10 Best lenses for Nikon D3500 [2023 guide]

The Nikon D3500 is one of the best entry-level DSLR cameras on the market, offering a great combination of features and performance at an attractive price point. But to get the best out of your photos, you need to invest in the best lenses for Nikon D3500. Whether you’re looking for a wide-angle or telephoto lens, a fast prime, or a macro lens, there are plenty of options to choose from.

To help you make an informed decision, we’ve put together this guide on the best lenses for Nikon D3500. We’ll give you our top 10 picks as well as provide some helpful information about each Nikon D3500 lens.

The list of Nikon D3500 lenses

With numerous lenses at your disposal for the Nikon D3500, it can be difficult to choose which one best suits your needs. To make this process easier, we’ve compiled a list of high-performing Nikon D3500 lenses that are highly adaptable and provide excellent image quality without breaking the bank!

Listed below are lenses that will meet the needs of all types of photographers:

👉 Portraits;
👉 Wildlife;
👉 Sports;
👉 Landscape;
👉 Zoom;
👉 Macro.

Best Nikon D3500 lenses for portraits

1. Nikon AF S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G

When it comes to selecting the best lens for taking portraits, everyone has their personal preference as the desired outcome of each photograph is subjective. Nonetheless, there are usually three primary lenses that people look towards when it comes to portrait photography: 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm. For many photographers out there looking for a perfect combination of features and quality results, the Nikon D3500 85 mm lens stands out from all others as an excellent choice.

Build and handling: Nikon’s 85mm f/1.8G offers an impressive blend of resilience and portability, with a solid plastic casing and metallic lens mount ready to take on any dust or dirt that comes it’s way. This camera may look bulky at first glance, but it is astonishingly lightweight. Making it the ideal option for long hand-held photoshoots.

Performance: Perfect for low-light photography, the Nikon D3500’s portrait lens features a wide f/1.8 aperture and imparts a shallow depth of field to photos. It also offers two distinct focusing modes: manual priority AF and manual focus – both powered by a fast, yet silent wave motor.

Best for: The Nikon D3500’s 85mm focal length and f/1.8 aperture make it an ideal choice for portrait photography. But it can be also used in other photoshoots as well, like events or product shoots. When there is enough room, this lens will truly showcase what you have envisioned with your photos!

In conclusion, this is one best Nikon D3500 lenses for portraits, creating stunning photos with its creamy background blur, shallow depth of field, and high contrast. If you’re looking to take your portraits to the next level then this lens would be an awesome pick!

2. Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G

This lens is a great all-around choice for everyday portrait photography. It’s lightweight and fits perfectly on the Nikon D3500, pairing well with its 24.2-megapixel sensor to create stunning photos. Despite being relatively cheap, this lens doesn’t compromise when it comes to quality or performance.

Build and handling: The Nikon D3500 portrait lens is lightweight yet durable, weighing only 6.6 oz (185 g) and packed with everyday features. It’s designed so that you can comfortably shoot hand-held for longer sessions without tiring your arms and hands out!

Performance: With an f/1.8 aperture, this lens produces a beautiful bokeh effect, clearly separating the subject from its background. Although it could be faster at autofocusing, the overall quality of photos taken with this lens is quite good. However, some slight softness might be around the corners and edges when shooting wide open.

Best for: The Nikon D3500 lens is ideal for perfecting indoor portraits due to its wide f/1.8 aperture and shorter focal length. Which ensures crisp photographs even in dimly lit settings. With this specific lens, you can also take remarkable street photos as well as chronicle your travels with clear images.

In conclusion, Nikon D3500 users who are on a budget should seriously consider this lens. Its wide aperture, lightweight design, and exceptional image quality make it the ideal choice for beginners looking to improve their portrait compositions and the overall outcomes of their photos.

3. Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM Fit Lens

The Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM Fit Lens is a great mid-range option for portrait photography on the Nikon D3500. It’s not only compact and lightweight but also produces sharp, high-quality images in different environments or light settings.

Build and handling: This lens is built from a combination of metal and plastic, making it lightweight yet dependable. Featuring a rubberized focusing ring and manual aperture dial for easy control. Its Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) guarantees swift and quiet autofocusing that yields accurate results. Additionally, Super Multi-Layer Coating on its elements minimizes flare and ghosting.

Performance: With a fast f/1.4 maximum aperture, you’ll be able to capture stunning photos even in difficult lighting conditions. It also has excellent corner-to-corner clarity and minimal vignetting. The lens has a minimum focusing distance of 11.8 inches, allowing you to capture close-up shots with impressive clarity.

Best for: The Sigma lens for Nikon D3500 is ideal for capturing creative portraits with stunning background blur. It works great when shooting in low-light environments thanks to its large aperture. Moreover, you can also rely on this lens to deliver sharp photos with great color accuracy and contrast.

One of the best Nikon D3500 lenses for portraits is an ideal option if you’re searching for absolute sharpness even in low light conditions or need to produce breathtaking, shallow depth-of-field shots.

