good affordable normal lens for D60 ?

[petrina_yyuen]

<p>Im very likely to purchase the D60 , so im researching lens options. <br>

One lens that im likely to get would be a prime lens , around 50mm . Something good for travel and is fast. </p>

<p>However it would need to be able to have an auto focus system , as the D60 does not have the built in motor. <br>

The only 50 mm AF-s nikon has now is the AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G lens but im hoping there are alternatives . Preferably not as costly... </p>

[bob_solimeno]

<p>Petrina,<br>

If you are firm on the choice of a prime lens, the only Nikon glass for a normal focal length is the new 50 mm AF-S. However, check out the <a href="http://nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Camera-Lenses/index.page">Nikon USA site</a> for a lengthy list of AF-S zoom lenses that cover the wide angle-short telephoto range.<br>

Good luck!</p>

[petrina_yyuen]

<p>thanks for the quick response. Im am new to dslrs, so would a good zoom substitute for a prime?</p>

[richard_thomas9]

<p>How about Sigma's 50mm or 30mm 1.4 HSM's? Both are very good lenses.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>Remember, though - on a D60, the 50mm focal length is not the "normal" field of view. That's actually a short telephoto, because of the size of the APS-C sensor. A normal lens (that feels the way a 50mm lens does on a "full frame" - like a classic 35mm film - sensor) would be more like a 30mm lens. Your only choice there is the very nice Sigma 30/1.4 HSM. I use that lens on a D200 all the time, and very happily.<br /><br />Speaking of Sigma, they also make a 50/1.4 HSM (released recently) while WILL AF on the D60. It's a bigger, heavier lens than the new 50/1.4 G from Nikon, but is showing promise because of its much nicer bokeh, distortion, and so on. It's about $50 more than the Nikon. <br /><br />But for walk-around, normal-perspective/field-of-view use on a D60, the 30/1.4 HSM is the way to go. Great lens - like it a lot. Your only other option is to go manual focus, with a range of less expensive non AF-S lenses - but that introduces lots of challenges, especially when shooting wide open with very little depth of field. </p>

[tim_knight]

<p>Petrina, I checked Ritz Camera and you can get the Nikon D80 for the same price as the D60. You then would have a camera that you would not have to worry about having to buy AF-s lenses for. The Nikon 50/1.8 sells for $110.</p>

[ronald_moravec1]

<p>If you are willing to manual focus or buy the screw drive AF lenses, a better camera than a D60 will easily pay for itself. A D60 will lock you into only AFS lenses that are all much more money.</p>

<p>A 50 1.8 AF D is less than $100 used, 125 new. AFS 50 mm lenses are $400. Of course you can use any old manual focus Nikon lens and lose both metering and AF.</p>

<p> </p>

[petrina_yyuen]

<p>i dont have the budget for the D60, futhermore im only a newbie, and i think the features of the d60 are not required for me. </p>

[jay_moynihan]

<p>For "normal" on my D60 (and D200), i use the 35mm f/2 AF-D by Nikon. Image quality is excellent. On the D60 body, it is manual focus only, due to that body's mount limitation. But it does fully meter. It is also a "full-frame" lense. It sells for around $300-325 USD these days.<br />To do better on Image quality, you would have to move up to the Zeiss manual focus ZF line's 35mm F/2, at about 2.5x the cost.</p>

 

[tri-x1]

<p>50mm isn't "normal" on a Nikon DSLR because of the sensor size. A 35mm lens would give the same aspect as a 50mm on a film camera. But I don't know if the D60 will autofocus with the Nikkor 35mm prime. IMO 9 out of 10 people can't tell the difference between images produced by the Nikkor and the Zeiss lenses. The Zeiss might be slightly better but it is a manual focus lens and you are paying a lot for a name.</p>

[jeff_botts1]

<p >No one has mentioned the lens the D60 comes with, the Nikon 18-55mm VR lens. I would suggest you start with this lens and figure out what your normal is. Do you find yourself shooting at the 30mm or the 50mm the most often? I own a D60 and use it for shooting pictures of the kids. </p>

<p > </p>

<p >I agree if you must get the quicker 50mm 1.4 I would up the camera body to one that supports more lenses like the D80 mentioned above.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Price: Usually comes with the camera.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Fast: Not the quickest lens but indoors I have shot it and for kids dance recitals and it produces good results. </p>

[ramon_v__california_]

<p>if tim is right about pricing, i would get the d80 instead, mainly because of the lens options and some other things it excels over the d60.</p>

[John Crowe]

<p>I had no idea the intro Nikons were so limiting. If you can't afford a new or used Nikon D80 then I'd be considering one of the 10 or 12 MP Canon Rebel cameras, like the XTi or XSi. I believe that is the 400D and 450D. These crop body Canons will take any Canon EF or EF-S lens ever made, WITH metering AND autofocus! If you want Nikon try to find a used D80, they're scarce for a reason.</p>

[epp_b]

<p>I just bought a Series E 28/2.8 as an almost-normal-field-of-view for my D40. It only cost me $36 on eBay. Sure, it won't meter or AF, but, for most of the situations in which I'll be using it, the light will stay more-or-less the same and the subjects will usually be posing.</p>

<p>I have also used the Series E 50/1.8 for a while, which is also a great little lens.</p>

[frankie_frank1]

<p>There are many people prefer AF-S over AF-D or AF or manual because the dead-on fast focuing capability of the SWM comes with the new AF-S 50mm f/1.4G.</p>

[shuo_zhao]

<p>>> "i dont have the budget for the D60"</p>

<p>So are you talking about a future purchase? or you're still considering other cheaper options...</p>

[petrina_yyuen]

<p>that price the d80 was body only, and i much rather start off with a kit lens, and later in the near future get the prime. <br>

sorry for the typo, i meant i didnt have the cash for the d80, but enough for the d60 . <br>

amazon is selling the d60 for around $480 with the VR kit lens . <br>

I think i will end up getting the Sigma's 50mm or 30mm 1.4 HSM or the AF-s 50mm . just have to save up more. Or the other alternative is to get the canonXS which allows me to use some "cheaper" prime lenses</p>

[carl_becker2]

<p>If you buy a D80 or used D50 or D70 you will have a much greater selection of lenses that can AF and meter. The D80 has a much better view finder. I purchased a used D200 because it will allow metering with older manual focus lenses. Do your research well. You can save a lot of money by purchasing used glass. I suggest a 28mm to 35mm range fro a normal field of view lens.</p>