The 5 Best Nikon D3200 Lenses You Should Buy First

VD October 10 2021

 

Choosing a new camera is often not an easy story, especially for a relatively inexperienced photographer. And when you have finally decided on a certain model, such as Nikon D3200, you are faced with the next question very quickly: Which lenses should be purchased first? 

The kit lens often does a decent job at the beginning, but you reach your limits relatively quickly. And if you want to delve deeper into certain areas such as portrait photography, landscape photography, or macro photography, then you simply need special lenses. The main thing you should be aware of when it comes to lenses is that your starting point matters very much. We have already written about the best lenses for Nikon D3200, but we will take a look at them today to help you make the right decisions.

The best compact prime lens for Nikon D3200: Nikon AF-S DX 35mm f / 1.8G

  • Light and compact
  • Comparatively cheap
  • Very bright with f / 1.8 aperture
  • Infrared compatible
  • Bad autofocus performance, even with the update

This lens is one of the best for Nikon D3200 because it simply offers everything you need. It is compact, has a very bright aperture of f / 1.8, and comes at an incredibly low price tag considering how good it performs. The only drawback with this prime lens is that its autofocus performance could be better, but we are Nikon will improve this via future firmware updates. In addition, you should be aware that this lens is infrared compatible, but because it does not have a loudspeaker to focus with the camera switched on, you will need a separate microphone.

In short: This Nikon AF-S DX 35mm f / 1.8G is a great compact prime lens for Nikon D3200 among many other cameras and is perfect for beginners who want to take their first steps in the photography world.

The best portrait lens for Nikon D3200: Nikon AF-S 85mm f / 1.8G

  • Excellent results for portraits
  • Light, but still robust
  • Also suitable for full format cameras
  • Autofocus loud and slow

The 85mm f / 1.8 is a decent choice for Nikon D3200 because it offers everything you need for portraits or other kinds of photography where you must be particularly careful about your background (headshot). The optical construction consists of 9 lenses in 8 groups, the diaphragm blades are round, which is always an advantage when photographing people. The autofocus works well with the camera switched on, but only with certain CPUs. And finally, there's also an infrared compatible version available for this lens - the AF-S DX NIKKOR 85mm f / 1.8G .

In short: This is one of the best portrait lenses for Nikon D3200 among many other cameras and is perfect for beginners or advanced photographers who want to add a new dimension to their portraits.

The best lens for macro photography: Nikon AF-S DX Micro 40mm f / 2.8G

  • Image scale of 1: 1
  • Close focus of only 0.163m
  • Flexible use as a standard lens
  • Expensive

In terms of image quality, there are no weaknesses to be found with this macro lens from Nikon, which is why we classify it as a class A. And if you can accept the fact that you have a fixed focal length and a minimum focusing distance of just 40 centimeters, then this Nikon AF-S DX Micro 40mm f / 2.8G offers everything beginners need for macro photography.

In addition, it has extremely flexible use as a standard lens because its optics offer so little distortion and vignetting - both factors that often play a big role when photographing people or objects from close range.

The autofocus works well with the camera switched on throughout the entire focus range and also contributes to the versatility of this lens.

Unfortunately, the diaphragm isn't very close to the actual focal plane and delivers a picture that is slightly blurred at f / 2.8, but this does not affect its other properties.

The best wide angle lens for Nikon: Sigma 10-20mm f / 3.5 EX DC HSM

  • Excellent value for money
  • Excellent picture quality
  • Hardly any problems with distortions or vignetting
  • Aperture only f / 3.5 to f / 11

This lens is one of the best wide-angle lenses for Nikon D3200 because it offers everything you need for stunning landscape photography or architecture shots. The overall image quality is excellent, hardly any distortions or aberrations can be found with this 10-20mm Sigma lens and it also does not produce many problems with vignetting even when photographing in very bright situations. With an aperture range of f / 3.5 to f / 11, it can be pushed quite a bit when photographing in dim light conditions without worrying too much about the loss of speed - but if that's what you require, then you might want to look at one of our other recommendations.

In short: This is one of the best wide-angle lenses for Nikon D3200 and among many other cameras and is perfect for beginners or advanced photographers who want to add a new dimension to their photography.

The best telephoto lens for Nikon D3200 cameras: Nikon AF-S DX 55-300mm f / 4.5-5.6G ED VR

  • Very large focal length range
  • Image stabilization reduces camera shake
  • Autofocus loud
  • No manual override of the autofocus

The Nikon 55-300mm f / 4.5-5.6G ED VR is an excellent lens with many applications. It's on one hand perfect for photographing animals or sports, but if you use it on the other end (unknown focal length), then you can create some very artistic shots that don't exist in reality. And this certainly fits into the art of photography - even though you're trying to reproduce something that actually exists.

The small weight of just 455 grams makes it easy to transport and due to its robust construction, this telephoto lens is also suitable for traveling photographers who want to limit luggage as much as possible while not compromising image quality.

In short: This is one of the best telephoto lenses for Nikon D3200 and among many other cameras and is perfect for beginners or advanced photographers who want to add a new dimension to their shooting.

Background knowledge for choosing Nikon D3200 lens

In general, Nikon has many different cameras on offer. In the entry-level or middle class, the models are always equipped with APS-C sensors (DX sensors). These include, for example, the Nikon D3200, Nikon D5500, Nikon D7500, or Nikon D500. 

More expensive cameras like the Nikon D610, D750, or D810, on the other hand, work with full-frame sensors (FX sensors). As already mentioned, this Nikon lens purchase advice is primarily aimed at users who have decided on an APS-C camera.

If you are looking for a new lens for Nikon cameras and are wondering which Nikon lenses you should buy first, you have to pay close attention to whether it is a DX lens or an FX lens. DX lenses are only suitable for Nikon cameras with APS-C sensors, while FX lenses are also suitable for Nikon cameras with a larger full-frame sensor.

DX lenses are often more compact and also cheaper than FX lenses, but can only be used on APS-C cameras. FX lenses, on the other hand, are, so to speak, “downward compatible” and can be used on both FX and DX cameras.

If a Nikon lens is a DX lens, the “DX” always appears in the name of the lens. FX lenses, on the other hand, do not have an “FX” in their name.

Of course, if you are looking for a new lens for Nikon cameras with an APS-C sensor, but are not sure if this is a DX or FX lens, then there are usually some indicators on the lenses themselves. There are particular symbols that appear on the camera manufacturers' lenses, which make it easy to recognize them even at first glance. For example, all Nikon D3200 lenses have the letter “DX” in their name.

In summary: A DX lens is only suitable for an APS-C sensor camera from Nikon. An FX lens can be used on both FX and DX cameras. This knowledge allows you to choose the correct lenses when buying a new lens for your camera.

All in all, there are different types of lenses that you should consider when looking at lenses for a Nikon D3200 . It's very important to consider what type it is, because not everything works together. Normal lenses (50mm) work best with normal or telephoto lenses - wide-angle and fisheye lenses, on the other hand, should always be used with wide-angle or fisheye lenses. The latter also certain characteristics that cannot be altered.

Our recommendation

If you don't already know for sure that you will switch to a full-frame camera in the near future, you can use some DX lenses with a clear conscience. This saves a lot of money that can possibly be invested in an additional lens. 

If you plan on switching to a full-frame camera in the future, then you should buy FX lenses (e.g. Nikon 35mm  1.8G). They will last for quite some time and they are also cheaper than DX lenses.

In summary, DX lenses are cheaper and smaller than FX lenses. In the long run, they turn out to be more expensive if they later have to be replaced by a full-frame lens.