Best wildlife lens for Nikon D3500

4. Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED

It’s a compact and lightweight telephoto zoom lens designed for use with Nikon’s DX-format DSLR cameras. It features a versatile zoom range, fast and quiet autofocus, and advanced optics that deliver high-quality images.

Build and handling: This Nikon D3500 telephoto lens has a plastic construction, but the overall build quality is quite good, and it feels sturdy in hand. The lens features a smooth zoom ring, which allows you to adjust the focal length easily. It has an extremely compact size for a telephoto, making it an excellent option for quick outdoor snaps.

Performance: The lens delivers excellent performance when taking into account its price. The autofocus system is solid when there is good lighting around. It also features Nikon’s Vibration Reduction (VR) technology, which minimizes camera shake and helps you shoot at slower shutter speeds. At the maximum focal length, the sharpness does drop off a little.

Best for: The Nikon D3500 lens is best suited for wildlife, sports, and outdoor photography, where you need to capture distant subjects. The versatile zoom range makes it easy to get closer to the action, while the VR technology helps you capture sharp images. It is also an excellent option for travel photography, as it is lightweight and compact, making it easy to carry around.

In conclusion, it’s one of the best wildlife lenses for Nikon D3500 thanks to its versatility and affordability. It’s a great deal for beginners, given the cheap price, as it features a sturdy build, fast and precise autofocus, and delivers excellent image quality.

Nikon D3500 lens for sports

5. Sigma 150-600mm 5-6.3 Contemporary DG OS HSM

The Sigma 150-600mm is a great option for sports and wildlife photography with the Nikon D3500. It features an ultra-large aperture, fast autofocus system, Optical Stabilization technology, and superb image quality.

Build and handling: Those familiar with telephoto lenses know their weight can be overwhelming. However, this 68.1 oz (1930 g) lens is surprisingly lightweight as compared to its counterparts – some of which weigh an additional 35 ounces (1 kg)! Despite the reduced bulk, it still offers professional build quality and its performance capabilities are not compromised in any way.

Performance: If you’re an avid sports photographer, the Nikon D3500 lens is a must-have for your camera gear. With its wide aperture and professional features, it excels in low-light photography conditions. Additionally, its hypersonic motor ensures pinpoint accurate, and rapid focusing while image stabilization technology helps capture stunning outdoor snapshots no matter how shaky your hands may be!

Best for: The Sigma 150-600mm lens is best suited for sports and wildlife photography. With its ultra-large aperture, fast autofocus system, Optical Stabilization technology, and superb image quality, it allows you to capture stunning action shots no matter the distance between you and your subject. It’s a great choice for those looking to invest in a lens that will take their sports and wildlife photography to the next level.

In conclusion, this Nikon D3500 lens for sports provides you with pro-grade features at a reasonable price point, making it a great addition for both beginners and professionals in the fields of sports or wildlife photography.

Best landscape lens for Nikon D3500

6. Tokina AT-X PRO 11-16mm F2.8 DXII Lens

If precision in low-light photography is what you are searching for, the Tokina lens for Nikon D3500 should be considered. With a maximum f/2.8 aperture and ultra wide-angle zoom capability, this lens can capture stunning images with accuracy.

Build and handling: The Tokina lens is perfectly crafted to provide a secure, comfortable grip through its rubberized ring and robust plastic casing. Nine aperture blades create stunning bokeh effects that appear impressively smooth and accurate. Two Super-Low Dispersion glass elements plus two aspherical elements work together harmoniously to minimize chromatic aberration while maximizing contrast and clarity. Additionally, advanced multi-layered coatings reduce surface reflections while maintaining excellent optical performance.

Performance: Autofocus operates with precision and silence, giving you clear photographs that are void of any blurred lines. While shooting in bright settings may cause a slight chromatic aberration or fringing to appear on the corners of your photos, this can be quickly remedied through post-processing.

Best for: If you’re searching for an expansive visual field to take photos in tight surroundings, such as a real estate property or indoor events, then this wide-angle lens for Nikon D3500 is the optimal choice. Additionally, if you are looking for a lens for the night sky, then this is also an option to look at.

Overall, it is one of the best landscape lenses for the Nikon D3500, with wide-angle capabilities and a fast aperture. Its superior optical performance makes it an ideal choice for all types of photographers who want to capture expansive shots with a broad range of perspectives.

Nikon D3500 zoom lenses

7. Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM

The Sigma 17-50mm lens is the perfect choice for photographers looking to capture sharp, detailed images in a variety of environments. This lens offers high optical performance and fast autofocusing capabilities.

Build and handling: Measuring 19.9 oz (565 g), this lens is lightweight yet still highly precise, delivering astounding images thanks to its optical stabilization technology and the combination of two Fluorite Low Dispersion elements, two glass-molded aspherical elements, and one hybrid aspherical element. It also features Super Multi-Layer Coating for added protection against glare.

Performance: The Nikon D3500 travel lens offers decent clarity in low light conditions, with a constant f/2.8 aperture ensuring sharp visuals from edge to edge no matter the focal length. Although some slight blurring might be apparent in mid-zoom settings, this lens will deliver stunning photos.

