?) and potentially unobtrusiveness. Whether you can zoom with your feet or crop in post is an open question.

 

But you can only crop later if your lens was wide enough to capture the scene in the first place....:D

Actually a 28mm lens on an APS sensor is close to what might be called a true normal giving an equivalent focal length of about 42mm. Just because years ago 50 mm on a 35 mm was considered standard does not make it so. It is what they had. There is almost nothing you can’t do decently, though maybe not ideally with a focal length of around 40mm.

Except that the AF-S 28mm f/1.8 G is a bit of a lump for a standard lens on a DX camera, and costs used the same as the new price of the 35mm f/1.8 DX lens.

 

Historically, many of the first SLR 'standard' lenses were actually 58 or 55mm in focal length - as supplied by Exacta, Pentax, Zeiss Jena and the like. And nothing wrong with such focal lengths for general use. I used a Zeiss 58mm f/2 Biotar for many years quite happily.

 

Technically, taking the frame diagonal as a 'standard' is a flawed hypothesis, since it takes no account of aspect ratio. It works OK with traditional formats that have a squarer 4:3 or 5:4 aspect ratio, but Barnack's choice of a 3:2 ratio broke the mould, and really needs something a bit longer to keep the horizontal (landscape) view-angle similar to what is seen in those earlier legacy formats.

 

Sorry, way off topic now.

Best I found 'grey' Nikon 20mm 1.8 AFS for £499.

 

and the Z50 + kit 16-50mm for £770.

 

:cool: