Lens for Nikon D5100 DSLR?

Nikon D5100 is my first DSLR and it came with the 18-55mm lens. I have compact and bridge camera so the interchangeable lens that you can change is new to me.
Since I do macro photography I was looking to buy a new lens that ranges up to 200mm.
So my main question is:
Can N D5100 use any of the lens produced by Nikon company or do they have to be specific lens produced by the company for that product? And are there other alternative lens for Nikon D5100 so that I may buy cheaper lens for macro photography?

The D5100 is an entry level camera so to be able to auto-focus, you will need to buy Nikkor AF-S. By not adding certain features to entry level cameras, the cost of them comes down (No on camera auto-focus motor and no depth of field preview button)

There are five macro lenses you can choose from.

Here is the list:

http://www.nikonusa.com/...index.page

The least expensive macro lens is the Nikkor AF-S 40 mm and it costs $280

From there you will find that macro lenses get more and more expensive until you reach the Nikkor AF-S 200 mm which will cost you about $1795.

"Since I do macro photography I was looking to buy a new lens that ranges up to 200mm"

Your premise that to shoot macro shots that you need a long lens is flawed.

Two things happen when you use a longer macro lens at 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4. 1) the depth of field becomes very thing and 2) the actual distance from the camera to the subject increase as the focal length increases.

Actually, a longer macro (or micro as Nikon call them) lens has some advantages over a shorter one. The 40mm is the cheapest, but has the problem that you need to get very close to the subject to get the closest 1:1 images. The lens is so short that you can easily end up blocking your own light. It's a reasonable enough optic, but the 85mm Micro is better and you don't have to get as close to your subject.

Most people can't afford a 200mm Micro lens. That is NOT the same as any old 200mm setting on a zoom lens. A proper micro or macro lens allows you to get much closer.

Assuming the fantastic 200mm micro is out of reach financially, if you can afford the 105mm Micro, that's the one to go for. It is recognised by most macro photographers as being one of the best Micro/macro lenses on the market. If you can't afford that, the 85mm is really very good and lightweight. It also has VR, which isn't useful for micro but does make it a good portrait lens.

So the 40mm micro will give you good macro shots if that's the most you can afford, but the 85mm really is worth the extra money if you can afford it and the 105mm lens is even better.

Nikon lenses work to the following standards (oldest-newest):

Pre-AI: No coupling ridge. Won't fit on a Nikon DSLR

AI/AI-S: Coupling ridge. Will fit on a Nikon DSLR. No AE on D40/50/60/70/80/90/100/3000/3100/3200/50… No AF.

AI-P: Coupling ridge + CPU.AE on all DSLRs. No AF.

AF: CPU, no AF motor.AE all Nikon DSLRs. No AF on D40/60/3000/3100/3200/5000/5100/5200

AF-I/AF-S: CPU, and motor.AE and AF on all Nikon DSLRs.

D: Distance information, and aperture ring for AI-S bodies (doesn't affect you)

G: No aperture ring, so only CPU bodies (doesn't affect you).

Basically with AI/AI-S lenses you have to guess exposures, or use a hand held light meter. For macro work, AI-P and AF have no disadvantage since you have focus confirm (the beep), and autofocus is unreliable in macro anyway.

Third party lenses also made lenses for Nikon. Most earlier AF lenses were the AF standard, but if it's sold at motorised then it is the AF-I standard.

Essentially, something like the old Sigma 105mm f2.8 Macro without the OS and HSM would do fine, but will only be manual focus.