Best for: This 17-50mm offers versatility and convenience in one compact package. Whether you’re capturing group shots, landscapes, street scenes, or portraits – no matter the photo opportunity on your journey – this lens has you covered. When looking for a single go-to option that meets every travel photography need, then this might be one of your best bets.

Overall, the travel lens for Nikon D3500 is a great tool that provides excellent performance at a reasonable price point, making it a great addition for both beginners and professionals in the field of travel photography.

8. Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED

The Nikon D3500 lens is a great choice for both portrait and landscape photographers trying to capture stunning images with their DSLR camera. It has quite the same specifications as the previous one, but this one here has some extra focal lengths.

Build and handling: This lens is composed of 17 elements in 13 groups, which include four ED glass elements and three aspherical elements. It also has Nikon’s Nano Crystal Coat technology to reduce glare from sunlight or artificial light sources. The rubberized zoom rings provide a secure grip when zooming in on your subject and the lens itself is relatively lightweight, coming in at 16.1oz (480g).

Performance: This lens offers excellent sharpness and contrast throughout the entire zoom range, with minimal chromatic aberration. Its fast autofocus system also ensures quick and accurate tracking of your subject when shooting both stills and video. The Nano Crystal Coat technology helps reduce ghosting and flare from bright light sources, so your images retain their color accuracy and vibrancy.

Best for: The Nikon 16-80mm lens is perfect for photographers who want a versatile all-purpose lens. Its fast aperture allows you to shoot in low light conditions without having to increase the ISO, and its wide-angle capabilities make it an ideal choice for capturing landscapes. It can also be used to create stunning portrait images with beautiful background blur.

Overall, the zoom lens for Nikon D3500 is a great choice for those looking to capture beautiful photos with their camera. With its fast autofocus, sharp optics, and versatile range of focal lengths, this lens is an excellent tool for all types of photographers.

9. Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 Contemporary DC Macro OS HSM

The Sigma 17-70mm is another great option for photographers looking to capture stunning images with their Nikon D3500 camera. This lens offers a range of features and a bit more advanced options than the previous two lenses.

Build and handling: The Sigma lens for Nikon D3500 is constructed with 16 elements in 14 groups, which includes one SLD (Special Low Dispersion) and two FLD glass elements. It also features a Hyper Sonic Motor for fast autofocus and optical stabilization to reduce the effects of camera shake – both extremely useful features for a travel lens. The zoom and focus rings are also well-made, providing an easy and comfortable grip when zooming in or out on your subject.

Performance: This lens offers excellent image quality throughout its entire zoom range with minimal chromatic aberration. It has a fast aperture of f/2.8 that allows you to capture images in low light conditions and its macro capability allows you to get up close and personal with your subject for highly detailed shots. The optical stabilization also helps keep your photos sharp, even when shooting at slower shutter speeds.

Best for: It is perfect for capturing stunning landscapes and detailed close-ups, as well as shooting video with its built-in stabilization feature. It’s also great for travel photographers who need a versatile lens that can handle a range of different scenarios.

Overall, it’s one of the best lenses for Nikon D3500 for those looking to take their travel photography to the next level. With its fast autofocus, sharp optics, and versatile range of focal lengths, this lens is an excellent tool for all types of photographers.

Macro lens for Nikon D3500

10. Nikon AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED Lens

The macro lens for Nikon D3500 is an excellent choice for those looking to get up close and personal with their subjects when shooting macro photography. This lens offers a great combination of features and performance, all in a lightweight package.

Build and handling: The Nikon 105mm lens is constructed with 14 elements in 12 groups, including one ED (Extra-low Dispersion) and nine diaphragm blades. It also features an Internal Focus system for precise focusing and a Silent Wave Motor for fast autofocus. The focus ring rotates smoothly, making it easy to adjust the focus distance while shooting macro images.

Performance: This lens offers excellent image quality throughout its entire focal range, with sharp details and accurate colors. The fast aperture of f/2.8 allows you to capture stunning background blur, while the vibration reduction system helps to reduce camera shake and maintain a steady shot when shooting at slower shutter speeds. It also has a minimum focusing distance of 1.0 ft. (0.31m), so you can get up close and personal with your subject for detailed macro shots.

Best for: This lens is ideal for those looking to capture stunning macro images with their Nikon D3500 camera. The 105mm focal length and f/2.8 aperture of this lens make it the ideal option for capturing minute subjects, such as bugs or blossoms, with remarkable clarity.

Overall, one of the best lenses for Nikon D3500 is an excellent choice for those looking to capture stunning macro images with their DSLR camera. With its sharp optics and fast autofocus performance, this lens is sure to help you take your macro photography to the next level.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the best lens for Nikon D3500 will depend on your individual needs and preferences, so take the time to research the best options for you. With the right lens, you can get up close and personal with your subject for detailed macro shots or capture far-away subjects in stunning high resolution. No matter what type of photography you plan on doing with your Nikon D3500 camera, the right lens can help you get amazing results.

Disclosure: Some of the links may be affiliate links, at no additional cost to you. If you make a purchase then I will earn a commission, which helps me to run this website. Again: no additional cost for you.

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