Finding the best lens for the D5300 depends on how you intend to use your camera. If you enjoy taking landscape photos, a wide-angle lens might be your best option. On the other hand, if you’re interested in portrait photography, a prime lens with a wide aperture will give you gorgeous bokeh and sharp focus.
Hello everyone! My name is Lavelle and I am a professional photographer and videographer. Since 2009 I have been delivering professional photography services to clients across the United States and during that time, I’ve become quite familiar with the Nikon brand and the D5300 camera.
In this article, I will discuss some of the things you should look for in a lens for the Nikon D5300. I will also answer a few frequently asked questions and offer a list of the best lenses for your Nikon D5300.
Contents
Key Takeaways
- Look for a lens with a high-quality zoom that does not lose quality when close up on a subject.
- Pay close attention to primary specifications such as aperture, focal length, and image stabilization.
- Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G is the best overall lens for your Nikon D5300.
The Nikon D5300 has a smaller than full-frame sensor. It uses an APS-C sensor which is one stop smaller than a full-frame sensor.
Is the D5300 a good camera for beginners?
Yes, the D5300 is a good camera for beginner-level photographers. It’s a good budget DSLR and is a good investment.
What type of mount is the D5300?
The Nikon D5300 uses a DX mount, which is slightly smaller than the FX mount.
What to Look for in a Lens for Nikon D5300
Here are some suggestions for things to look for in a lens for your camera.
- Image Stabilization: One of the most important aspects of a good lens is image stabilization. While many lenses have a built-in image stabilization system, they are not always enough to remove the camera or handshake. Therefore, it is wise to look for lenses that offer a built-in IS system to help further stabilize your shots.
- Maximum Aperture: Each lens has a minimum and maximum aperture setting. These settings determine the amount of light that passes through the lens. If you’re shooting in poor lighting conditions, you want to use a wide aperture setting. Conversely, if you are shooting in good lighting and to avoid overexposure, you want to use a small aperture setting.
- Focal Length: By understanding the angle of view and the magnification ratio, you can maximize your shot each time. For instance, you want a 50mm lens if you’re shooting a portrait scene while you may want a 10-24mm lens if you’re shooting street photography scenes.
- Versatility: There are times when you cannot carry a large bag with several lenses inside. In this case, having a couple of versatile lenses is crucial for success. You want to choose a lens that gives you versatility and helps to reduce the need for so many lenses in your toolkit.
The Best Lenses for Nikon D5300 Reviewed
Now let’s get to the good part! Here is my list of the best recommendations.
1. Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G Lens (Best Overall)
- Focal length: 18-300mm
- Lens type: Telephoto
- Mounting type: Nikon F (DX)
- Aperture: f/3.5-6.3
The Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm is a remarkable, all-in-one lens that captures stunning images along a wide focal range. With a minimum focus distance of 16 feet and a maximum magnification of 032x, this capable lens delivers in many categories.
Its unmatched versatility provides you with a wide range of functions to work with. Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm is good for still photography, videos, landscapes, portraits, and many other scenes.
The best thing about this lens is its vibration reduction system. It gives you four stops of blur-free handheld shooting. With this technology, the lens easily delivers stable, and sharp images and exceptional video footage.
The one concern I have is that there is some softness on the edges when zoomed in on a subject. That can diminish quality in many instances. Additionally, it is a bit pricey.
My Verdict: With the wide focal range, consistent delivery, and sharp images, this is certainly a great choice to pair with your D5300. It is the best all-around choice and will exceed your expectations.
2. Sigma 35mm F1.4 Art DG HSM Lens (Best Prime)
- Focal length: 35mm
- Lens type: Wide angle
- Mounting type: Nikon F (FX)
- Aperture: f/1.4
My next choice is an absolute must-have in your camera bag. The Sigma 35mm f/1.4 is one of the best prime lenses that you can have in your inventory. It is well-designed and has a fast aperture that allows you to show some amazing bokeh in your shots.
This lens comes equipped with an excellent autofocus system that is both quiet and effective. It allows you to go into full manual focusing mode easily. It is the flagship prime lens from the Sigma family and it doesn’t fail to deliver.
The Sigma 35mm F1.4’s excellent quality and usability allow the photographer to become a true artist. The Hyper Sonic Motor ensures quiet, quick focusing while the elements in this lens help to eliminate both axial and chromatic aberrations.
However, you can notice some slightly fussy instances of out-of-focus backgrounds under certain conditions. There is also no weather sealing on the lens which is problematic in adverse weather conditions.
My Verdict: The Sigma 35mm works very well with the D5300. It is moderately priced and will add immediate value to your photography efforts.
3. Sigma 20mm F1.4 Art DG HSM Lens (Best Wide Angle)
- Focal length: 20mm
- Lens type: Normal
- Mounting type: Nikon F
- Aperture: f/1.4
The Sigma 20mm f/1.4, is an excellent wide-angle lens choice for your D5300. It delivers outstanding image quality along with fast and smooth focusing.
This lens produces amazing large-aperture brightness and bokeh. Whether you’re doing wedding photography, portraits, or even something specific like astrophotography, this lens will deliver the kind of quality that sets you apart from others.
This lens incorporates both the low-dispersion glass and five special low-dispersion glass elements that are broken out into 15 total elements in 11 groups. With its combination of advanced optics and lens power, this lens minimizes spherical aberration, field curvature, and chromatic aberration without losing quality.
Unfortunately, there is no weather sealing on this lens. This is something that Sigma needs to remedy soon. I’d love to use this lens in weather conditions, however, doing so would be fatal to the lens.
My Verdict: This is an excellent choice for a wide-angle lens. It is well-designed, highly functional, and delivers superb quality.
4. Nikon AF-S DX Micro-NIKKOR 40mm f/2.8G Close-up Lens (Best Macro)
- Focal length: 40mm
- Lens type: Normal
- Mounting type: Nikon F (DX)
- Aperture: f/2.8
The Nikon AF-S DX Micro Nikkor 40mm Macro Lens allows you to capture a myriad of images including landscapes, flowers, portraits, and the like. It’s a small, compact lens that delivers high resolution and great contrast.
This lens impresses with its sharp images from infinity to life-size. It is specifically designed to work with Nikon DSLRs like the D5300. It has a built-in Silent Wave Motor that produces exceptionally quiet operation.
The Close Range Correction system (CRC) allows the lens to auto-correct itself and focus on the subject at close ranges. This remarkable feature saves time and effort when shooting close-up subjects.
The only thing that can be improved is stabilization. This seems to be a running theme with Nikon lenses and while most of their camera bodies do have IS, it is still troublesome to me that the lenses do not.
My Verdict: For macro photography, this lens is a great choice and it works perfectly well with the D5300. The lens is somewhat limited with its 40mm fixed focal length but it does deliver nice quality.
Final Thoughts
The D5300 is an older model, but it still has a lot of good qualities to offer photographers. When coupled with the lenses on this list, photographers can experience some incredible results.
For instance, the NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G lens captures sharp images with lovely bokeh and is a great option for low-light situations. The Nikon AF-S DX Micro-NIKKOR 40mm f/2.8G Close-up Lens, on the other hand, has excellent zoom, making it perfect for close-up photography.
Choose the one that meets your needs and the conditions in which you are going to shoot.
Have you found any of these lenses to help you along your photography journey? Share your experience in the comments below.
Until next time, enjoy capturing the best moments in your life!
