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There is no denying that the Nikon D500 is one of the best DSLRs present on the market that comes with the DX/APS-C sensor. With a 153-point auto-focus system, 20 megapixels similar to the Nikon D5, 200 raw image buffer, ten frames per second, and a 4K video, this camera is worth buying.
However, with a quality camera, the lens should be good too. There is no point in having something as remarkable as the Nikon D500, If you cannot show the details and shoot sports and action with low light efficiency.
But, buying the best lens for your Nikon can be a difficult decision to make, and so, to guide you, we have compiled the top five lenses available, along with a buyer’s guide for your assistance, read on below to find out more!
Contents
- Review of the Best Nikon D500 Lenses
- Best Overall: Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G
- Runner-up: Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G
- Best for the Money: Nikon AF-S DX Nkr 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6G
- Best Wildlife Lens for Nikon D500: Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E
- Best Wide Angle Lens for Nikon D500: Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X116 Pro DX II
- Comparison of the Best Lenses For Nikon D500
- What Size of Lens Do I Need?
- How to Choose a Nikon D500 Lens
- Aspects to Consider Before Buying
- People Also Ask
- Conclusion
Review of the Best Nikon D500 Lenses
Finding the best lens for your Nikon D500 is difficult to do on your own. For this reason, we have compiled reviews of some of the best models available today. Read on to find out about their pros and cons, the buyer’s review, and whether it is suited for you or not.
Best Overall: Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G
PROS
- Very reasonably priced model
- Compact design allows easy travel
- Takes crisp images for you to enjoy
- Provides you with a bright aperture
- Lightweight design makes it ideal for long shoots
CONS
- Gives slight barrel distortion on your images
What Recent Buyers Report
According to users of Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G lens, it is great for not only casual shooting but for portraits as well. It shoots perfectly clear pictures when indoors and provides you with a good dramatic depth field effect that’ll make your pictures stand out.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The best part about this camera lens is that it is incredibly small and lightweight. However, despite its light nature, Nikon does not compromise on its construction material. The barrel present on this lens is hard poly-carbonate, whereas the lens mount on it is pure metal.
Who Will Use This Most
This model is designed for beginners and professionals. It has an exceptional auto-focus ability that is quiet, smooth, and very fast when using the optical viewfinder. This lens is also quiet when it switches to Live View, and this is appreciated by both novices and experts.
Bottom Line
Overall, this photography lens is perfect for not only outdoor pictures, but for dim light shooting as well. It has a reasonable price point and a stylish design that makes it ideal for investing in. Also, since it is compact and lightweight, you can travel with this camera easily.
- F mount lens/DX format. Picture angle with Nikon DX format 44 degree
- 52.5 millimeter (35-millimeter equivalent). Rear focusing; Manual focus override
- Aperture range: F/1.8 to 22; Dimensions(approx.) 70 x 52.5 millimeter
Runner-up: Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G
PROS
- Takes good quality images
- Features effective image stabilization
- Comes with a very long telephoto reach
- Is very affordable as compared to other models
- Provides you with a smooth and quiet auto-focus
CONS
- Has a narrow aperture
- Not ideal for manual focusing
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent users of this unit call Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G an A+ lens. They claim that it can take some time adjusting to this lens, but the quality of the images it captures after adjusting is great. Also, the professional quality shots that this lens captured made the buyers incredibly happy with their investment.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This model is perfect for beginners who are just entering the photography world and do not want to spend too much money on a difficult-to-handle lens. Moreover, this unit has great optical stabilization and can take pictures from far off distances, making it a truly worthy investment.
Who Will Use This Most
Getting a telezoom lens by spending a lot of money is very easy, but getting one within a reasonable budget can be difficult, however, with this lens, this is not an issue. It is lightweight and can be used in traveling. This lens is perfect for both beginners and professionals.
Bottom Line
This Nikon lens is affordable, comes with smooth and quiet auto-focus, and provides you with great picture quality and resolution. The build quality of this model ensures that it is a premium lens and is easy to handle and good in performance.
