Recently, I have been asked by my readers to suggest what Nikon DLSR camera and lens to get for someone who is switching over from a point and shoot camera. Since I spent a considerable amount of time responding to the emails, I decided to write a quick post on what DSLR and lenses I suggest to buy.
1) For a budget below $1,000 USD, I recommend buying the Nikon D5000 camera with the Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX lens. The Nikon D5000 DSLR has exactly the same sensor as the Nikon D90 semi-professional camera, so the image quality on this camera is simply outstanding. The Nikon 35mm f/1.8 AF-S DX lens is a very inexpensive (only $200), sharp lens that will deliver much better results than a slow consumer zoom lens. For those who really need the flexibility to zoom and be able to shoot wider, the Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-f/5.6 VR lens (about $180) would be a good backup to the 35mm f/1.8.
2) For a budget above $1,000 and between $1,500 USD, I recommend buying the Nikon D90 camera with the Nikon 50mm f/1.4G AF-S lens. Although both the Nikon D90 and the Nikon D5000 share the same sensor, the Nikon D90 is more versatile than the Nikon D5000 – it can command external flashes, has a bigger viewfinder and LCD and works with older lenses that do not have an autofocus motor (see a full comparison between Nikon D5000 and D90). The Nikon 50mm f/1.4 AF-S lens is outstanding – it is by far my most favorite lens that I personally use more than any other lens (my wife uses it for her food photography as well). It is a lightweight and a super sharp lens that is capable of producing images with a very pleasing bokeh. If the new 50mm f/1.4 is a financial stretch, get the older Nikon 50mm f/1.4D or the Nikon 50mm f/1.8D – they also perform quite well. My only complaint with the older 50mm lenses is the heptagon diaphragm in the bokeh, which might not look very pleasing to the eye. Warning: these older “D” lenses will NOT work on cameras without a focus motor (Nikon D3000/D5000). The other problem with 50mm lenses is that they might be a little too long for everyday photography. They are great portrait lenses, but if you need to capture a wider area, you might want to get a different lens such as the Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-f/5.6 VR.
Lenses with fixed focal lengths are called “prime” lenses, while variable focal length lenses are called “zoom” lenses. Why do I recommend a prime lens over a zoom lens? Because prime lenses are cheaper, lighter, sharper, faster (in low-light conditions), more resistant to dust and are generally less prone to optical distortions. Prime lenses are simpler to make than zoom lenses, which is why they are so much smaller and lighter than zoom lenses.
What about the Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-f/5.6 VRII lens? Another reader asked me if he should get the Nikon 18-200mm as the first lens for his camera, because everyone keeps telling him it is a very good lens. My response to him, was not to fall into another Ken Rockwell “this lens is the best in the world” trap. While the Nikon 18-200mm might sound like a “Jack of all trades”, you cannot even compare it to a prime lens such as the Nikon 50mm f/1.4. It is slow, not as sharp, has distortion and other optical issues at higher focal lengths. I, too, used to have this lens and I ended up selling it, because it was not good enough when compared to even some of the worst prime lenses. The bokeh on 18-200mm is disappointing, to say the least.
I highly recommend reading one of my articles on how to buy a DSLR and this post on first Nikon lens that I wrote a while ago.
Hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any questions in the comments section below.
Nasim Mansurov