nikkor 35mm vs 40mm 'micro'.....long one, sorry

[Anuj]

Let me start with what i have d3100( which i don’t plan to upgrade soon). 18-55 kit lens, 55-200 f 4-5.6 G. Couple of cheap macro filters. And canon s110 since yesterday.
Reason why i want to buy new lens! I am on my way to becoming father for first time  6 more months though that means shooting in small hospital places or my own house which is not huge nor very bright (hence the lens which i already have feel too slow)
If u look at my flickr I am mostly shooting around 35 mm and rarely above it.

I am little confused about 35mm f1.8 dx lens vs 40mm 2.8 ‘micro’. Tight on budget also.
First about 35mm: (Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G Lens )
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 35mm 1:1.8G DX review: Digital Photography Review (http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/nikon_35_1p8g_n15)
Its 1.3 stop faster than 40mm 2.8, but i also know wide open this lens tends to have noticeable optical problems, most people seem to say’ step down below 2.8 or 4 and they r gone’ hence

40mm 2.8 (Nikon AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 40mm f/2.8G Lens (Micro Lens) )
Nikon AF-S DX Micro Nikkor 40mm F2.8: Digital Photography Review (http://www.dpreview.com/products/nikon/lenses/nikon_40_2p8)
Its a macro lens (although 1:1 magnification is at only 5 cm away from front part of lens). But atleast 2:1 or 3:1 macro is doable.
But being macro its optically little superior and i did not read any problems regarding wide open shooting . And i can get really close to the baby’s little fingers , which i really want (which 35mm will not provide)

No 50mm on DX, fx lens goes to 75mm on my dx . ill bump into wall or worse trying to frame with that.

So my questions are:
is 1.3 stop slower a deal breaker considering i will be shooting mostly indoors without flash?
Any other options I should consider ( but not far from the current budget of 200-300 US$)?
So 40 mm macro /vs/ 35mm + 55-200 on macro filters /vs/ Flash+soft box etc ?? I do have couple of weeks before i buy anything. I am starting test on teddy bear with current gear to learn more.

Also I went through Podcast 48, I am not entirely sure about flash , could that be very uncomfortable for mother and kid? What did u guys use? I know many of you are parents . don’t know much about flash though.

Thank you for your patience and your help in advance
Regards
Anuj.

[Marko]

I'm not exactly sure what the question is but the 40mm seems like a good purchase if it does macro and you are into Macro. f/2.8 is a nice large aperture and many high end lenses start at that aperture. You will immediately notice the brightness difference in camera if this is your first f/2.8

As for flash, stay away from it when possible (because it's trickier if you have no experience with it) and use window light. Window light is fab fab fab light when it's diffuse. Get a reflector (or make one) to bounce some of that light back into subjects when necessary.

If you must use a flash, bounce it to start.
Hope that may help.

[mbrager]

Hi Anuj: I loved your post. Thanks for sharing your anxieties about your photography, capturing this so important time in your family's life. It's easy to understand that this whole period is full of unknowns and what ifs. We all go through those, especially with children. I only want to remind you of one thing: the period when the baby is small and helpless is relatively short, and before you know it they are walking, talking and asking you for money. My recommendation: a 50 mm 1.8 or 1.4 if you can manage it. Minimum focus distance is around 18 inches I believe. These are very versatile lenses that are fast enough to allow indoor portrait shooting but also adaptable to a wide variety of outdoor shots that need a medium wide angle. Good luck to you and your partner.

[Anuj]

Hey,
since writing this post i have tried photographing baby sized soft toys, yes window light works nicely with some reflector, although i had to bump up iso(uncomfortably) to 800 and shutter at 1/10, thanx marko for that,
thanx mbrager for putting that into words, u just made me a little bit more nervous which my wife enjoyed :) , yes 55-100 mm seems good length to capture baby, so now i am inclining towards 50mm(75 mm on my dx) as u suggested. from what i read 50 1.8 is actually better than 1.4 in many ways. would u still strongly suggest for 1.4? thank you, greatly appreciated
regards

Anuj