Nikon SLR Cameras

Good lenses for Nikon D3200?

Amelia
09.11.2015
Amelia

So I have the Nikon d3200 and I'm wondering what lenses are the best. I'm not that bothered about zoom to be honest but any other features are good. Also my price range is anything up to about £150 ish.

Sordenhiemer
11.11.2015
Sordenhiemer

Your budget will only cover the cheapest lenses. Lenses that cost around 400-500 are good. Lenses that cost around 800-1200 are real good, and lenses that cost around 1500-10,000 are excellent.

Frank
11.11.2015
Frank

You asked about which are best, but then listed a budget so low that you're only going to be able to afford the worst lenses.

There are lenses that are best for certain shooting situations such as just walking around town, sports, wildlife, landscapes and portraits. Then there are lenses among those types that are the best.

All "best" lenses are going to cost a $500USD or more, with the bulk being well over the $1,000 USD mark.

It's like asking what's the best sports car? I've got $1,500 to spend. Answer is still, you're not going to get anything good at that price range.

To get the best lens, you first need to know how you're going to use it. Do you need a super telephoto because you're doing sports/wildlife, or an ultra-wide zoom/prime for landscapes, or a fast medium telephoto for portraits? There are lenses that are best for those types, but none that are great or "best" for all things.

I strongly suggest to first determine what you need to do, then determine which types of lens is best suited for that type of photography. Then, go to photozone.de and check out their sharpness tests to determine which lens is best for you at a price that you can afford.

khashayar
11.11.2015
khashayar

I would personally advise waiting and saving a lot more to have the luxury of investing into some high quality glass. In the mean time, though, the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G is a very powerful prime lens for the price range you mentioned. It doesn't have Vibration reduction, so either use a tripod, very steady hands, or a fast shutter speed to compensate for the shakiness. Also check out the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II zoom lens, which usually comes with the camera and is a typical, general-purpose lens with VR and a little bit of zoom for some variety. However, the prime 35mm one have a greater aperture (f1.8) which is spectacular for shallow depth of field and sharpness in that shallow range.
I came across a video comparing expensive camera+ cheap lens, and cheap camera+ expensive lens, and turns out, the quality of the glass is quite essential to the image quality; even more so than the camera body.

keerok
11.11.2015
keerok

There are no good lenses. There's only proper use.

http://keerok.wordpress.com/2014/12/17/what-is-the-best-lens/

Measuringmaple9
11.11.2015
Measuringmaple9

The 35mm f1.8 DX is probably your best bet, as it is the only decent lens I know of in that price range. You should probably save and go for a better lens in the future.