- 5.5x Telephoto Zoom lens,Filter Thread: 58 mm
- Nikon VR Image Stabilization; Tripod Detection Mode, Focal Length Range : 55 -300 mm, Minimum Focus...
- HRI (High Refractive Index) Lens Element
Best for the Money: Nikon AF-S DX Nkr 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6G
PROS
- Has a decent build quality
- Features a fast AF for a super-zoom
- Comes with an excellent VR II system
- Provides you with great image sharpness
- Contains a zoom lock switch that prevents the lens from extending in transport
CONS
- Compromises the quality when focal length gets longer
What Recent Buyers Report
According to buyers of AF-S DX Nkr 18-200mm F/3.5-5.6G product, this lens can easily adapt to various different conditions. It provides them with exceptional performance, captures good and crisp images, and enhances light transmission, allowing good low light imaging.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This lens stands out because of its premium quality construction. Due to its making and material, this unit lasts for a long period of time, and you can use it without any worry. It is also ideal for use with polarizing and even with neutral density graduated filters.
Who Will Use This Most
The quick to understand features and lightweight and easy handling, make this lens perfect for all. This product takes exceptionally good pictures, has good image stabilization, and allows you to make fine adjustments when needed, making it the perfect buy for everyone.
Bottom Line
Overall, this camera provides you with versatility without compromising on its quality. This is a powerful lens that ensures crisp and clean images for you to enjoy. It is ideal for various situations and is fast and very accurate.
- One-lens solution adept in a wide variety of situations
- Focal length range: 18 -200 millimeter, minimum focus distance: 1.6 feet.
- Two extra-low Dispersion (ED) elements; Three aspherical lens elements
Best Wildlife Lens for Nikon D500: Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E
PROS
- Has a long telephoto reach
- Comes with incredibly sharp optics
- Has a fixed f/5.6 maximum aperture
- Contains good optical image stabilization
- Includes a tripod collar that can be removed easily
CONS
- Is not compatible with older DSLRs
What Recent Buyers Report
According to the reviews of the lens, Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E one is outstanding. It not only provides you with sharp results but is also very easy to handle. Moreover, its long zoom telephoto lens allows the users to take pictures of faraway subjects very easily and clearly.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This lens stands out due to the great features it comes with. It has a four toggle switch that includes two that control the focus system, and two that adjust the vibration reduction system. You can also get full auto-focus along with a fully manual focus override.
Who Will Use This Most
This model is perfect for professionals due to its ability to take high-quality pictures. This product takes wide-angle images, and since it comes with auto-focus and manual focus both, it is perfect for use by beginners, experts, and teenagers.
Bottom Line
Overall, this lens comes with good build quality and is very long-lasting. It also makes it easy for you to take images while moving due to optical image stabilization and has a locking mechanism and toggle switch to turn this lens from manual control to automatic control.
- Compact super telephoto zoom lens for birding, wildlife, motorsports, events and more
- 500 millimeter of zoom power on fx format DSLR; 750 millimeter equivalent on dx format DSLRs,...
- Fast f/5.6 constant aperture for beautiful out of focus backgrounds and low light performance
Best Wide Angle Lens for Nikon D500: Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X116 Pro DX II
PROS
- Is very sharp in image quality
- Comes with a bright f/2.8 aperture
- Provides excellent value for money
- Features an ultra-wide angle of view
- Captured images have nominal vignetting
CONS
- Has slow and loud auto-focus
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers claim that Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 camera lens provides a wide-angle view of imaging and is very sharp as well. However, this lens is not weather protected and is not ideal for shooting in the rain. But the crisp images it takes makes it worth investing in.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This lens stands out due to the bright and ultra-wide images it takes. It works perfectly well in low light surroundings and comes with a stylish design that gives it a 90s feel. Moreover, this lens is very lightweight and is perfect for traveling with.
Who Will Use This Most
It is ideal for beginners as it has easy to use features and a good overall aesthetic look. However, experts should not invest in this model if they are looking for something that offers plenty of features and better manual control.
