Use These Best Lenses for Nikon D5200 to Take Some Amazing Pictures

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you have the money, you have the camera, but you are not sure what lens you should be getting for it? The last time I found myself in this situation, I ended up buying a kit lens and then regretted my choice until I could finally get a new lens.

Of course, I was a beginner and did not have a lot of resources but to ensure that fellow budding photographers do not go through the same issue, I am compiling a list of the best lenses for Nikon D5200.

Best Lenses for Nikon D5200

I have already done a similar list of Nikon D5300 lenses, and there were some excellent lenses in that list, too. The best lens for the Nikon D5200 will be the 35mm f/1.8 as it complements the DX form factor of the Nikon D5200 well.

35mm is one of the few focal lengths that are loved by almost everyone. After all, it is the classic film look that so many beloved directors have been using for such a long time and the results that it produces are always amazing. However, not all 35mm lenses are made the same way and we need to know that.

The Nikon 35mm f/1.8 is one of the best lenses available in the market, to be honest. It does a great job of giving you an amazing experience but at the same time, it does not cost a lot of money, either.

Price aside, the lens does deliver on a lot of promises and hopes that most photographers have when buying a new lens. It is compact and lightweight, allowing you to carry it without running into any hindrance.

The bright f/1.8 aperture makes this an excellent lens for indoor and outdoor shooting as well. You just have to adjust the shutter speed and get started without having to worry.

Not to forget, you are also looking at crisp and sharp images that are produced by the lens. I understand that these are some of the most common aspects of a good lens that people look into.

With that out of the way, the lens does introduce some barrel distortion and there is no optical image stabilization but the latter is barely a concern at 35mm because you are still getting a good field of view and there is not a massive concern over shakiness.

Overall, the Nikon 35mm acts as an excellent lens for anyone who is looking to have a good photography experience. It does not cost a lot of money and at the same time, it delivers on the promise of great performance and value for money.

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Telephoto zoom lenses have undoubtedly come a long way. Gone are the days when these lenses were average at best. The modern-day lenses are a lot better and they work well overall. I can assure you that if you are on a budget, you are not going to go wrong with this lens.

The Nikon 18-300mm is a telephoto zoom lens that is insane when you are looking at the zoom range it offers. The 16.7x zoom range is not easy to pull off, especially when you have to keep the sharpness intact, but this lens does a great job at that.

However, that is not all. You are also looking at optical image stabilization, which I believe to be an important feature in all the zoom lenses as they can help when you are completely zoomed in. The lens also has 1:3 macro magnification and while it might not be much for a lot of people, it certainly does deliver good results.

The lens is also lightweight and easy to carry, making it a great option for a lot of photographers who do not want to carry extra weight with them as it can be tedious.

There are a few downsides to address here. For starters, the lens does go through some heavy distortion. Additionally, the edge and telephoto performances are average at best.

Overall, the Nikon 18-300mm is a good lens that delivers great performance even if it is marred by some of the issues you normally find in affordable lenses. This is not at all a bad lens and if you are just starting and looking for a good telephoto zoom lens, this would make a great purchase.

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While I cannot say it for myself telephoto lenses have been the fan favorite for a lot of people for the simplest reason that they are excellent at what they are supposed to do. Especially when you are talking about the 85mm offering because that is the perfect focal length for portraits, and many of us have agreed to do that, as well.

Sure, the lens might seem like overkill for a DX camera like the Nikon D5200 but if you are looking for something that delivers top performance without having too many compromises in place, this is the lens that you should be investing in.

For starters, you are getting excellent sharpness, as well as minimal distortion. Both of these traits combined to deliver some of the best-looking images, and not just that. The wide aperture is there to help you get excellent images that will look good regardless of the time you are shooting them.

However, the biggest highlight of this lens is the price. 85mm lenses with a bright aperture are normally on the expensive side but things are different here as this is one of the more affordable lenses available in the market and will not let you down in terms of performance, either.

Honestly, I never really ran into any issues with this lens. Sure, the limited close focusing capability could be an issue for some people but aside from that, the 85mm f/1.8 from Nikon does a great job of being an amazing telephoto lens.

If you are looking for something that can deliver some serious portrait horsepower without costing you a lot of money, I would suggest you close your eyes and invest in this lens and you will not be let down in any case.

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I have said it before, and I am going to say it again. No list containing the best lenses is ever complete without adding the 50mm lens. This is not just for the affordable cahttps://snapdirector.com/camera-lenses/meras. I am going to say the same even if you are asking me about the Nikon D810 or some other camera, for that matter that is on the higher end.

For the longest time, the 50mm lens has been a staple and it still is because it does deliver amazing performance across the board, and that too, without running into a lot of issues. Sure, the lens, being old, does not deliver as many features but overall, this is a great Nikon d5200 50mm lens and something you should add to your collection.

For starters, it is a sharp lens. You are not going to get a better overall shooting experience with any other 50mm in the same category. Not only that, you are also looking at one of the lighter and more compact lenses that will make it an absolute joy to carry around.

