My Top 5 Recommended Nikon Lenses (Under $800)!

So you've had a Nikon camera for some time now and you're getting a little bored with the kit lens it came with. You want a new lens or two, but where do you even start? Today I'd like to get you headed in the right direction with some lens recommendations that hopefully won't cost much more than you paid for your camera body. It can definitely be a SHOCK to discover how expensive lenses can be.

Check out my top five lenses (okay, I mentioned seven :) for APS-C sensor cameras, or DX-format lenses, under $800. If you aren't sure what kind of camera you have, do a quick google search to find out if it's a crop sensor (DX) or a full-frame (FX). If you want to learn more about the difference between a crop vs full frame camera, read my article here. It's VERY important to know the difference when buying a lens.  

• 1. Nikon's Nikkor AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8 or Nikkor AF-S FX 50mm f/1.8. I grouped these two lenses together because they are similar focal lengths and are perform similarly. Both are very sharp and allow you to shoot in low light. The 35mm lens will allow you to get closer to your subject (about a foot) and the 50mm requires about a foot and a half from your subject, so not quite as close. I like having a little more distance from my subject with my 50mm; it also gives me a little more bokeh (blurry background). The 50mm lens will be compatible on a full-frame camera, should you choose to upgrade your camera body, but the 35mm is not. Both are very affordable! Get the 35mm for $197 on Amazon. Get the 50mm for $216 on Amazon.

• 2. For a telephoto/zoom lens I recommend the Nikkor VR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6. This lens will give you a great range to zoom for wildlife, your kids sporting events, distant landmarks or landscapes while traveling. This lens is more affordable because it doesn't have a really low maximum aperture, but the Vibration Reduction will help you shoot at lower shutter speeds (to let in more light) without having blurry images. Other zoom lenses with a lower maximum aperture (such as f/2.8) can be $1,400 or more! Get this zoom lens for $497 on Amazon.

• 3. Wide angle lens - Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 is a great choice! I own this lens and have loved it; for landscapes and interiors it has been awesome. Distortion is common among wide-angle lenses, and this one handles it well; distortion is minimal. Having the constant f/3.5 aperture lets you shoot wide open in low-lit settings, even zoomed in. It is well built and a good price for $449 on Amazon. 

• 4. A great all-around walk-around lens is the Nikkor 18-200mm AF-S VR II. This lens is great for everyday photography, travel and will give you the right amount of zoom you need in those scenarios. The Vibration Reduction also helps create sharper images. Get it for $596 on Amazon. If it's in your budget and you don't need quite as much zoom, the fast Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM lens is a great replacer for your 18-55 kit lens. It has much better quality and can shoot in low light very well. Get that lower f/stop to let in more light on this lens for $799 on Amazon. 

• 5. If you are serious about portraits, the 85mm f/1.8 lens is beautiful. It is a fast lens to let you shoot in low light, and you'll get that great bokeh (blurry soft backgrounds). This somewhat telephoto fixed lens puts your subject farther away from you, but fills the frame and blurs the background. Get it for $477 on Amazon. 

Once again, consider your subject matter and what you'll be photographing most. If you want to start simple and cheap, get a sharp fixed lens! You can't go wrong with one of those. If you have a Nikon lens you love, comment below and let us know!

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Understanding Lens Selection

Now that you have your DSLR, it's time to switch gears and consider lens selection. Before choosing the right lens you need to know a little more about how they work! The first thing to understand is that every lens has a certain focal length(s) which is measured in millimeters (such as 50mm). This focal length, paired with the kind of sensor your camera has, determines how much can fit into a photo. 

Shorter focal lengths or wide angle lenses such as 20mm or 35mm allow you to be close to your subject (they fill most of the frame) and the background seems to be farther away. They also allow you to fit more into your frame.

Longer focal lengths, such as 105mm or 300mm lenses, allow you to stand farther away from your subject (having your subject fill your frame) but the background seems closer than normal. These lenses make a smaller area look larger (the higher the focal length number is, the more zoom you'll have). Let's break it down into the types of lenses there are and why you would want to shoot with these lenses. 

Wide Angle Lenses: The shorter your focal length is, the wider your angle of view will be or the more you'll be able to fit into your image. A wide-angle lens is usually considered anything under 35mm. This is especially useful for landscapes and interiors; trying to fit as much of scene in a photo as you can.

Standard Lenses: Standard lenses (such as 50mm or 85mm) are great for portraits and everyday scenes. A 50mm lens acts similar to the way our eyes see a person or subject; thus being a standard lens (with standard magnification) making our subject look more natural. Most cameras come with a kit lens, such as an 18-55mm lens. 

Telephoto Lenses: Telephoto lenses don't fit as much in the frame. This allows you to get closer shots of your subject and have a smaller depth of field (easier to get a blurry background). Telephoto lenses can be great when shooting portraits, wildlife and/or sports because they allow you to get close to your subject. 

When considering a lens, it is important to remember that not all DSLR camera's have the same size of sensor. The lens and the sensor go hand-in-hand so be sure that the lens you buy is compatible with the format of your sensor. Most entry-level DSLR cameras have a smaller or cropped sensor (like an APS-C sensor); when choosing a lens, a standard 50mm lens acts like a 35mm lens on a cropped-sensor camera (the view isn't as wide as it would be if the lens was on a camera with a full-frame sensor).

Here's a list of what companies label their APS-C format SLR lenses:

• Canon - EF-S

• Nikon - DX

• Pentax - DA

• Sony - DT

• Sigma - DC

• Tamron - Di II

• Tokina - DX

You can use full-frame camera lenses on an cropped-sensor camera, but these APS-C format lenses will not work properly on a camera with a full-frame sensor. Keep this in mind if you plan to upgrade to a full-frame camera body in the future. Each camera has a certain kind of lens mount as well, which means how a lens physically fits onto the camera. You won't be able to mount a Canon lens to a Nikon camera :) 

Lenses are categorized into two categories; fixed or prime lenses and zoom lenses. A fixed lens stays at one focal point (like 50mm) and doesn't have any moving parts. They are smaller, lighter and allow for brighter, sharper images. Since they have no moving parts, the glass provides higher quality images. Fixed lenses are considered 'faster' because they have large apertures (like f2.8) which let in more light. Zoom lenses (such as 18-55mm) allow you to move from one focal length to another. These can be convenient but you'll give a little of the quality when choosing a zoom lens. They just aren't quite as sharp as fixed lenses.

Consider your subject matter and what you spend the majority of your time photographing. This will determine the kind of lens you want to invest in. If you shoot sports, wildlife or street-style photographs, a zoom or telephoto lens would be a great choice for you. If you want great portraits, investing in prime lenses is the direction to go. If you want an all-around lens to travel with that will give you a good range, something like an 18-200mm lens would be nice to have. Cameras are excellent these days, the real difference is made when you pair your DSLR with a great lens. They can be expensive but the investment is worth it to get great images. We'll cover more about recommended lenses soon!  

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