What is the best prime lens for a digital SLR?

Question

I own a Nikon D80 DSLR and I want to know what kind of standard(prime) lens will give me a close enough result to the standard 50mm lens on a film SLR?

Answer 1

Check out this lens. It's a Nikon Wide Angle AF Nikkor 35mm f/2.0D Autofocus Lens. D lenses are CPU lenses and this should preserve all of your automatic and metering functions. It is listed in my D70s manual, but confirm this in your D80 manual. To me, this looks like a sweet prime lens with an f/2.0 aperture.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=92011&is=USA&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

B&H have a couple of others for less money, such as the 35mm f/2.8, which you can locate on their site.

Ken Rockwell say, "This is a jewel of a small, fast sharp lens and really doesn't do anything differently than the seven times more expensive 28mm f/1.4D AF does, and the 35mm f/2D focuses faster and closer, too."

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/35af.htm

Answer 2

Like many DSLR's the D80 has a 1.6 multiplier to use for comparing/adjusting focal length.

50mm/1.6 = 31.25 mm

So a 35mm lense would do nicely.

Answer 3

try out
http://www.bhphotovideo.com

they have a nice 17-55mm lens (25.5-82.5 film eq) lenses with fixed aperatures. They will cost some money.

It would help to know what you are trying to achieve. When you say result, what result are you looking for?

Answer 4

I am using Canon EF 17-85 IS USM (IS stand for Image stabilizer) for Canon Rebel Xti. + UV filter + Kenko circular polarizer filter.