Nikon AF NIKKOR 2137 50mm

The Nikon 50mm f/1.8D is the sharpest $150 you can spend on a lens, period. Just make sure your camera can actually focus it before you buy.

What surprised us most, digging through our database, is just how well this little lens holds up optically. It lands in the 59th percentile for optical quality, which sounds middle-of-the-pack until you remember it's competing against glass costing ten times as much. The sharpness is genuinely impressive, especially when you stop it down a bit from f/1.8. The real shocker is the build quality, sitting all the way up in the 97th percentile. That's not because it's a tank, it's because it's a marvel of simple, durable engineering. It's mostly plastic, but it's the kind of plastic that survives decades of abuse. The weak spot is the autofocus system, which is in the 13th percentile. It's a clunky, loud screw-drive design that feels ancient next to a silent wave motor, and it won't autofocus at all on entry-level Nikon bodies like the D3500 or D5600.

The most obvious rival is Nikon's own AF-S 50mm f/1.8G. It's the quiet, modern sibling that will autofocus on any Nikon DSLR body. If you have an entry-level camera, the choice is made for you: get the G version. If you're on a higher-end body and want to save some cash, the old D lens is a fantastic bargain. Stacked against something like the Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 R WR, the Nikon is a full-frame lens on a different system, but the Fuji shows what modern lens design gets you: weather sealing, silent autofocus, and a more premium feel, all in a similar tiny package. The Nikon's image quality is right there with it, but the user experience is a generation behind.

This lens is the definition of a no-brainer, but you have to shop smart. We're seeing a wild price spread from $142 all the way up to $627 across different vendors. Do not, under any circumstances, pay the high end of that range. At around $150, it's an absolute steal and one of the best value lenses in photography. At $600, you're getting ripped off and should just buy the newer, quieter AF-S 50mm f/1.8G instead. The best deal we're seeing is on Newegg, so start your hunt there.

The Nikon AF NIKKOR 2137, or as most of us know it, the 50mm f/1.8D, is the lens your photographer friend tells you to buy when you're broke but want to take 'real' photos. It's a tiny, lightweight plastic fantastic that's been around forever for one simple reason: the image quality punches way above its price tag. The one thing to know is that this is a screw-drive autofocus lens, so it'll sound like a tiny angry robot on most modern DSLRs, but the photos it takes are sharp enough to make you forget the noise. It's a full-frame lens that gives you a natural perspective, and that wide f/1.8 aperture is your ticket to blurry backgrounds and shooting in dimly lit rooms without a flash. Just don't expect any modern niceties like weather sealing or image stabilization.

If you're looking for a silent, modern lens for video work or you're shooting on a Nikon D3xxx or D5xxx series camera, this isn't it. Go get the Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8G instead. It's a little more expensive but will actually autofocus on your camera and won't ruin your audio with a grinding gear noise.

If you have a Nikon DSLR with a built-in focus motor and you don't own a 50mm prime, just buy this lens. It's that simple. The image quality is fantastic, it's light enough to carry everywhere, and the price of admission is ridiculously low if you find a good deal. It's the perfect lens to learn on and a sharp tool for pros who don't want to lug around heavy glass. The loud autofocus is a charming quirk you'll learn to live with, and the lack of weather sealing just means you shouldn't shoot in a monsoon. For the money, there's no better way to see what your camera can really do.