Bottom Line
Overall, this lens is good for wide-angle photography. It is also great for beginners due to its easy to use features and lightweight design. You can travel with this lens and also shoot images in the dark without any worry at all.
- USA Version. 3 Year Tokina Warranty included. Intended for sale within the USA.
- Aperture Range: f/2.8 to f/22 Designed for Cameras with APS-C Sensors
- Two Aspheric Lens Elements Two Super-Low Dispersion Lens Elements
Comparison of the Best Lenses For Nikon D500
What Size of Lens Do I Need?
Finding the perfect lens size can be difficult for you to do so on your own. There are plenty of features you need to keep in mind, such as the aperture, focal length, and even whether it is a zoom lens or prime lens. You should also keep in mind the versatility of the lens, if the lens can handle different shooting situations or not because you won’t invest in a lens for a single occasion.
Another thing to remember is the size and weight for better traveling and portability. In order to provide you more information about the features you should look out for, we have compiled a buyer’s guide below, so keep on reading.
How to Choose a Nikon D500 Lens
It is important that you know what to look for and your photography requirements before you go ahead and buy the lens. Some of the things you need to look out for include:
Focal Length
The focal length is the distance from the center of the lens to its sensors when you focus on the subject. Keep in mind that the lower the number, the wider your shot will be, and similarly, the higher the number of the focal length, the longer the zoom will be.
If you want to get a wider picture in your frame, then you should look for a lens with a focal length of 35mm, 28mm, 24mm, 20mm, or 14mm.
Price
This is another important feature that you need to keep a lookout for. If the lens you are buying is super expensive and has the basic features, then there is no need to pay so much for it. Before investing in the lens that you find good for your camera, you must focus on the features the lens is providing and the price it is providing them in.
Aperture
Aperture is a measure of the amount of light that can enter your camera. This is usually represented by the letter F along with corresponding numbers. Keep in mind that a small aperture such as f1.2 means that its opening is wide, and it allows more light to enter, making this aperture amount perfect for shooting in low light conditions.
Aspects to Consider Before Buying
When buying a camera lens for yourself, there are plenty of features you must consider. Some of the most common ones include the following:
Weather Sealing
If you prefer shooting outdoors such as sports or wildlife, then you must get a water-sealed or water resilient lens. This feature allows you to gift this lens to your teenager as well, making them take pictures without worrying about the lens getting damaged.
Manual Focus Override
Many lenses today come with built-in manual focusing rings. This allows you to alter the focus on your own instead of using automated focus. Manual focus override is more accurate and ideal for use.
Lens Quality and Coating
A lens has a higher price point due to the glass present in it. A high-grade lens made using high-quality glass comes with a special lens coating and other elements that improve the overall image quality. This coating provides you with less distortion and reflection hence, making sure that the image is consistent and sharp.
People Also Ask
With the information above, people who are entering the photography world for the first time can become confused with the different terms and features. So, we have answered some of the most frequently asked questions down below for their ease.
How Good is the Nikon D500?
The Nikon D500 is a dream camera. It has a very fast and effective auto-focus system with a shooting capability of 10fps. With the exceptional image quality it provides and the price point it comes in, it is one of the best SRLs Nikon has ever made.
Is Nikon D500 DX or FX?
The Nikon D500 comes with an APS-C sensor, and this is called the DX-format by Nikon. Whereas the D750 comes with an FX-format sensor, and this sensor has a physical dimension that is larger than the APS-C chip.
Is a Nikon D500 Full-Frame?
Nikon D500 is not a full-frame camera. The lens’ ability to be full-frame depends on the sensor it incorporates, and Nikon does not have a full-frame camera.
Is Nikon D500 Weather-Sealed?
Yes, Nikon D500 is a weather-sealed camera. It features a magnesium alloy chassis body, and you can easily shoot in brief rain showers and even in blizzards.
Conclusion
With the aforementioned reviews, you can easily shop for the best Nikon D500 lens on your own. Make sure that you do your own research as well and make use of the tips and tricks mentioned above in order to look for the right features and qualities of the lens you are investing in.
