If you've bought (or are planning to buy) the Nikon D5000, you will love the range of features and quality it delivers. This is an excellent camera and it made an excellent first impression when I used it, especially considering that it is supposed to be an amateur's camera.
Nikon D5000 - lens options?
In my mind, having a good lens is much more important than owning an expensive camera. But determining how much to spend on which lens can be tricky. There are just so many options out there.
Before we look at specific options, a note on DX lenses.
The D5000 has a "DX" sensor, which in Nikon speak means that it is smaller than a traditional 35mm film frame. Why does this matter?
When you look at lenses and you see "DX" in the name, you know that the lens has been built to be used with your DX-sensor camera..
Traditional lenses (not the DX kind) are optimised for a traditional 35mm frame size. You can use them with a DX camera, but because the image they project back into the camera will be larger than your sensor, the resultant image will be cropped (because the outer edges of the image will not fall on the sensor). This means that you won't get as wide an angle as the lens was designed for, but on the plus side you effectively can zoom in closer. As a rule of thumb, the crop factor is about 1.5, so an 18-55mm non-DX lens will act like a 27-80mm lens when attached to your D5000.
Which manufacturer?
Nikkor (Nikon's own lens brand) is the best in my opinion. It's true that you'll find less costly Nikon-compatible alternatives made by other manufacturers, but they're just not the same.
To ensure compatibility with the Nikon D5000, look for AF-S and AF-I type lenses. The trick is to make sure that AF-S or AF-I is written in the name of the lens.
Best lens for the Nikon D5000 - My list
When it comes to lenses, there isn't a single answer to the "best lens" question. It depends on what you intend to photograph, so here is a list of options tailored to different kinds of photography
A. Travel photograps and street scenes
A good travel- and street photography lens needs to be flexible. You must be able to respond quickly to fast-changing scenes - spending a lot of time changing lenses means you'll miss the best shots, so you're looking for a lens with a nice zoom:
AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR - this is not a bad lens, considering that it's usually sold with the D5000 as a kit lens. And it's got built-in anti-shake "VR" technology (VR as in Vibration Reduction)
AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II - this is a wonderful traveller's lens. I regularly use it myself, and because of the amazing zoom range, I hardly ever take it off when I'm doing street photography. Admittedly the quality can be a little variable when you go extremely wide (at 18mm) or extremely close (at 200mm), but the flexibility you gain more than makes up for it. And never discount the value of reducing the volume and weight of gear you carry when traveling: You'll suffer from fewer back aches and pains, but you will also be less noticeable and able to take better candid photos if you're not carrying around a giant bag with loads of lenses and gear.
B. Portraits:
AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G - the wide aperture makes it possible to take beautiful portraits with a shallow depth of field using natural light. And you'll enjoy the crisp quality delivered by this fixed focal (prime) lens.
C. Landscapes and cityscapes:
AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED - the big advantage here is the wide-angle zoom, allowing you to capture big scenes.
D. Sports & Wildlife:
AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR - use this lens in situations where it is important to get in close without disturbing your subject. The 300mm maximum zoom with the build-in VR capabilities means you'll get detailed, sharp photos.
There are loads more options available, but I feel that these are the best ones based on the amount you will have spent on the D5000 itself. handle physically, and second, if you are using an entry-level camera such as this, there is no point paying top dollar for the most expensive professional lenses. You can always upgrade later as your photography develops.
Nikon D5000 - lens options?
In my mind, having a good lens is much more important than owning an expensive camera. But determining how much to spend on which lens can be tricky. There are just so many options out there.
Before we look at specific options, a note on DX lenses.
The D5000 has a "DX" sensor, which in Nikon speak means that it is smaller than a traditional 35mm film frame. Why does this matter?
When you look at lenses and you see "DX" in the name, you know that the lens has been built to be used with your DX-sensor camera..
Traditional lenses (not the DX kind) are optimised for a traditional 35mm frame size. You can use them with a DX camera, but because the image they project back into the camera will be larger than your sensor, the resultant image will be cropped (because the outer edges of the image will not fall on the sensor). This means that you won't get as wide an angle as the lens was designed for, but on the plus side you effectively can zoom in closer. As a rule of thumb, the crop factor is about 1.5, so an 18-55mm non-DX lens will act like a 27-80mm lens when attached to your D5000.
Which manufacturer?
Nikkor (Nikon's own lens brand) is the best in my opinion. It's true that you'll find less costly Nikon-compatible alternatives made by other manufacturers, but they're just not the same.
To ensure compatibility with the Nikon D5000, look for AF-S and AF-I type lenses. The trick is to make sure that AF-S or AF-I is written in the name of the lens.
Best lens for the Nikon D5000 - My list
When it comes to lenses, there isn't a single answer to the "best lens" question. It depends on what you intend to photograph, so here is a list of options tailored to different kinds of photography
A. Travel photograps and street scenes
A good travel- and street photography lens needs to be flexible. You must be able to respond quickly to fast-changing scenes - spending a lot of time changing lenses means you'll miss the best shots, so you're looking for a lens with a nice zoom:
AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR - this is not a bad lens, considering that it's usually sold with the D5000 as a kit lens. And it's got built-in anti-shake "VR" technology (VR as in Vibration Reduction)
AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II - this is a wonderful traveller's lens. I regularly use it myself, and because of the amazing zoom range, I hardly ever take it off when I'm doing street photography. Admittedly the quality can be a little variable when you go extremely wide (at 18mm) or extremely close (at 200mm), but the flexibility you gain more than makes up for it. And never discount the value of reducing the volume and weight of gear you carry when traveling: You'll suffer from fewer back aches and pains, but you will also be less noticeable and able to take better candid photos if you're not carrying around a giant bag with loads of lenses and gear.
B. Portraits:
AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G - the wide aperture makes it possible to take beautiful portraits with a shallow depth of field using natural light. And you'll enjoy the crisp quality delivered by this fixed focal (prime) lens.
C. Landscapes and cityscapes:
AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED - the big advantage here is the wide-angle zoom, allowing you to capture big scenes.
D. Sports & Wildlife:
AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR - use this lens in situations where it is important to get in close without disturbing your subject. The 300mm maximum zoom with the build-in VR capabilities means you'll get detailed, sharp photos.
There are loads more options available, but I feel that these are the best ones based on the amount you will have spent on the D5000 itself. handle physically, and second, if you are using an entry-level camera such as this, there is no point paying top dollar for the most expensive professional lenses. You can always upgrade later as your photography develops.