augieg27 Loc: Central California

Hi again,
Being new, I have many questions. I have D3300 and a Nikon 18-200mm, would the purchase of 50mm be a good choice? I mostly shoot landscapes. Thank you.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

You'll find that for landscape work, a wider angle lens will work better. However, working with a 50mm will help ou develop your compositional skills. Yes, you can use it for landscape work, as well.
--Bob

par4fore Loc: Bay Shore N.Y.

I have the 18-200, and would get a used Tokina 11-16mm (=16-24mm). Great for landscapes and including foreground content. A great lens!! I would not take off the 18-200 to mount a redundant 50mm. If you want to get into primes start with a focal length you don't have like 20mm or 300mm.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tokina-11-16mm-f-2-8-AT-X-116-Pro-DX-Wide-Angle-Zoom-Lens-for-Nikon-Mint-/122436189610?hash=item1c81c3fdaa:g:tLMAAOSwmgJY6EGs

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tokina/11-16mm.htm

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Think about this before buying.

If you had a 50mm lens and took a landscape shot with it you could then switch to your 18-200mm, set it to 50mm, and take the same shot again. You won't be able to tell the difference either.

But with a typical landscape scene you could set the 18-200mm lens to 40mm, or to 30mm, or to 20mm and probably each in sequence will be better than the shot made at 50mm! Do not miss the fact that a 50mm fixed focal length lens cannot be set to the focal length you need to get the shot you want.

There are good reasons to purchase other lenses. When you discover a lens that does something you want that the lenses you have won't, buy it.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

Why not use the 18-200mm for landscapes. I own the 50mm f1.8, and on a crop sensor, your FOV will be a 75mm. That's a portrait, not a landscapes lens. For landscapes, an ultra wide lens, such as a Tokina 11-16mm would be better.

rocket111

I have a D3300 and I did buy a new Nikon 50mm lens. I read and watched a lot of reviews. Nobody had a bad thing to say about it. So I think I'm going to be the first. A lot of folks call it a Nifty Fifty, I call it my Pain In the Ass Lens. I live in Council Bluffs Is. there are lots of old buildings, churches, railroad stuff, historical. I bought the 50mm thinking of using it for taking photographs of all this. I found myself to close or to far away. Sometimes trying to move around I was in mud or standing in the street a lot of places I would rather not be. So what I did find it is a great lens for family photos. Providing I can get someone to stand still.
A short time later I bought a new Nikon 35mm. I love this lens. It works good for me, it is on the camera all the time. If little green men landed in my back yard they would be smileing at my 35mm. It's fast to focus low light is ok and for a a guy still learning it is very forgiving. I can also crop the hell out of it.
As for landscape in good light I would think the 18-55 kit lens would work good. But as I said I'm still learning a lot and I have not done any landscape shots. But if I was to do it over again I would buy the 35mm first. The costs are about the same and in the Nikon world very cheap. Ya get a lot of bang for the buck.💰

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Actually, the perceived focal length of the 50mm on your D3300 is approximately 75mm. Similarly, your 35mm is perceived to be about 50mm.
--Bob

jcboy3

Your D3300 is a crop sensor, and the 35mm lens is the "normal" lens for that camera. I recommend both the 35mm DX and the 50mm FX; they are cheap and can be used for shallow DOF shots that cannot be done with your 18-200. Also, they are fast and good in low light when you don't need lots of DOF.

Ignore the concept that landscape means wide angle. You can use nearly any lens for landscape; and your 18-200 can be used from 18 to 200. Telephoto lenses are used when you want to compress the view (think mountain ranges).

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

Buy the 35mm 1.8 DX.

brucewells Loc: Central Kentucky

There are many days when I attach a 50mm and go for a walk.

augieg27 Loc: Central California

Thank you so much, you all help me to make a decision.

queencitysanta Loc: Charlotte, North Carolina

A better choice may be the Nikon 35 18 and it won't break the bank

ELNikkor

The 50 would be better for portraits with a blurred background, it just isn't necessary for landscapes, since you've already got that focal length covered.

Bultaco Loc: Aiken, SC

The only advantage is the 50mm is better in low light.

Jaques

A wider angle lens would give you more satisfaction for the dedicated purpose of the landscape photography. Any lens could be used , breaking the "rules" for other purposes that were designed for, but that is called experimenting, and all of us, photographers, sometimes, are doing so, by choice or involuntarily, and then claiming that this is how we intended our artistical quest.