Nikon D40/D40x + night lens ?

Hi there,

I am thinking about buying a small dSLR such as Nikon D40 or D40x. My
main interest is to take pictures of landscapes at low light. Thus, I
am looking for a rather short focal length lens. I want to have a
fixed focal length. The aperture should be 1/1.4 or 1/1.8. I want the
lens to be cheap (a few hundred dollars). Obviously, it should have a
built-in motor. Someone mentioned such a lens around here, but I did a
search and could not find. Can you advise me ? Thanks.

"Beladi Nasrallah" wrote in message
...
Hi there,

I am thinking about buying a small dSLR such as Nikon D40 or D40x. My
main interest is to take pictures of landscapes at low light. Thus, I
am looking for a rather short focal length lens. I want to have a
fixed focal length. The aperture should be 1/1.4 or 1/1.8. I want the
lens to be cheap (a few hundred dollars). Obviously, it should have a
built-in motor. Someone mentioned such a lens around here, but I did a
search and could not find. Can you advise me ? Thanks.



The Nikkor 50mm f1.8 is excellent and cheap. Can't go wrong with this lens.

r.

On Feb 3, 11:11*pm, "Rudy Benner" wrote:
"Beladi Nasrallah" wrote in message

...

Hi there,

I am thinking about buying a small dSLR such as Nikon D40 or D40x. My
main interest is to take pictures of landscapes at low light. Thus, I
am looking for a rather short focal length lens. I want to have a
fixed focal length. The aperture should be 1/1.4 or 1/1.8. I want the
lens to be cheap (a few hundred dollars). Obviously, it should have a
built-in motor. Someone mentioned such a lens around here, but I did a
search and could not find. Can you advise me ? Thanks.

The Nikkor 50mm f1.8 is excellent and cheap. Can't go wrong with this lens..

You mean this one:
http://www.digitalrev.com/en/product...rency_code=USD

?

But does it have a built-in motor which D40 requires ? It occurs to me
no.

"Beladi Nasrallah" wrote in message
...
On Feb 3, 11:11 pm, "Rudy Benner" wrote:
"Beladi Nasrallah" wrote in message

...

Hi there,

I am thinking about buying a small dSLR such as Nikon D40 or D40x. My
main interest is to take pictures of landscapes at low light. Thus, I
am looking for a rather short focal length lens. I want to have a
fixed focal length. The aperture should be 1/1.4 or 1/1.8. I want the
lens to be cheap (a few hundred dollars). Obviously, it should have a
built-in motor. Someone mentioned such a lens around here, but I did a
search and could not find. Can you advise me ? Thanks.

The Nikkor 50mm f1.8 is excellent and cheap. Can't go wrong with this
lens.

You mean this one:
http://www.digitalrev.com/en/product...rency_code=USD

?

But does it have a built-in motor which D40 requires ? It occurs to me
no.

I believe you are right.

http://tinyurl.com/2w73fg

Works fine with my D-50 and D-200. It would work fine in manual focus, I
think.

On Sun, 3 Feb 2008 05:27:36 -0800 (PST), Beladi Nasrallah
wrote:

On Feb 3, 11:11*pm, "Rudy Benner" wrote:
"Beladi Nasrallah" wrote in message

...

Hi there,

I am thinking about buying a small dSLR such as Nikon D40 or D40x. My
main interest is to take pictures of landscapes at low light. Thus, I
am looking for a rather short focal length lens. I want to have a
fixed focal length. The aperture should be 1/1.4 or 1/1.8. I want the
lens to be cheap (a few hundred dollars). Obviously, it should have a
built-in motor. Someone mentioned such a lens around here, but I did a
search and could not find. Can you advise me ? Thanks.

The Nikkor 50mm f1.8 is excellent and cheap. Can't go wrong with this lens.

You mean this one:
http://www.digitalrev.com/en/product...rency_code=USD

?

But does it have a built-in motor which D40 requires ? It occurs to me
no.

