Option 2: Nikon 50mm f/1.8D Auto Focus Nikkor Lens
Pros
- Good sharpness
- Very inexpensive
- Extremely fast aperture for low light shooting
- Excellent bokeh
Cons
- Fixed focal length
- Just a tiny bit short for some portraits, even on a crop sensor body
Top Result: Nikon 50mm f/1.8G Auto Focus-S NIKKOR FX Lens
Pros
- Fast focusing
- Excellent sharpness
- Inexpensive
- Extremely fast aperture for low-light shooting
- Excellent bokeh
Cons
- Fixed focal length
- Just a tiny bit short for some portraits, even on a crop sensor body
Note From Jim
You probably want a 50mm in your situation. The only question is if you want the 50mm f/1.8G or the 50mm f/1.8D lens. If your camera has a focus motor, you can get the 50mm f/1.8D lens, which is less expensive but not quite as good as the 50mm f/1.8G. Personally, I'd get the 50mm f/1.8G either way since it's a better lens and not too much more. But know that if you choose the f/1.8D you need to be sure your camera model has a focus motor of its own, and many Nikon crop sensor cameras don't.
Pros
- Excellent sharpness
- One of Jim's favorite inexpensive lenses
- Doubles as a decent macro lens
- Fast aperture for low light shooting
Cons
- Over your budget unless you look on the right side of the Amazon listing to get a used one