The difference is that it is smaller, lighter, less expensive, designed for digital (anti-flare coatings), and a true "normal" FoV on the cropped sensors where the 50mm f/1.8 is more of a short telephoto FoV. Plus, it will autofocus on D40/D40x/D60 bodies.
It is not intended as a lens for everyone. Nikon knows this and has specifically said such. It is intended for their largest DSLR market which is the D40-D90 owners who would want a small, light, inexpensive, AFS, normal FoV lens. Don't think of it as being anything like the 35mm f/2. It isn't. It is more the DX equivalent of the recently released 50mm f/1.4. Same field of view, similiar features, similar uses.
|