You want a lens with "DX" in the description to work with the Nikon
D40.
--

Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

In article , tony cooper
wrote:

You want a lens with "DX" in the description to work with the Nikon
D40.

not quite. dx just means the lens has a smaller image circle and has
limited compatibility with full frame cameras (some focal lengths will
cover the larger frame).

just about every nikon lens ever made will work fine with the d40
(there's a few obscure ones that require mirror lockup that won't
work). unlike other nikon dslrs, the old non-ai lenses can also be
mounted without risk of damage. however, for autofocus to function,
the lens must have its own focus motor, known as af-s or a silent wave
motor.

the 50mm f/1.8 that was suggested is a great lens, but it is not af-s
and it will require manual focusing (but there's a confirmation light
in the viewfinder). sigma makes a 30mm f/1.4 that has an internal
motor (sigma calls it hsm) and that will autofocus, giving a 45mm
equivalent focal length.

moving up to f/2.8, there are quite a few options that will autofocus,
including some excellent zooms from both sigma and nikon.

tony cooper wrote:
You want a lens with "DX" in the description to work with the Nikon
D40.

Why? The D40 works just fine with non-DX lenses.

Only the other way round, DX lens on non-DX body, may cause vignetting.

jue

"Rudy Benner" wrote:

"Beladi Nasrallah" wrote in message
...
Hi there,

I am thinking about buying a small dSLR such as Nikon D40 or D40x. My
main interest is to take pictures of landscapes at low light. Thus, I
am looking for a rather short focal length lens. I want to have a
fixed focal length. The aperture should be 1/1.4 or 1/1.8. I want the
lens to be cheap (a few hundred dollars). Obviously, it should have a
built-in motor. Someone mentioned such a lens around here, but I did a
search and could not find. Can you advise me ? Thanks.

The Nikkor 50mm f1.8 is excellent and cheap. Can't go wrong with this lens.

Except that it is not AF-S and thus would have to be used in manual focus on
the D40.

jue

On 2008-02-03 08:11:48 -0500, "Rudy Benner" said:


"Beladi Nasrallah" wrote in message
...
Hi there,

I am thinking about buying a small dSLR such as Nikon D40 or D40x. My
main interest is to take pictures of landscapes at low light. Thus, I
am looking for a rather short focal length lens. I want to have a
fixed focal length. The aperture should be 1/1.4 or 1/1.8. I want the
lens to be cheap (a few hundred dollars). Obviously, it should have a
built-in motor. Someone mentioned such a lens around here, but I did a
search and could not find. Can you advise me ? Thanks.



The Nikkor 50mm f1.8 is excellent and cheap. Can't go wrong with this lens.

r.

There aren't manyAF-S lenses in the short focal length zone. Probably
the sigma is your bet . Short fixed focus lenses are light and
focus very quickly so there is little advantage to using built in
motors. You might want to consider upgrading to a Nikon which can
handle both lens types. Or you could forgo autofocus all together, in
which case and AF-D or AF-DX wil work on your camera. The Nikon 20mm
F2.8 is an excellent lens. In really low light, you may find that AF
won't work anyway.

Short of the 50 1.8, a 1.4 or 1.8 lens is going to set you back some
serious cash. Other than the AF 50 1.8 and Af 50mm 1.4, Nikon makes
a 35 1.4, and a 50 1.2 and 85 1.4 AF-D. The 35 and 50 1.2 are manual
lenses and while they will mount you will have to set exposure manually.

The 35 1.4 is 699 at B&H.. and backordered ( i note). The 20mm F2.8
AF may be your best bet.


jen ... not.. home...//// yahoo... com

Beladi Nasrallah wrote:
Hi there,

I am thinking about buying a small dSLR such as Nikon D40 or D40x. My
main interest is to take pictures of landscapes at low light. Thus, I
am looking for a rather short focal length lens. I want to have a
fixed focal length. The aperture should be 1/1.4 or 1/1.8. I want the
lens to be cheap (a few hundred dollars). Obviously, it should have a
built-in motor. Someone mentioned such a lens around here, but I did a
search and could not find. Can you advise me ? Thanks.

Hi, if you take picture of landscapes, a good old 1/1.4 ai or non-ai
will do.
It is cheap and will work manually only.
But who cares?
You will focus at infinity anyway, is'nt it?
Since the landscape will not disappear in seconds, so guess the speed,
shoot a couple of pictures and take the best speed.
Laszlo