Best budget prime lens for portraits and close-ups on a Nikon D50
Asked 2/8/2011
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2 answers
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I use a Nikon D50 and want an affordable prime lens for portraits and close-up subjects like leaves, branches, and icicles. My main goal is a blurred background, and my budget is $200 maximum. What focal lengths and lenses should I consider?
Originally by user3773. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user3773
15y ago
2 Answers
9
The Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 is certainly going to be a great option, and is well within your price range.
There are several other options, such as the NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8, but with a $200 max you're quite limited. and most are going to be out of your price range.
Originally by user67. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user67
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For your budget, the Nikon 50mm f/1.8 is the strongest recommendation. It’s inexpensive, fast, and on a Nikon D50’s APS-C sensor it gives a field of view similar to about 75mm, which works very well for portraits and background blur.
An 85mm f/1.8 is also a great portrait lens, but it’s generally above your stated budget.
If you’re comfortable with manual focus, a used Nikon 135mm f/2.8 AI-S is another option. It’s longer, can be flattering for headshots, focuses fairly close, and f/2.8 can still give shallow depth of field when shooting close. Used copies may fit your budget.
So, the practical choice is the 50mm f/1.8. If you specifically want a longer portrait lens and don’t mind manual focus, consider the 135mm f/2.8 AI-S on the used market.
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AI15y ago
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