On many occasions, you think that we will not take better photos unless we take a better camera. There is a belief that the more advanced the camera our photos will be, but … do you think lenses could play a more important role in the quality of your photos?
Table of Contents
Here we bring you a list of the 10 best lense for Nikon SLR.
Nikon AF-S 50mm f / 1.8G lens
This lens is a key element of its value for money and helps us understand what fixed focus means. It is light and takes very bright pictures thanks to the aperture of 1.8, which is very useful in situations where the light is dim.
It’s the ideal lens for portraits at an extremely low price. Photos will appear sharper, distinct from the background, and focus is very fast and quiet.
Examples taken with the Nikon AF-S 50mm f / 1.8 G:
Find price on Amazon.com
Nikon AF-S DX 35mm f / 1.8G
This model is of particular interest to DX camera owners, why? Because due to the shearing factor, 35mm becomes as real as 50mm in camera, plus this lens is specially designed for this type of camera.
Like the 50mm lens, it’s a great value for money lens. The clarity in the images is very good, the lens is very comfortable to install, it has fast focus, and its images are very bright.
Examples captured with the Nikon AF-S DX 35mm f / 1.8:
Find price on Amazon.com
Nikon AF-S DX VR 18-105mm f / 3.5-5.6
This lens is a very interesting option compared to the usual standard 18-55mm lens. With a wide focal range, we will be able to get a good zoom on the same lens.
This lens is compact, affordable, and is a solid choice to consider. It has a Vibration Reduction (VR) system so you won’t have problems if your hand is shaking a little or using low exposure speeds. It has good low-light performance, and auto focus is fast.
They are ideal for trips, thanks to their wide focal range, they allow us to cover a large field without the need to change the lenses, making them extremely versatile.
Examples captured by Nikon AF-S DX VR 18-105mm f / 3.5-5.6:
Find price on Amazon.com
Tamron A16NII SP AF 17-50mm f / 2.8
If your camera lens is short range, a perfect alternative might be Tamron A16NII SP AF 17-50mm f / 2.8, for DX cameras, its main advantage is that it has a maximum aperture of 2.8 in the entire focal range, making it a very bright lens, which will be useful for capturing Photos in low light conditions.
Examples captured with Tamron A16NII SP AF 17-50mm f / 2.8:
Find price on Amazon.com
- Note: A slightly cheaper alternative is the Sigma 17-50mm f / 2.8. Although it comes in lower quality than the Tamron, it will always be superior thanks to its brightness. Another alternative to this lens, with a higher quality, is the Nikon AF-S DX VR 16-80mm f / 2.8-4E lens, which is sold as a kit lens for the new Nikon D500. Finally, despite being less bright, the Tokina 17-35mm f / 4, could also be a good option to consider. Although what you are looking for is brightness, you may be more interested in choosing the Tokina 16-28mm f / 2.8.
Nikon AF-S DX VR 55-200mm f / 4-5.6 G
This lens is the one that usually comes in the standard Nikon kit, the 18-55. They are a good option, very versatile and help us start with a close-up lens at an affordable price.
The lens includes a Vibration Reduction system, so our hand photos appear sharp and clear, as well as those we shoot at low speed. It also features a fast, precise, and quiet focusing motor.
Examples captured with the Nikon AF-S DX VR 55-200mm F4-5.6 G lens:
Find price on Amazon.com
Note: If you have a slightly larger budget, a good option might be to look at the Nikon AF-S DX VR 55-300mm F4.5-5.6 VR version. As it is a lens up to 300mm with VR stabilization system, very useful at long focal lengths.
Tamron A14NII AF 18-200 mm F / 3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD ASL (IF)
If you are looking for a lens for shooting in rugged environments to avoid frequent lenses, this may be a good option. As we have commented on other occasions, lenses that cover the most focus may not have the brightness as fixed lenses, but in return, we gain more diversity, making it an ideal lens for travelers in particular.
