I currently own a Nikon D80 that I love. I have a bunch of lenses but really only use two of them most of the time: 18-200mm Nikkor VR and a 10-20mm Sigma. There is one big problem with both of these lenses, well two. They’re huge and heavy! I want a lens that makes my camera a little more portable. Something like a 20mm! Granted, I already own a 35mm which is actually more like a 50mm. But I’m a little more biased towards the wider end.

There are a couple issues with these older type AF lenses. They do not have silent wave motors. Meaning a motor powered by the camera is not built into the lens. Instead a turning screwdriver like thing on the camera body turns a slot on the backside of the lens which in turn turns the focusing mechanism. It makes a zzzzzk zzzzzk sound when focusing. So not only is it noisy, the focusing ring turns as it focuses, so you have to be careful where you place your hand while holding the lens. Knowing all this, I don’t think it’s a big issue. Nikon doesn’t make any wide-angle fixed focal length lenses with silent wave motors. Hopefully they will one day.

I will probably try to find something used on E-Bay or keh.com. Feels like they’ve been making them for 20 years.