Lens for the Nikon N50?

Question

I found my Nikon N50 SLR just last night and wishes to buy a longer lens for it. What I found out is that most lenses now cater toward digital SLRs. Is there a difference?

I forgot all I used to know about cameras, lenses, apetures and stuff over the years. What websites would you recommend for me to read so I can be reaquainted with my Nikon?

What lens would you recommend as well? I'm currently looking at the Quantaray 55-200mm F/4-5.6 Digital Series DC AF Zoom Lens for Nikon and the Quantaray 70-300 mm DI f/4-5.6 Digital Series AF Zoom Lens for Nikon . Will either fit my Nikon N50?

Also, what is the difference between the 55-200mm and the 700-300mm lenses?

Thank you.

Answer 1

A 'digital' lens is seldom a marketing gimmick. It usually means that a lens is not usable on a film SLR.
Nikon calls their digital lenses "DX" lenses. The Nikon 55-200mm is a DX lens, and so is the Quantaray version.
DX lenses project a smaller image circle than regular lenses. This makes them cheaper to manufacture, which in turn reduces the retail price. The smaller image circle doesn't matter for digital cameras because dSLR sensors are smaller than a frame of film. (and DX lenses still produce a large enough image circle to cover the sensor, of course.) A DX lens on a film body would produce massive vignetting.
The Nikon and Quantaray 70-300mm zooms are both regular lenses.
So that solves your dilemma right there - you can only use the 70-300mm versions.

As for websites with tutorials, etc., I'm drawing a blank. Perhaps others will have suggestions. There's also a Photography section under Arts & Humanities/ Visual Arts.
The basics are pretty simple though:
A large aperture, i.e. a small f-stop number (like f/2), results in a shallow depth of field (fuzzy backgrounds) and a fast shutter time (great for low light situations).
A small aperture setting, i.e. a large f-stop number (like f/16) does the opposite. This puts just about everything in focus - which is fantastic for landscape shots - and it requires a relatively slow shutter time.

Answer 2

Okay don't get an 18-200 because it'll get you vignetting on film. I'd recommend a 28-80 AF as a basic lens. About $50 on Ebay. The only lenses under $30 will either be broken ones or really old manual focus ones that won't meter on the N50. Now if you only paid a few more dollars for an N70 or N90, you could've gotten a $20 manual focus 50mm series e and have it work. Unfortunately the N50 will not meter with that lens and will probably severely frustrate you.

Answer 3

To bad your not near NY, we have a zoom lens that fill fit your camera brand new in a box for $100 but we don't do mail order we're a walk in department store.

Basically the NEW lenses should probably fit, they just have more connecting pins for digital auto focus and stuff like that.

The 55-200 is a normal to modest telephoto

the 70-300 is a portrait to somewhat telephoto