5 lenses you want for DX
Recently, we have got an interesting email from one of our website viewers, asking us if only we are to choose 5 lenses from the huge Nikon collection, which 5 would we choose? Since it is a question which many photographers face, we have decided to recommend 5 lenses which you must have in the Nikon range.
These 5 lenses are not randomly chosen, in which comprises of wide angle, mid range, and telephoto lenses. It does not really matter nowadays if they are zoom lenses or primes, since more and more zooms outdo the primes. Just to convince you, these lenses do not have too high a price tag.
1. Nikon 12-24mm f/4G (see more)
Having a dedicated wide angle lens, this enables you to create more creative shots and allows you to take stunning landscapes. We recommend this lens over the Nikon 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G since this lens has a bit better build quality and better image quality. However, note that this is a DX lens, meaning that w=you will not be able to use it if you ever upgrade to a FX camera.
2. Nikon 16-35mm f/4G VR (see more)
When this lens is mounted onto your DX camera, the effective focal length turns into 24-50mm. It can act as your primary walk around lens, giving you decent wide ‘enough’ angle to a normal lens of 50mm, just as what your eye sees. We would choose this lens over the faster Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8G DX lens since the price is too high to justify for only a DX lens. However, also note that if you have the money to spend, do opt for the 17-55mm f/2.8G.
3. Nikon 50mm f/1.4D (see more)
So far, you are kind of lacking a portrait lens of about 70-85mm in focal length. With this 50mm f/1.4 lens, it turns into a 75mm f/1.4 lens when mounted onto a DX camera, which is a perfect focal length for a portrait lens, giving you lots of bokeh in your image. This lens is also ideal for low light photography as an aperture of f/1.4 lets lots of light in. We recommend this over the G version for DX cameras with a built-in motor (D90, D7000, D300, D300s), but users with cameras without a built-in motor will need to buy the G version for AF (D3000, D3100, D5000, D40 up to D80).
4. Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G VR II (see more)
This beast really costs a lot for anyone, but this will be the only telephoto zoom lens you will want to carry with you forever. When mounted onto a DX camera, the lens gives you even more reach to 105mm-300mm, with a constant aperture of f/2.8, as well as VR II. Although it is a little bit heavy, but the image quality you get from this is superb.
5. Nikon 105mm f/2.8G VR Macro (see more)
The last recommendation will have to be a macro lens. Now that you have the capability of taking wide, normal and telephoto shots, macro photography will be another creative style of photography to play with. However, this lens will be only for people who like taking macro shots, portraits, or general telephoto. If you want a cheaper alternative, you can consider the Nikon 60mm f/2.8G Macro, but the image quality will not be as superior, and you may miss the VR which is available on the 105mm Macro.
So far, all the lenses mentioned are Nikon lenses. The question you may ask is that where all the other third party manufacturer lenses are? We used to tell people to stay away from third party manufacturers because of their quality control, but over the years, these manufacturers seemed to have improved on this. If you are on a budget and want cheaper alternatives to the above 5 lenses, consider the following:
1. Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM (see more)
2. Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II VC (see more)
3. Nikon 50mm f/1.4D (see more)
4. Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM II (see more)
5. Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Macro (see more)
These 5 lenses are not randomly chosen, in which comprises of wide angle, mid range, and telephoto lenses. It does not really matter nowadays if they are zoom lenses or primes, since more and more zooms outdo the primes. Just to convince you, these lenses do not have too high a price tag.
1. Nikon 12-24mm f/4G (see more)
Having a dedicated wide angle lens, this enables you to create more creative shots and allows you to take stunning landscapes. We recommend this lens over the Nikon 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G since this lens has a bit better build quality and better image quality. However, note that this is a DX lens, meaning that w=you will not be able to use it if you ever upgrade to a FX camera.
2. Nikon 16-35mm f/4G VR (see more)
When this lens is mounted onto your DX camera, the effective focal length turns into 24-50mm. It can act as your primary walk around lens, giving you decent wide ‘enough’ angle to a normal lens of 50mm, just as what your eye sees. We would choose this lens over the faster Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8G DX lens since the price is too high to justify for only a DX lens. However, also note that if you have the money to spend, do opt for the 17-55mm f/2.8G.
3. Nikon 50mm f/1.4D (see more)
So far, you are kind of lacking a portrait lens of about 70-85mm in focal length. With this 50mm f/1.4 lens, it turns into a 75mm f/1.4 lens when mounted onto a DX camera, which is a perfect focal length for a portrait lens, giving you lots of bokeh in your image. This lens is also ideal for low light photography as an aperture of f/1.4 lets lots of light in. We recommend this over the G version for DX cameras with a built-in motor (D90, D7000, D300, D300s), but users with cameras without a built-in motor will need to buy the G version for AF (D3000, D3100, D5000, D40 up to D80).
4. Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G VR II (see more)
This beast really costs a lot for anyone, but this will be the only telephoto zoom lens you will want to carry with you forever. When mounted onto a DX camera, the lens gives you even more reach to 105mm-300mm, with a constant aperture of f/2.8, as well as VR II. Although it is a little bit heavy, but the image quality you get from this is superb.
5. Nikon 105mm f/2.8G VR Macro (see more)
The last recommendation will have to be a macro lens. Now that you have the capability of taking wide, normal and telephoto shots, macro photography will be another creative style of photography to play with. However, this lens will be only for people who like taking macro shots, portraits, or general telephoto. If you want a cheaper alternative, you can consider the Nikon 60mm f/2.8G Macro, but the image quality will not be as superior, and you may miss the VR which is available on the 105mm Macro.
So far, all the lenses mentioned are Nikon lenses. The question you may ask is that where all the other third party manufacturer lenses are? We used to tell people to stay away from third party manufacturers because of their quality control, but over the years, these manufacturers seemed to have improved on this. If you are on a budget and want cheaper alternatives to the above 5 lenses, consider the following:
1. Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM (see more)
2. Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II VC (see more)
3. Nikon 50mm f/1.4D (see more)
4. Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM II (see more)
5. Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Macro (see more)
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