Moving further, the lens offers a fast aperture, allowing one to take some excellent shots with increased shutter speeds as well. Plus, it lets a lot of light in, which is always fun.

However, the selling point for a lot of people is going to be the fact that this lens barely costs a lot of money. You can easily pick it up with any camera and it will get the job done.

My only concern here is that the lens does not have an aperture control ring, a feature that should be common across all the lenses in the market.

Simply put, I do not think anyone should be without a 50mm in their arsenal. We all need a fast, standard prime lens that is going to take some stunning pictures for us and that too, without causing too much hindrance. If a good lens is what you are looking for, this is what you should be looking at.

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Macro lenses are a lot of fun and we are all aware of that. However, the one thing that you may have never heard about is a macro zoom lens. Yep, such a thing exists and if you look at it, it is a lot of fun to use, too.

I am talking about the Sigma 18-250mm as it is one of the best lenses for the Nikon D5200, and while it looks like a standard zoom lens at first. You will soon realize that this zoom lens also has a close focusing distance for almost the entire focal range, meaning it will allow you to get nice closeups.

The lens also offers a 13.9x zoom range which is practical and makes it a great lens for both travel and general purposes. That combined with the macro capability makes this lens a lot of fun to use.

The autofocus system on this lens is not only quiet but fast, too. Which makes this lens great for shooting videos or just silent shooting in general.

Sigma has added a pretty decent image stabilization in this lens and allows for up to 3 stops at all the focal lengths that you are getting in the lens. The overall build quality of this lens is also something to commend as it does not let down even for a second.

My only concern here is that the lens does have some softness around the middle and when you are using it wide open, as well.

In short, the Sigma 18-250mm surprised me more than any other lens. I was expecting it to be just another case where a manufacturer claims that the lens can do something but in the end, it’s just average at best but the lens is good at macro and overall photography.

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I remember talking about how ultra-wide-angle photography has always been my favorite and I still stand by my statements. Sure, this form of photography might not be for everyone but hey, if you are looking for something that will help you capture some of the widest perspectives, then going for such a lens is the right thing to do.

With that said, the Sigma 10-20mm is a lot of fun to use. While this is not as practical as some of the other zoom lenses, giving you a zoom of only 2x, it can be used for a lot of fun scenarios and might as well be one of the best lenses for anyone who wants to do landscape photography.

For starters, the lens is one of the widest available in the market. That already ensures that you are going to get great performance out of it and that too, without a problem.

Additionally, the lens also handles chromatic aberration well and you rarely run into any issues regarding that. Not only that, you are getting a fast and silent HSM motor that makes the whole process of focusing a lot easier, too. So, you are not going to be running into any problems as far as the focus is concerned.

Despite being one of the smallest lenses in the market, the build quality on this Sigma lens for Nikon d5200 is impressive, and you would be surprised to see how it can handle various shooting conditions. Just keep it away from harsher weather as that is not advised at all.

As far as the downsides, I honestly only felt that the sharpness was rather inconsistent but other than that, the lens performed adequately.

Overall, I would say that the Sigma 10-20mm was a surprise for me, too. I mean, I did look at it, but I was not expecting such a good performance out of this lens. But it defied my expectations and delivered a great performance in its class.

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The last lens on our list is a surprise as well. Standard zoom lenses are good. I will not go out on a limb and say that they are my favorite because of course, my style of photography is different and it does not often rely on standard zoom lenses, to begin with.

But the Nikon 16-85mm is a surprising addition to the list as it does actually give out some nice features and at the same time, does not cost a lot of money, either. Now, there are a lot of good lenses available in the market, so you can always pick something else but if you are on a budget and you want a good lens, why not go for something reliable

With that said, the Nikon 16-85mm is good because it offers a practical zoom range, as opposed to what you would normally get. In terms of overall performance, this best zoom lens for Nikon d5200 also barely has any chromatic aberration.

Nikon has paid special attention to detail as far as the overall build quality of this lens is concerned as it is really nicely built and you are also getting a compact body here.

The effect of in-body stabilization, however, takes the cake as it is something that I was not expecting but I love lenses of camera bodies with image stabilization so no complaints here.

While the lens itself is excellent in its capacity, there are some issues to be found. For instance, the optical performance around the corners is average at best and at 16mm, you are bound to experience larger distortions.

Overall, I would say that the Nikon 16-85mm is a good lens for your crop sensor (DX) camera from Nikon’s lineup, especially the D5200. It does not cost a lot of money, but at the same time, delivers a decent performance without causing any hindrances.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Despite being one of the older cameras in the market, the Nikon D5200 delivers great performance overall. It is still as good as its elder sibling, despite the D5300 having some robust new features. With that said, if you want to take great photos using the Nikon D5200, this round-up is made to let you take the type of pictures you want to take.

The lenses that I have included cater to every single requirement, price bracket, and style of photography. Rest assured, there is plenty to choose from.