The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Nikon 50mm f1.8G SE and the Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF is the longer of the two lenses at 111mm. The Nikon 50mm f1.8G SE with a length of 53mm, is 58mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF also has a larger diameter of 86mm compared to the Nikon 50mm f1.8G SE's 72mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Nikon 50mm f1.8G SE weighs 185g, which means it is 570g (75%) lighter than the Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF which has a weight of 755g.
Filter Threads
The Nikon 50mm f1.8G SE has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Nikon 50mm f1.8G SE:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF:
Lens Mounts
The Nikon 50mm f1.8G SE has the Nikon F (FX) lens mount whereas the Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF has the Nikon F (DX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon D6, Nikon D780 and Nikon D3500 for the Nikon F (FX) Mount and Nikon D3500, Nikon D7500 and Nikon D5600 for the Nikon F (DX) Mount.
Focal Range
Nikon 50mm f1.8G SE is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
75mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF has a focal range of 17-55mm and 3.2X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 25.5-82.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
