ELNikkor

DX 35 1.8

sagfgrump

I use the dx 35mm lens on my d7200 for these sort of things - it's really good in low light and a brilliant lens for the price

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

Yes, good lens and what is considered “normal” focal length for your camera.

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

I really liked my 50 1.8 Nikon lens. It was the only prime I had, the rest were zooms.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I have the Nikon 35mm 1.8, equivalent to "normal" 52.5mm full frame prime. It’s a very good lens. I use it mostly for inside museums where flash is not allowed or when I want to restrict my compositions to what my eyes would normally see.

fetzler Loc: North West PA

the 35mm f1.8 is the next lens. One can consider next the 50mm f1.8, 60mm macro, 85mm macro.
I would also dump the 18-400mm as these wide range lenses do nothing well. a 100-400mm tamron or sigma might fill in on the long end. your 10-24mm tamron is excellent. Only consider the macro lenses if you want to do macro work.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

I have the 50mm f1.8D, which may be less expensive than the G because it does not have a focusing motor in the lens...which you don't need becasue the 7200 has a focusing motor in the body which the 3XXX and 5XXX series don't.

The f1.8 is great. I call it a light sucker. You can shoot it in a dim room and the results will amaze you. Can't get that with a zoom!!!

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

like photoman43 said...
"35mm f1.8 G DX; and maybe the 85mm f1.8 G FX..."

However an off camera speedlight is a very useful tool...
And likely far more important than your optic when shooting indoors...

In the real world the only major difference between hobbyist and commercial shooters is that the later have mastered the fine art of controlling illumination while the former throw money at lenses hoping that they will take their visual statement to the next level...

Bottom line? Get a speedlight and learn how to deploy it... they are the workhorse of event shooters...

btw, although I'm not a fan of light weight plastic optics that 85mm f1.8 G FX is one of the finest performing nikkors... seriously epic!

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

I second this lens...I have and love it.... For my 7200.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

50 or 85 1.8's .....a 24 2.8 would also be nice
.

Dossile

The Nikon primes with f1.8 are all great. Depends what you want to do with it. The 60 macro for macro, the 35 for general use, the 50 for portraits would be my choices.

Dossile

The Nikon primes with f1.8 are all great. Depends what you want to do with it. The 60 macro for macro, the 35 for general use, the 50 for portraits would be my choices.

Elmo55 Loc: Illinois

This post has been very helpful, but I still need a question answered. I also have the 7200 with a DX 35mm 1.8 and a DX 40 1:2.8 (don't ask, I goofed when ordering and thought I was getting a 50). Now for my question, would I get any benefit from buying the 50, or would I be better off to jump to the 85? I also have a DX 18-55, and DX 10-20, plus 3 telephotos (18-400(my primary walk around), 70-300 and 150-600).

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

What are your going to use the prime lens for, portraits? Landscapes? Wildlife? General stuff?
Portraits, Nikon 85mm 1.8
Landscapes, Nikon 24mm 1.8
Wildlife, Nikon 300mm 4 or 500mm 5.6
General Stuff, Nikon 35mm 1.8

sandiegosteve Loc: San Diego, CA

According to my Lightroom metadata, for my DX body, the most used prime is a 300/2.8, I'd only recommend that if you qualified your question with low-light sports or wildlife. I have gotten some great head shots with it, but that was a side use case. Lives on a monopod and weights at least 10 pounds.

The other prime I really like on my DX is an old 85mm/1.8. I think it might be a "D" Nikon line. Metal body, screw drive for focus and super sharp. It doesn't weigh much. I like a narrow field of view that it gives me. Great for head shots and poking around randomly (I shoot tight more than wide unless I'm doing a landscape where the 85mm doesn't come along). Probably $200 off ebay.

Third in my list is a manual focus 8mm Samyang. I got it for a goal cam lens for pro hockey games knowing it might get beat up (was in an NHL approved enclosure, but still got hit with no damage). Later I started using it for neat perspective shots. It is fun to hold it really low and explore new angles. Another ebay find for about $130.

The 35m is nice because it doesn't cost much and is small, but it is about the same as whey the human eye sees, so I don't find my images very interesting with it. It has worked well on some portrait shoots, but I use my 24-70 more than the 35mm prime.

The D7200 can handle most any Nikon F mount lens. There are a lot of great used prime lenses.

Each angle does something different, so think about what you might like to create. What I've noticed about myself is that I like the more different angles. Either really narrow or really wide. Using the prime lens forces you to change perspective and get creative.

What ever you do, force yourself to use it for a while which will help you learn when you do and don't want it.