Covering a range from 18mm to 200mm, it’s a fairly compact and lightweight lens. It has good optical quality, it allows us to take macro photography and also has a lock button so that the zoom only extends when we attach it.
Examples captured with Tamron A14NII AF 18-200mm F / 3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD ASL (IF):
Find price on Amazon.com
Sigma 70-300 / 4-5.6 BMD Macro DG
If you want to delve into lenses with a very long focal range, this is a good option. This telephoto lens reaches 300mm, putting you in the center of the action.
Its value for money is one of its most striking advantages. Very useful for nature photography, sports photography, and also has macro photography capabilities.
Examples captured with Sigma 70-300 / 4-5.6 BMD Macro DG:
Find price on Amazon.com
- Note: As alternatives we find the Tamron A17NII AF 70-300mm F / 4-5.6 Di LD MACRO 1: 2 Edition, and if we can spend more, it is definitely worth taking a look at the Nikon AF-S VR 70-300mm F4.5- 5.6 G, which has image stabilization and good quality.
Tamron 70-200mm A001NII f / 2.8 Macro
On the other hand, if you prefer to sacrifice a bit of focal length to get brightness, a good choice is the Tamron 70-200mm A001NII f / 2.8 Macro. Although it may seem a bit more expensive than others, the truth is that a lens with a good focal range and this good brightness is often more expensive, so its value for money is excellent. In addition, it is a lens that can be used in DX cameras and in full frame.
Thanks to the large aperture, it is excellent for types of photography that require greater brightness, such as sports photography, event photography, or photography at concerts or theaters. It can also be a good choice for selfies. Plus, thanks to its macro mode, it’s also excellent for flower or insect photography, or any other type of photography.
Examples captured with Tamron 70-200mm A001NII f / 2.8:
Find price on Amazon.com
- Note: As alternatives to this lens, you can also find a Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 EX DG, or Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F / 2.8 G ED VRII.
Tokina 11-16mm / F 2,8 AT-X PRO DX II
This wide-angle lens is one of the best options you can consider if you’re looking to cover a lot of scenes in your photos. It has good brightness so it will be very useful in low light situations as well as night photography.
It is very compact and light, produces very sharp images, and has a fast, accurate, and quiet focusing engine. For landscape photography they are a very good option.
Examples captured with Tokina 11 – 16mm / F 2,8 AT-X PRO DX II:
Find price on Amazon.com
- Note: If your budget is somewhat higher, then it would be interesting to consider purchasing the Tokina 11-20mm PRO DX f2.8, which offers a slightly longer focal range. As alternatives to Tokina, you can find the Sigma 10-20mm f / 3.5 EX DC HSM NAF, the Tamron B001NII SP AF 10-24 / 3.5-4, and finally the Nikon AF-S DX 10.-24mm F3.5-4.5 G.
Tamron 272ENII SP AF 90mm F / 2.8 Di MACRO
If what you like is macro photography, this lens is your target. However you will get images with impressive sharpness, and its lenses are designed to perfectly correct aberration, and it is also a lens that provides a very attractive blur effect.
It perfectly highlights your subjects, and the maximum magnification ratio is 1: 1, so you can reproduce images at true size. In addition to that, its image stabilization system is really useful and its superb brightness of 2.8 will provide us with amazing images.
Examples captured with Tamron 272ENII SP AF 90mm F / 2.8 Di MACRO 1: 1:
Find price on Amazon.com
- Note: If you have a larger budget you can find the enhanced version with stabilizer for this lens, the Tamron F004N SP AF 90mm F / 2.8 and also works with cameras with a full frame sensor. As alternatives to this lens, we also suggest the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM, and Nikon AF-S VR Micro 105mm F2.8 G IF-ED, which come with an image stabilizer.
Of course, this is just a guide to help purchase your favorite lens. There are many options when purchasing, and depending on your expectations for your photographic future and your budget, you can choose the preferred lens.
